i https://nam.edu/social-determinants-of-health-101-for-health-care-five-plus-five/
ii https://www.cbpp.org/research/housing/national-and-state-housing-fact-sheets-data
iii https://newsroom.uhc.com/community/housing-healthcare.html
Welcome to CLPHA's Press Room
CLPHA experts welcome interview requests from print, radio, television, and online reporters and are happy to provide their insights on issues of public housing and related legislation and policy.
For media inquiries, please contact:
David Greer
Director of Communications
During the COVID-19 quarantine, David can be reached at (202) 550-1381 or dgreer@clpha.org.
*Please let us know if you are working on deadline.
To view all of CLPHA's press releases, click here.
To view all of CLPHA's press statements, click here.
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Thanks again for your interest in CLPHA!
Press Releases
1.11.22
 (Washington, D.C.) January 11, 2022 – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) is pleased to announce that Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) CEO Jeffery K. Patterson has been named president of CLPHA’s board of directors.
Mr. Patterson was elected at CLPHA’s December 2021 board meeting, and previously served as the board’s vice president. He follows CLPHA’s previous board president, King County Housing Authority (KCHA) Executive Director Stephen Norman, who retired on December 31, 2021. CLPHA is also pleased to announce that La Shelle Dozier, executive director of the Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency, was elected CLPHA vice president and Maria Razo, executive director of the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino, was elected CLPHA secretary at the board’s December 2021 meeting. Ed Lowndes, executive director of the Housing Authority of Kansas City, MO, was re-elected board treasurer.
"I am honored to be elected president of CLPHA’s board and would like to thank Stephen Norman for his service and leadership upon his well-deserved retirement,” said Patterson. “Decades of chronic disinvestment, an aging housing portfolio and racial inequities have long predated the pandemic. Entering the third year of pandemic, these issues have only been magnified.
“We are at a critical juncture,” Patterson added. “Historic housing investments proposed by the White House and passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in the Build Back Better Act have stalled in the Senate. CLPHA will continue robust advocacy to ensure these significant housing investments are available to housing authorities across the country who are serving low-income families every day in their local communities.”
“Congratulations to CMHA CEO Jeffery Patterson on being named president of the Board of Directors of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. I was pleased to join him, residents, and city leaders at the recent groundbreaking of the Buckeye-Woodhill Choice Neighborhoods transformation plan, which will provide high quality affordable housing that is connected to economic, educational, and health opportunities in a vibrant neighborhood. I look forward to continuing to work with CEO Patterson in his new role to bring greater affordable housing opportunities to more people and communities in Ohio and across the country,” said Senator Sherrod Brown, Chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
“Jeffery has been an invaluable asset to CLPHA in his seven years on the board,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “He leads in many ways -- as board vice president and chair of the Racial Equity and Inclusion Committee and Communications Committee, but also more locally through the many boards he serves on in the greater Cleveland area. Jeffery has a deep understanding of national housing issues as well as local challenges and solutions, and his commitment to CLPHA will ensure continuity through this leadership transition. I look forward to working with CLPHA’s new board leadership to advance our goals and policy priorities in these unprecedented times.”
Mr. Patterson has served as CMHA’s CEO for ten years and has over thirty years of dedicated service to the residents of Cuyahoga County. As CEO of one of the largest housing authorities in the country, he is responsible for a $230 million dollar budget, approximately 750 employees, 10,500 units of housing, 15,000 Housing Choice Vouchers, and nearly 55,000 residents and participants of CMHA's low-income Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs. He also serves on the board of directors for the Housing Authority Insurance Group, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (Chairman), Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (Vice-Chairman), St. Luke’s Foundation, United Way of Greater Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Foodbank, Unify Labs Inc., University Circle Inc., the Cleveland Public Library Foundation, and the National Kidney Foundation.
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5.19.21
Data-driven ”Community Catalyst” initiative in 23 communities convenes partners across sectors to identify and address community and population health needs; 10 of the initiatives are focused on public housing authority partnerships
MINNETONKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--UnitedHealthcare today announced a community-based initiative, Community Catalyst, that convenes a broad range of community stakeholders to identify and address specific health care needs of members of the community and residents of publicly assisted housing who are often difficult to reach and serve.
UnitedHealthcare is expanding on its long-term collaboration with the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) by engaging public housing agencies (PHAs), federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and community-based organizations (CBOs) in their mutual commitment to serve as a catalyst to close gaps in care, address health equity challenges, and encourage a greater positive health impact in local communities. By blending clinical data with firsthand information from community members to identify health challenges, the initiative formally brings together local partners to develop a collaborative community plan to address needs and track progress and outcomes.
UnitedHealthcare and its partners will analyze claims, health care utilization and local data to identify communities with large racial and health disparities and challenges. Working together, Community Catalyst initiative partners will develop common goals and collaborative interventions that enable each organization to leverage its capabilities to address the local health challenge. These interventions will be customized to the community and may encompass food insecurity and diabetes management programs that can include trauma-informed care trainings, telehealth and virtual care services, multilingual educational materials, and social services wraparound support.
To date, the priority challenges identified include food insecurity, health disparities such as health literacy and maternal and women’s health, behavioral and mental health, homelessness, access to health care, and chronic disease and diabetes management.
“The needs of communities are as diverse as the communities themselves, and in order to best impact health outcomes in communities, we are creating approaches that are rooted in data and also reflect the perspectives of the people that live and work in the community,” said Catherine Anderson, senior vice president of policy and strategy, UnitedHealthcare Community & State. “By working closely with CLPHA, FQHCs, and CBOs, UnitedHealthcare is well-positioned to bring the right partners together to align primary and behavioral health with social needs, creating initiatives that not only improve health outcomes but also provide for equitable care for all.”
UnitedHealthcare and CLPHA announced the first cohort of PHAs with planned programs addressing challenges as identified in: Akron and Columbus, Ohio; Austin and Houston, Texas; and Seattle/King County, Wash. A second cohort of public housing authorities now joining the initiative include: Atlanta Housing Authority, Detroit Housing Commission, Indianapolis Housing Authority, Memphis Housing Authority, and New Orleans Housing Authority.
“UnitedHealthcare's expansion of the Community Catalyst initiative to a second cohort of five additional housing authorities demonstrates the value of public housing authorities to reach low-income families and to provide support services to improve community and population health needs,” said Sunia Zaterman, executive director, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. “CLPHA and our member public housing authorities are excited to work with UnitedHealthcare in this innovative and large-scale effort to bring together housing and health systems in an integrated approach.”
Additionally, UnitedHealthcare plans to launch similar initiatives partnering with FQHCs and CBOs to address community health needs in: Phoenix, Ariz.; Maui, Hawaii; Baton Rouge, La.; Montgomery County, Md.; Detroit, Mich.; Jackson and Clay counties, Mo.; Hinds, Copiah, and Warren, Miss.; Chester, Pa.; Richmond, Va.; Buffalo, N.Y.; Las Vegas, Nev.; Providence and Newport, R.I.
Research shows that 80% of an individual’s health is determined by what happens outside of a doctor’s officei. There are specific local underlying causes that trend in a community and create complex health challenges and barriers for individuals and communities, such as: lack of safe and affordable housing, healthy food and financial stability. In the United States, there are more than 2 million people in public housingii. Nationwide, children in subsidized housing have the lowest rate of enrollment into kindergarteniii.
FQHCs are rooted in local communities and critical to closing access gaps. In fact, 29 million Americans receive care at a FQHC each year, including 1 in 12 people and 1 in 5 people on Medicaid. FQHCs serve approximately 23% of UnitedHealthcare Community & State members at more than 1,300 clinics across the country. They are leading the way when it comes to serving our most vulnerable populations, including serving school-based health centers, military veterans, and homeless and public housing patients.
“UnitedHealthcare has provided ongoing support to our health center so we can better serve members of our community,” said María S. Gomez, president and CEO, Mary's Center. “This initiative is an exciting next step in the journey of collaboration, bringing together the key players in the community to help bridge the gap for people with an array of social and health needs that must be met before we can see a marked improvement in the overall health of our communities.”
This Community Catalyst initiative is one part of UnitedHealthcare’s ongoing efforts to address health equity, promote positive health outcomes and expand access to all. The company is also investing in programs and partnerships focused on food, transportation and social isolation, including $80 million to fight the pandemic and support vulnerable minority populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
About UnitedHealthcare
UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and making the health system work better for everyone by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. In the United States, UnitedHealthcare offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with more than 1.3 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,500 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. The company also provides health benefits and delivers care to people through owned and operated health care facilities in South America. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified health care company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com or follow @UHC on Twitter.
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
CLPHA is a non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis, and public education. Its membership includes 70 of the largest and most innovative public housing authorities across the country, which collectively owns and manages nearly 40 percent of the nation’s public housing stock, administers more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program, and provides a wide array of other rental assistance. CLPHA members also make vital services available to the more than one million low-income households they serve in federally-assisted housing. CLPHA believes housing authorities are foundational to improving outcomes around housing, families, individuals, and communities. Through their Housing Is Initiative, CLPHA helps build a future where sectors work together to improve life outcomes. Housing stability is a critical first step to improve life outcomes for low-income children, families, and seniors; CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative is based on the premise that sectors can better meet needs when they work together. Housing Is establishes, broadens, and deepens efforts to align affordable housing, education, and health systems to produce positive, long-term results. Learn more at housingis.org and on Twitter @housing_is.
Contacts
Christina Witz
UnitedHealthcare
952-931-4645
Christina.witz@UHC.com
4.8.21
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
April 9, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) April 9, 2021 – The Biden Administration’s recently announced infrastructure proposal, The American Jobs Plan, includes a $40 billion commitment to recapitalize public housing infrastructure. Applying data from a report by Econsult Solutions (ESI), a private data analytics firm, CLPHA estimates that 440,000 jobs will be created and $76 billion in economic impact generated during the time when the $40 billion in funds are spent.
“Investing in public housing infrastructure offers many economic benefits beyond lifting families out of poverty and preventing homelessness,” said Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA). “The American Jobs Plan is the first to provide the size and scale of resources necessary to repair the crumbling infrastructure of public housing. In return local employers, governments, and industries will benefit from an economic activity that outpaces investment and creation of good-paying construction jobs.”
CLPHA commissioned ESI to evaluate the economic impacts of six public housing authorities (PHAs) in diverse markets across the country. Released in late 2018, “The Economic Impact of Public Housing: Ongoing Investment with Wide-Reaching Returns” found that PHAs generate and induce multiple streams of economic activity benefiting public housing residents and their local communities. For every $1 million PHAs spend on capital investments, $1.89 million in economic activity is generated and 11 full-time jobs are supported. CLPHA applied the American Jobs Plan’s $40 billion for recapitalizing public housing infrastructure with ESI’s economic impact numbers and found the American Jobs Plan will generate $76 billion in economic activity and 440,00 jobs — a nearly 2 to 1 ratio for economic impact generated to dollars spent.
“After decades of chronic underfunding and disinvestment in public housing infrastructure, the American Jobs Plan can be game changing. Local communities have an opportunity to experience the benefits of a robust public and affordable housing system,” said Zaterman. “Whether it is improving life outcomes for low-income families, creating positive impacts in surrounding neighborhoods of well-maintained public housing, expanding local and state tax bases, or spurring regional job creation and economic growth, public housing is a benefit. It is clear from the American Jobs Plan that the Biden Administration is committed to advancing public housing.”
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Statements
8.5.22
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(Washington, D.C.) August 5, 2022 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement on the Federal Communications Commission’s adoption of the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program and the Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program:
"The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) applauds the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) adoption of the Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program and the one-year Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program at its Open Commission Meeting today. CLPHA has worked closely with the FCC to help shape these programs through direct dialogue with members of Congress, the FCC, and submitted comments throughout the regulatory process. CLPHA has also been a long-time proponent for digital equity through working with partners, disseminating information via webinars, spotlighting promising practices at conferences, and conducting outreach on opportunities. Today is a strong step forward for serving low-income families living in assisted housing with improved access to high-quality, affordable broadband and devices.
"These initiatives will improve the Biden administration’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a $14 billion long-term initiative that offers up to $30 a month for the costs of internet service for eligible households and builds on the Emergency Broadband Benefit in order to provide more permanent assistance. Public housing authorities have long understood that digital access is critical to improve life outcomes for low-income families living in assisted housing and we are excited for additional support to get more assisted households connected.
"Public housing authorities offer the most effective avenue to connect the highest number of low-income families to broadband access and accomplish the goals of the Affordable Connectivity Program. At CLPHA’s 8th Annual Housing Is Summit in May, Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Geoffrey Starks noted this point in his keynote speech, 'When I look at the data where we can reach more vulnerable households…, I consistently come back to housing. I see a clear synergy between housing and connectivity; if we are helping a family secure housing, we should be able to help them secure an internet connection as well.'
"In May 2022 Commissioner Starks also visited Nickerson Gardens, a property of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), a CLPHA member. With 1,000 units, Nickerson Gardens is the largest public housing community west of the Mississippi River. He reported that the ACP Pilot Program had connected 78 percent of the Nickerson Garden units to the internet.
"During today’s open meeting, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel also named CLPHA member the Jersey City Housing Authority (JCHA) and its executive director Vivian Brady-Phillips as an exemplary PHA working on digital inclusion. CLPHA highlighted both HACLA and JCHA during this year’s Housing Is Summit.
"The Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program will provide eligible governmental and non-governmental entities with funding to conduct outreach to eligible low-income households in order to increase awareness of and encourage participation in the Affordable Connectivity Program. The one-year Your Home, Your Internet Pilot Program aims to increase awareness of the Affordable Connectivity Program among recipients of federal housing assistance and facilitate enrollment in the ACP by providing targeted assistance with the ACP application.
"CLPHA will work with its members to ensure they are taking advantage of these programs to help residents access not only to affordable, high-quality broadband and devices, but also digital literacy to utilize these resources."
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4.1.22
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(Washington, D.C.) March 31, 2022 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement on the Biden administration’s FY23 budget request:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds the Biden administration’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget request with its 9.4-percent increase in HUD discretionary funding over 2022 enacted levels. The Biden administration has consistently demonstrated a commitment to expanding housing opportunities for low-income Americans. The FY23 budget request reflects this commitment.
“CLPHA is pleased that the FY23 budget increases funding across many programs that CLPHA members operate. Among CLPHA’s top legislative priorities is a significant expansion of the Housing Choice Voucher program. The multi-billion dollar increase in the funding request for the HCV program, which represents an expansion of 200,000 households, is an important step forward to fulfilling this key priority.
“The expansion of the HCV program coupled with increased administrative fee funding, more Tenant Protection Vouchers, additional LITHCs, new RAD conversion subsidies, and targeted climate and health investments can have a major impact on preserving public housing, expanding rental assistance and developing new affordable housing.”
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3.10.22
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(Washington, D.C.) March 9, 2022 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement about the HUD budget in fiscal year 2022 spending omnibus package:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds the $4 billion increase in funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development over last year in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 omnibus appropriations bill released last night. The increase amounts to $53.7 billion for HUD in this omnibus bill. "Subcommittee Chairman David Price and the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee recognized the critical role that public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers play with several funding increases. First, an expansion of up to 25,000 new incremental vouchers for those experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including survivors of domestic violence and veterans as part of the $200 million increase in the Tenant-Based Rental Assistance Program. Second, the Project-Based Rental Assistance budget increase of $475 million over the FY 2021 budget will continue to safely house 1.2 million very low- and low-income households.
“For public housing a $645.5 million increase over FY 2021, including $3.2 billion to meet the full annual capital accrual need in order to improve the quality and safety of public housing for more than 2 million residents. Finally, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative received an increase of $150 million above FY 2021, which represents a 75 percent increase. While America’s housing crisis continues, these funding increases recognize that public and affordable housing programs are the most effective way to keep low-income families housed.”
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CLPHA in the News
6.9.21
CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman was quoted in BisNow’s recent article “Biden's Budget Includes 'Once in a Generation' Investment in Vouchers, Public Housing. Now Landlords Need to Get on Board,” offering CLPHA’s perspective on the Biden administration’s American Jobs Plan that would allocate $30 billion the Housing Choice Voucher program and $40 billion to public housing.
“To propose this level of investment in one fell swoop, it’s extraordinary,” Zaterman told BisNow. “There’s now a strong consensus that more could have and should have been done in 2008 and 2009 for reinvestment,” she added. “This $40B [proposal] does not meet the overall need, but it is extraordinary in the level that it raises the funding from our current baseline.”
Read BisNow’s article. (requires free registration for access to the article)
5.12.21
NPR’s Pam Fessler quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman in a story about the challenges of utilizing the $5 billion in emergency housing vouchers included in the American Rescue Plan. Zaterman told Fessler that while balancing landlord, tenant and taxpayer interests has always been hard, the situation is more dire than ever in the pandemic with millions of Americans struggling with rent. “There is a need for all of our members, a crying need, for additional vouchers that are serving a wide range of populations,” Zaterman said.
Sunia Zaterman participated in a recent story on the unique opportunities presented by the new administration to address the nation’s dire affordable housing shortage as part of Fast Company’s Home Bound, a series that examines Americans’ fraught relationship with their homes.
“Our focus now is assembling the tools to give housing authorities more ability to acquire properties and to bring to neighborhoods other types of affordable housing,” Zaterman told Fast Company of CLPHA’s goals to capitalize on this inflection point in the public and affordable housing industry. She added that while the new HUD administration’s more flexible rules help housing authorities create more affordable housing in their communities, the main need facing PHAs and affordable housing providers is more money: “You may have heard this before—money is the key obstacle.”
4.16.21
This week, CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman was quoted in The Washington Post's article "In George Floyd’s old neighborhood, Biden’s war on poverty faces a crucial test." The article examines the potential impacts of President Biden's American Rescue Plan on families in poverty through a focus on Houston's Cuney Homes public housing community, where George Floyd lived much of his life before his killing in police custody.
“If we don’t make a difference in individual lives, then we really haven’t done the job yet,” Zaterman said of the Biden plan's antipoverty efforts. “The folks in the community that George Floyd grew up in — that is our test of whether our models, our resources, our impact has hit our target.”
4.9.21
This morning, CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman appeared on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss public and affordable housing issues and President Biden's proposed American Jobs Plan.
Ms. Zaterman answered questions from host Pedro Echevarria and members of the public from around the country, explaining what public housing authorities do, who they serve, and why increasing funding for public housing, vouchers, and other HUD programs is crucial to preserving affordable housing opportunities, strengthening the social safety net, and improving the life outcomes of low income Americans. She also discussed the positive impacts of the American Jobs Plan -- CLPHA estimates that 440,000 jobs will be created and $76 billion in economic impact generated during the time when the $40 billion in funds from the Plan are spent.
4.8.21
Watch CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman LIVE on C-SPAN's Washington Journal on Friday, April 9
On Friday, April 9 from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. ET, CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman will appear on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss President Biden's proposed American Jobs Plan, public and affordable housing, and related issues. Read Ms. Zaterman’s statement applauding President Biden’s announcement of the American Jobs Plan here.
You can watch Ms. Zaterman’s interview on the C-SPAN channel or live on C-SPAN's website and ask questions of Ms. Zaterman during the program via phone:
Outside U.S. and Text: (202) 748-8003
Republicans: (202) 748-8001
Democrats: (202) 748-8000
Independents: (202) 748-8002
Viewers can also share their thoughts and questions via email (journal@c-span.org), Twitter, Facebook and text messages (202-748-8003).
Members Making News
8.2.22
Congratulations to the six CLPHA members who received 2022 All-America City (AAC) Awards!
This year, the AAC Award, given by The Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) and the National Civic League (NCL), recognizes communities that are committed to improving the prospects for early school success and equitable learning recovery for the hundreds of thousands of children whose families are served by the nation’s public housing agencies and affordable housing organizations. CLPHA is proud that our longstanding partnership with CGLR helped to make housing and housing authorities a focus for this year's awards.
CGLR and NCL recently announced the awards at a virtual ceremony during GLR Week 2022, CGLR’s annual conference. Of the ten winning communities across the nation, six communities’ awards involved CLPHA member housing authorities:
- Barberton, OH (Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority)
- Los Angeles, CA (Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles)
- Louisville, KY (Louisville Metro Housing Authority)
- New Haven, CT (Elm City Communities)
- Sacramento, CA (Sacramento Redevelopment & Housing Agency)
- San Antonio, TX (San Antonio Housing Authority)
Community presentations included pre-recorded videos, virtual skits, and heartfelt stories to bring their projects and communities to life. Community efforts highlighted by the finalists emphasized work around one or more of the following areas of focus:
- Digital equity
- Relational supports
- Afterschool, summer and out-of-school learning opportunities
- Transforming non-school places and spaces into learning-rich environments
- Promoting school readiness, regular attendance and summer learning
- Parents succeeding as essential partners in assuring the healthy development and early school success of their children
- Parents succeeding in their own journey toward sustainable self-sufficiency.
CLPHA congratulates our members and their civic partners on this prestigious honor!
CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative works to elevate the importance of housing-education partnerships that support children’s literacy and education outcomes, and our PHA members have demonstrated an enduring commitment to improving literacy and school readiness for their residents. Through our close collaboration with CGLR, CLPHA was heavily involved in the marketing of this year’s AAC Award opportunity and the recruitment of our members and their cities to apply for this honor.
CLPHA also recognized the AAC Award finalists at our Housing Is Summit, held May 18-19 in Washington, D.C. The Day 2 Summit plenary “Improving Literacy Through Cross-Sector Efforts” featured CGLR, AAC Award Finalist the Housing Authority of Kansas City, MO, and nonprofit Turn the Page KC discussing how a housing authority and local partner are working together to improve literacy outcomes and education skills attainment for low-income children in the Kansas City area.
7.19.22
Last month, the New York State legislature passed the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) Public Housing Preservation Trust legislation. This legislative victory is critical to the advancement of NYCHA’s Blueprint for Change, which offers an ambitious pathway to recapitalization of its housing portfolio.
This month, Greg Russ, CLPHA Board Member and NYCHA Chair & CEO, sat down with CLPHA for a discussion on the Blueprint for Change, the Public Housing Preservation Trust, and what’s next for NYCHA’s groundbreaking transformation.
NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ (second from right) with New York Governor Kathy Hochul (seated), New York City Mayor Eric Adams (front row, fourth from left), and other stakeholders at the signing of NYCHA's Public Housing Preservation Trust legislation. Photo credit: NYCHA
When you arrived at the New York City Housing Authority, what challenges did you encounter?
NYCHA has some of the oldest public housing in the nation – most of our buildings were built more than a half century ago – and we are grappling with more than $40 billion in urgent capital repair needs across the portfolio (a staggering figure that grows by about a billion dollars every year). This is the result of decades of government disinvestment from public housing and many missed cycles of investment in the buildings. And we know too well how aging buildings that haven’t received the investment they’ve needed over the years can impact residents’ quality of life and make our work to maintain and repair them even harder. Almost no repair is routine or simple, as the work needed expands into a much larger and more complex issue requiring skilled trades and multiple work orders – which is not the case with well-invested properties.
When I arrived at NYCHA in 2019 as Chair and CEO, the distressed conditions of the buildings was manifested by an Agreement that the Authority had recently entered into with HUD to address critical areas that most impact residents: lead, mold, heat and elevator services, and pest and waste management. The Agreement also carried with it a mandate to strengthen our organization through a Transformation Plan.
So I came to NYCHA at a very pivotal moment in its 88-year history. Before us was the work to make significant and sweeping changes to comply with the HUD Agreement, transforming key areas and fundamentally changing day-to-day operations to improve the way the Authority does business and improve residents’ quality of life. It is certainly an exciting time to be at NYCHA, with this opportunity to transform our properties as well as our organization.
Tenants' rights advocates were opposed to RAD conversions because they believed that tenant protections would be lost. How did you address their concerns?
PACT (Permanent Affordability Commitment Together) is what we call the implementation of RAD in New York City, and we have worked extensively with residents, advocates, and other community partners to develop the PACT program – always putting residents’ rights first – and to inform the community of the benefits of the program and how residents’ rights will be fully maintained. Sharing information and clear communication about the facts are key. We have a range of printed materials, videos, and web resources to ensure that residents have the latest information about PACT, and we host regular information sessions and meetings about resident rights and protections, the rehabilitation process, and other program elements. All of this information is available in multiple languages and is provided directly to every PACT household. We have also given tours of PACT projects so residents and other stakeholders can see firsthand the benefits of fully renovated homes and speak directly with residents about their positive experiences.
We created a PACT planning process that is transparent and that puts residents at the center of the process, including regarding the repairs and improvements they would like to receive at their developments. Residents are involved in selecting the developers, contractors, property managers, and social service providers that will renovate and maintain their developments. Residents also have the opportunity to review proposals, interview development teams, and help us select the partners best suited to serve their community.
The Blueprint for Change is a sweeping plan to recapitalize NYCHA's housing portfolio and improve living conditions and resident services. Why was such a dramatic proposal necessary?
We are reckoning with the Authority’s greatest existential threat in its history: the compounding effects of more than four decades of government disinvestment from public housing across the nation. With over $40 billion in capital needs, business as usual is not an option. The days of piecemeal fixes – of putting band-aids on our aging, deteriorating buildings – are over. It is also clear that we cannot rely on current funding levels alone to properly maintain our properties. Residents know this reality painfully well, with the near daily cascade of serious issues, from the rooftops to the pipes underground.
We have an opportunity now to turn NYCHA around and ensure it is here to serve New Yorkers for another half century and beyond – to provide residents with safe and healthy homes without the burden of having to deal with ceaseless repairs. Massive portfolio-wide investments not only transform residents’ homes but can also transform their lives: the construction work and implementation of new technologies is a very powerful economic stimulus that generates training and job opportunities for NYCHA families.
Our responsibility is to bring our buildings the investments they so desperately need, as quickly as we can, through initiatives such as the Public Housing Preservation Trust, PACT, and Comprehensive Modernization.
Now that the New York State legislature has adopted the Public Housing Preservation Trust legislation, and the Governor has signed it, what are the next steps?
The signing of the Public Housing Preservation Trust into law by Governor Hochul last month was a big step forward for NYCHA residents and very momentous for the future of public housing, and we are thankful for the support of all those who contributed to this milestone. The Trust gives residents a true voice in the future of their homes, and the updated legislation that passed incorporated feedback from residents that we have gathered over the past few years.
The Trust legislation enables residents to choose whether or not to move forward with the Trust at the developments, which is unprecedented. It also allows residents to be part of the process for selecting vendors to rehabilitate their developments and serve on committees that check the quality of this work. We will now continue engaging with residents, working with them and community partners to establish a model for the Trust, collaborating on details regarding its board, the resident voting process (by law, the draft voting requirements must be published by mid-October and the final voting requirements by mid-December), and other elements that provide a critical platform for residents. We have already begun to establish internal working groups to coordinate these processes. Once the Trust is established, the work to renovate the first 25,000 apartments will begin, which I’ll be thrilled to see.
7.19.22
From New York City Mayor Eric Adams' press release:
New York City Mayor Eric Adams, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the New York City Housing Development Corporation (HDC), and homeless services nonprofit Project Renewal, today opened the first phase of Bedford Green House — a project that will bring 117 affordable and supportive homes to the Bronx. The project includes 71 apartments set aside for New Yorkers who previously experienced homelessness, families impacted by mental illness and substance use disorder, and people living with HIV/AIDS; with the remaining 46 apartments for low-income households earning up to 60 percent of area median income. Project Renewal is providing on-site wraparound social services, including horticultural therapy utilizing the greenhouse and aquaponic urban farming system on the building’s roof.
“Affordable housing, homelessness, public health, and our environment are all connected, and Project Renewal demonstrates the kind of creative thinking we need to tackle all of them together,” said Mayor Adams. “My administration is laser-focused, not on simply creating housing on paper but on getting New Yorkers into the safe, high-quality, affordable homes they deserve, while helping fight climate change and creating our own nutritious food. We are doing that today in the Bronx at Bedford Green House, and we will continue doing it all across the city.”
“Bedford Green House helps meet our city’s urgent need for supportive and affordable housing and embodies Project Renewal’s mission to empower individuals and families to renew their lives with health, homes, and jobs,” said Eric Rosenbaum, president and CEO, Project Renewal. “More than just an apartment building, Bedford Green House’s design and programming brings residents together, from children to seniors, around shared activities that support healthy living. As we celebrate the opening of this first phase, we look forward to the second phase, bringing more housing and services to more formerly homeless New Yorkers and the wider community.”
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“Bedford Green House is what climate and housing justice looks like,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “Project Renewal is giving low-income and formerly homeless New Yorkers a new outlook on life with the opening of Bedford Green House. This development is a model for housing New Yorkers with dignity, while providing the services needed to live healthy lives. Thanks to Project Renewal, our partners at the city and state, and the entire development team for making this innovative and sustainable project a reality.”
7.19.22
From Fresno State University's press release:
As both Fresno State and Fresno Housing are committed to improving the living conditions of Central Valley residents, leaders of the two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding Friday to strengthen opportunities for academic and programmatic cooperation through education, affordable housing and community empowerment.
Since 1940, Fresno Housing has worked to increase the availability of quality housing for low-income families in the area, creating and sustaining vibrant communities throughout Fresno County.
“Housing insecurity is one of the most significant challenges impacting our community today,“ said Fresno State President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval. “This partnership will allow us to create and support internships, expand service-learning opportunities and graduate assistantships that will engage Fresno State students in Fresno Housing projects and help empower our local community. Both our students and the greater community will benefit from the increased collaboration that will result.”
Through this partnership, both organizations seek to accomplish the following:
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Develop and strengthen cooperative relationships between the staff of Fresno Housing and the academic departments and faculty of Fresno State.
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Work toward alleviating housing insecurity for many Fresno State students.
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Create and support internships, service-learning opportunities, and/or graduate assistantships that will engage Fresno State students in Fresno Housing projects and help empower local communities.
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Mutually support grant applications that are focused on housing and community empowerment.
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Work cooperatively together to identify potential funding sources to provide matching funds for Fresno Housing Scholarship recipients who attend Fresno State.
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Convene forums in which Fresno Housing staff and Fresno State faculty can exchange and develop ideas for increasing housing accessibility and community education and empowerment.
“We are very proud and excited about this transformative partnership with Fresno State,” said Fresno Housing CEO Tyrone Roderick Williams. “We know that housing and education play a big role in a student’s journey to success. This partnership will work to create ways that we can support and provide opportunities for both Fresno State students and Fresno Housing residents alike, something that is very innovative and something we are very proud to be a part of.”
7.19.22
From The Morgan Hill Times:
Santa Clara County is the 100th community to join the federal initiative “House America,” which pairs local governments with federal funding to address homelessness with a “housing first” mentality.
Since its launch in September 2021, local jurisdictions across the country have pledged to use resources of the American Rescue Plan passed by Congress to provide more affordable housing and emergency vouchers to residents in need. Together, the cities, counties and regional territories participating in House America have 50% of the nation’s entire homeless population.
Though Los Angeles’ Skid Row is often marked the epicenter of the nation’s homeless crisis, Silicon Valley is another hotspot that needs to be addressed, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge said at a July 7 press conference.
No community has solved homelessness by banning it, or by sweeping and moving encampments from area to area, Fudge said. Santa Clara County joining this initiative indicates that they’re committed to adopting its “housing first” mindset.
“Solving homelessness means recognizing and confronting the injustices that have led people—especially Black, brown, Indigenous people, and other people of color—to the tragic circumstances that they find themselves in today,” Fudge said. “Solving homelessness requires focus and the investment of time and resources.”
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Santa Clara County Housing Authority executive director Preston Prince also mentioned the county’s Heading Home campaign, which specifically targets meeting the needs of the 600 families experiencing homelessness. The goal is to have more housing placements than the number of families on the streets by 2025, termed “functional zero.”
“Our board’s forward thinking and commitment to addressing the housing needs of our community’s most vulnerable has preceded the campaign,” Prince said in reference to the recent addition of 1,000 emergency housing vouchers for families.
Read The Morgan Hill Times' article "County pledges ‘housing first’ mindset," featuring the Santa Clara County Housing Authority.