CLPHA Press Room

From the City of Norfolk's press release:

The City of Norfolk is joining the Community of Practice for Healthy Housing Equity, led by the National League of Cities (NLC), to develop community-wide approaches that support healthy housing in our community. Norfolk joins five other cities from across the nation to do intensive work on healthy housing and healthy equity.

The full cohort includes Chicago, IL; Golden, CO; Grand Rapids, MI; New Orleans, LA; Norfolk, VA; and Osceola, AR. The yearlong Community of Practice provides municipal leaders a proven, comprehensive and coordinated framework for improving health outcomes through housing, as well as abundant resources and hands-on support from NLC, an organization with nearly a century of expertise in this area.

The goal for the City’s engagement in this Community of Practice is to identify baseline data, measurable outcomes and achievable initiatives for improving the health of Norfolk residents through housing interventions. Primary participants include the Departments of Housing and Community Development, Neighborhood Services, Human Services and Public Health as well as Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority.

The Healthy Housing Community Practice, an initiative of NLC’s Institute for Youth Education and Families, provides expert assistance to help municipal teams make changes—centered in equity—to policies, practices, systems and structures that impact home-based health for children and adults, such as lead and asthma triggers.

Read Norfolk's press release.

From NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth:

This new development in Fort Worth's Stop Six neighborhood sits where Cavile public housing once stood. 

"Just to see how far this project has come and get a sneak peek of what is to come is great because it's nothing like it was before," former Cavile resident Brasalin Mosely said.

Mosley was one of many people relocated for the project. But they all have the option to return.

"They're telling us if you want to come back you're on our first priority list to come back you can,” Mosley said. “You don't have to. Like that's the best thing because now we have options you know. We can stay where we are or we can come back to something better, so we aren’t losing. We are gaining."

U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge toured the site and is glad that bringing people back is a priority.

"This is their neighborhood,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said. “This is their home. This is where they want to be. We should be able to accommodate it. So, I think it is especially important for core communities to rebuild. Because not only do we build housing. We build neighborhoods."

It will be Cowan Place Senior Living. It's part of a 1,000-unit, mixed-income rental community that will include affordable housing.

Read NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth's article and watch the local news story here. 

From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:

 The Chicago Housing Authority partnered with national non-profit Operation Warm for the 15th year Saturday at UIC Forum to give away 5,000 new winter coats to children living in public housing and participants of the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.

There was also a resource fair with 24 organizations offering services and giveaways, including Molina Healthcare; ComEd, Shea Moisture, T-Mobile, Aetna Better Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Pepsico, AT&T, Comcast and RSM. The Chicago Department of Public Health also provided free COVID-19 and flu shots.

On hand were Mayor Lori Lightfoot, CHA CEO Tracey Scott, CHA Board Chairwoman Angela Hurlock and Operation Warm Partnership Director Richard Lalley.

Mayor Lightfoot said: “It’s always a great opportunity to be here at Operation Warm. Not only will you get warm coats for all of your kids, there are so many other important resources that are here to take advantage of. What you should know and take away from this event is that your city loves and supports you. I want you to feel that there are people all over the city who are invested in you, so you can live a life that is vibrant, safe and supportive. CHA is one of the most important institutions in our city. I know how committed CHA employees and volunteers are, and I know how much you care about residents, family, and community, so thank you so much for your service and sacrifice.”

CEO Scott thanked Operation Warm for all the great work it does. In 15 years, CHA has distributed 116,000 coats to 33,000 families.

“We’ve given out coats, we’ve given out athletic shoes to families that need them, and it’s been a great partnership. I also want to point out one particular family that really is in need, and that is the family of Lawanda Franklin. She lives in CHA with her children. Talking to Ms. Franklin, she said that this was such a needed service, especially when it gets cold. She says she is blessed to receive any form of help. And we are happy to provide it.”

Read CHA's press release.

From King County Housing Authority's press release:

The King County Housing Authority, in partnership with a number of organizations across the county working to help people experiencing homelessness, has achieved a lease-up rate of 90 percent for the 762 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) it was awarded through the Biden administration’s American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This compares with a national lease-up rate of 50.98 percent.* Of the top 20 grantees ranked by award size, KCHA is the first housing authority to reach this utilization milestone.

"These vouchers are providing hundreds of individuals and families experiencing homelessness with stability through permanent housing and embedded services, helping us to effectively address the humanitarian crisis of homelessness in King County,” said KCHA Executive Director Robin Walls. “With a waiting list of more than 19,000 families for public housing, KCHA strives to deploy every single housing resource it has available as quickly as possible to address the affordable housing crisis in King County.”

EHVs are new federal housing choice vouchers that serve individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness; at risk of experiencing homelessness; fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; or were recently homeless and at high risk of housing instability.

KCHA expects its EHVs to be fully leased up by the end of the calendar year.

Read KCHA's press release.

From Opportunity Home San Antonio's press release:

Opportunity Home San Antonio will begin construction on Snowden Apartments, its first self-developed, multi-family apartment with more than 50 percent of its units slated to provide affordable housing options for older adults at 0 – 30% AMI – making this newly-constructed apartment the most affordable development in the Opportunity Home portfolio.

The $34 million development is located in the Medical Center area and will contain 135 one- and two-bedroom units for individuals 62 years old and older.

Fourteen units will be allocated for residents who earn 0–30% of the AMI, 54 units for those who make up to 50% AMI and 67 units who make up to 60% AMI.

The 54 units at 50% and 60% AMI will be layered with a Project Based Voucher to deepen the affordability of the units to serve families with a typical income at 15% AMI.

“Our organization is fortunate to have secured the funding needed to increase affordable housing for older adults who make up about 50 percent of the individuals who receive affordable housing assistance,” Opportunity Home President and CEO Ed Hinojosa, Jr., said. “The families we serve can find comfort in knowing they have a home they can afford.”

Opportunity Home was awarded a 9% tax credit allocation from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) to develop the community, in addition to PNC Bank acting as the financial partner who will provide the debt and equity for the development.

Amenities include a hair salon, beach entrance swimming pool, on-site walking trails and energy-efficient appliances.

Read OHSA's press release.