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David Greer
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WASHINGTON (September 20, 2019) – Sunia Zaterman, the Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, issued the following statement today in response to President Trump’s and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carson’s recent comments on the crisis of homelessness in America:
“It is astounding that this administration is calling for an end to homelessness while refusing to reinvest in public and affordable housing. People without a place to live need stable housing, not just campaign rally rhetoric or politically driven economic reporting based on cherry-picked research to manufacture a root cause of homelessness.
“The reasons for homelessness vary and no single solution will end the crisis, but there is no question that the lack of affordable housing opportunities exacerbates the problem for families, people with disabilities, and veterans.
“The Housing First model, recognized by HUD as recently as December as the most effective way to end homelessness, treats stable housing as a platform for supportive services that meet immediate and long-term needs for individuals and families.
“Meanwhile, this Administration has tried to gut funding for HUD and for public housing authorities, which are essential partners in local efforts to provide safe, stable housing to low and very-low income families, and those most vulnerable to homelessness.
“PHAs work with their Continuums of Care to provide transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and vouchers to households exiting homelessness. They also coordinate with a variety of local service providers to offer supportive services to ensure housing stability, and work with health and education partners to promote access to services that are essential for family well-being and self-sufficiency.
“The hundreds of thousands of unsheltered people living on the streets in our country need real solutions, not campaign speeches.”
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
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CLPHA Applauds Appointment of Greg Russ to Lead New York City Housing Authority
Greg Russ is the right leader at the right time to oversee NYCHA and tackle the unique challenges facing the nation's largest and oldest public housing authority.
WASHINGTON (June 19, 2019) - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of New York yesterday announced the appointment of Gregory Russ to serve as the next Chair of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) issued the following statement in support of the city's selection of Russ, who is the current CEO/Executive Director of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) and a member of CLPHA's Board of Directors:
"Greg Russ is the right leader at the right time to oversee NYCHA and tackle the challenges facing the nation's largest and oldest public housing authority. Greg is a distinguished public housing executive and proven change maker who has led with innovation to positively transform affordable housing for residents and communities. He is uniquely qualified for this position because of his experience as the Director of Troubled Agency Recovery and his work at the Chicago and Philadelphia housing authorities.
"Throughout his career, Greg has shown a commitment to preserving and improving the public housing stock while promoting self sufficiency and economic opportunities for HUD-assisted families in PHAs across the nation. In addition to his leadership in the field, Greg is considered a national expert on public housing policy.
"CLPHA applauds Mayor Bill de Blasio's selection of Greg Russ to serve as NYCHA's next chair and we look forward to supporting Greg in his new role."
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative to better insect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
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FY20 Funding Bill from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies Includes Robust Funding Increases and Legislative Language to Prevent HUD from Evicting Mixed-Status Immigrant Families
WASHINGTON (May 22, 2019) - In preparation for a subcommittee markup on the morning of May 23, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) today released their FY20 funding bill. According to the subcommittee proposal, the discretionary funding level for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) totals $50.1 billion, an increase of $5.9 billion above the FY19 enacted level, and $13.4 billion above President Trump’s request.
The Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, Sunia Zaterman, issued the following statement in support of the bill:
“In a familiar pattern and reprise of repudiating Trump Administration budget proposals, the House THUD budget reflects Congress’ continuing commitment to fund critically important housing and community development programs the Administration proposed rescinding, cutting, or eliminating in its budget request.
“CLPHA is pleased that under the leadership of THUD Subcommittee Chairman David Price (D-NC) and Ranking Member Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), the THUD proposal increases – in several instances substantially increases – or level funds programs critical to communities served by public housing authorities.
“In addition to robust funding increases, such as the doubling of Choice Neighborhoods to $300 million and fully funding the Section 8 account, the proposal includes legislative language to prevent HUD from evicting mixed-status immigrant families from public housing, and to prohibit HUD from unilaterally changing the public housing annual contributions contract without public input and following the administrative procedures act process. Importantly, mandatory rent increases and work requirements were not included in the subcommittee’s bill.
“We applaud the subcommittee for its ongoing commitment to public and affordable housing and look forward to working with the Chair and Ranking Member in support of this bill.”
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
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From CBS 4 News El Paso:
El Paso's public housing authority broke ground on the second phase of its affordable housing project for veterans and their families in northeast El Paso on Wednesday.
Housing Opportunity Enterprises -- aka HOME -- the City of El Paso's public housing authority, celebrated a groundbreaking for the next phase of Patriot Place, an affordable housing community in the northeast that prioritizes veterans and their families.
According to HOME, phase two -- which encompasses 104 units -- represents a $32.8 million investment in the "quality of life for veterans in the El Paso community."
“We are honored to break ground on the next phases of Patriot Place,” said Gerald Cichon, CEO of HOME. “This project is a testament to our unwavering commitment to supporting veterans and ensuring they have access to safe and affordable housing. We look forward to welcoming them to their new homes.”
Cichon added that El Paso is "built on the military," and given how integrated the city and Fort Bliss are, HOME wanted to "give honor back and make sure that we took care of the veterans that've taken care of us."
Read CBS 4 News El Paso's article "El Paso housing authority breaks ground on new phase of veteran housing project."
From the NYCHA Journal:
On July 15, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and NYCHA celebrated the opening of much-needed affordable housing in the Mott Haven area of the Bronx, on underutilized land at the site of NYCHA’s Betances VI campus. The development will provide 101 units of deeply affordable housing, including 70 homes for extremely low-, low-, and moderate-income New Yorkers; 30 apartments set aside for New Yorkers who had previously experienced homelessness; and 18 units reserved for NYCHA residents to receive priority housing.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony to open Betances Family Apartments was attended by HPD and NYCHA, as well as public and private partners and elected officials, including Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, Deputy Speaker and Councilmember Diana Ayala, and representatives from BNY, NEF, Lemle & Wolff, Alembic Community Development, and The Bridge.
“Today, our administration joins the South Bronx in proudly saying ‘yes’ to more affordable housing in our backyards,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “The only way to solve our generational housing and affordability crises is to simply build more, and the Bronx is setting the example by welcoming working-class New Yorkers, NYCHA residents, and formerly homeless individuals into the community with open arms. With more than 100 units of deeply affordable units, the Betances Family Apartments sets a model for the rest of our city to follow and embody.”
“With 101 new affordable homes for New Yorkers in Mott Haven, this project marks an investment in housing access for those in need of affordable and supportive housing,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Offering furnishings for families who have previously experienced homelessness, priority units for NYCHA residents, and services on-site for all residents, Betances VI is an excellent example of how we can provide support and opportunity through housing. I’m grateful for the partnerships that resulted in this project coming to be, as this administration continues to invest in new affordable homes for New Yorkers.”
“Today marks a milestone for Mott Haven as we deliver a new home for New Yorkers struggling with housing insecurity or mental health issues: you deserve safe, stable, and affordable housing,” said NYC Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development, Adolfo Carrión Jr. “Not only does this transformative project create much-needed affordable and supportive housing for New Yorkers and those with mental health challenges, but it also revitalizes a once-underused property — uplifting the entire community while creating a healthy, vibrant residence for low-income and formerly homeless individuals.”
“We consider ourselves extremely fortunate whenever we’re able to celebrate the completion of new housing on NYCHA property,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “NYCHA is very proud of the work completed in concert with our partners at HPD to bring about the addition of Betances Family Apartments to the Betances VI campus. This new building creates invaluable housing stock amid the current crisis and the 101 deeply affordable units within will serve as amazing new homes for the New Yorkers that will soon inhabit them.”
“NYCHA is proud to work directly with HPD and our partners to respond to one of our city’s biggest needs — the development of new, affordable housing,” said NYCHA Executive Vice President for Real Estate Development Jonathan Gouveia. “The Betances Family Apartments shows how we can come together to utilize our resources to provide existing NYCHA residents with amenities, community spaces, and beautiful new housing. We are excited to celebrate the opening of Betances Family Apartments today and look forward to welcoming home 100 residents soon.”
Read the NYCHA Journal's article "Partnership Brings New Affordable Homes to Mott Haven."
From New York Governor Kathy Hochul's press release:
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of La Mora Senior Apartments, an affordable 60-unit, modern and highly energy-efficient building in the Hollow neighborhood of South Yonkers. The $44 million project was developed in partnership with the Municipal Housing Authority of the city of Yonkers.
“La Mora Senior Apartments creates the affordable, supportive housing opportunities that we know are a proven strategy for helping older New Yorkers achieve long-term stability,” Governor Hochul said. “My administration is dedicated to making our state more affordable for New Yorkers, and these apartments will give seniors the opportunity to be part of a vibrant community that is tailored to their needs.”
In the last five years, New York State Homes and Community Renewal has created or preserved 4,500 affordable homes – including 300 linked with supportive services – in Westchester County. La Mora Senior Apartments continues this effort and complements Governor Hochul's $25 billion comprehensive Housing Plan that will build or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across New York, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes.
Located in South Yonkers, the development was constructed on a vacant parcel owned by MHACY that was once occupied by Longfellow Junior High School. The four-story building has 57 one-bedroom apartments and three two-bedroom apartments. All apartments will be affordable to residents 62 and older with incomes at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income.
Amenities include a community room with kitchen, two business rooms, fitness center, central laundry, building-wide WiFi, storage units, landscaped courtyard and roof top deck. There are two elevators, buzzer entry, an emergency call system, a 24-hour security system, fire alarms and detectors, electronic access controls and surface parking reserved for residents.
Residents also have access to services provided the Yonkers Office for the Aging, including case management, home-delivered meals, assistance with entitlement programs, transportation, health awareness programs, access to nutrition centers, recreation and exercise programs, and supermarket and pharmacy delivery coordination. Services are funded by the Office for the Aging and the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services.
The surrounding neighborhood has multiple public parks and a golf course, and the development is near St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center.
La Mora Senior Apartments is highly energy efficient, meets the criteria for the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) New Construction - Housing Program by receiving ENERGY STAR(R) Multifamily New Construction certification, and is pursuing Passive House certification. All apartments will include low-flow plumbing fixtures, ENERGY STAR (R) appliances, individual high-efficiency electric heat and cooling systems, and LED lighting. The building has a high-efficiency envelope, dual-pane insulated windows, and a central electric hot water heating and distribution system. An emergency generator ensures that the building systems remain operable in the event of a blackout.
La Mora Senior Apartments is being co-developed by MHACY and the Mulford Corporation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable development corporation formed by MHACY in 2004.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal financing for La Mora Senior Apartments includes $17.7 million in Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, a $7.9 million first mortgage and $9.1 million in subsidy. NYSERDA’s New Construction – Housing Program provided $240,000 in project incentives. Westchester County funded $3.4 million from the Housing Implementation Fund and the city of Yonkers gave $650,000 in HOME funds. MHACY provided a $2.6 million loan.
President & CEO of the Yonkers Housing Authority Wilson Kimball said, “The Mulford Corporation is incredibly grateful for the financial support La Mora has received at every level of government from the City, county, state and federal government. Allowing Yonkers seniors to age in place in the most resilient housing possible was clearly a collective vision.”
From GW Today:
Erin Athey has spent decades working in community medicine in Washington, D.C., a career that made her painfully aware of the disparity in care access between the city’s high-income and low-income residents.
“There is a 20-year difference in life expectancy between the White House and Ward 8,” the adjunct and former assistant professor at the George Washington University School of Nursing said. “So this is a system that needs a massive overhaul."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, while running a series of mobile clinic events with the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA), Athey noticed that DCHA properties often have a small number of offline units reserved for community service providers. An epiphany dawned: Could these unused public housing units be used as “wellness hubs,” providing convenient health care services in the communities that need them most?
Athey started sketching out ideas on a napkin. In addition to the units that could potentially be repurposed into clinics, some DCHA properties also have large community spaces, which Athey realized could be used for educational events and free gatherings. Brainstorming “was an iterative process,” Athey said. “I was really trying to think about how we could anchor these health care services out in the community."
Due to her longstanding relationship with DCHA, Athey was able to consult with and quickly gain support from colleagues at the agency. “I shared with them that instead of just these mobile pop-ups we were doing, maybe we could establish some permanent mini-clinics along those same routes,” she remembered. “And because of COVID, I think there was sort of an urgency for them to say yes.”
Read GW Today's article "D.C. Public Housing Units Become Health Care Hubs."
CLPHA Members in Cuyahoga and Norfolk Earned Additional CNI Funding
Three of CLPHA’s members—Houston Housing Authority, Miami-Dade Public Housing & Community Development Department, and Syracuse Housing Authority—were awarded HUD Choice Neighborhoods Implementation (CNI) Grants for the first time. Two of CLPHA’s members—Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority and Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority—each received an additional $2.5 million in funding for current CNI projects in this latest round of CNI awards. HUD has announced a total of $325 million in CNI grants to fifteen communities.
The Syracuse Housing Authority and City of Syracuse were awarded $50 million for the McKinney Manor and Pioneer Homes public housing properties and the surrounding East Adams neighborhood. Residents of the historically Black East Adams community were displaced in 1959 when several blocks were razed for the construction of Interstate 81. As part of this project the New York State Department of Transportation will tear down elevated portions of I-81. In its place the new project will feature 1,404 new mixed-income housing units in a community grid design, enhanced access to quality education, increased economic opportunity through workforce and small business development, and improved neighborhood connectivity and visibility.
The Houston Housing Authority and the City of Houston received $50 million for the redevelopment of its Cuney Homes public housing property and the surrounding historically Black Third Ward neighborhood, a community that housed many residents emancipated from slavery in the years after Houston’s 1836 founding. When completed, the redevelopment will feature 1,115 mixed-income, transit-oriented units and offer increased access to mental health care, local education resources, and workforce programs.
The Miami-Dade County Public Housing and Community Development Department and the City of Miami were awarded nearly $40 million to redevelop the Culmer Place and Culmer Gardens public housing properties and the surrounding Overtown neighborhood, which was once a thriving entertainment and commercial hub known as the “Harlem of the South.” When completed, the project will include 1,069 mixed-income units, energy efficient design, new green spaces, clubhouses, community rooms, gardens, and improvements to security and lighting around the building.
Artists' renderings of future plans for CLPHA Members' Choice Neighborhoods communities, from top: Syracuse Housing Authority's McKinney Manor in Syracuse's East Adams neighborhood; Houston Housing Authority's Cuney Homes in Houston's Third Ward neighborhood; Miami-Dade Public Housing and Community Development Department's Culmer Gardens in Miami's Overtown neighborhood
The seven new CNI grantees will collectively develop over 6,500 new mixed-income units, including one-for-one replacement of 2,677 severely distressed public housing units. Grantees leverage the funds they receive from HUD with other public and private resources. The seven new awardees will collectively invest more than $2.65 billion in additional resources within their Choice Neighborhoods areas, meaning every $1 in HUD funds will generate $8.65 in additional resources.
Click here to view a summary of each community’s new CNI award. More information on CNI grants can be found here.