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.
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David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or dgreer@clpha.org.
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From Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's press release:
Mayor Michelle Wu joined the Boston Housing Authority (BHA) and National Grid to announce that Franklin Field Apartments has been selected for National Grid’s Networked Geothermal Demonstration Program. The project will be the first networked geothermal pilot project in the City of Boston and the second in National Grid’s Massachusetts program. Switching energy sources from gas to electric is an important step to create green, healthy communities for residents. This is important in accelerating the Mayor’s goal for BHA to be fossil fuel free by 2030. At the project’s conclusion, the seven buildings in the pilot will be fossil-free.
Networked geothermal is a highly efficient renewable heating technology and source of energy that uses the ground temperature to provide heating and cooling to buildings through an underground piping network. The underground temperature serves as a heat source during winter and transfers indoor heat to the ground for cooling during the summer.
“Being the greenest city in America means that we will be best able to take care of not only the places we live, but the people we love,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “We want to be a city where the benefits we are bringing when it comes to energy efficiency and green energy are not just around being able to check off boxes and hit goals, but that we are able to empower and support the people in our community who make it possible for Boston to do everything that we do. Every Boston family deserves a home that is affordable, safe and healthy."
“As Boston tackles the challenge of climate change, it is vital that our public housing communities come first,” said Kenzie Bok, Administrator of the Boston Housing Authority. “Our partnership with National Grid is an exciting opportunity to showcase geothermal technology as a fossil-fuel-free alternative for multifamily housing, while also improving resident quality of life by providing 129 BHA families with efficient, state-of-the-art heating and cooling."
“We are excited to partner with the Boston Housing Authority and the City of Boston to meet our collective climate change, clean energy and equity goals by pursuing this networked geothermal project at Franklin Field, bringing efficient and clean heating and cooling to its residents” said Lisa Wieland, President of National Grid New England. “We are taking the initial learnings from our first project in Lowell and applying them here, which has been extremely valuable. Key to transitioning away from fossil fuels is to develop and expand reliable alternatives. Networked geothermal has significant potential to be a solution, especially for larger buildings and campuses, and this partnership will allow us to demonstrate that and bring the benefits of the clean energy future to the Franklin Field community, today."
The geothermal pilot will replace an aging gas boiler loop currently serving 129 units at seven federal public housing buildings at the BHA’s Franklin Field community in Dorchester. The Boston Housing Authority will invest federal Capital Fund Program resources to support electrification of the heating and domestic hot water equipment within the buildings. National Grid will develop the geothermal network leading to the building’s exterior, and both parties will collaborate on complementary energy efficiency investments funded by the state’s energy efficiency programs.
From WBZ News Cambridge:
The Cambridge Housing Authority has a unique program for teens in Cambridge Public Housing where they address specific educational issues.
"Being the first in their family to graduate high school, to go to college. So we started saying, 'How can we get them through high school?'" said Deputy Director of Resident Services at Cambridge Housing Authority Kambiz Maali.
They developed the Work Force High School program, where going to school becomes a job and young adults receive incentives for attending.
"That's how we've grown from a five-year program to an 11-year program, where we now start in sixth grade," Maali told WBZ-TV.
The classes are small and many of them are taught by the alums of the program.
"It would keep me accountable and learn really good skills around college enrollment and job readiness. So one of my favorite activities was, we would learn how to (tie neckties)," said Work Force Teacher-Counselor Yanley Francois.
Read WBZ News' article "Cambridge Work Force program helps high school students in public housing learn key life skills."
From the Yonkers Times:
Yonkers Housing Authority President and CEO Wilson Kimball has been named as Executive Director of the New York State Public Housing Authority Directors Association (NYSPHADA). NYSPHADA is New York State’s leading organization in providing information to New York State Housing Authorities by providing networking opportunities through communication, training and education.
She will serve in this new role while remaining as President and CEO of the Yonkers Housing Authority (YHA), helping to bring her experience and knowledge to the rest of New York. “I look forward to continuing my work with NYSPHADA as we grow membership while providing the premiere support services to affordable housing authorities seeking grant opportunities, RAD resources and addressing climate resiliency among other issues."
From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
Communities with lower income, higher rental cost burden, a higher proportion of Black and Hispanic households, more single-parent households, and higher unemployment levels are more likely to experience evictions in the City of San Diego, according to a recent San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) study of residential eviction trends from 2017 to 2022. The study, “Analysis of Residential Evictions in the City of San Diego,” was published today on SDHC’s website.
“All San Diegans need and deserve to live in secure and stable housing. This study highlights the housing challenges many residents face, particularly those from historically disenfranchised communities,” said San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera. “As a City, we need to do much more to guarantee everyone can have a roof over their head where they can live with dignity. Making sure our friends, family, and neighbors can afford to remain in and not be unnecessarily removed from their homes adds to the safety and stability of our neighborhoods and is an essential piece of our homeless prevention strategy. We must take active steps to prevent evictions, ensure people don’t fall into homelessness, and provide greater housing opportunities for all income levels."
SDHC initiated the study in February 2023, as households began to face potential evictions in greater numbers upon the conclusion of federal assistance and renter protections implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As rents continue to rise and vacancies remain low, individuals and families throughout the city will continue to struggle to pay rent and keep up with other living expenses at the same time. The potential for eviction is real for many households,” SDHC President & CEO Lisa Jones said. “This study analyzed data, reviewed best practices and sought input from renters themselves to provide our policy makers crucial information as they consider next steps to enhance eviction prevention."
SDHC completed the study in consultation with HR&A Advisors, a public policy firm with more than 40 years of experience in real estate and economic development.
“The goal of this report is to establish a baseline of existing conditions and trends related to residential evictions here in San Diego,” said Judith Taylor, a Partner at HR&A Advisors, Inc. “I want to thank the City of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission for acknowledging the importance of these issues and for conducting this study. Eviction-related challenges are not unique to San Diego, but with this analysis, community leaders here will have needed information to make informed policy decisions addressing local housing instability."
SDHC contracts with Legal Aid Society of San Diego to operate the City of San Diego Eviction Prevention Program, which launched in December 2021.
“The housing crisis in San Diego is one of the most pressing problems facing our residents today,” said Joanne Franciscus, CEO and Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of San Diego (LASSD). “More than half of the cases LASSD handles are evictions and other housing-related cases. Evictions not only threaten people’s housing but their health, employment, education and financial well-being for years to come. Effective eviction prevention requires a comprehensive, multifaceted solution that starts with lawyers enforcing people’s rights. LASSD is grateful to the City of San Diego and the San Diego Housing Commission for their forward thinking and ongoing support of the Eviction Prevention Program, through which we and our community-based partners provide legal representation, education, outreach, case management services, and emergency financial assistance that have helped thousands of San Diegans avoid eviction and homelessness to date.”
The study included analysis of Superior Court case data, Sheriff’s Department lockout data, U.S. Census Bureau data, survey responses from more than 6,000 residential renters in the City of San Diego, roundtable discussions with community-based organizations, and a review of best practices in cities nationwide.
Approximately 3,700 renter households annually in San Diego faced formal eviction proceedings before the pandemic, as measured by unlawful detainer case filings, according to SDHC’s study. However, that total does not fully capture tenants who received an eviction notice or faced informal evictions outside of the legal system. Research outside San Diego suggests that informal evictions could be twice as high as formal evictions, based on data before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Enterprise Community Partners’ 2022 report, “Home for Good: Strategies to Prevent Eviction and Promote Housing Stability."
The SDHC study also found that the geographic distribution of evictions remained consistent year over year. Central and Southeastern San Diego have historically faced the highest levels of evictions (Downtown San Diego, Southeastern San Diego, Otay Mesa, City Heights, Mission Valley and Tierrasanta). Neighborhoods with a higher share of Black and Hispanic residents, single-parent households, and residents who are unemployed were also more likely to experience higher rates of evictions (Southeastern San Diego, Barrio Logan, Encanto, Valencia Park, Lomita, Otay Mesa, and Nestor).
Key takeaways from the study also include that community-based nonprofits, cultural organizations and religious groups are essential partners in eviction prevention efforts.
From the Vancouver Housing Authority:
When Roy Johnson became Vancouver Housing Authority’s leader in February of 2008, the Clark County (and national) housing landscape looked vastly different than it does today. So much has changed. So much has been built and funded and created in the last 16 years. Not to mention, housing has gotten a lot more expensive, making the agency’s work even more crucial.
Johnson learned to be a persistent advocate for building more affordable housing.
“If not for us, it might not get done so we have to do it,” he said.
What stood out to Johnson during his tenure was the first of their kind projects. Lincoln Place, which opened in 2016, marked the agency’s first housing first project, bringing much-needed supportive housing and services to those experiencing homelessness and behavioral health challenges. (The agency looks to build on the success of Lincoln Place and the lessons learned from this first project with Lincoln Place 2.)
Caples Terrace and Nám'u qas, built in 2019 and 2023 respectively, both serve youth aging out of foster care and homeless youth — a population the housing authority hadn’t targeted before. These communities ensure young people get on a path to independence and success.
Tenny Creek, an assisted living facility for homeless people with health issues that opened in 2022, was the first of its kind not just in Clark County but in the entire state.
In 2023, Johnson launched the Clark County Affordable Homeownership Program. He pulled together nonprofits, financial institutions and other partners in an effort to make homeownership more obtainable.
Johnson said the vast amount of collaboration in Clark County made these projects possible; it’s why the area punches above its weight when it comes to boosting affordable housing. VHA’s designation as a Moving to Work Agency was what initially drew him to work here.
“It made our programs more adaptable to the actual housing economy in Clark County,” Johnson said.
And the community’s needs have shifted toward more supportive housing. Some Clark County residents with behavioral health challenges need extra support and services to help them maintain their housing. When Johnson started in 2008, supportive housing wasn’t yet part of the conversation. Likewise, he’s expanded the services provided to tenants that help them address hurdles after they’re housed.
Andy Silver, who became CEO when Johnson retired, watched Johnson will things into existence whether it was a new building, program or funding source.
“Somehow it leads to a groundbreaking ceremony or a new service – name your project,” Silver said. The community is much better off for the work Johnson’s done, he said.
Johnson attributes his success to having a talented, supportive board and staff.
“You can do pretty remarkable things when you have the support of others and that’s been present here,” Johnson said.
Between January of 2008 and December of 2023, Roy Johnson . . .
- Completed a total of 19 different affordable housing projects (more than one per year), representing:
- 41 buildings
- 825,289 total square feet
- 863 affordable housing/subsidized units
- Projects include LIHTC units; Section 8 subsidized; age 62+ housing; public housing that is now being converted to PBV and TBV housing; and the 31st Street Tiny Homes. Many of these projects are a mix of market rent and subsidized or LIHTC housing.