CLPHA Press Room

From the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh's press release:

Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) residents will soon be able to lay the foundation for a stronger future thanks to a new, innovative partnership with the Master Builders’ Association of Western Pennsylvania (MBA) and an addition to the HACP’s resident programming set to roll into Pittsburgh in 2025 – the Workforce on Wheels CyberBus 2.0 – a mobile one-stop shop for HACP residents seeking to enter the workforce. 

The partnership is aimed at bringing current workforce development opportunities among the 16 building trades unions in the Greater Pittsburgh Region, directly to HACP residents ages 18 and older and leading to well-paying union positions in trades such as plumbing, bricklaying, roofing and much more. 

“At MBA we have identified workforce development as a key priority for our association. In 2023, we launched BuildWPA.org to help our members attract and retain skilled talent,” says Lance Harrell, Director of Workforce Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Master Builders’ Association of Western PA. “Partnering with HACP on this mobile workforce development initiative dovetails perfectly with our goals to support our members, help expand the region’s economy and connect HACP residents with a great career in the trades.”

The HACP plays a vital role in providing affordable housing for low-income individuals and families in our city. With a mission rooted in the United States Housing Act of 1937, HACP manages more than 2,200 public housing units and provides oversight of additional mixed-finance units, providing housing and supportive services to more than 20,000 Pittsburghers.

“Workforce development is paramount to what we do as a Housing Authority,” says HACP Executive Direct Caster D. Binion. “We’re committed to removing any and every potential hurdle for our residents during their efforts to achieve self-sufficiency. And, as a developer and manager of affordable housing on a large scale, we are reliant upon the services provided by those in the skilled trades. Connecting our residents with these opportunities is a win-win.” 

The HACP and MBA are committed to highlighting pathways to family-sustaining wages and benefits, along with life-changing careers, for residents of the City of Pittsburgh. 

“Our overall goal with this partnership is to make sure we are connecting those who want the opportunity to get into a trade and complete their certification with the right program so that they have the opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency,” Lloyd C. Wilson Jr., HACP’s Resident Employment Program/Section 3 Coordinator, says. “It’s breaking ground to help them create a foundation for the future.”

Harrell agrees.

“We are giving residents access to a path that will help them earn life-sustaining wages in the construction industry and change the trajectory of their households,” Harrell adds. “This is a first-time, ground-breaking collaboration that we hope will not only help residents gain skills and employment, but maybe also inspire some to become architects, developers, or engineers.”

Wilson and Harrell feel this initiative will continue to open the door for future partnerships with area organizations and businesses that believe in the program’s mission and goals.

Rich Paganie Jr., Training Director, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, says the partnership will help the Carpenters’ Union diversify its ranks.

“It’s better when you have different people from different places working together,” he says. “I think it’s important when people are building their own neighborhoods; there’s a lot of value there. I told Lloyd and Lance I will do whatever I can do to help with the efforts.”

One outcome Wilson and Harrell hope to see from the partnership is the emergence of a large Black-owned general contractor firm in the Pittsburgh area that builds from the ground up, something similar to Waller Corporation in Washington, PA.

In conjunction with the partnership, the HACP is anxiously awaiting the addition of its Workforce on Wheels (W.O.W.) CyberBus 2.0 in mid-2025. Through this initiative, HACP’s Resident Employment Program will provide mobile support services to its 2,200 public housing units located throughout the City of Pittsburgh, offering residents access to a variety of employment-related supports. 

Services will include access and assistance with job searches; resume building, interview prep, access to telehealth services, and support through the pre-employment process. 

The HACP Resident Employment Program will utilize the mobile workforce development initiative as a platform to introduce residents to careers within the 16 building trades unions, offering exposure to a wide range of opportunities for professional growth and development. The mobile program will provide routine service to communities within HACP’s Low-Income Public Housing portfolio, while also making programming accessible to the roughly 5,500-plus families that utilize HACP Housing Choice Vouchers throughout the City of Pittsburgh.

Paganie adds the CyberBus 2.0 will help get the word out to people who may not know about the unions, as well as get them the necessary training needed to become certified in a trade. In the Pittsburgh region, there are about 5,000 Carpenters’ Union members in a seven-county area. 

“Ultimately, the more people trained, the more people are making more money, which will contribute to the tax base. That’s a big win in creating generational wealth by flipping the dynamics of your income status. It can lift people up to have a positive, rewarding career,” he says.

“HACP has taken a great step to enhance opportunities for our city’s public housing residents seeking good-paying jobs in our trades,” adds Mayor Ed Gainey. “This new addition will provide access to residents on-site to learn skills that will positively impact both them and their families, as well as the communities they live in.”

HACP and MBA believe the partnership between the two organizations has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of Pittsburgh residents, providing access to resources, training, and opportunities for upward mobility; while simultaneously helping to bolster hiring workforce development efforts within the regional construction industry and creating new pathways to careers within the building trades unions. Together, we are committed to empowering individuals and families in Western PA to build brighter futures and stronger communities.

The 16 building trades unions include: Boilermakers Local 154; Bricklayers Allied Craftworkers (BAC) Local 9 PA; Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA) Local Union 526; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 5; International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC); International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers; Ironworkers Local Union #3; Operating Engineers Local 66; International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) DC 57; Pittsburgh Plumbers Local #27; Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 354; The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers Local #37; Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 12; Sprinkler Fitters Local 542; Steamfitters Local Union 449; and United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local #432.

Master Builders’ of Western Pennsylvania, Inc., is a trade association whose membership includes more than 265 of the top general contractors, construction managers, specialty contractors, and service and supplier companies supporting our region’s commercial construction industry. Collectively, MBA membership accounts for more than 80 percent of the commercial construction in the Pittsburgh area. Since 1886, MBA has been a strong, influential, and single voice for the industry. MBA has awarded more than $800,000 in scholarship support to students interested in careers in the construction industry. MBA is affiliated with Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), representing more than 32,000 members nationwide. This affiliation affords MBA membership with an even stronger industry voice and broader access to services, resources, and activities available on a national level.

From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:

In just a few months, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has made significant progress on its Restore Home initiative, fully restoring and leasing several multi-family buildings and single-family homes that were previously vacant due to extensive repair needs.

Announced in late 2023, Restore Home is a major capital effort to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings in the small and medium-sized apartments portfolio (commonly known as “scattered sites.”) Approximately three dozen small and medium-sized vacant apartment buildings around the city have been targeted for renovation, with more than 175 units brought back into leasable condition by mid-2025. An additional 40 single family homes are being renovated and made available for leasing or affordable homeownership opportunities.

CHA has pledged to invest up to $50 million under Restore Home.

As of April 30, 2024:

• Two multi-unit buildings are complete and fully occupied (five units total). Three single family homes are complete and pending occupancy.
• One seven-unit building is nearing completion and expected to be ready by mid-May.
• Fourteen buildings have been assigned to contractors and eight buildings are in the design phase and have architects assigned.

Shavon Nowell was one of the first residents to occupy one of the renovated scattered site units under Restore Home. She previously lived with her grandmother, who provided the financial support for housing. But when her grandmother died in November, Nowell and her three children were suddenly desperate for housing. Because of Restore Home, her name came up on the CHA wait list and she was housed by April.

“It was a weight lifted off my shoulders, because I was worried about where we were going to go,” Nowell said. “I thought we were going to be homeless.”

“This is what we do. This is what we are focused on at all times - providing quality living environments in strong communities that help families move forward. This is just an example but we do it every single day and will continue to do so,” CHA CEO Tracey Scott said.

Nowell said the program is definitely working and is thankful for her new housing. “CHA, you are doing what you said you were going to do,” she said.

Click here to see video of Shavon’s story.

From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:

The Chicago Housing Authority is announcing the launch of “Cabrini Now,” a community-driven planning and design process to accelerate new mixed-income housing and economic development in the Near North neighborhood.

Cabrini Now builds on previous planning efforts, including the 2015 Development Zone Plan, to update and further the community’s vision for the neighborhood, and respond to current affordable housing needs in the area and across Chicago.

This effort is the first in a series of updated community planning initiatives that CHA will undertake to inform its long-term development strategy. A planning initiative around the State Street Corridor is scheduled to begin later this year.

CHA will host a Cabrini Now kickoff celebration from 5:30-7:30p.m., May 8 at Ogden-Jenner Elementary School on 1119 N. Cleveland Ave. The whole community is welcome to share their voice at this interactive event. The kickoff celebration will not only provide information about the planning process but will also invite community members to express their vision and priorities and share what they love most about living in Cabrini.

“Cabrini, like Chicago as a whole, has continued changing since 2015. How the neighborhood looks and feels is fundamentally shifting with rising housing costs and significant new developments like the Bally’s casino, Lincoln Yards and North Union,” said CHA CEO Tracey Scott. “CHA recognizes that it’s critically important for us to hear from community residents throughout this process. That’s why we’re taking an inclusive approach to amplify diverse voices and aspirations and ensure that the resulting vision and plan is a true reflection of the entire community’s wants and needs.”

“By proactively updating our plans for our large sites, we are laying the groundwork for more affordable housing construction,” Scott said.

The Cabrini Now kickoff celebration is the first of multiple public engagement meetings that will take place during the planning process. CHA has already begun to consult with key stakeholders in addition to CHA residents. The engagement process is designed to be equitable and family-friendly with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds encouraged to participate. The kickoff celebration and future engagement meetings will include specific opportunities for children and youth to contribute their views too.

Cabrini Now will create development concepts for specific sites and for the remaining CHA land in the Cabrini neighborhood and development concepts for specific sites, including the vacant Cabrini Row Homes. The plan is expected to be released by the end of 2024.

Cabrini Now goals include:

• Update and build on the existing 2015 community plans and vision in a changing neighborhood context.
• Respond to the current and future affordable housing needs of the neighborhood and Chicago.
• Embrace all voices in the neighborhood and co-create a shared vision for Cabrini’s future.

CHA has retained planning and architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz to lead this process. The project team will recommend an updated plan for Cabrini using the latest principles for building complete communities such as the 15-minute city concept popularized in Paris, as well as lessons learned in recent decades of community planning in Chicago.

Since 2005, CHA’s investments have resulted in more than 3,500 new homes in Cabrini, including almost 1,000 CHA-subsidized apartments. In addition to the Cabrini Now planning efforts, CHA also has three active development initiatives in the area:

• Oak & Larrabee (78 total homes, including 37 public housing units and 17 affordable rental units)
• Parkside 5 (99 total homes, including 37 public housing units and 28 affordable rental units)
• Clybourn & Larrabee (first phase under detailed design and development)

More information about Cabrini Now is available at thecha.org/cabrininow.

From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:

A newly opened affordable rental housing development for seniors, built in collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC), provides Marian a home she can afford after years of housing instability, including most recently living in a homelessness shelter despite having a job.

“I paid into Social Security since the time I was 18 years old,” said Marian, one of the first residents of Puesta del Sol in Linda Vista and a former Department of Defense and retail employee. “I thought I had it made, then inflation happened. As it turns out, I didn’t have enough money to rent an apartment on fixed income.”

Now, Marian is confident she’ll be able to stay in San Diego at Puesta del Sol.

Developed by Community HousingWorks in collaboration with SDHC and additional partners, Puesta del Sol consists of 59 one-bedroom apartments for seniors ages 55 and older with low- and very-low incomes, including six units set aside for seniors who previously experienced homelessness, like Marian.

“We’re working on every facet of this challenge to try and make sure that folks who are willing to work hard, who want to be a part of the community, can live in this community, and that’s not currently a given, but we’re going to keep working until that is a given,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said at Puesta del Sol’s grand opening today.

The opening of Puesta del Sol, which means “sunset” in Spanish, marks the culmination of a larger intergenerational infill development, together with Amanecer (or “sunrise”), an adjacent development in collaboration with SDHC that opened last year with 95 rental apartments for families with low income, transition-age youth and veterans who experienced homelessness.

“It’s great to see projects like this. It was an intentional thing that was done by Community HousingWorks, to say: Let’s have families there, and then let’s have seniors right here on this block. And that is really, really important,” said San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo, whose Council District 7 includes the Linda Vista site where Puesta del Sol was built.

SDHC awarded 59 federal rental housing vouchers to Puesta del Sol that will help the residents pay rent. When a tenant moves out, the housing voucher remains with Puesta del Sol to help to assist a new resident.

“It is fantastic to see a project that is specifically designed to serve seniors and has made space for formerly homeless seniors,” SDHC Vice Chair of the Board Ryan Clumpner said. “For 59 senior households, Puesta del Sol provides a peace of mind and stability of having rental home that they can afford in their golden years.”

In addition, SDHC awarded a loan of more than $4 million toward the development. The loan consisted of resources from the City of San Diego’s Affordable Housing Fund, which SDHC administers.

The apartments at Puesta del Sol will serve seniors earning 30 percent to 60 percent of San Diego’s Area Median Income, currently $36,400 to $72,720 per year for a two-person household. It also includes one manager’s unit.

“We pride ourselves on making quality, affordable places for people to call home, not just to live but truly to prosper,” Community HousingWorks President & CEO Sean Spear said. “Much of that is really focused on our efforts around providing the right types of housing that are needed in our communities.”

Puesta del Sol consists of a three-story, L-shaped building with a courtyard that includes a community garden, outdoor fitness equipment, a swing and a barbecue/picnic area. The development also includes a trail along the perimeter of the site to encourage residents to walk.

Amenities at Puesta del Sol include a multipurpose community room with kitchen, computer lab, roof top terrace, centralized laundry room, management leasing office and conference room. A resident reading room and n upper-level terrace provide additional common areas for residents.

Puesta del Sol is conveniently located near well-served transit stops, employment, shopping centers, Linda Vista Community Park, a recreation center, library, schools and a full-service grocery store.

Earlier this month, the Oklahoma City Housing Authority (OCHA) was honored to welcome several HUD staff to tour OCHA properties. HUD guests included Richard Monocchio, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Public and Indian Housing; Candace Valenzuela, Regional Administrator, Region VI; Sharon Gordon-Ribiero, Field Office Director, OKC; Leslie Bradley, Deputy Regional Administrator; and Greg Jungman, Director of Public Housing, Oklahoma.

The group toured the John H. Johnson affordable assisted living community and Will Rogers Courts family housing development.