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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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New Funds Will Develop and Sustain Public Housing Authority Initiatives to Improve Postsecondary Achievement for Low-Income Households
WASHINGTON (November 25, 2019) – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, a housing advocacy organization and leader in efforts to improve life outcomes for low-income individuals and families, announced today that it has been awarded $300,000 from The Kresge Foundation to deepen connections between public housing authorities and their postsecondary education partners.
The three-year grant enables CLPHA to build on work that began last year, in partnership with The Kresge Foundation, to convene cross-sector housing and education partners who are collaborating to improve postsecondary achievement for students served by public housing authorities, including residents and housing insecure college students.
“Last year we showcased how these two sectors are working together to improve educational outcomes for low-income households. With generous funding from The Kresge Foundation, we will help more cross-sector partners develop and sustain their work,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “As a national organization representing 70 of the largest public housing authorities in the country, CLPHA is well-positioned to identify promising innovations and facilitate peer-learning among those doing the work with the goal to scale successful initiatives that can be replicated nationally. We are very grateful to The Kresge Foundation for its multi-year support of our work.”
With the funds, CLPHA, through its Housing Is Initiative, will establish a leadership institute for a cohort of public housing authority staff and their partners who demonstrate the experience and capacity for postsecondary collaboration. In addition to virtual meetings aimed at institutionalizing their cross-sector work, members of the cohort will travel for in-person site visits to learn about the different projects in the field.
“By supporting stronger partnerships between housing authorities and postsecondary stakeholders, CLPHA’s leadership institute will help increase college access and success for both public housing residents who have postsecondary aspirations but need support to realize their dreams, and current college students, whose housing insecurity threatens to derail their educational progress," said Bethany Miller, program officer with the Kresge Education Program.
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.
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative
The Housing Is Initiative, led by the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, 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.
About The Kresge Foundation
The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. Using a full array of grant, loan, and other investment tools, Kresge invests more than $160 million annually to foster economic and social change. For more information visit kresge.org.
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CLPHA Submits Public Comments Opposing HUD’s Dangerous Non-Citizen Proposal
HUD’s cruel proposal would force mixed-status families to decide between a roof for some, or homelessness for all.
WASHINGTON (July 9, 2019) – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) today submitted public comments strongly opposing a proposal from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that seeks to eliminate mixed-status immigrant families from HUD-assisted housing, including 55,000 children who are either U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible for HUD assistance.
HUD’s proposal, published in the Federal Register on May 10 for a 60-day comment period, would reinterpret Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act to disallow anyone who cannot verify their immigration status from living in public housing or living in a market-rate apartment with a federal rental subsidy, even if their child or other family members are eligible for assistance. Under current law, rental assistance to these households is prorated and those ineligible for a subsidy pay their portion of the rent unassisted, often at market rates.
“HUD’s cruel proposal would force mixed-status families to decide between a roof for some, or homelessness for all,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “This reversal of long-standing policy is antithetical to the mission of public housing, which is to provide safe, affordable housing to very low-income families.”
“We know that stable housing is a platform for improving life outcomes and a foundation for healthy communities. Yet, this proposal instills fear and distrust, and would divert scarce resources, exacerbate the already crisis levels of homelessness, and, in the end, would do nothing to make our communities safer or better off,” said Zaterman.
“HUD’s proposal is contrary to our mission. Our members feel strongly that this re-interpreted regulation is bad public policy and our comments on the proposed rule reflect this,” said Zaterman.
Read CLPHA’s public comments and previous statements on HUD’s non-citizen rule on the CLPHA website, clpha.org.
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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For Immediate Release: July 2, 2019
CLPHA, Housing Experts Discuss Potential Dangers of HUD’s Proposed Housing Assistance Family Rule
A recording of the call is available HERE.
Washington, DC - Earlier today, immigration and housing experts gathered to address concerns regarding a recently proposed rule by the Trump administration that cruelly targets immigrant families to prevent them from receiving federal housing assistance. Experts discussed how the rule, which would affect about 25,000 households, would cruelly impact families of mixed-status.
The rule, the experts noted, would force families apart as they struggled to keep their current housing threatening many with homelessness, including the 55,000 children who are either U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible for housing benefits and who would be separated from their families
Below are quotes from today’s speakers.
Doug Guthrie, President and CEO, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, said, “If this proposed rule change were to go through it would be devastating for Los Angeles families with mixed immigration status. It would impact as many as 11,600 individuals in assisted housing the majority of whom are young children who are American citizens and it would cost the housing authority millions of dollars. This would likely result in thousands of people becoming homeless at a time when homelessness is already a crisis in Los Angeles.”
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, noted, “HUD’s proposal would force mixed status families to decide between a roof for some, or homelessness for all. This is antithetical to the mission of public housing, which is to provide safe, affordable housing to very low-income families. Instead, this proposal would exacerbate crisis levels of homelessness, divert scarce resources from already underfunded public housing authorities, and instill fear and distrust while doing nothing to make our communities safer or better off.”
Diane Yentel, President and CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition, added, “The cruelty of Secretary Carson’s proposal is breathtaking, and the harm it would inflict on children, families and communities is severe,” said National Low Income Housing Coalition President and CEO Diane Yentel. “Tens of thousands of deeply poor kids, mostly US citizens, could be evicted and made homeless by this proposal, and – by HUD’s own admission – there would be zero benefit to families on waiting lists. This proposal is another in a long line of attempts by the administration to instill fear in immigrants throughout the country. We will not stand for it.”
Arianna Cook-Thajudeen, Bank of America Legal Fellow, National Housing Law Project, said, “The National Housing Law Project opposes this proposed rule because it would have a detrimental impact on the housing stability of millions of families. The federal housing programs in particular serve as a lifeline for many families who are one step away from homelessness. What the Administration is doing is through this proposal is ruthless and reckless. We urge everyone to submit comments to HUD to oppose this rule by July 9th.”
Tory Gunsolley, President and CEO, Houston Housing Authority, remarked, “The current system works. Undocumented occupants are not receiving federal subsidies. The proposed regulations, on the other hand, would cause a needless increase in homelessness and cost the federal government more money. The proposed regulation would force HHA to be an extension of immigration enforcement, a role that does align with our mission to provide safe, affordable housing. It simply doesn't make sense to implement.”
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.
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 work to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
(Washington, D.C.) October 28, 2021 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement applauding President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better announcement this morning: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds President Biden’s announcement of a $1.85 trillion reconciliation framework with $150 billion targeted to affordable housing, the single largest investment in public housing ever. “For decades, millions of public housing residents have suffered from chronic disinvestment in their neighborhoods, exacerbating health, safety, climate risks, and racial inequities. The Build Back Better Act is historic and transformational in its comprehensive long-term approach by making public housing safe and sustainable for generations to come and significantly expanding rental and homeownership assistance. Stable, affordable housing is foundational to the health and economic well-being of all Americans and to our nation as a whole. This unprecedented and long overdue investment in the preservation and expansion of affordable housing, coupled with the Build Back Better Act’s other investments such as universal prekindergarten, the child tax credit, and climate change remediation, will have an historic impact on reducing poverty and improving the climate. “The Biden administration is delivering on a promise that has been decades in the making. CLPHA strongly supports the Building Back Better Act as a history-making investment in public housing and expanding housing opportunities.”
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
October 28, 2021 |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(Washington, D.C.) October 1, 2021 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement urging Congress not to cut proposed funding for public housing and rental assistance in the Build Back Better reconciliation bill:
“The transformational Build Back Better Act, proposed by President Biden and currently moving through Congress, will significantly expand the nation’s social safety net by providing safe, quality, and affordable housing to millions of low-income and marginalized families. The $90 billion in expanded rental assistance, $80 billion to preserve public housing, and $37 billion investment in the national Housing Trust Fund that passed the House Financial Services Committee in mid-September represents a significant step forward in federal funding for public and affordable housing. These funding levels are appropriate and justified as they finally make up for generations of chronic neglect and underfunding. For this reason, as negotiations about the size of the reconciliation bill move forward, CLPHA urges Congress to retain the funding levels for expanding rental assistance, preserving public housing, and investing in the nation’s Housing Trust Fund.
“Public and affordable housing has suffered under persistent disinvestment for decades. This has left public housing authorities unable to complete capital improvements, which has helped contribute to the loss of 400,000 affordable homes since 1990. Currently only 1 out of every 4 families who are eligible to receive a Housing Choice Voucher are able to access the program because of a lack of funding. This inadequacy of federal resources not only perpetuates the cycle of poverty, but also costs the American economy about $2 trillion every year in lower wages and productivity because of a shortage of affordable housing in major metropolitan areas.
“CLPHA thanks Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, and Senate Housing, Banking, and Urban Chair Sherrod Brown for championing housing throughout their careers and during the negotiations over the Build Back Better reconciliation process. Now Congress must commit to fully funding public and affordable housing at the levels in the House Financial Services Committee bill.”
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(202) 550-1381
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(Washington, D.C.) September 14, 2021 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement supporting President Biden’s nomination of Arthur Jemison to be Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) congratulates Arthur Jemison on his nomination to be Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Jemison brings deep experience to the assistant secretary position in community development and public housing, including experience with the Boston Housing Authority, a CLPHA member.
We look forward to working with Mr. Jemison to ensure that the vision of President Biden and Secretary Fudge for improving public housing through recapitalizing the public housing portfolio, expanding the Housing Choice Voucher program, addressing systemic racism, and empowering cross-sector partnerships to improve the outcomes for low-income families becomes a reality. CLPHA will strongly support Mr. Jemison throughout the confirmation process.”
Media Contact: David Greer, CLPHA; dgreer@clpha.org, (202) 550-1381 |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
On May 21, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Ben Carson, testified before the House Financial Services Committee at a hearing entitled “Housing in America: Oversight of the U.S. Department of Housing and Development” where he received pointed questions from the committee Democrats on recent HUD proposals such as rent reform, the non-citizen rule, and HUD’s FY20 budget request which would slash funding for public housing.
In her opening remarks, Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) expressed her disappointment in the Secretary’s leadership at HUD, referring to his rent reform proposal as an “outrageous plan” that would “triple rent for the lowest income households and put 1.7 million Americans at risk of eviction and homelessness at a time when we are in the midst of a national homelessness and housing affordability crisis.”
Waters also admonished the Secretary for the Department’s budget proposal that would cut its budget by 18 percent and eliminate new funding for the capital fund and housing trust fund, halt the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule implementation, and delay disaster recovery funding for Puerto Rico. Referring to the proposed non-citizen rule as “cruel” and one that, “puts mixed immigration status families at risk of being evicted, separated, and left homeless,” Waters concluded that these actions are inconsistent with the Department’s mission.
Continuing the focus on recent HUD proposals, several Democrats expressed their outrage to Carson over the rent reform and non-citizen proposals. Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), were among those who challenged the Department’s assertion that removing mixed-status families from HUD-assisted housing would reduce waiting lists and help address the lack of affordable housing.
Carson defended the proposed rule by stating that the current interpretation of the statute unfairly allows undocumented immigrants to live in federally assisted housing at the expense of U.S. citizens. “It’s not that we’re cruel or mean-hearted, it’s that we’re logical,” he said. “This is common sense. You take care of your own first.”
Velazquez also reproved Carson for acknowledging the affordable housing crisis while at the same time eliminating the capital fund, referring to HUD’s budget proposal as “shameful and immoral.”
In contrast to the frustrated tone of their colleagues, Republican committee members generally expressed support for Carson’s proposals and asked about issues such as impediments to affordable housing construction, opportunity zones, recent changes to FHA loan program rules, and disaster recovery.
When discussing options for increasing affordable housing production, Secretary Carson touted LIHTC, RAD, and the potential for combining those programs with opportunity zone tax incentives to engage in unprecedented opportunities to build affordable housing and create economic opportunities. Calling RAD one of the most spectacular HUD programs, he said that lifting the RAD cap would be tremendously helpful.
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) and Rep. Al Green (D-TX) both raised concerns with the cumbersome CDBG-DR disbursement process and asked the Secretary what could be done to provide, or codify, a framework that would speed delivery of aid to areas impacted by natural disasters. In his response, the Secretary expressed concerns with the duplicative requirements across HUD and FEMA and said that there are ways to streamline the process that can, and should, be codified to ensure grant dollars can be disbursed more expediently.
Several committee members focused their questions on Housing Choice Vouchers and landlords’ unwillingness to consider applicants who use them. Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) asked the Secretary whether a federal law prohibiting source of income discrimination is needed to increase lease-up rates and ensure that families can put their voucher to use. Carson responded that the Department is looking at impediments to people accepting vouchers, and if after going through that evaluation process the problem continues, then a federal source of income discrimination law may be needed.
When asked about his legacy at HUD, Secretary Carson said that he hoped the Department would be known for putting people on a positive trajectory. And, if given a magic wand to implement any policy possible, Carson said he would “make this country stop hating each other. We’d get a whole lot done.”
In Affordable Housing Finance's (AHF) article discussing Rep. Maxine Waters' (D-CA) draft legislation of her Housing is Infrastructure bill, CLPHA's Sunia Zaterman told reporter Donna Kimura that Waters' bill, which would allocate $70 billion for the public housing capital fund, is attempting to get the public housing industry "on an even keel."
Zaterman told Kimura, “We do have challenges moving forward in the appropriations process on the annual funding levels for public housing operating and capital funds, but what Ms. Waters is saying in this bill is that we can no longer stand by idly and watch this public investment start to crumble when we need it the most.”
Zaterman added that Congress must also consider expanding additional tools that PHAs can employ in their public housing development and renovation efforts, such as the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs).
AHF also quoted Zaterman's April 30 press statement on Waters' draft legislation and the House Committee on Financial Services April 30 hearing “Housing in America: Assessing the Infrastructure Needs of America’s Housing Stock":
“Public housing is as a much a part of the national infrastructure as Route 66, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the Hoover Dam,” said Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. “Public housing helps communities and families thrive by providing more than 1 million low- and very low-income families, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities with a stable place to live, connecting low-income workers to economic opportunities, and spurring regional job creation and economic growth.”
“But, years of chronic underfunding have led to the deterioration of the public housing stock, and, since 1990, at least 300,000 units have been lost because of the lack of adequate resources to maintain them. The federal disinvestment in public housing has contributed to an untenable shortage of stable housing for low-income households,” Zaterman added.
In Affordable Housing Finance's article "Turning Point for Public Housing," CLPHA' Executive Director Sunia Zaterman says of the massive capital needs backlog facing public housing authorities that “[t]he handwriting has been on the wall. The funding levels were not sustainable."
Zaterman adds, "We have lost about 10,000 units a year from underfunding," but that "[t]he number of public housing units lost may have slowed to about 8,000 a year, thanks to RAD, in the last couple of years.”
With RAD, says Zaterman, “[w]e have achieved proof of concept,... We could have the portfolio totally recapitalized in 10 years.”
Read Affordable Housing Finance's article here.
Vancouver, WA newspaper The Columbian quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman about the disastrous effect President Trump's budget proposal would have on pubic and affordable housing in their article "Trump’s budget would cut social safety nets:"
"The administration wants us to think beyond investing in bricks and mortar, and instead think about investing in people. This budget does neither of those things. The disinvestment in housing and supportive services is a disinvestment in our nation’s most vulnerable populations, including the 2.2 million low- and very low-income families, children, elderly and persons with disabilities who are served by public housing. Congress has previously rejected draconian budgets that shred our safety net, and we call on them to do so again."
Vancouver Housing Authority (VHA) Executive Director Roy Johnson, who contributed comment for the story, explained how Trump's proposed budget would negatively impact the individuals and families served by VHA. Johnson told the paper that losing public housing funding would result in 114 planned units losing subsidy, including Caples Terrace, an under-construction project in Vancouver for homeless youth and youth aging out of foster care slated to open in July, and two other public housing projects the housing authority hopes to start at the end of 2019.
Read Zaterman's full statement on Trump's proposed 2020 budget
Scotsman Guide, a resource for mortgage originators, quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman about how President Donald Trump's proposed FY 2020 budget will affect affordable housing in their article "2020 budget: How does it affect the mortgage industry?":
“The administration wants us to think beyond investing in bricks and mortar, and instead think about investing in people. This budget does neither of those things,” said Sunia Zaterman..."The disinvestment in housing and supportive services is a disinvestment in our nation’s most vulnerable populations, including the 2.2 million low- and very low-income families, children, elderly and persons with disabilities who are served by public housing."
Read Zaterman's full statement on Trump's proposed 2020 budget
From the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh's newsletter:
HACP’s Virtual Parenting Program has given another group of parents, guardians and caregivers the tools to tackle the challenges associated with raising children.
Twenty-three graduates were recognized during a graduation ceremony in November 2023 after completing the six-week virtual course that teaches participants everything from positive parenting, trauma and healing, financial literacy and eating healthy on a budget.
International parenting coach, educator and psychotherapist Dr. Carol Chakua was a new speaker added to the lineup, and her program was very well received.
“Everyone really enjoyed what she taught them,” Mungereza Mayende, clinical coordinator and referral manager in HACP’s Residential Self-Sufficiency department, said. “She brought a whole new element to the program in helping parents to believe in themselves, and to parent differently from the way they were parented, especially where there was trauma involved.”
Mayende developed the program for HACP’s Low-Income Public Housing residents during the COVID-19 pandemic. With financial support from Highmark Wholecare, classes began in August 2022.
“The success of this program means a lot to me,” she said. “I have seen our graduates grow into a resource for their children and become someone they can depend on, and parent them without the trauma. It’s helping to heal the world, one child at a time.”
Participating LIPH residents are also given a stipend, books on parenting and other goodies for completing the course, such as Giant Eagle gift cards for purchasing healthy foods.
Participants are also encouraged to share feedback to let HACP know which topics they are most interested in learning more about. They have expressed interest in learning ways to respond to their children without yelling and budgeting as a single parent, among other topics.
Mayende is excited to see what the future will bring to the program, and hopes to see it continue to grow. She added it’s encouraging to see more single fathers enrolling in the class, noting the first cohort welcomed one single father and the November class enrolled seven.
“I’m hoping to introduce new subjects, including one portion that focuses on single parenting and parenting in a blended family,” she said. “I would also like one class to focus specifically on trauma, whether it’s to help parents who have lost another child be present for their other children or helping children who have experienced trauma in their lives.”
The next Virtual Parenting Program cohort is planned for mid-March 2024, and 16 residents are already signed up. The class can now accommodate 30 participants, which has doubled since its inception.
Karen Rollins-Fitch, Highmark’s Director of Corporate Social Responsibility, said Highmark Wholecare is proud to support HACP’s Virtual Parenting Program.
“Highmark Wholecare is happy to support initiatives like the parenting classes that are provided at HACP. When looking at whole person care, well informed parents make a difference in the lives of well cared for children, which results in an improved community. Highmark Wholecare focuses on physical health, but the wellbeing of the needs in mental, and financial health, are just as important,” she said.
The program is open to all parents, grandparents, guardians and caregivers of children under age 18. At least one parent, guardian or caregiver must be listed on an HACP lease in order to enroll.
8 CLPHA Members Earn VASH Awards
We are pleased to announce that several of our members have been awarded crucial funding to support homeless veterans in finding permanent housing. HUD and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently awarded $14 million in HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers to 66 Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) across the country.
Congratulations to the following member organizations who received funding:
- Housing Authority of The Birmingham District
- Boston Housing Authority
- Cambridge Housing Authority
- San Diego Housing Commission
- Seattle Housing Authority
- Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority
- Washington County, OR Department of Human Services
This funding will provide over 1,400 vouchers, offering critical assistance to veterans experiencing homelessness and their families. Here are some key highlights from the press release:
- Significant progress: The number of veterans experiencing homelessness has fallen by 11% since early 2020, marking the most significant decline in over five years.
- Over 110,000 vouchers: Currently, there are over 110,000 HUD-VASH vouchers being administered by PHAs across the country, with over 81,000 actively in use by veterans.
We commend our member organizations who are on the front lines, working tirelessly to ensure our veterans have access to safe and stable housing.
From the Memphis Housing Authority's website:
It’s not easy to see a doctor. If you try to book an appointment with a new doctor, you’ll have to wait an average of 26 days until your appointment. To speed up the process, you may look into an urgent care facility. The few we have in Memphis are located along the Poplar corridor or toward the suburbs, requiring transportation to get there. And if you need to see a doctor immediately, be prepared to pay $1,883 – the average cost of an ER visit in Tennessee. That doesn’t include the cost of an ambulance, if you need to call one to take you to the hospital.
Getting medical care isn’t easy, no matter your life circumstances. But for seniors with fixed incomes, the challenges are even greater. Preexisting conditions, unreliable transportation and fear of expenses can keep older adults from building relationships with primary care providers who could transform their lives – helping them live longer and more vibrantly. That’s why MHA has partnered with Matter Health to bring primary care providers to several senior buildings across the city.
What is Matter Health?
Matter Health is a preventive and primary health care company. Its model places physicians where people live so practitioners can build meaningful, long-term relationships with patients. For our residents, this means that Matter Health clinics are located in the common areas of our senior buildings. Tenants are now an elevator ride away from a team of health-focused professionals who can provide a wide variety of services. They accept all major insurance providers, including Medicaid; meaning, our seniors on fixed incomes don’t have to worry about the cost if they need to see a doctor.
Why invest in in-facility health care?
Everyone’s health improves when they have a relationship with a primary care provider. Chronic conditions are better managed, medication can be adjusted until the right fit is found for the patient, and changes in how a person feels can be addressed quickly. Not to mention that new ailments can be found and remedied before they become more serious. When people have easy access to a health care provider they trust, and one who won’t bust their budget, they are much more likely to get help when they need it.
Ms. Jackie’s story.
For several years, Ms. Jackie has been a mainstay at the College Park senior building. She pays close attention to her health and used to walk miles to get to the clinic closest to her. That was challenging for her physically, causing her joint pain, but the bus was too unreliable in getting her to her appointments on time. When Ms. Jackie moved back into the senior building after the RAD conversion, she noticed a logo in the lobby of her building – one with a red heart and a navy blue door. Ms. Jackie hesitantly knocked and was greeted by several warm faces who were eager to get to know her. She ended up speaking with a nurse practitioner for over an hour that day, sharing her medical history and the challenges she was having with getting regular care. The next day, she was able to have a formal evaluation with lab work and a physical. With her results, Ms. Jackie was able to change her prescriptions, reducing the amount of medication she needed to take every day.
Ms. Jackie’s story is the perfect example of how providing access to medical care can improve people’s lives. She was able to get proper evaluation for existing conditions and reduce her medications – which helped her feel better and saved her money. The providers spent time getting to know her, something that may not be possible in a more crowded clinical setting. And now, if she ever experiences a health care emergency or sickness, Ms. Jackie has a trusted clinician she can see – and she only needs to catch the elevator to get there.
Getting access to medical care can be challenging, but if we get creative and think of new solutions to provide high-quality health care, we can improve health outcomes for residents of our community. MHA is committed to partnerships with reputable organizations like Matter Health and will continue to seek organizations whose innovative practices will improve the lives of our residents.
From the City of Austin's press release:
The City of Austin Housing Department celebrates the monumental opening of the Austin Housing Finance Corporation’s (AHFC) first permanent supportive housing community. Espero Rutland is located in District 4 at 1934 Rutland Drive. The development is already accepting applications and began welcoming residents at the beginning of the year. The 2-acre property features 171 furnished studio apartments designed to house residents at risk of or who have experienced chronic homelessness – permanently. All units will be affordable for households earning at or below 60% median family income.
“Espero marks AHFC’s first of many permanent supportive housing communities to open in Austin,” explains Mandy DeMayo, Interim Director for the Housing Department. “We couldn’t be prouder to help 171 households have a place to call home. We are grateful to all of the partners that helped make Espero happen as we work together to increase affordable housing for vulnerable individuals and families.”
Espero, developed in collaboration with The Vecino Group and Caritas of Austin, was funded through various sources. This includes $17 million in Private Activity Bonds issued by AHFC, a $17 million construction loan and an $11.4 million permanent loan from Citi, $11 million in 4% LIHTC equity syndicated by Boston Financial and invested by Aetna (a CVS Health company), $3 million in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) debt financing through the Multifamily Direct Loan (MFDL) program, $750,000 from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas, and finally, $7.5 million in AHFC debt financing through the Rental Housing Development Assistance (RHDA) program.
“We are thrilled to see the grand opening of Espero Rutland, which will provide much-needed affordable housing for our unhoused neighbors and help address the growing issue of homelessness in our community,” said Jo Kathryn Quinn, President & CEO of Caritas of Austin. “Homelessness is a complex issue, and there is no single solution. But we also know that housing is the critical first step in helping people rebuild their well-being.”
Both the City and the Housing Authority of the City of Austin dedicated project-based vouchers to support the facility’s operation. The development includes 101 housing vouchers dedicated to the property, trauma-informed design, and on-site supportive services provided by Caritas of Austin. The Housing Authority of the City of Austin provided 50 project-based vouchers, with a total value of $17 million over the course of 20 years.
“Espero Rutland development is a huge win for our community and a win for our homeless neighbors and veterans,” said Michael Gerber, CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Austin. “HACA is proud to partner with Caritas, the City of Austin, and so many community partners on this important development. Twenty-five chronically homeless veterans and twenty-five other homeless neighbors will receive nearly $17 million in rental assistance through HACA’s project-based voucher program over the next 20 years. Espero Rutland is a home run.”
From Atlanta Housing's website:
In alignment with the agency’s Five-Year Strategic Plan, which sets a goal of creating or preserving 10,000 affordable units, Atlanta Housing is moving forward with its priority to activate more than 300 acres of its vacant land to achieve 5,000 new units of housing that will limit displacement and enable lower-income families and individuals to call Atlanta home. This commitment requires several public and private partners to come together, including the City of Atlanta and Invest Atlanta. With their support, in July of 2023, Atlanta Housing incorporated the Atlanta Urban Development Corporation (AUD), a non-profit subsidiary of AH positioned to lead housing developments on publicly owned land.
Earlier this year, the AUD announced its first project – the redevelopment of Fire Station 15 in Midtown at 170 10th St. The proposed redevelopment would turn Fire Station 15 into a mixed-use site that will incorporate market-rate, affordable, and “deeply, permanently affordable housing,” as stated by CEO of AUD John Majors. With this plan, a residential tower would rise above a redeveloped, fully operational ground-level fire station. An RFQ has been issued for developers capable of taking the .78-acre property vertical. All responses to the RFQ are due by March 4, 2024, with a selection planned for the end of April.
Atlanta Housing is poised to throw its hat into the Midtown development boom through the innovative, new model of the AUD, which focuses on high-quality, deep, permanent, and adaptable affordability in inclusive neighborhoods where residents can thrive.