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.
For media inquiries, please contact:
David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or dgreer@clpha.org.
*Please let us know if you are working on deadline.
To view all of CLPHA's press releases, click here.
To view all of CLPHA's press statements, click here.
You can subscribe here to our biweekly newsletter, events invite list, and topic specific newsletters. You can also follow us on Twitter at @CLPHA. Or, send us an email with your interests and we would be happy to add you to our press lists.
Thanks again for your interest in CLPHA!
Public Housing Authorities, Community Colleges, College Access Partners Collaborate to Eliminate Barriers to Postsecondary Success
New Report and Recommendations from the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities Highlight Innovative Cross-Sector Collaborations to Improve Postsecondary Achievement for Public Housing Residents and Housing-Insecure Students
Featuring Partnerships in Chicago, Columbus, Los Angeles, Louisville, Tacoma
WASHINGTON (May 16, 2019) – A new report released today from the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), with support from The Kresge Foundation, showcases the work of five pioneering public housing authorities (PHAs) that are successfully collaborating with postsecondary institutions and local nonprofit organizations to increase college access, retention, and graduation rates for current public housing residents and college students who are experiencing homelessness. “Eliminating Barriers to Postsecondary Success: Cross-Sector Collaborations to Improve Postsecondary Achievement for Students Served by Public Housing Authorities,” identifies key elements of effective cross-sector collaborations and offers a series of recommendations to policy makers, PHAs, and philanthropic foundations seeking to scale, replicate, and invest in partnerships between housing and education organizations.
“The trailblazing public housing authorities featured in our new report, along with their postsecondary partners, are redefining the traditional role of public housing in their communities to reach beyond four walls and a roof,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “With combined expertise from the housing and education sectors, two profoundly siloed systems, the partners are breaking new ground to implement targeted interventions that would not be possible without cross-sector collaboration. By documenting the successes, challenges, and future plans of the five partnerships, “Eliminating Barriers to Postsecondary Success” is an instruction guide to practitioners, policy makers, and philanthropy seeking new cross-sector solutions to serve low-income families.”
The report elevates 11 findings from a November 2018 convening in Washington, D.C., where partners from the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA), City Colleges of Chicago, and One Million Degrees, and the Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) and Tacoma Community College discussed their work to provide financial support and housing opportunities for residents and housing insecure college students; the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) and partner Southern California College Access Network (SoCal CAN) detailed their program to facilitate the college application and enrollment process among young residents, and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) and partner Columbus State Community College, and the Louisville Metropolitan Housing Authority (LMHA) with partner Family Scholar House explained their dual generation approaches to ensuring young parents can graduate with a degree.
“Housing insecurity and homelessness can create tragic off-campus barriers to student persistence and success,” said Bethany Miller, program officer with the Kresge Foundation’s Education Program. “But solutions-driven partnerships, including those highlighted in CLPHA’s recent analysis, between postsecondary institutions, government agencies and departments, nonprofit social service providers and public housing authorities can tear down those barriers, ease the anxiety of housing insecurity and help more students persist and succeed in college. We support this work because increased educational attainment among students with limited means is the key to breaking intergenerational cycles of poverty and increasing socioeconomic mobility.”
To announce the release of “Eliminating Barriers to Postsecondary Success: Cross-Sector Collaborations to Improve Postsecondary Achievement for Students Served by Public Housing Authorities,” CLPHA will host a press conference TODAY, May 16, 2019 at 2:30 PM ET during CLPHA's annual Housing Is Summit in Washington, D.C., a two-day meeting devoted to developing and sustaining cross-sector partnerships. The brief press conference will be followed immediately by an on-the-record panel discussion featuring executives engaging in postsecondary partnerships. See below for more details about the press conference and panel, which will both be webcast live at http://bit.ly/2URfFlK.
“Eliminating Barriers to Postsecondary Success” also includes an overview of the federal policies that support and limit postsecondary achievement for students served by PHAs, and profiles of the five partnerships.
Chicago Housing Authority, City Colleges of Chicago, One Million Degrees
“The Chicago Housing Authority is proud to support thousands of residents through CHA scholarships and the Partners in Education program with City Colleges of Chicago,” said Cassie Brooks, assistant director of education for CHA. “In pairing grant aid with individual counseling and holistic student supports from One Million Degrees, we continue toward the goals of increased academic achievement and, ultimately, self-sufficiency. We thank the Kresge Foundation and CLPHA for collaborating with public housing agencies, highlighting resident successes and bringing resident post-secondary programs to the forefront.”
Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Southern California College Access Network
“The increasing complex college-going process requires students and families today to be well versed in the academic requirements, financial options, and application procedures,” said Alison De Lucca, executive director of the Southern California College Access Network. “The Southern California College Access Network is deeply grateful for the partnership we’ve forged with the Housing Authority for the City of Los Angeles to provide one-on-one college advising at the housing sites. For our students, the pathway starts with a conversation, followed by consistent guidance from a skilled college access counselor. As students are admitted to college with solid financial aid packages and the support they need to succeed, a strong message is being sent to all residents that college and career aspirations are within reach. This cross-sector collaboration demonstrates the readiness and need for continued college access support in place-based settings.”
Louisville Metro Housing Authority, Family Scholar House
"The long-standing partnership Louisville Metro Housing Authority has with Family Scholar House has helped hundreds of parents provide a better life and future for their children,” said LMHA Executive Director Lisa Osanka. “More importantly, this partnership is helping to break the generational cycle of poverty and ensuring that more Louisvillians are able to participate in the economic opportunities that exists throughout our community."
“The partnership between Family Scholar House and Louisville Metro Housing Authority has helped make real the dreams of families who have been in need of the stability that is rooted in safe, affordable housing. For our single parents, pursuing dreams of college graduation and new careers begins with a place for them and their children to call home,” said Cathe Dykstra, president and chief executive officer of Family Scholar House. Stronger and more stable families mean stronger and more stable communities.”
Tacoma Housing Authority, Tacoma Community College
“THA’s partnerships with Tacoma Community College and the University of Washington-Tacoma to house homeless or near homeless students is an excellent investment,” said Michael Mirra, executive director of the Tacoma Housing Authority. These students are determined, but without housing their prospects are poor. The degree they seek is a key to their adult prosperity. And since most of them are parents, this is also an investment in the lives and prospects of their children. That makes these partnerships a very good use of scarce housing dollars.”
What: Press Conference and Panel Discussion Announcing CLPHA’s New Report
“Eliminating Barriers to Postsecondary Success: Cross-Sector Collaborations to Improve Postsecondary Achievement for Students Served by Public Housing Authorities”
When: TODAY, May 16, 2019, 2:30 PM ET
Who: CLPHA, The Kresge Foundation, Postsecondary Partners
Press Conference Speakers
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
Bethany Miller, Education Program Officer, The Kresge Foundation
Michael Mirra, Executive Director, Tacoma Housing Authority
Alison De Lucca, Executive Director, Southern California College Access Network
Additional Panelists
Jennifer Thomas Arthurs, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles
Cassie Brooks, Assistant Director of Education, Chicago Housing Authority
Erica Walker, Director of Student Development Projects, City Colleges of Chicago
Where: CLPHA's Housing Is Summit
1616 Rhode Island Ave, NW
2nd Floor, Room B
Washington, DC 20009
Webcast Link: http://bit.ly/2URfFlK
RSVP: Jenny Werwa, jwerwa@clpha.org
MEDIA CONTACTS:
CLPHA: Jenny Werwa, jwerwa@clpha.org, 202-638-1300x120 / 301-641-5557
Kresge: Kelly Leon, ksleon@kresge.org, 248-643-9630
CHA: Molly Sullivan, MSullivan@thecha.org, 312-786-3344
Family Scholar House: Cathe Dykstra, dykstra@familyscholarhouse.org
LMHA: Christi Lanier-Robinson, clrobinson@lmha1.org, 502-609-9141
SoCal CAN: Alison De Lucca, alison@socalcollegeaccess.org, 818-742-5583
THA: Brandon Wirth, bwirth@tacomahousing.org, 253-448-2790
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.
###
Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Renowned Physician Dr. Camara Jones to Present Keynote Remarks
WASHINGTON (May 9, 2019) – Collaborators from the housing, health, and education sectors will convene in Washington, D.C., May 16 and 17 for the fifth national Housing Is Summit hosted by the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA). The event, featuring plenary sessions devoted to ending intergenerational poverty and keynote remarks from Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) and renowned physician Dr. Camara Jones, will bring together 300 policymakers, practitioners, advocates, and researchers who are committed to developing cross-sector partnerships that improve life outcomes for residents of public and affordable housing.
“Housing is essential, but not sufficient to help low-income families thrive and break the cycle of intergenerational poverty,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “CLPHA, through our Housing Is Initiative, fosters connections between housing providers and health care systems, schools, and community organizations to develop targeted interventions that support families served by public housing authorities. The Housing Is Summit celebrates these partnerships, encourages peer-learning, and highlights the complementary roles local innovation and national advocacy play in developing cross-sector solutions to our greatest collective challenges.”
The Summit opens on May 16 with keynote remarks from Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), a long-time activist and champion of ending childhood poverty. Rep. Lee recently worked to secure funding for the congressionally-commissioned landmark study, A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty, which was published in February by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
During a plenary session following Rep. Lee’s remarks, Christine James Brown, chief executive officer of the Child Welfare League of America and a member of the board of the National Academies will present A Roadmap to Reducing Child Poverty and the authors’ two packages of policy proposals that would reduce child poverty by 50 percent over the next decade.
Joining James Brown for the plenary, the lead author of the groundbreaking article, A Universal Child Allowance: A Plan to Reduce Poverty and Income Instability Among Children in the United States, Dr. Luke Shafer, associate professor for social work and public policy and director of poverty solutions at the University of Michigan, will discuss the significant impact that a universal child allowance of $250 per month could have on the overall health and well-being of children of all incomes, but especially those living in extreme, $2 per day, poverty.
A second plenary session on Thursday will feature David Williams, policy director of Opportunity Insights, the research group led by Dr. Raj Chetty, who will explore how housing mobility research can guide policy and practice.
The first day of the Summit will also include a press conference at 2:30 PM ET announcing the release of CLPHA’s upcoming report, Eliminating Barriers to Postsecondary Success, which profiles the work of five public housing authorities who are collaborating with college access partners and community colleges to increase postsecondary educational achievement for low-income residents and college students experiencing homelessness. Bethany Miller, education program officer with The Kresge Foundation, will moderate a discussion following the press conference with panelists from public housing authorities and postsecondary partners who are participating in this work.
Additional breakout sessions include presentations from national partners and public housing project leads involved in an innovative multi-state, multi-sector collaboration between public housing authorities and UnitedHealthcare (UHC) Medicaid managed care plans. They will discuss their project, Improving Health by Aligning Housing and Health Systems, which is supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and uses data and analytics to develop place-based health interventions.
Day two of the conference opens with a keynote presentation from Dr. Camara Jones, a senior fellow at Morehouse School of Medicine and recent past president of the American Public Health Association, who will address the systemic, structural racism and other inequities that underlay health disparities and how the social safety net can be strengthened with this understanding.
Attendees will next participate in their choice of peer-to-peer working roundtable discussions on topics such as data sharing with anchor institutions, educating homeless youth, and using technology to address resident health needs.
Afternoon breakout sessions will feature Dr. Craig Pollack, associate professor of health policy and management at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in a panel discussion with researchers who are evaluating the impact of cross-sector interventions to improve health outcomes; a discussion among representatives from public housing authorities and the U.S. Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services who are working to support long-term housing stability for people who are particularly vulnerable to homelessness; and a case study of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh’s early childhood education collaboration with Duquesne University and ABK Learning and Development Center to improve life outcomes for residents.
The conference will conclude with a closing plenary session devoted to the role of philanthropy in forging innovative cross-sector collaboration to create long-term change. Representatives from The Gates Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, and Melville Charitable Trust will discuss current projects and impact-investing strategies aimed at expanding opportunity and improving long-term life outcomes for lower-income individuals and communities.
The complete Housing Is Summit agenda is available on CLPHA.org.
Many of the conference sessions will be webcast live at the following links:
May 16: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM ET, LIVE WEBCAST
May 17: 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM ET, LIVE WEBCAST
Registration for the Housing Is Summit is currently closed. Members of the media who would like to attend the Summit should contact Jenny Werwa at jwerwa@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 work to better insect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
###
DHA CEO Anthony Scott Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee on Behalf of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities: Aggressive Action is Needed to Undertake Affordable Housing Production and Preservation
WASHINGTON (March 7, 2019) – This morning, Durham Housing Authority CEO Anthony Scott testified on behalf of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies during its hearing, “Stakeholder Perspectives: Affordable Housing Production.” Scott emphasized the critical need for reinvestment in the nation’s Public Housing and Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher programs, which are the foundation of the affordable housing market.
“As a nation, we are now at a critical stage for needing aggressive action to undertake affordable housing production and preservation,” testified Scott.
In addition to calling for increased appropriations to the public housing capital and operating funds, Scott urged Congress to combat the affordable housing shortage by providing housing authorities greater flexibility to preserve and transform public housing through the Rental Assistance Demonstration Program, the Moving to Work program, and with selected and targeted flexibilities through a defined statutory process.
“Fundamentally, the RAD program allows DHA to create mixed-use and mixed-income communities that allow a more diverse socio-economic living environment,” testified Scott. “Our barriers are a RAD program that doesn’t allow enough flexibility to fully leverage development opportunities with private sector development… The private market moves at a faster pace and waiting on a RAD approval to transfer units could result in a missed opportunity.”
Scott also recommended Congress eliminate the Faircloth Amendment, which prohibits the development of new public housing units; invest in broad place-based solutions such as the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative to address neighborhood and community development needs; encourage greater interdepartmental collaboration to facilitate cross-sector partnerships with housing; and distinguish public and affordable housing as an integral part of the national infrastructure.
“We thank Chairman Price for inviting CLPHA and Mr. Scott to participate in today’s hearing, and for recognizing that public housing authorities are essential to local housing markets as the owners and operators of most of the assisted housing that serves extremely low-income households while generating wide reaching economic impacts,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “We look forward to working with the committee to increase support for public and affordable housing programs that provide decent housing to the nation’s most vulnerable citizens, connect low-income workers to economic opportunities, and spur regional job creation and economic growth.”
Along with Scott, representatives from the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency and National Housing Trust were invited to participate in the Appropriations Subcommittee hearing.
The testimony is posted to the Committee website and the live-stream recording of the hearing can be viewed on the Committee's YouTube channel.
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 work to better insect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
###
|
CLPHA Working with Biden Administration to Speed ERA Fund Distribution (Washington, D.C.) August 27, 2021 -- Statement from CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman on the Supreme Court's blocking of the CDC's eviction moratorium:
“As mission driven organizations public housing authorities believe that keeping residents housed is the most effective policy for the families, communities, and public health safety. Housing authorities continue to take a multitude of steps to keep their residents housed, including connecting residents with legal and relief resources, streamlining the income recertification process, operating rent relief programs, creating partnerships with community service organizations, and so much more. “The most effective lifeline available to tenants and landlords are the significant funds in the Emergency Rental Assistance Program that Congress passed in two tranches late last year and in the first quarter of 2021. CLPHA is working closely with the Biden administration by providing recommendations that will expedite emergency rental assistance as swiftly as possible.” |
|
||||||
|
|||||||
|
|
||
|
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
||
|
(Washington, D.C.) August 4, 2021: Statement from CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman on the extension of the CDC’s eviction moratorium:
“The Center for Disease Control’s order to extend the eviction moratorium in areas where COVID infections are rapidly rising is a welcome development that will keep millions housed while also decreasing the spread of the infectious Delta variant. CLPHA applauds the efforts of Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) for sounding the alarms as the current moratorium extension wound down and Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO), whose personal experience with being evicted grounded her sleep-in protest on the Capitol steps in an authentic voice that resonated with Congressional leaders, the White House, and everyday Americans.
“Throughout the pandemic, mission-driven housing authorities have been committed to preventing as many evictions as possible and only considering them as a last resort. CLPHA has advocated for emergency rental assistance during the pandemic as the most effective way to keep low-income families in their homes by providing assistance to tenants and property owners. The $46 billion that Congress allocated for emergency rental assistance as part of two COVID relief packages was one of the first relief programs to adequately meet the need caused by the pandemic. While the distribution of the relief funds has been uneven, CLPHA will take every opportunity during the 60-day extension to work with Congress and the administration to expedite the distribution of emergency rental assistance of behalf of tenants and landlords so that there no need for another moratorium.”
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
||
|
(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
July 30, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) July 30, 2021 – CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement upon the scheduled end of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) nationwide eviction moratorium on July 31, 2021:
“While millions of low-income households are facing the threat of homelessness with the eviction moratorium scheduled to end this week, public housing authorities are committed to using every tool and resource available to keep residents safely housed. Public housing authorities understand that keeping people housed is the most cost-effective approach to prevent homelessness. Evictions are expensive, burdensome, and time consuming, and they increase turnover and vacancy costs for housing authorities. Furthermore, evictions are a soul-crushing experience that impacts every aspect of one’s life and are a significant contributor to long-term unemployment and homelessness.
“Throughout the pandemic, housing authorities have connected at-risk residents with additional support and services, including obtaining emergency rental assistance. The good news is the Treasury-administered Emergency Rental Assistance Program has increased the speed of its fund distribution. We know that more can be done to streamline access to funds by partnering with local housing authorities to help those assisted households in need.
“Congress funded emergency rental assistance programs because they are the most cost-effective measure to avoid the destructive and demoralizing process of evictions and prevent poverty. We urge the Treasury and Housing and Urban Development Departments and the White House to continue to work closely together to distribute emergency rental assistance as quickly and efficiently as possible to stem the tide of evictions.”
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
||
In yesterday's article "Trust in Public Housing at Stake Over Looming Government Shutdown," YES! Magazine quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman and CLPHA members Kurt Wiest, Bremerton Housing Authority Executive Director, and Mark Gillett, Oklahoma City Housing Authority Executive Director, on how another government shutdown could continue to sow mistrust in public housing authorities (PHAs) and HUD.
Zaterman, who noted that landlords could shy away from participating in voucher programs if there is concern that PHAs will not pay them, asked, “Just the prospect of payments not being made will have a very disruptive impact—will the federal government contract be honored?”
Wiest stressed the importance of PHAs maintaining a good rapport with landlords. “We work really, really hard to have good relationships with local landlords. And if there’s the slightest hint that they won’t get their subsidy payments as promised, it erodes trust,” said Wiest. “And this program operates on trust.”
Gillett added that if PHAs cannot pay their landlords, there could be dire consequences for tenants. “There is a provision in the law saying if a housing assistance payment isn’t paid, it shouldn’t be grounds for eviction,” Gillett said. “But it’s never been tested.”
On January 31, HUD, the City of New York, and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced an agreement to address longstanding issues at the housing authority’s properties. The agreement establishes specific requirements and milestones for property improvements and establishes a federal monitor who will be selected by HUD and the Southern District of New York, with input from the city.
On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio appointed Kathryn Garcia, the city’s sanitation commissioner, to succeed Stanley Brezenoff as interim chair until a permanent head of the authority is selected.
Brezenoff, who also serves on CLPHA’s Board of Directors, called the job as NYCHA’s interim chair and CEO, “one of the toughest and most rewarding jobs in America.” In Tuesday’s press release announcing his successor, Brezenoff said, “I will leave this interim role knowing that we are putting NYCHA in very capable hands. I am confident that Commissioner Garcia is the right person to continue our efforts to improve the quality of lives for residents, and preserve public housing for generations to come.”
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman in an article about the government shutdown's impacts on Section 8 Voucher holders if the shutdown continues beyond March 1.
Zaterman said, “Without a guarantee from HUD that funding will be available in March, many [public housing authorities] will need to notify landlords and residents next month that delayed payments are a possibility. Anxious residents and landlords fearful of missed payments, combined with other cascading impacts due to lack of staffing at HUD, including program grants not being renewed and affordable housing development deals not being approved, amount to an unmitigated disaster for millions of low-income families.”
Today, Gray News Bureau published a comprehensive article "SNAP, WIC, Section 8: Separating fact from fiction in the government shutdown" featuring a quote about the shutdown’s effects on HUD programs from CLPHA Executive Sunia Zaterman. Gray News pulled the quote from CLPHA’s January 16 joint press release with the Campaign for Housing & Community Development Funding (CHCDF), of which CLPHA is a member of the Steering Committee.
On the shutdown's effect on housing authorities' future rental assistance payments, Zaterman said, "Without a guarantee from HUD that funding will be available in March, many Public Housing Authorities will need to notify landlords and residents next month that delayed payments are a possibility. Anxious residents and landlords fearful of missed payments, combined with other cascading impacts due to lack of staffing at HUD, including program grants not being renewed and affordable housing development deals not being approved, amount to an unmitigated disaster for millions of low-income families.”
You can read the article via Gray News Bureau TV affiliates:
CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman spoke to the Pew Charitable Trust's Stateline blog about the looming crisis facing public housing authorities (PHAs) if the shutdown continues. In today's article "Cities Scramble as Shutdown Leaves Families in Federal Housing Vulnerable," Zaterman warned that if the shutdown is still in effect by the end of February, many PHAs will not have enough funds to continue rental assistance payments for March and beyond.
“It’s definitely an all-hands-on-deck, high-urgency red alert for agencies that don’t have sufficient reserves for a sufficient amount of time,” Zaterman said. “And most don’t.”
From the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee's press release:
The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) Board of Commissioners has appointed Kenneth Barbeau as Interim Secretary-Executive Director, effective January 2, 2025. This decision follows the retirement announcement of HACM’s current Secretary-Executive Director, Willie L. Hines, Jr., effective January 1, 2025.
Barbeau has been with HACM since 1999, serving most recently as HACM’s Chief Operating Officer of Program Services. In this role, Barbeau oversees a broad portfolio of public housing resident services, including programs focused on employment, education, healthcare, senior and disabled services, financial literacy, and more. He also provides oversight for HACM’s Section 8 program, public safety department, and public housing wait list and screening functions.
In addition to Barbeau’s appointment, HACM announces the resignation of Deputy Director Fernando Aniban, effective February 21, 2025. Aniban has been with HACM since 2009, initially serving as Chief Financial Officer before being named Assistant Secretary - Deputy Director in May 2022.
“As commissioners, we are steadfast in our commitment to providing safe, affordable housing and enhancing the quality of life for our residents across the City of Milwaukee,” said Charlotte Hayslett, Chair of the HACM Board of Commissioners. “That includes ensuring a smooth transition of leadership as we search for a new Secretary-Executive Director.”
Chairwoman Hayslett also acknowledged the Board’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement. “We are actively addressing significant challenges within HACM and are committed to providing regular updates to the public and stakeholders. Our focus remains on improving efficiency, enhancing communication, and fostering a supportive environment for our dedicated staff.”
The Secretary-Executive Director is responsible for HACM’s operations and reports to the Board of Commissioners.
Commissioner Hayslett and Commissioner Karen Gotzler (who serves as vice-chair) joined the commission last month (November). HACM Resident Commissioner Jackie Burrell, and Alderwoman Sharlen Moore joined the commission this month (December). Commissioner Irma Yépez-Klassen has served as a commissioner since August 2022.
From the Housing Authority of the City of Austin's press release:
The Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA) has been awarded a $750,000 grant from St. David’s Foundation to support the “Housing + Health: ¡Adelante! Santa Rita Courts” initiative. Over the next 12 months, this funding will help expand access to healthy, affordable housing options and related health services for low-to-moderate income families.
Building on HACA’s long-standing commitment to delivering quality affordable housing, this initiative aligns with the agency’s plans to modernize Santa Rita Courts, an 84-yearold property that holds a unique place in Austin’s history. By pairing the redevelopment of this historically significant community with enhanced health programming, HACA aims to create lasting, positive outcomes for families, ensuring they have both a safe place to call home and the resources they need to thrive.
“HACA is always looking for opportunities to advance the transformative programs that improve health and self-sufficiency for the families we serve,” said HACA President and CEO Michael Gerber. “The support from St. David’s Foundation will help ensure that our families not only have a safe place to call home, but also the tools and resources they need to lead healthier, more fulfilling lives. We’re grateful for this partnership and look forward to working together to uplift our neighbors and build a stronger, healthier community.”
From the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority's press release:
Last week, the Minneapolis City Council approved the city’s 2025 budget, setting a new funding highwater mark for MPHA programs and activities at nearly $11 million. Included in this funding is the continuation of the $5 million annual housing tax levy, a $1.3 million investment to support MPHA piloting a new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding program, $2.2 million in continued ongoing funding to support the nationally recognized Stable Homes Stable Schools (SHSS) program, a one-time investment of $830,500 to pilot a SHSS expansion into early childhood and middle school homelessness prevention, and $1.8 million (with $1.4 million ongoing in subsequent years) for the creation of a new city-funded Emergency Housing Voucher (EHV) program to mirror the successful but sunsetting federal program.
“We are honored by the trust Mayor Frey and the City Council have placed in MPHA as a partner in the work to address our city’s homelessness and affordable housing challenges,” said Abdi Warsame, Executive Director/CEO of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. “This agency administers numerous successful housing assistance programs. Chief among these is Stable Homes Stable Schools and the Emergency Housing Voucher program. I am heartened that our elected leaders understand the importance of these successful programs and are increasing the city’s support. This agency plays a critical role in addressing our region’s affordable housing challenges, and I hope other local and state leaders take note of what is possible when investing in MPHA’s award-winning work.”
Earlier this summer, MPHA leaders presented an update on the agency’s 2024 levy budget and a look at the agency’s five-year levy capital plan. Highlights from the agency’s 2024 levy budget included dedicating a portion of funding towards the agency’s next major high-rise renovation (Spring Manor), two scattered site infill projects (one duplex and one triplex), and modernizing elevator systems in two high-rises. The 2025 levy budget includes dedicating additional funds to the Spring Manor redevelopment project and replacing high-rise windows from the 1980s with energy efficient, code compliant windows that include fall protection safety features across the portfolio.
The City of Minneapolis’ 2025 budget includes an amendment led by Councilmembers Jason Chavez and Aurin Chowdhury, along with Council President Elliot Payne, to fund two SHSS pilot expansion projects in two core areas of need and opportunity: early childhood homelessness prevention and expanding the program into Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) middle schools.
The early childhood prevention expansion will help reach families with infant to pre-school-aged children who are unstably housed to prevent any initial homelessness episodes. By preventing homelessness of 0 – 5-year-olds, SHSS can prevent the deficits that children impacted by homelessness bring into their primary school journeys. Services include financial assistance and case management.
And the middle school expansion is the natural next step for SHSS expansion. It will expand the reach of SHSS housing stability services to additional MPS schools, extending the stabilizing benefits SHSS delivers to additional children, families, and schools. Services include financial assistance and case management.
Full details for both pilot expansion programs can be found in this fact sheet, but MPHA estimates that an additional 180-225 families (representing 440-565 children) could be served by Stable Homes Stable Schools with these two expansions.
The other budget amendment, led by Councilmembers Robin Wonsley and Jamal Osman, creates a new city-funded EHV program that mirrors MPHA’s successful EHV program.
Created and funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the EHV program connects federal rental assistance with local Continuums of Care (CoCs) and other partners to target resources to individuals and families who are homeless, at-risk of homelessness, were recently homeless, or have a high risk of housing instability.
In developing its EHV program, MPHA partnered with the Hennepin County CoC to identify chronically homeless individuals, and to establish a process of engagement with those individuals referred for the vouchers. The agency works with Hennepin County’s Coordinated Entry System to administer the EHV program, equipping individuals and families coming out of homelessness with wrap-around case management services provided by the county and county-contracted providers.
But while MPHA has developed a successful EHV program that has delivered millions in emergency rental assistance and helped 246 individuals escape homelessness, the EHV program’s funding is set to expire in September 2030. Unlike other HUD voucher programs that receive annual congressional appropriations, EHVs only received one-time funding through ARPA.
Councilmember Wonsley and Osman’s amendment will help the agency permanently fund 100 EHVs, modeled off the agency’s successful federally funded program. Full details on the federal EHV program and the agency’s proposal for a city-funded EHV program can be found in this fact sheet.
For both the SHSS expansions and the city-funded EHV program, MPHA will spend the coming months staffing up and creating the necessary administrative and compliance software systems. In the case of the city-funded EHV program, MPHA cannot simply continue to use federal documents, administration, and compliance systems. Therefore, the agency needs to build the unique systems and processes that mirror the federal program – a process the agency anticipates will run through summer of 2025 before the first city-funded EHVs are deployed. The agency will provide periodic updates on these two programs and the rest of the activities and programs funded in the City of Minneapolis’ budget throughout 2025.
From the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority's press release:
The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) announced today it has invested a combined total of $78.9 million to purchase The Residences at Eden Park in northeast Columbus and The Orchards in Lockbourne.
These acquisitions add 426 units to CMHA’s portfolio, with rents tailored to address the region’s critical need for workforce housing. To further enhance affordability, each property can also house families using the CMHA Housing Choice Voucher program.
Workforce housing is defined as housing affordable to households with income between 60% and 120% of the area median income (AMI), targeting middle-income essential workers such as police, firefighters, educators and health care, retail and restaurant/lodging workers. AMI data is calculated annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
All 264 apartments at Eden Park, located at 2335 N. Cassady Ave. near Easton, and the 162 units at The Orchards, situated at 310 Rathmell Road near Rickenbacker International Airport and adjacent to the new Google facility under construction, will be affordable to renters at 80% of the Columbus AMI. This translates to affordability for a one-person household earning $55,600 annually or a two-person household earning $63,520. Monthly rents for the one-, two- and three-bedroom units will range from $1,100 to $1,900.
“We can all agree that if you work in Central Ohio, you should be able to live in Central Ohio,” said CMHA President and CEO Charles Hillman.
“The tremendous economic boom in our region is producing both exciting opportunities and challenges, including a critical shortage of workers and affordable housing,” Hillman added. “By acquiring these two properties, we aim to alleviate the housing burden faced by working families while building a brighter, more prosperous future for residents across Franklin County.”
CMHA purchased Eden Park for $47.4 million and The Orchards for $31.5 million from Metro Development, one of Central Ohio’s leading multifamily developers. Both locations were constructed by Metro Development in 2023.
The acquisitions were financed through $79 million in bonds, contributing to CMHA’s total bond issuance of over $260 million for the development, preservation and acquisition of housing for all. This effort aligns with CMHA’s strategic goal to expand the region’s housing stock and combat Central Ohio’s ongoing housing shortage, bolstered by its A+ credit rating from S&P Global.
“Our prestigious A+ rating positions CMHA to leverage bond markets with reduced financing costs, enabling a sustainable growth model aligned with our strategic vision of delivering at least 500 new housing units annually for the foreseeable future,” said CMHA Chief Operating Officer Scott Scharlach.
Amenities at both properties include a 4,500-square-foot clubhouse, resident lounge, 24-hour access to emergency services, a professional cardio center, gaming area, tranquil pool, business center, coffee bar and outdoor activity areas, including a dog park. Apartments feature contemporary designs, oversize walk-in closets, 9-foot ceilings and private patios or balconies.
The acquisitions come amid a well-documented shortage of affordable housing in central Ohio.
According to the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio, only 29 affordable units exist for every 100 extremely low-income households. Approximately 54,000 Franklin County families spend over half their income on housing. Nationally, rents have risen 14% since 2021, with Columbus following similar trends. Currently, 40% of renters in the region are considered rent-burdened, spending more than 30% of their income on housing.
Today’s announcement marks a record-setting year for CMHA, with more than $275 million in annual real estate investments to promote affordable housing opportunities. CMHA’s housing portfolio, now valued at nearly $1 billion, consists of over 2,257 subsidized units, 1,700 workforce housing units and 1,700 market-rate units.
From the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority's press release:
Lincoln Avenue Communities (LAC), a mission-driven acquirer and developer of affordable housing, broke ground yesterday on the Residences at Government Center II during a ceremony with LAC leaders, local lawmakers and partners, including Virginia Housing, the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, and the Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority (FCRHA).
The Residences at Government Center II will provide 279 high-quality, affordable homes for families in the Braddock District. Upon completion, this community will also feature a daycare center, providing a safe and convenient childcare option for residents.
U.S. Representative Gerry Connolly, who represents Virginia’s 11th District in Congress, spoke at the groundbreaking ceremony. Other speakers included Nick Bracco, Vice President, Lincoln Avenue Communities; Lenore Stanton, Chair, Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority; Jeffrey C. McKay, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; James Walkinshaw, Braddock District Supervisor, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors; and Kerrie Wilson, CEO, Cornerstones.
“Throughout my career, creating and preserving affordable housing has been a key priority. As a Congressman and the former Chair of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, I am thrilled to be a part of this innovative use of land to further the creation of affordable housing in our community,” said Rep. Connolly.
“Lincoln Avenue Communities is proud to begin construction on the Residences at Government Center II,” said Nick Bracco, Vice President, Lincoln Avenue Communities. “Once completed, this property will offer nearly 300 safe, affordable homes with top-tier amenities to families and individuals in Fairfax County, where new affordable housing is strongly needed.”
“We are proud to welcome new affordable housing right here in our front yard at the Fairfax County Government Center. These new homes will ensure that more people have an equitable shot at building their own future, right here in Fairfax County,” said Jeff McKay, Chairman, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
“For years, I’ve felt that we could make better use of the sea of parking in front of the Fairfax County Government Center to help meet our affordable housing goals. I made the motion to convey the property to the FCRHA for that purpose, and today, we are seeing this concept come to fruition,” said James Walkinshaw, Supervisor, Braddock District, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. “I look forward to welcoming 279 families to their new homes at this innovative complex in the Braddock District.”
“During the 2024 calendar year, we have come together to celebrate affordable housing groundbreakings or grand openings several times. Residences at Government Center II is another testament to our commitment to developing affordable housing in all corners of Fairfax County,” said Lenore Stanton, Chair, Fairfax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority.
"We are pleased to help bring affordable housing to Fairfax, just a short distance away from Capital One's headquarters. This development builds on our relationship with Lincoln Avenue Communities and the work we have done to expand affordable housing in Fairfax, Miami, New Orleans and Richmond," said Ed Delany, Senior Director for Community Finance at Capital One. "Capital One provided construction debt, LIHTC equity investments and permanent Freddie Mac loans, including structuring and closing Freddie Mac’s first Forward Bond Credit Enhancement in just 90 days to meet the closing timeline."
“Residences at Government Center II is a perfect example of taking underutilized land and creating something beautiful to support the community,” said Director, Production Patricia Mao Booker at KTGY. “Our architects carefully designed around the surrounding environment to enhance the pedestrian experience for this mixed-use affordable housing complex. We’re proud to support low-income families in Fairfax with this new, beautifully designed community.”