Welcome to CLPHA's Press Room
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David Greer
Director of Communications
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“In the coming weeks, the House will consider bipartisan legislation to permanently authorize the disaster relief funding platform for housing programs. The Reforming Disaster Recovery Act of 2019 is rational, comprehensive, badly needed, and Congress should pass it. Its proposed standardization and codification would make it easier for public housing authorities (PHAs) to apply for, and receive, relief funds after being impacted by disasters the way our colleagues and their residents were in Houston during Hurricane Harvey, in Wilmington during Hurricane Florence, in San Buenaventura during the Camp Fire, and the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico during Hurricanes Irma and Maria.
“Perhaps if the bill were law today, the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development would have a harder time intentionally stalling the disaster relief funding process for Puerto Rico, which two senior HUD officials admitted to doing during a hearing last month, and Secretary Carson has not denied.
“This is unconscionable and a blatant disregard of a statutory deadline. Though Congress has allocated $20 billion in CDBG-DR funds to Puerto Rico, HUD has only disbursed $1.5 billion, while thousands of American citizens struggle to recover.
“To remedy this, Senate appropriators included strong language in the THUD spending bill to prevent HUD from implementing its financial transformation initiative until the Department takes the appropriate steps to make all disaster recovery funds available along with necessary administrative requirements, which would include remaining allocations to Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
“Congress must take action to compel HUD to follow the law. We urge support for the House and Senate efforts to ensure that all Americans, regardless of income and geography, whose housing is impacted by natural disaster receive the support they need quickly and efficiently.”
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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WASHINGTON (September 20, 2019) – Sunia Zaterman, the Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, issued the following statement today in response to President Trump’s and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Carson’s recent comments on the crisis of homelessness in America:
“It is astounding that this administration is calling for an end to homelessness while refusing to reinvest in public and affordable housing. People without a place to live need stable housing, not just campaign rally rhetoric or politically driven economic reporting based on cherry-picked research to manufacture a root cause of homelessness.
“The reasons for homelessness vary and no single solution will end the crisis, but there is no question that the lack of affordable housing opportunities exacerbates the problem for families, people with disabilities, and veterans.
“The Housing First model, recognized by HUD as recently as December as the most effective way to end homelessness, treats stable housing as a platform for supportive services that meet immediate and long-term needs for individuals and families.
“Meanwhile, this Administration has tried to gut funding for HUD and for public housing authorities, which are essential partners in local efforts to provide safe, stable housing to low and very-low income families, and those most vulnerable to homelessness.
“PHAs work with their Continuums of Care to provide transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and vouchers to households exiting homelessness. They also coordinate with a variety of local service providers to offer supportive services to ensure housing stability, and work with health and education partners to promote access to services that are essential for family well-being and self-sufficiency.
“The hundreds of thousands of unsheltered people living on the streets in our country need real solutions, not campaign speeches.”
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
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CLPHA Applauds Appointment of Greg Russ to Lead New York City Housing Authority
Greg Russ is the right leader at the right time to oversee NYCHA and tackle the unique challenges facing the nation's largest and oldest public housing authority.
WASHINGTON (June 19, 2019) - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of New York yesterday announced the appointment of Gregory Russ to serve as the next Chair of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA).
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) issued the following statement in support of the city's selection of Russ, who is the current CEO/Executive Director of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) and a member of CLPHA's Board of Directors:
"Greg Russ is the right leader at the right time to oversee NYCHA and tackle the challenges facing the nation's largest and oldest public housing authority. Greg is a distinguished public housing executive and proven change maker who has led with innovation to positively transform affordable housing for residents and communities. He is uniquely qualified for this position because of his experience as the Director of Troubled Agency Recovery and his work at the Chicago and Philadelphia housing authorities.
"Throughout his career, Greg has shown a commitment to preserving and improving the public housing stock while promoting self sufficiency and economic opportunities for HUD-assisted families in PHAs across the nation. In addition to his leadership in the field, Greg is considered a national expert on public housing policy.
"CLPHA applauds Mayor Bill de Blasio's selection of Greg Russ to serve as NYCHA's next chair and we look forward to supporting Greg in his new role."
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative to better insect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
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Today, CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman was quoted in Affordable Housing Finance discussing how the shutdown threatens the stability of low-income households. Though HUD has prepared payments for housing vouchers and the public housing operating subsidy through February, Zaterman notes that the “existential threat” for voucher holders looms given the uncertainty of when the shutdown will end. If housing authorities cannot utilize HUD funding after February, there is a risk that that they will not be able to pay landlords and that landlords will subsequently begin to evict voucher-holding tenants.
Zaterman added that as HUD funding remains suspended due to the shutdown, local housing authorities are growing increasingly concerned about how they will maintain properties, make repairs, and pay employees.
CLPHA will continue our advocacy in support of PHAs and will provide members with additional news about the shutdown as we learn it.
In this December 27, 2018 article by Bruce Japsen for Forbes.com, CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman discusses the importance of cross-sector collaborations between housing and health care to improve life outcomes for low-income families and seniors.
“We’re housers with expertise in the management and operation of affordable housing for low-income families and seniors, but we are not experts in the complexities of health care service delivery,” Zaterman said. “That’s why nearly all of the public housing authorities we surveyed work with a partner to provide health services. Most would do more if they had the funding and resources to commit to their health partnerships.”
Anthony Scott, CEO of Durham Housing Authority (left) and A. Fulton Meachem, President & CEO of Charlotte Housing Authority (right) in Durham, NC.
CLPHA is pleased to see that our members are visiting each other’s communities to share knowledge, ideas, and best practices for preserving and strengthening their public housing portfolios and resident services.
In August, the Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA) hosted the Durham Housing Authority (DHA) and Durham city officials on a bus tour of Charlotte public housing properties. The Durham delegation also met with CHA staff, board members, and residents to discuss how Charlotte is transforming its housing portfolio and resident services through entrepreneurial efforts in real estate development, bond programs, property management, and family self-sufficiency programs. You can watch a video slideshow of the Charlotte & Durham meeting here.
In October, residents, staff, and board members from the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) traveled to Cambridge, MA to meet with Cambridge Housing Authority staff and tour public housing communities. MPHA learned from Cambridge about their ongoing, comprehensive public housing transformation financed through the RAD program, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, and other funding tools. In a post-trip recap, MPHA said their residents expressed the importance of seeing and hearing for themselves that these programs did not result in displacement. In fact, said MPHA, “CHA residents were often able to simply move units and continue living in their building even as the work proceeded around them.” You can watch a video about MPHA’s trip to Cambridge here.
Representatives from the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority on a bus tour of Cambridge Housing Authority properties.
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has named CLPHA Board Member and Elm City Communities President Karen DuBois-Walton as one of four new members of Connecticut’s State Board of Education. The board establishes academic standards and sets policy for the state’s school districts, including preschool, elementary and secondary education, special education, vocational education, adult education, and regional technical high schools. Under the leadership of Dr. DuBois-Walton, Elm City Communities has worked to improve educational outcomes for its low-income residents through strategic partnerships and programs.
In a press release, Gov. Lamont said of the announcement, ““My administration is determined to reform the way all of our education and workforce development organizations operate – our high schools, colleges, and businesses all need to be at the table and work collaboratively so that our teachers know what skills to teach, and our students know what jobs will be awaiting them. And students who live in every community of our state – regardless of their family’s income level or their zip code – must have access to all of the opportunities that will propel them to success throughout their careers. These new members of our State Board of Education have the qualities that are going to help us achieve this goal, and I look forward to working with them as we tackle this mission.”
CLPHA congratulates Dr. DuBois-Walton on this prestigious appointment!
A new HUD and Policy and Economic Research Council (PERC) report, “Potential Impacts of Credit Reporting Public Housing Rental Payment Data,” examines how including public housing rent payments in credit reporting could affect the credit scores of low-income, HUD-assisted individuals. The report details the findings of a joint study that used data from the Seattle Housing Authority, the Housing Authority of Cook County (HACC), and the Louisville Metro Housing Authority. The study showed a significant boost in credit scores for low-income families when reporting these rental payment data and found that many of the participating households would cease being “credit invisible.”
Analyzing credit scores of more than 9,000 households from these PHAs, the study found that reporting these rental payment data led to a significant increase (between 51 and 65 percent) in the number of HUD-assisted tenants with credit scores above 620. Including these data also nearly eliminated credit invisibility among HUD-assisted tenants: in one risk model, the rate of ‘unscoreable’ tenants fell from 49 percent to seven percent, and in another risk model this rate fell from 11 percent to zero percent. However, the study also found that many HUD-assisted tenants still have subprime credit scores that can limit their housing choices and ability to obtain insurance.
“Credit invisibility affects an estimated 54 million persons,” said report co-author and PERC President Dr. Michael Turner in a press release. “Through no fault of their own, families are trapped in a credit Catch 22—in order to qualify for credit, you must already have credit. Without a credit report and score, these families are forced to turn to high-cost lenders. This study shows a path to affordable mainstream credit for many HUD-assisted tenants and renters of all types.”
“More and more landlords throughout suburban Cook County are using credit score checks to determine whether or not to accept a tenant’s application, especially in areas of opportunity,” said Richard Monocchio, HACC Executive Director. “For our low-income tenants, many of whom have low or non-existent scores due to their circumstances, this means an automatic denial. HACC is proud to have participated in this groundbreaking study and is excited to explore a path forward given the promising findings.”
From The Salt Lake Tribune:
Residents in Salt Lake City’s Ballpark community were celebrating Thursday after a row of three blighted houses that neighbors say had become magnets for criminal activity were finally razed.
It was a hard-won victory but a triumph nevertheless in an area that has a disproportionately high number of boarded and vacant buildings but has had a hard time addressing them thanks to a city ordinance that prioritizes preserving such structures.
Ballpark Community Council Chairwoman Amy Hawkins, who watched as the claw began tearing down the buildings, said it was “wonderful” to see an “actual, physical change happening” in the neighborhood.
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The Housing Authority of Salt Lake City, which has owned these houses on West Temple near 1300 South since 2017, has long wanted to send in the bulldozers.
But the agency, which owns dozens of properties around the city, struggled to obtain financing for the 55-unit apartment complex envisioned for the site. Without a viable development plan, city code prevented their demolition.
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Thursday’s demolition was the first step for the four-story apartment complex, which is expected to be completed in April 2021 and will have a mix of affordable and market-rate units marketed primarily to seniors and members of the workforce. The Housing Authority is also planning a partnership with the Utah Pride Center in an effort to attract members of the LGBTQ population, who Nackerman said have faced challenges finding housing in the past.
“We’re going to work hand in hand with them to kind of affirmatively market to the LGBTQ+ community just because we know it’s a discriminatory issue that we can probably help solve,” he said.
Read The Salt Lake Tribune's article "Demolition begins on derelict buildings in Ballpark neighborhood slated to become a 55-unit apartment community," featuring the Housing Authority of Salt Lake City.
From The News Tribune:
Koz Development last year announced it was opening up its Koz on Market to help students find affordable housing.
This year, a second Koz property is launching another program to help more students struggling with finding a place in Tacoma they can afford.
Tacoma Housing Authority and Koz Development on Friday announced Koz at the Dome, 304 Puyallup Ave., has opened 64 of its 152 units to homeless and low-income students attending University Washington Tacoma or Tacoma Community College.
Additionally, the site can serve homeless unaccompanied Tacoma Public School (TPS) seniors 18 or older who are also enrolled at TCC or UWT.
Tacoma Public Schools “identified 53 unaccompanied homeless high school seniors this year,” according to the release.
The school system also has 750 McKinney Vento students — those covered by the federal education program of the same name to assist homeless children and youth.
“On any given night in Pierce County, over 1,000 youth and young adults are homeless without families,” THA said in its release. “Koz at the Dome will give these youth a roof over their head and a second chance at continuing their education.”
Read The News Tribune's article "New apartments ready to help Tacoma students in need of affordable housing," featuring the Tacoma Housing Authority.
From Yahoo! Finance:
Today, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen, Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin and other luminaries gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the first phase of Compass Health’s Broadway Campus Redevelopment, a state-of-the-art regional center designed to bring together a full continuum of behavioral healthcare, primary healthcare and permanent supportive housing services in downtown Everett.
Phase one, slated to open in 2021, will include 82 new units of permanent supportive housing for people with chronic behavioral health challenges, including units available to military veterans and individuals transitioning to the community from Western State Hospital. This project will double Compass Health’s housing capacity in Snohomish County and demonstrates the impact of critical housing protections for at-risk groups, like those championed by Senator Cantwell.
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Funding for the $26 million phase one supportive housing facility comes from a combination of public, private and philanthropic sources, including significant support from Snohomish County Housing and Community Services, Housing Authority of Snohomish County, Washington State Housing Trust Fund, Washington State Housing Finance Commission, National Equity Fund, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines, Coastal Community Bank, Impact Capital, Premera Social Impact, KeyBank N.A. and the Washington Community Reinvestment Association.
Read Yahoo! Finance's article "Compass Health Celebrates Groundbreaking of Phase One of Broadway Campus Redevelopment in Downtown Everett," featuring the Housing Authority of Snohomish County.