CLPHA Press Room

From Cleveland.com:

Poor communication, low rental rates, and a time-consuming inspection process are among the frustrations local landlords say they have with the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

Locally, the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority is the primary administrator of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program that provides rental assistance to low-income households.

While many local housing markets are rebounding, some landlords say they have no incentive to deal with the program’s burdens when they can easily rent to non-voucher tenants.

The result for voucher users: Being closed out of some communities, particularly where there are better opportunities for children.

Aware of the challenges both landlords and tenants face, CMHA, with help from the Poverty & Race Research Action Council, a civil rights and policy organization, is implementing several reforms that have had success in other cities such as Baltimore and Seattle.

Read Cleveland.com's article "Closed Doors: CMHA works to improve voucher program; advocates push for discrimination protections," featuring the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority.

From the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority's newsletter:

Have you noticed the bold transformation happening at Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority? 

Sustainable preservation of more than 100 units at Sutter View is fully underway. In fact, the exterior of the buildings already shows a new look. The Evanston, Marianna Terrace, Park Eden and Pinecrest are also in the beginning stages of preserving the affordable homes for families and individuals CMHA serves. The preservation of affordable housing is not just about providing newly renovated - and more attractive -- homes, it also has a huge economic impact for the community. Through this purposeful transformation, we are projecting through public/private partnerships approximately $1 billion of investment in our housing stock. According to HUD reports, public housing across the country has a projected backlog of over $30 billion dollars of needed capital improvements. CMHA is so excited about the approach we are taking to preserve critical affordable housing stock in our community through these efforts. We know with the support of this community we will be able to deliver on this monumental goal. Likewise, we know how critical this is to our residents, our partners, and the overall community to preserve and develop affordable housing in Hamilton County.

Read "Building on Success" in the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority's newsletter.

From WBEZ 91.5 Chicago: 

Cassandra Jones has a goal: to be the first person in her family to graduate from college.

Currently, Jones is studying communications at Harold Washington College, a two-year community college located downtown and part of the City Colleges of Chicago. She plans to transfer to a four-year university to study media production.

“One of the things I struggled with was feeling secure in my choice of school, not really the college I choose but mainly the career path I want to go down because growing up I heard a lot about how creative careers aren’t the best career to get into,” said Jones, 20, a fashion blogger with a YouTube channel called The Fashion Sovereign.

Jones gets guidance from Project S.O.A.R., a program for Chicago Housing Authority residents — ages 14 to 20 — at 18 CHA properties. It’s a tutorial and mentorship program providing youth with one-on-one coaching to support their post-high-school plans. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) piloted the two-year program at $453,000. Thus far, the program has helped 286 CHA youth, like Jones. Now that the HUD funding has ceased, CHA is continuing Project S.O.A.R. and expanding it to anyone within the that age group living in a traditional CHA property.

“Overall, it’s been a really beneficial addition to my life,” Jones said. “It’s helped me to make the college process easier. When I started out, I didn’t know about community colleges, and it helped with the financial aid process.”

Read WBEZ 91.5 Chicago's article "Project S.O.A.R. Helps CHA Youth Reach New Heights," featuring the Chicago Housing Authority.

From Block Club Chicago:

Two mission-based developers have joined together to propose a new Rogers Park project that would provide LGBTQ-friendly senior housing and artist live/work space.

The $30 million project would bring 81 apartments to the corner of Ashland Avenue and Howard Street, which is a city-owned lot that now houses a community garden. Of the 81 proposed apartments, only four would be market-rate while the rest will be earmarked for those making less than the Chicago median income or those with Chicago Housing Authority vouchers.

Read Block Club Chicago's article "New LGBTQ-Friendly Senior Housing And Artist Live/Work Space Planned For Rogers Park," featuring the Chicago Housing Authority.

From the Delaware County Daily Times:

The Ruth L. Bennett Community Farm wound down its fall selling season by sending its new youth contingent to the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s “It Takes a Region” conference in Jersey City, N.J.

Four city students who worked the farm during the summer - Ah’maj Jackson, Joseph “Joe Joe” Dukes, Khi’Jhane Hall and Jasmine Young – learned about urban farming practices and connected with other youth farmers during the three-day conference.

...

The Bennett Farm, located in Chester Housing Authority’s Ruth L. Bennett Homes, has been in operation for roughly one decade. Initially formed as a community gardening project, it has evolved into a 2-acre community farm with weekly Thursday sale hours from June through October. The fall 2019 season concluded Tuesday due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

Read  the Delaware County Daily Times' article "Chester youth shine at urban farming conference," featuring the Chester Housing Authority.