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.
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To view all of CLPHA's press statements, click here.
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March 11, 2021
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(Washington, D.C.) March 11, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon President Biden’s signing of the American Rescue Plan Act into law:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds President Biden for signing into law the groundbreaking American Rescue Plan Act. When combined with the $25 billion in emergency rental assistance in the previous relief bill, the total $45 billion in emergency rental assistance and $5 billion to prevent homelessness is scaled to the enormous scope of the rental crisis with more than 11 million renters behind on rent. The law is also historic in nature as it represents the largest federal investment since the creation of the Great Society programs more than 55 years ago, which launched what is now known as the Housing Choice Voucher program. Estimates show that the American Rescue Plan Act’s war on poverty will reduce the projected poverty rate this year by half. This historic investment in alleviating poverty and expanding housing opportunities constitutes one of the most significant steps towards ending racial inequity since the legislation passed during the Civil Rights Era.
"The American Rescue Plan acknowledges that housing stability for all Americans is essential to the economic well-being, racial equity, and public health of the nation. While this legislation directs critical federal investment to pandemic relief, new transformational federal investments will be needed to address the affordable housing crisis that was only exacerbated by the pandemic, including a 10-year roadmap to recapitalize the public housing portfolio and a permanent and significant expansion of the Housing Choice Voucher program.
"CLPHA looks forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to make stable housing a reality for all Americans."
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
March 10, 2021 |
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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.
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
March 4, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) March 4, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement urging the swift passage of the American Rescue Plan Act in the U.S. Senate: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities calls for the Senate to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which includes desperately needed $30 billion in emergency rental assistance, $5 billion in single-use vouchers, and a significant extension of the eviction moratorium. “This legislation is critical to addressing the rental crisis facing the nation. The situation has only grown more dire since the Biden Administration announced the American Rescue Plan in mid-January. Renters have continued to accrue past-due rent at an alarmingly high rate. While the eviction moratorium has provided important protections for renters financially impacted by the pandemic, the moratorium has meant that millions of renters have accumulated significant arrears. Economists estimate that unpaid rent at the end of January 2021 totals $52 billion, which amounts to $5,600 for the average renter. “The $5 billion in emergency housing vouchers will help transition persons-at-risk and homeless persons to stable housing. Emergency rental assistance is not only vital to renters, but its impact on the economy and public health is far-reaching. The Senate must act swiftly to provide emergency rental assistance and prevent a wave of evictions and housing instability that will tragically disrupt the lives of millions of Americans.” |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP)will redevelop the vacant Larimer School, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, into 35 affordable housing units. This project is part of HACP’s larger Larimer/East Liberty Choice Neighborhoods redevelopment plan.
The Otto Bremer Trust awarded a $100,000 grant and a $500,000 low-interest loan to the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA). MPHA will use the loan to support housing authority operations for its 6,000 public housing units and will use the grant to fund construction of the 16-unit Minnehaha Townhomes, slated to open in 2019.
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles alongside partner Meta Housing Corporation, opened El Segundo Apartments and 127th Street Apartments in Harbor Gateway, two new communities offering a combined 160 units of permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless families and individuals.
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA), partner Red Eye, Inc., and celebrity guests celebrated the opening of the Watts Empowerment Center Sports Complex at HACLA’s Imperial Courts community with basketball games, soccer matches, a slam dunk contest, and other activities.
Fort Worth Housing Solutions (FWHS)President Mary-Margaret Lemons penned an op-ed in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about FWHS’s efforts to increase the city’s affordable housing options, such as their utilization of the RAD program.
From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:
The Chicago Housing Authority, The Michaels Organization and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today commemorated the official grand re-opening of Albany Terrace Apartments, a 17-story high-rise community serving seniors with low and moderate incomes that recently underwent an extensive $93 million rehabilitation.
“CHA has an obligation to all residents to ensure that they are living in safe and modern homes. This obligation is especially profound when we talk about our senior residents, who deserve to live in dignity and comfort,” said CHA Interim CEO Angela Hurlock. “The work we did at Albany Terrace represents the kind of improvements that matter to our residents and will make their lives more comfortable. And these are exactly the types of projects that CHA will be doing more of in the future.”
Greg Olson, Regional Vice President of Development for The Michaels Organization, said:
“This revitalization marks a new chapter for Albany Terrace. To the CHA, the city of Chicago, the state of Illinois, HUD, and each private sector partner involved in this revitalization – thank you for ensuring our senior residents can enjoy the modern and sustainable affordable housing they deserve.”
Upgrades to the 350-unit building include both interior and exterior renovations to all apartments and community spaces. Individual apartments have received new flooring, painting, LED lighting, upgraded kitchens and baths as well as HVAC upgrades, including central air conditioning, and new electrical and plumbing replacements.
An on-site management office as well as tenant amenities, including a fitness center, package room, health and wellness center, first-floor laundry facility and community room have been added to the development. Additionally, a third elevator was added to accommodate the building’s 350 apartments.
Exterior renovations include masonry repairs, walking paths, parking lot improvements, and more.
The rehabilitation of Albany Terrace was financed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) RAD program and support from the City of Chicago and the Chicago Housing Authority. US Bank was the project’s construction lender and tax-credit investor. A joint venture between Skender Construction and Blackwood Group led the rehabilitation efforts. Canopy Architecture + Design served as the project’s architect.
This project follows the recently completed $45 million renovation of Irene McCoy Gaines Senior Apartments, a 150-unit CHA senior property in East Garfield Park. That 17-story building, also more than five decades old, received a comprehensive internal and external renovation and reopened in October 2024.
The Michaels Organization will continue to provide property management services for both Albany Terrace and Irene McCoy Gaines Apartments, ensuring high-quality and long-term affordable housing for Chicago seniors.
From Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's press release:
Mayor Michelle Wu today announced she will be filing a $110 million appropriation to create the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund at the next City Council meeting on December 4, 2024. The new fund is intended to kickstart the production of housing by closing financing gaps for projects that have already been approved but have been unable to start construction. The Housing Accelerator Fund is supported by unrestricted prior-year budgetary fund balance, and the City’s investment will be matched by the Commonwealth’s Housing Momentum Fund. Mayor Wu made the announcement at the Bunker Hill Redevelopment in Charlestown. The mixed-income units already permitted through the Boston Housing Authority’s public-private partnership with Leggat McCall Properties at Bunker Hill will be the first project to benefit from the fund.
“Boston’s housing crisis is the biggest stress on families across our neighborhoods, so we need to do everything possible for more housing and more affordability,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Our Housing Accelerator Fund will wisely use City dollars to jumpstart new projects and then return those funds back to the City once the projects are financed, supporting public-private partnerships for housing, private development, and home ownership. Thank you to City Councilors, colleagues at the state level, and housing partners for collaborating to innovate and find new approaches to meet the needs of our community.”
The Bunker Hill redevelopment project, which broke ground on its first building in June 2023, is a multi-phase public-private partnership among the Joseph J. Corcoran Company, Leggat McCall, the Boston Housing Authority and the Charlestown Resident Alliance (CRA), which will replace 1,100 public housing units with 2,699 units with a mix of public, income-restricted, and market rate rental units. This model of mixed-income housing is ideal for supporting healthy, diverse communities. The project also includes 73,000 square feet of retail and civic uses, off-street parking, and new public open space to support residents and the Charlestown community.
The next building in Bunker Hill’s Redevelopment, which will be funded through the Housing Accelerator Fund, will be a nine-story, 265-unit mixed-income building, including 58 new affordable units. These affordable units will be a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom apartments throughout the building. Like the first building now nearing completion, it will be built to passive house standards, the highest standard for energy efficiency in new construction. Construction is expected to begin in mid to late 2025.
The King County Housing Authority has put together a short booklet on their role in addressing homelessness in their community.
From the New York City Housing Authority's press release:
The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and partner team, RDC Development, a joint venture between Wavecrest Management and MDG Design & Construction, today announced the completion of the $492 million comprehensive renovation of Williamsburg Houses as part of the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) program. This project renovated over 1,600 apartments across 20 buildings (home to more than 3,000 residents), as well as building infrastructure, development grounds, shared spaces, a community center, two childcare facilities, and 19 commercial storefronts. Completed in 1938, Williamsburg Houses is one of the oldest NYCHA properties and was designated as a New York City Landmark in 2003 and listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2021. Because of the historic status of the buildings, NYCHA was able to leverage $142 million in State and federal historic tax credits.
"This RAD/PACT redevelopment has provided thousands of Williamsburg Houses residents with modern, lead-free homes, ensuring these apartments stay affordable for future generations,” said HUD Regional Administrator for New York and New Jersey Alicka Ampry-Samuel. “Over 23,000 NYCHA apartments have been renovated and preserved through RAD/PACT. Our partners also hired NYCHA residents through HUD’s Section 3 program, creating job opportunities and uniting contractors with HUD-subsidized workers. These extensive renovations not only preserved affordable housing but also safeguarded the historical significance of this landmark."
"Today, we celebrate the delivery of safe and healthy homes for over 3,000 residents of Williamsburg Houses,” said U.S. Representative Nydia M. Velázquez. “These renovations will help ensure apartments are lead-free and that the families in this historic development are protected for years to come. Utilization of federally-funded Project Based Section 8 vouchers were instrumental in the facilitation of these upgrades. As the highest ranking New Yorker on the Housing and Insurance subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives, I look forward to continuing to collaborate with NYCHA leadership and all who are committed to providing public housing residents in New York with the quality of life they deserve."
“The $492 million of comprehensive renovations and repairs at Williamsburg Houses represent years of hard work and collaboration between residents and the RDC Development team,” said First Deputy Mayor Maria Torres-Springer. “Williamsburg Houses is a shining example of this administration’s commitment to ensuring NYCHA residents are able to shape and plan their Williamsburg community.”
“I’m grateful to join Williamsburg Houses today in celebrating the renovation of over 1,600 apartments as well as the improvement of building infrastructure, shared spaces, development grounds, and commercial spaces,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Congratulations to NYCHA and RDC Development on this extensive project. I look forward to seeing more work like this to ensure Brooklynites have access to safe, dignified, and enjoyable spaces to call home.”
"We are thrilled to celebrate the completion of this $492 million renovation at Williamsburg Houses, a historic landmark that has now been revitalized for over 3,000 residents," said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. "NYCHA extends its deepest appreciation to Williamsburg residents for their partnership throughout the process, and to the PACT partner team who shared in our vision of preserving the development's historic significance while providing much-needed renovations to one of NYCHA's first developments that will improve residents' quality of life for generations to come."
From the Chicago Housing Authority's website:
CHA and the Michael’s Organization celebrated the grand opening of the $45 million rehab of Irene McCoy Gaines Apartments, a 150-unit CHA senior property in East Garfield Park. The 17-story building, more than five decades old, will remain affordable for years to come after work financed through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) RAD program and support from the City of Chicago.
Built in 1964, Irene McCoy Gaines has undergone extensive rehab of all units, including new HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems and new amenity spaces that include a redesigned dining/community room, exterior courtyard, reception areas, meeting, game, exercise and computer rooms and updated laundry spaces.