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
During the COVID-19 quarantine, David can be reached at (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!
January 6, 2021
(Washington, D.C.) January 6, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement on the results of yesterday’s special election in Georgia:
“CLPHA congratulates Raphael Warnock on his historic victory and Jon Ossoff’s election to the United States Senate, thus securing a Democratic Senate majority. The incoming Biden-Harris administration and HUD Secretary-designate Marcia Fudge now have expanded, once-in-a-generation opportunities to improve the lives of low-income Americans who have been especially harmed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The first course of action is for Congress to pass a new stimulus relief bill with $50 billion in emergency rental assistance that addresses housing insecurity and homelessness. These historic wins also provide momentum to permanently expand the Housing Choice Voucher program and recapitalize the public housing portfolio, both of which are concrete steps to eradicating poverty and dismantling systemic racism. CLPHA looks forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration and the 117th Congress to make these legislative goals happen.”
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.
December 22, 2020
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.
|
(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
December 11, 2020 |
|
|
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) December 11, 2020 – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) called on the incoming Biden-Harris administration to address poverty, homelessness, and racial injustice by investing in public and affordable housing. These recommendations are among 52 proposals that CLPHA provided in a transition document to the incoming Biden-Harris administration.
“The Biden-Harris ticket’s decisive victory is a moral mandate to address the chronic problems of poverty, racial inequity, and housing insecurity,” said Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. “CLPHA’s 52 recommendations are a roadmap to achieve these goals.”
Expanding the Housing Choice Voucher program is one of CLPHA’s top-line recommendations and a key plank in the Biden-Harris plan. Currently only one in four low-income households that are eligible receive housing assistance due to limited funding. We know that housing stability is central to economic mobility for low-income Americans, even more so during the pandemic and economic downturn.
Recapitalizing the public housing portfolio is also a top priority for CLPHA. "A capital backlog of $70 billion is putting the health and wellness of low-income seniors and children at risk," Zaterman said. “We call on the Biden administration to develop and implement a 10-year roadmap to ensure the long-term sustainability of this public asset.”
CLPHA also calls for expanding the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and increasing operational flexibilities to better meet local housing needs. “These recommendations would result in significant investment in eradicating poverty and dismantling systemic racism,” said Zaterman.
CLPHA founded the Housing Is initiative to develop cross-sector resources of education and health five years ago. The Housing Is Initiative is calling for expanded coordination between federal agencies including the departments of Health and Human Services, Education, and Housing and Urban Development, and increased funding for research and data sharing.
Over the past four years, the Trump administration has proposed or enacted egregious rules that disenfranchised marginalized people, such as immigrants and transgender Americans. CLPHA urges swift reversals of these dangerous rules.
“The Biden-Harris administration has a real opportunity to improve the lives of low-income Americans. CLPHA looks forward to working with the administration to make it happen," Zaterman concluded.
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative
|
The District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) and partners cut the ribbon on the Residences at Hayes Street, a 150-unit affordable housing community constructed with help from a $2 million DCHA loan. DCHA will also provide nearly $241,000 annually in rent subsidies to residents.
The Charlotte Housing Authority has opened The Oaks at Cherry, an 81-unit affordable housing community with resident amenities such a playground, cyber café, and fitness center in Charlotte’s historic Cherry neighborhood. You can watch a video about The Oaks at Cherry community here.
Of the complex’s 68 units, 34 are funded by Section 8 project-based vouchers, and 15 of those apartments are set aside for individuals with disabilities. The construction of Key’s Pointe Residences is part of HABC’s massive revitalization plan for Baltimore’s O’Donnell Heights neighborhood.
At the CLPHA Fall Meeting earlier this month, Bruce Katz, former Centennial Scholar at the Brookings Institution and founding Director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program,discussed how housing authorities, cities, and other stakeholders can seize the opportunity of the new Opportunity Zone tax incentives. Below is additional information and resources for CLPHA members on Opportunity Zones, including a CLPHA analysis of public housing developments in Opportunity Zones for members and a policy prospectus from Katz on how to best leverage these new tax incentives.
Background
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 established the new tax incentive, which will
“Allow any taxpayer to defer paying tax on capital gains from the sale of property if those gains are timely invested in Qualified Opportunity Funds, which in turn must invest 90% of its assets in businesses located or property used in a low-income community. If investors invest for ten years, they also pay no capital gains tax on the appreciation on that investment.”
Following the establishment of the tax incentives, U.S. governors designated more than 8,700 “Opportunity Zones” in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico; many overlap with locations where CLPHA members have public housing communities. Opportunity Zone incentives are unique because they rely on individual investment decisions instead of government distributions, can be utilized for all manner of projects (residential, commercial, industrial, or infrastructure), are not contingent upon pre-specified outcomes or metrics for success, and there is no cap to the amount of benefits investors can receive.
Current Status
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has released a notice of proposed rulemaking and notice of a public hearing on Investing in Qualified Opportunity Zones. There are two provisions related to housing in the proposed rule: a working capital safe harbor for the acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of property for up to 31 months and also a provision stating that the basis attributable to land will not be taken into account when determining whether the building has been substantially improved. According to the rule, excluding the basis of land will help facilitate the repurposing of vacant buildings in Qualified Opportunity Zones.
CLPHA will be reviewing the proposed rule to understand how PHAs can take advantage of Opportunity Zones to further local housing goals. Comments on the notice are due December 28 and the public hearing will be held on January 10, 2019.
Resources for Members
CLPHA Analysis of Members in Opportunity Zones: Using the list of designated Qualified Opportunity Zones and HUD data on public housing buildings, CLPHA performed a comparison analysis to determine which public housing buildings are located in designated Opportunity Zones. We found that 57 CLPHA members had at least one public housing building in a qualified Opportunity Zone. In the attached spreadsheet, you can find a full list of properties, including census tract and geographic data, located in Opportunity Zones, as well as a quick-glance table that lists the housing authority and property development name. Click here to download CLPHA’s Analysis from our Dropbox.
Policy Brief – From Transactions to Transformation: How Cities Can Maximize Opportunities –Bruce Katz and Evan Weiss: This brief details a vision for the potential economic and social outcomes of the Opportunity Zone tax incentives and offers ten steps for cities to leverage local resources in order to take advantage of them. Download the brief from Drexel’s website.
Additional Resources:
Opportunity Fund Directory: The National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) has released this new online resource that provides descriptions and contact information for publicly-announced Opportunity Funds. View the Directory on NCSHA’s website.
Opportunity Zone Explorer: Enterprise Community Partners has created this mapping tool to help those interested in opportunity zones determine which tracts in their regions have been designated and how they related to other federal programs. Use the Opportunity Zone Explorer on the Enterprise website.
The Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) and Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) were recognized for their work in addressing homelessness among community college students and other barriers to higher education in a recent article for Inside Higher Ed. THA’s College Housing Assistance Program began in 2014 in response to rising rents in Tacoma and Pierce Counties. High rates of homelessness among Tacoma Community College students created opportunities for partnership between the College and THA, which now serves 150 students — many of whom have children of their own — who are homeless and near homeless. With the help of a housing voucher and additional financial aid, students are able to continue pursuing their degrees.
CHA is taking a slightly different approach to a similar problem. In working with City Colleges of Chicago through a program known as Partners in Education, the housing authority covers tuition and other fees for residents. Over 600 CHA residents are currently enrolled in Chicago’s community colleges, and while many receive federal and state financial aid, additional assistance from the housing authority ensures continued enrollment. As Moving to Work (MTW) agencies, both THA and CHA are able to engage in postsecondary partnerships as a result of program flexibility.
THA and CHA will further discuss these partnerships with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, and Louisville Metro Housing Authority at a postsecondary convening co-sponsored by CLPHA, Housing Is, and Kresge next month. CLPHA looks forward to discussing how initiatives like these can be replicated and brought to scale across the country.
From the New Haven Register:
The campaign over the state’s need for affordable housing and the power of mostly white suburban enclaves in one of the country’s most-segregated states was renewed in the General Assembly on Tuesday, when lawmakers heard public testimony on a variety of bills, including legislation that would allow housing authorities to purchase properties in adjacent towns.
During an afternoon-long virtual hearing of the legislative Housing Committee, property owners and managers said that state regulations are hurting them and costing them money, while tenants warned that they are becoming victims at a time when landlords can force out those who pay lower rents because the owners can bring in new tenants who’ll pay sharply higher amounts.
...
Karen Dubois-Walton, president of the Elm City Communities/The Housing Authority of New Haven, said that allowing agencies like hers to purchase and develop affordable properties in neighboring towns would be an important way to allow more people to live in high-quality, affordable and market-rate dwellings.
“Housing authorities, as originally contemplated, were not in the business of development, and the laws on the books, currently, in Connecticut reflect the original housing authorities, not necessarily the housing authorities of today,” Dubois-Walton said. “Out of necessity, we have moved away from your old-style public housing into becoming much-more developers of mixed-income, mixed-finance type of communities.”
She said current laws limit housing authorities to work only within the borders of their municipalities. “At the same time, we all know, and this committee has been really great at looking at the issues of the lack of affordable housing in our community and trying to find pathways to expand that,” she said. “I believe this bill is a no-nonsense, easy opportunity to add another tool to our box about how we can create affordable housing.”
Read the New Haven Register's article "CT Lawmakers again tackle the need for housing in one of the nation’s most-segregated states," featuring Elm City Communities.
From California Governor Gavin Newsom's press release:
Governor Gavin Newsom today announced more than $116 million in funding for seven Homekey projects across the state. The seven new projects will provide 387 housing units for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness.
Since the Governor announced a $2.75 billion extension of Homekey in September 2021, the state has awarded $470 million to 23 projects that, when completed, will create more than 1,700 housing units for Californians most in need of a safe place to call home. When combined with the original Homekey program from 2020, the Governor’s nation-leading initiative has provided $1.3 billion for 7,700 new homeless housing units.
“Our historic response towards homelessness has housed thousands of individuals at an unprecedented rate since the start of the pandemic,” said Governor Newsom. “Today’s announcement will bring 387 housing units for those most in need of a home, offering several essential supportive services with easy access to public transportation.”
...
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles has been awarded nearly $37 million for the acquisition of multifamily rental housing projects located near off-site amenities including public transportation. When construction is completed, this project will offer 126 units of permanent housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness or at risk of experiencing homelessness. Supportive services include intensive case management services, linkages to behavioral and physical health services, assistance obtaining benefits and essential documentation, and educational and employment services emphasizing Housing First principles, trauma informed care and operate according to harm reduction models.
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles has also been awarded more than $10.5 million for the acquisition of a newly constructed apartment building located near off-site amenities including a transit station. This project will offer 34 units of permanent supportive housing for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness. On-site supportive services include client-centric individualized case management such as income support, linkages and access to physical and behavioral health services, substance abuse treatment and eviction prevention.
Read Governor Newsom's press release, featuring the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles.
From the Metropolitan Council's press release:
With affordable housing in short supply in the Twin Cities region, the Metropolitan Council has approved $8 million in grant awards to 10 affordable housing developments. The grants will fill project funding gaps and help create 557 new affordable homes and preserve another 113 affordable housing units.
The grants are part of the Met Council’s Livable Communities program, investing in communities to help them achieve their goals of economic prosperity, job creation, housing choices, and mobility.
“Admittedly, the need for affordable housing in our region is far greater than these grants can address, but these projects make an important contribution toward creating homes for more people in the region,” said Lisa Barajas, director of Community Development at the Met Council.
“Eight million dollars is the most the Met Council has ever awarded from the Livable Communities housing fund in one year,” said Barajas. “The Council increased the amount available to enhance opportunities for affordability and advance racial equity in the region.
“These dollars will help leverage nearly $88 million in private investments and more than $112 million in other public investments to provide safe, affordable housing to low- and moderate-income residents in the metro area,” she said.
The Met Council grants are part of a collaboration with Minnesota Housing and other funding partners. Barajas says the Met Council awards focus heavily on housing that serves families earning at or below $31,450 a year for a family of four, where there is the greatest need.
Six awards made for multifamily rental housing :
Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Family Housing expansion, Minneapolis: $1.4 million toward an 84-unit project that will be built on 16 sites in the city. Small apartment buildings will consist of four or six units to serve homeless families and those receiving rent assistance.
Read Metropolitan Council's press release, featuring the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority.
From Clark County Today:
Evergreen Habitat for Humanity is launching a new Habitat Home Trust focused on preserving affordable housing stock in Clark County through permanent affordability. The first 50 homes in the trust include the homes at Habitat’s new Johnson Village subdivision, and homes the nonprofit acquired thanks to a partnership with Vancouver Housing Authority.
Habitat recently completed infrastructure at its new nine-home, Johnson Village subdivision in east Vancouver. All of the homes built there will be part of the new Habitat Home Trust, and all will remain permanently affordable.
“This ensures that Clark County will always have affordable housing units, as these homes will only ever be resold to low-income families and will not be subject to rapidly inflating housing costs,” says CEO Josh Townsley. “Just as all other Habitat homeowners, the buyers of these homes will own their home through an affordable mortgage and have the opportunity to build equity over time. The difference between these homes and traditional Habitat homes is the land will stay under the ownership of the Habitat Home Trust.”
The first 50 homes of the Habitat Home Trust include the nine homes at Johnson Village and more than 40 homes Habitat is acquiring from Vancouver Housing Authority.
Habitat partnered with Vancouver Housing Authority (VHA) to purchase 42 homes scattered throughout Vancouver. These homes, previously in VHA’s rental portfolio, will be part of the Habitat Home Trust and remain permanently affordable. Current tenants of these homes will have the opportunity to apply for Habitat’s Homeownership program or opt back into VHA sponsored housing.
Read Clark County Today's article "Evergreen Habitat for Humanity announces new Habitat Home Trust and permanent affordability," featuring Vancouver Housing Authority.
From Public News Service:
A new alliance has formed to address Connecticut's affordable housing crisis, with a focus on its urban centers.
"Growing Together Connecticut" is a multi-year effort to pass housing laws and reforms that confront discriminatory policies, like redlining, that have led to disinvestment in cities.
One way to do that is through "fair-share" policies, that require cities to plan and zone for an adequate amount of affordable housing, based on need.
...
Karen DuBois-Walton is the president of Elm City Communities - New Haven's housing authority, which serves six-thousand families a year.
She said their waitlist, which includes families with current addresses in surrounding towns, is a snapshot of the lack of affordable housing. She added certain housing policies have played a role in allowing only some Connecticut communities to build wealth.
"And knowing that wealth is so much tied to ownership of homes, Growing Together Connecticut really brings those two pieces together," said DuBois-Walton. "How are we going to get access to affordable housing in suburban communities? And how are we going to make our cities the most vibrant places they can be also, in our state?"
Connecticut is short an estimated 140,000 affordable housing units.
Estimates based on New Jersey's fair-share law show these policies could generate 300,000 new housing units and over $60 billion in income for Connecticut residents, according to the coalition.
Read Public News Service's article "'Growing Together CT' Aims at State's Affordable Housing Crisis," featuring Elm City Communities.