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David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or dgreer@clpha.org.
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
February 27, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) February 27, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon tonight’s passage of the American Rescue Plan Act in the U.S. House of Representatives:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds the House of Representatives' bipartisan passage of the American Rescue Plan Act, which includes $35 billion in emergency rental and utility assistance and a significant extension of the eviction moratorium.
“This legislation is critical to address the rental crisis facing the nation. The situation has only grown worse 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. With the March 31 moratorium on evictions rapidly approaching, additional rent assistance is urgently needed to help renters stay in their homes by addressing back rent. The Senate must act swiftly to provide emergency rental assistance and prevent a wave of evictions 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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February 2, 2021
(Washington, D.C.) February 2, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon President Biden's signing of an executive order regarding the public charge rule:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds the Biden administration’s action today to begin unwinding the Trump administration’s patently unlawful Public Charge Rule that included housing assistance receipt against immigrants and their families when applying for an adjustment of residency status. Federal housing assistance exists to keep families together and to lift them up, not to be weaponized to tear them apart. The cruelty of the rule was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as it caused families to opt out of many critical safety net programs, including federal housing assistance.
"CLPHA looks forward to working with the Biden administration to ensure the equitable and compassionate treatment of immigrants and their families when seeking federal housing assistance.”
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
January 28, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) January 28, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon the conclusion of the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs’ nomination hearing for The Honorable Marcia L. Fudge, of Ohio, to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds HUD Secretary-designate Marcia Fudge’s forceful call for expanding emergency rental assistance at her Senate nomination hearing today for individuals who are facing housing instability due to lost income or are experiencing unemployment because of COVID-19, many of whom are people of color. She understands that the $25 billion allocated to emergency rental assistance in the most recent stimulus was not enough and only a down payment.
“Right now, in back rent alone, 10 million low-income renters have accrued an average of $5,600 in rental arrears, which totals $56.3 billion. The current stimulus package will help approximately 3.5 million renters pay back rent by February. The remaining 7 million renters who are unable to pay back rent will face eviction, compounding the strain on our nation’s economy and compromising our nation’s moral responsibility to address racial inequities among our most vulnerable individuals.
CLPHA calls for Congress to immediately pass President Biden’s American Rescue Plan which contains $50 billion in emergency rental assistance, and for the Senate to swiftly confirm Secretary-designate Fudge so that she can begin her imperative work.”
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 Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority's press release:
The Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) Board of Commissioners today approved a combined total of nearly $100 million in new investments that will develop or preserve more than 700 apartments for Columbus-area seniors, families and people with disabilities.
“This major investment represents CMHA’s continuing commitment to provide affordable housing and meet the needs of our neighbors in Columbus and throughout Franklin County,” said CMHA Board Chair James L. Ervin Jr. “We remain dedicated to our values of community, commitment, and collaboration. CMHA will continue to leverage all our resources to find innovative paths to help meet the region’s evolving housing needs."
The community investments approved by CMHA’s Board include:
- River and Rich (phase II): Authorizing the issuance and sale of $47.5 million in general revenue bonds to acquire, construct and equip an approximately 234-unit rental housing community with commercial space. Partners on this project include: Casto, The Robert Weiler Company, The Kelley Companies, and Mark Cain, of S. Cain Development and Construction.
- Country Ridge: Issuing $17.5 million in general revenue bonds to renovate the 96-unit multifamily residential apartment complex at 5656 Farmhouse Lane in Hilliard.
- Maplewood Heights Apartments & Sugar Grove Square Apartments: Issuing $25 million in general revenue bonds to renovate the 71-unit complex of one-bedroom apartments at 91 Maplewood Ave. in Westerville and the 120-unit complex of one-bedroom apartments at 530 S. State St. in Whitehall. These apartment complexes serve senior families and provide comprehensive support services.
- Southpoint Place – Family & Singles: Investing $9 million to renew CMHA's Project-Based Vouchers (PBVs) through 2039 for residents of the 40-unit family complex of two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments and 15 single-unit apartments, which also receive comprehensive support services.
- Nelson Park Apartments: Acquiring and renovating the 172-unit multifamily community. Partners on this project include Renewal Housing Associates, LLC, and The Orlean Company. Financial details will be released pending final authorization of the terms.
The $90 million bond plan and $9 million allocation of PBVs is part of CMHA’s long-term strategy to grow investment in the region’s housing stock and to more effectively address central Ohio’s housing shortage, agency officials said. The additional $90 million in bonds will bring CMHA’s total bond issuance to more than $171 million for the development and preservation of affordable housing. This was spurred by the A+ rating the authority received from S&P Global Ratings.
S&P is considered the largest of the three major credit rating agencies, which also include Moody’s Investors Service and Fitch Ratings. The A+ rating was secured after extensive third-party reviews and reporting from CMHA’s finance team.
“Our S&P A+ rating will significantly reduce the agency’s cost of financing by providing access to the bond markets,” CMHA CEO Charles D. Hillman said. “These factors create a self-sustaining model that will assist us in delivering on our strategic goal of adding to our portfolio a minimum of 500 units of housing per year over each of the next five years.”
CMHA’s PBV program is part of the federal Housing Choice Voucher program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Families or individuals in units with PBVs contribute 30% of their income for rent and utilities. The voucher pays the difference between the tenant contribution and the unit’s total rent and utility costs. Tenants in PBV units are assisted as long as they live in the unit and continue to qualify for the program.
PBVs are the largest, most available tool to create new project-based rental assistance, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a nonpartisan research and policy institute that works at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and individuals.
Data from the Affordable Housing Alliance of Central Ohio (AHACO) shows only 29 affordable housing units are available for every 100 extremely low-income households in the Columbus and Franklin County area. AHACO estimates 54,000 low- and moderate-income households in Franklin County pay more than half their income toward housing costs. Central Ohio also faces a deficit of 11,000 to 14,000 new housing units every year to support a healthy housing market.
From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
As crews on excavators and other heavy machinery worked to clear concrete and prepare the East Village site for construction, a groundbreaking ceremony across the street today celebrated an affordable housing development in collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) that will provide 270 affordable rental apartments for San Diegans with lower income, including people experiencing homelessness.
“As Mayor, I’ve been working to make needed game-changing reforms to our city policies to increase the amount of housing that San Diegans can afford,” Mayor Todd Gloria said in a statement read at the groundbreaking. He was unable to attend the ceremony due to the ongoing efforts to support recovery from last week’s storm. “In partnership, it’s the home builders who put hammer to nail and do the work on the ground to create the homes that bring stability to people’s lives. It’s firms like Chelsea Investment Corporation and projects like Harrington Heights that are the real difference-makers in our efforts to solve our homelessness and housing crisis.”
Developed by Chelsea Investment Corporation near the intersection of Broadway and 13th Street in San Diego’s East Village neighborhood, Harrington Heights will remain affordable for 55 years for households with income up to 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI), approximately $62,000 for a three-person household. Some units will serve San Diegans with lower incomes, including individuals earning about $24,000 a year or less.
“When I speak to community groups, I often refer to this project, Harrington Heights, as an example of the kind of housing that San Diego needs to build,” said San Diego Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, whose District 3 includes the development site. “First, it has a lot of affordable units—270. This project is going to help a lot of people. And second, it’s deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing, which will help people who are struggling the most. This is the type of housing development that I hear from so many San Diego, it’s what they want to see.”
A mix of residents with diverse needs will call Harrington Heights home, including unhoused veterans, non-veterans experiencing homelessness, families and individuals with lower income, and families with members who have intellectual or developmental disabilities.
“When it is completed, the Harrington Heights development will be life-changing for many individuals and families who are struggling economically in our city today,” SDHC President & CEO Lisa Jones said. “More than ever, a stable place to call home with rent that is affordable is essential. And people can’t live their best quality of life without housing, every quality-of-life indicator, education, career opportunities, health, is better with housing. And we know how critical that is. And yet it remains out of reach for so many people.”
SDHC awarded 115 rental housing vouchers to help Harrington Heights residents pay their rent. Of those, 75 housing vouchers will assist individual experiencing homelessness, including 10 set aside specifically for veterans experiencing homelessness. The remaining 40 SDHC housing vouchers will be for households with lower income who are not experiencing homelessness, with annual income ranging from 25 to 40 percent of AMI. All the vouchers that SDHC awarded are tied to the development, so that when a resident moves on, the housing voucher remains to help the household that moves into a new unit at the property.
SDHC also awarded an $8 million loan that consists of federal and local funds that SDHC administers, including U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development HOME Investment Partnership Program funding awarded to the City of San Diego and the City of San Diego Affordable Housing Fund. In addition, SDHC authorized the issuance of up to $68,700,000 in Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds and $37 million in taxable bonds toward the development of Harrington Heights. These bonds were approved by the San Diego City Council, acting as the Housing Authority of the City of San Diego.
Harrington Heights, which also includes three managers units, is one of several developments taking shape in the East Village neighborhood of Downtown San Diego.
“That’s really what we’re doing here today, is to celebrate that in two-years’ time, we will be housing 273 households,” said Chelsea Investment Corporation Director of Development Heidi Mather. “Chelsea’s not alone in beautification and improvement of the East Village neighborhood. We join the City of San Diego, our nonprofit organizations, other developers, and contractors all of whom share the vision of a better East Village.”
Additional partners on Harrington Heights include the City of San Diego, which provided a development loan of $10.14 million as well as the land through a lease agreement; the California Department of Development Services and the San Diego Regional Center, which provided $4.25 million; and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), which provided more than $40 million in loans from several funding programs.
“The city became an early partner in this project. That contribution of the land, that early support and collaborative spirit between developer and the city, creates the best outcomes for the community. And I hope you all are excited about that. Because of the success of this project, and many like it in San Diego in particular, and across the state, to utilize our public land for the creation of affordable housing, HCD has added priority for projects to almost all of our funding programs for projects that are on public land,” said Tim Parham, HCD’s Data and Innovation Unit Chief.
Forty units at the development will be for residents with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
“These homes empower families and adults with developmental disabilities to in with increased self-reliance, with the support of the community,” said Kate Kinnamont, Associate Executive Director of the San Diego Regional Center, which will serve the residents with disabilities at Harrington Heights.
Residents who experienced homelessness will have on-site amenities and support and resources from Alpha Project, including education and employment services; integrated medical, dental and behavioral health services; substance use disorder services; case management; tenant services; and life skills classes.
Unhoused veterans who move into Harrington Heights will receive rental assistance through Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Project-Based Housing Vouchers from SDHC and supportive services from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs San Diego Healthcare System.
The development is near City College, the City College Transit Station, served by the San Diego Trolley and multiple bus lines, and SDHC’s main offices.
From Lucas Metropolitan Housing's press. release:
Joaquín Cintrón Vega is resigning from his role as president and chief executive officer at Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH). The Board of Commissioners has tapped current deputy executive director Rachel Gagnon as the interim chief executive officer. Her appointment is expected to be formalized at the next Board of Commissioners regular meeting.
Cintrón Vega is leaving LMH to lead the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver. Cintrón Vega, who has served as president and CEO of LMH since March 2020, will remain in his current role until Feb. 28.
“Joaquin’s leadership has been transformative for Lucas Metropolitan Housing, and we are grateful for his service,” said LMH Chairman Alisha Gant. “As we open a search for the next head of LMH, we are pleased to be able to provide continuity of leadership and have Rachel serve as the interim CEO. We are confident that she will continue to provide our communities with the highest level of service and guidance."
The search for LMH’s next CEO will begin immediately, Gant said.
"By establishing a shared vision of success, my team and our partners achieved remarkable feats, and I am really proud of our combined efforts," Cintrón Vega remarked. "One day at a time, we have turned many obstacles into possibilities while providing compassionate service. We have provided direct supportive services, a practical route to economic progress, and affordable, high-quality housing for the people we serve. I'm confident Rachel will carry on with that job, and LMH is lucky to have her."
Under the direction of Cintrón Vega, LMH received several honors, such as being designated a Financial Opportunity Center, winning three Ohio Auditor of the State Awards in a row and being recognized as one of Toledo's top workplaces.
Also under Cintrón Vega leadership, LMH strengthened its alliances, establishing the Thumbs Up program in conjunction with United Way of Greater Toledo, formalizing a project labor agreement with the Northwest Ohio Building Trade Council and launching the Work Your Way Home program by utilizing its nonprofit affiliate Lucas Housing Services Corporation, to mention a few.
The acquisition of the new LMH headquarters, receiving high-performance designations from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, increasing grant support, broadening the scope of community services and securing previously unheard-of capital financing to build housing in high-opportunity areas to enhance neighborhood conditions creating mixed-income communities of choice are just a few of the accomplishments that Cintrón Vega is leaving behind. These projects use money from the Continuum of Care, HOME funds, Community Development Block Grants, Federal Home Loan Bank Affordable Housing Program and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. Through the development projects it has in the works, LMH is currently positioned to offer stable homes to the elderly, families and young people.
Gagnon, who has been with LMH for two years, said she is ready to serve.
“I am excited to take on this new role to help LMH continue to enhance and improve affordable housing in Toledo,” said Gagnon. “I look forward to engaging with the Board, our partners and the residents of our communities to continue to make our mission and vision a reality."
Gagnon joined LMH as the chief of staff and later became the deputy executive director, responsible for oversight and executive-level leadership of the agency’s day-to-day operations and strategic initiatives. During her time at LMH, she has supported a vision to nurture creative partnerships by providing project management and supporting housing development deals aimed at serving transition-aged youth, families and elderly households.
Gagnon has devoted her career to advocating for inclusive housing developments and rebuilding response systems to effectively serve community members in need. She believes housing is a fundamental right for all individuals and is grateful to be part of LMH, an organization whose mission and values so closely align with her own.
A native Toledoan, Gagnon is a graduate of Ohio State University and Capital University Law School. She is licensed to practice law in Ohio and has devoted her career to serving the community through a variety of roles in the nonprofit and volunteer sectors. Before joining LMH, she served as the executive director of the Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board and the chief operating officer at Sunshine Communities.
She was selected as a recipient of the Sisters of Notre Dame Toledo “Women Who Shine” award in 2023 and Toledo’s “20 Under 40” award in 2019 and participated in the 2022 Leadership Ohio cohort.
Gagnon is deeply involved in the community. She volunteers on several boards in Lucas County, including Open Table Toledo, Lucas County Children Services, Ohio Women’s Affordable Housing Network, Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board and Cherry Street Mission Ministries.
From Denver Housing Authority's press release:
The Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver (DHA) announced today that Joaquín Cintrón Vega has been selected to serve as DHA’s next Chief Executive Officer following a national search and multiple rounds of interviews.
“DHA is pleased to announce the hiring of Joaquín Cintrón Vega as its new CEO,” Grace Buckley, Chair of DHA’s Board of Commissioners said. “Joaquín is a seasoned housing leader who understands the critical role DHA plays in the community and is committed to fulfilling the vision and strategy the organization has adopted.”
Cintrón Vega has served as the President & Chief Executive Officer at Lucas Metropolitan Housing in Toledo, Ohio, since 2020. Prior to this, he served as the Director of the Public Housing Division in Miami Dade County. With more than two decades of experience, Cintrón Vega has established a distinguished career in the management of federal housing assistance programs and policy development.
“Making a difference in the lives of people is an honor, and I am thrilled to join DHA. I am excited to lead a team that has already done an outstanding job serving our community, and I look forward to contributing to our shared mission,” said Cintrón Vega.” Our focus is on developing stronger partnerships, fostering unity, and empowering individuals to cultivate shared aspirations. By transforming neighborhoods into thriving ecosystems of collective progress and opportunity, we can make a real difference in the lives of those we serve as we succeed in providing high-quality, affordable housing with responsive services, enabling people and communities to prosper.”
Cintrón Vega’s first day with DHA will be April 1, 2024.
From the Kitsap Sun:
A Warren Avenue property near downtown Bremerton, across from Kitsap Community Resources' home and once the site of three abandoned houses and a small commercial building, is now the site of an apartment building soon to become a Bremerton Housing Authority-owned housing option for disadvantaged young people.
The housing service provider will connect 18- to 24 year-olds who may be exiting foster care, homelessness or other precarious positions with housing that they may not be considered for otherwise, and pair that provision with on-site services. The project, called Evergreen Bright Start, will establish 24 of the 30 units in the 811 Warren Avenue apartment for subsidized housing and the other 6 for service provider offices.
The project saw its green light after the BHA received $6.5 million in grants from the Washington State Department of Commerce last week. Coupled with $4 million in grants from the City of Bremerton and Kitsap County and $200,000 from their own pot, the BHA secured funding to acquire the housing complex.
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The BHA’s campaign for a youth housing solution found its roots in a 2022 program, Foster Youth to Independence (FYI), that connected young adults aging out of foster care with rental assistance vouchers.
FYI housed 16 young adults in Bremerton and four in other jurisdictions, but U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds cover only the voucher, excluding provision for housing navigation and case management. While Olive Crest, a BHA partner in the Evergreen Bright Start project, provided these services with supplemental funding from the County, certain disparities in housing for young adults came to light, said BHA executive director Jill Stanton.
“One of the challenges that we ran into was actually getting a landlord to accept the voucher for a person who had little to no rental history or credit history,” Stanton said. “This population is especially vulnerable, often falling prey to drug dealers and sexual exploitation, starting their journey into adulthood with fear and hopelessness.”
At a formative time in their lives that could be marked by college, exploration, early career and job preparation, young adults aging out of foster care and those facing other housing, mental health and substance abuse challenges can find themselves in dangerous situations.
“A lot of them do end up in homeless situations, unhoused or unsafe situations… so that's where we're trying to intervene so that that doesn't happen,” Stanton said. “It's really hard to provide services that really make a difference when someone doesn't have a safe place to live.
Harkening back to the aspirations of young adulthood, Stanton envisions young tenants at Evergreen Bright Start not only connecting with services, but also steeping themselves in a community of similarly aged-peers, to “have a space where they can experience a normal and supportive and loving environment, and camaraderie and friendship.”
Read the Kitsap Sun's article "Services and subsidized housing for young adults coming through Bremerton project."