Welcome to the
January 2007 Newsletter from the Center for
Innovation in Affordable Housing Design
This month’s newsletter includes links to a number of design related articles,
articles about homelessness, housing for senior citizens and workforce housing
as well as other issues related to affordable housing design.
Be sure to look at the announcements, studies released, and upcoming events
section of the newsletter for information you may find useful.
Title Summary
ARTICLES
Design Related Articles
SMALLER HOUSE EQUALS SMALLER PRICE
MAYOR RYBAK ANNOUNCES GREAT CITY DESIGN TEAMS
LEVEE EN ROSE
LAS VEGAS COULD SEE SHIPPING CONTAINER HOMES SOON
HOUSING THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY
SEATTLE ADDS TOUCH OF GREEN NEW CONSTRUCTION RULES
MARKET FOR GREEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING SHOWS PROMISE
CORVALLIS COHOUSING IN OREGON LOOKS FORWARD TO 2007
BUILDING A BETTER, CHEAPER HOME
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY PLANS CONDOS, TOWN HOMES
'GRANNY FLATS' EYED FOR INEXPENSIVE HOUSING
CHEAP RENTALS COSTLY TO BUILD DUE TO IMPACT FEES
Homelessness Related Articles
MORE HELP FOR MENTAL ILLNESSES, DRUG ABUSE
MAYOR ANNOUNCES HOMELESS PROTECTION PROGRAM
CITY DENIED ACCESS TO HOMELESS DATABASE
STUDY SAYS TOO MUCH MONEY MAY BE GOING TO HOMELESS FAMILIES
TENT CITY BRINGS HOMELESS TO FOREFRONT IN ST. PETERSBURG
CAMP MAKES OFFICIALS FOCUS ON HOMELESS NEEDS
COLUMBUS PROGRAM SUCCEEDS BY GIVING HOMELESS AN APARTMENT FIRST
MIAMI 'S HOUSING CRISIS SPAWNS SHANTYTOWN
REPORT: NEVADA HAS HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF HOMELESS IN U.S.
STUDY SAYS CALIFORNIA HAS MOST HOMELESS IN U.S.
REP. BARNEY FRANK HOLDS A NEWS CONFERENCE ON HOMELESSNESS
EDUCATION LAW HAS HELPED HOMELESS KIDS, ADVOCATES SAY
AID URGED FOR OLDER CALIFORNIA FOSTER KIDS
COUNTY OPENS DRIVE TO CURB HOMELESSNESS
HELPING FAMILIES HOLD ONTO THEIR HOMES
CITIES JOIN TOGETHER TO BUILD HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS
HOMELESS AGENCIES JOIN FORCES
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES EXPANDING
Articles about Housing for Senior Citizens
MORE SENIORS FIND CARE WITH THEIR KIDS
RISING RENTS TROUBLE SENIORS
AGING BOOMERS AREN'T PLANNING ON MOVING FAR FROM HOME
NO GOLDEN EGG; SENIOR HOUSING BOOM HAS DOWNSIDES
NEW HOME FOR THE NEW YEAR ... NOT LIKELY, SAYS AARP
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS FOR MOBILE HOME COMMUNITY
Workforce Housing
CHARLOTTESVILLE RESIDENTS BACK AFFORDABLE HOUSING
MANY HEALTH-CARE WORKERS PRICED OUT OF HOMES, STUDY FINDS
TOO PROSPEROUS, MASSACHUSETTS IS LOSING ITS LABOR FORCE
HOUSING IS KEY FACTOR IN STATE'S ECONOMIC EQUATION
RESORT BUILDS WORKFORCE HOUSING
Articles Relating to Funding, Legislation and Other Affordable Housing Issues
CITY BOUTS WITH COG OVER HOUSING ALLOCATION
DO POOR NEIGHBORHOODS KEEP PEOPLE POOR?
SOME NEW ORLEANS HOUSING MAY REOPEN
BIGGEST FEMA CHUNK BYPASSING LOUISIANA
NY STATE OVERSIGHT BOARD APPROVES ATLANTIC YARDS PROJECT IN BROOKLYN
NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL BILL ALTERS 421-A TAX BREAK
COUPLE DONATES QUARTER OF PROPERTY; WILL SHARE PROFITS WITHFOUNDATION
ALEXANDRIA COUNCIL ACTS TO PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT QUAKER HILL
BALTIMORE 'S 'COMMUNITY SCHOOLS' LINK HOUSEHOLDS, SOCIAL SERVICES
FAIRFIELD COLLABORATIVE GIVES NONPROFITS A HAND IN BUILDING HOUSING
PROJECT ROW HOUSES RECEIVES ALMOST $1 MILLION TO CONTINUE ITS MISSION
SALT LAKE CITY DEBATES HOUSING POLICIES
FORECLOSURES OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY
FUND AIDS PUBLIC HOUSING RESIDENTS, WILL REPLACE RAZED HOUSING COMPLEX
RELIEF FAR OFF FOR LOUISIANA RENTAL OWNERS
WANT AFFORDABLE HOUSING? STOP OVERREGULATING DEVELOPMENT
A DASH OF HOPE, AND THEN SOME SEAFOOD CAPITAL OF ALABAMA
MARCH IN HILL DISTRICT PART OF NATIONWIDE PROTEST
PLUSQUELLIC, OTHER MAYORS PRESS PELOSI FOR HOUSING AID
10,000 BY 2009: ATLANTA MAYOR AND TASKFORCE SET BOLD GOALS
OAKLAND , RICHMOND EXPAND AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS
NATIONAL EXPERT ADVISES GROUPS EXPLORING TRUST FUND
HOUSING ACTIVISTS WANT SPITZER TO CREATE $100M HOUSING FUND
AFFORDABLE HOMES A MUST-HAVE, CITY SAYS
DAVIE TOWN COUNCIL BACKS MORATORIUM ON REZONING PARKS
PUBLIC HOUSING COMPLEX SALE MAY BE HALTED
LAWSUIT TARGETS LOS ANGELES HOUSING AUTHORITY
OUT-OF-TOUCH PLANNING BLAMED FOR HIGH HOME PRICES IN AUSTRALIA
A HOME IN THE HOOD
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY ENCOUNTERS AFFLUENT CALIFORNIA NIMBYISM
STUDIES and RESOURCES RELEASED
MANDATED DEED RESTRICTIONS AREN'T HELPFUL TO STRUGGLING NEIGHBORHOODS
WEB PORTAL LINKS TO HURRICANE RECOVERY RESEARCH
REPORT HIGHLIGHTS HOUSING STRUGGLES FOR DISPLACED HURRICANE VICTIMS
REPORT EXPLORES SELF-HELP HOUSING
NEW EVALUATION METHODS FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FIELD
ANALYSES OF HOUSING AFFORDABILITY OUTLINE HURDLES
INCREASING THE AVAILABILITY OF AFFORDABLE HOMES: A WORKBOOK
LAND LINES MAGAZINE LOOKS AT CLTS, EMINENT DOMAIN
3RD ANNUAL DEMOGRAPHIA INTERNATIONAL HOUSING AFFORDABILITY SURVEY
EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
SIX LEADERS NAMED 2007 JAMES A. JOHNSON FELLOWS
BUTLER APARTMENTS GET STATE AWARD
NEIGHBORWORKS® TRAINING INSTITUTE, FEB. 19-23
FEB. 23 DEADLINE FOR COMMUNITY-POLICE PARTNERSHIP AWARD APPLICATIONS
HOME DEPOT FOUNDATION: AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING
BOA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, NEIGHBORHOOD EXCELLENCE INITIATIVE GRANTS
NATIONAL COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT COALITION CONFERENCE, MARCH 14-17
FIVE LEADERS HONORED FOR RURAL HOUSING EFFORTS
NOMINATIONS FOR LEADERSHIP IS AWARD DUE FEB. 15
MANUFACTURED HOUSING SYMPOSIUM, FEB. 21
MARCH 30 DEADLINE FOR EXECUTIVE FELLOWSHIPS AT HARVARD
ARTICLES
Design Related Articles
Smaller House Equ
Several cities in the Pacific Northwest are encouraging the construction of smaller homes to help deal with the shortage of affordable housing. Dec 28 2006 -- Business Week als Smaller Price
Planetizen January 2
Mayor Rybak Announces Great City Design Teams
Five Minneapolis neighborhoods have been selected to undergo possible redesign, according to a press release from Mayor R.T. Rybak's office. Great City Design Teams, which consist of volunteer architects, developers, and others, will work with residents and community groups in the neighborhoods. For example, one team will work with Stevens Square Community Organization to plan possible changes to Nicollet Avenue and 18th Street , an area that includes a vacant block. The project will seek to provide the community with more opportunity for affordable homeownership, attract a grocery store and other essential businesses, and develop mixed-use buildings. The Great City Design Teams are a major part of the mayor's goal of transforming Minneapolis into a city of diverse, connected urban villages providing residents with access to unique goods and services, the release said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Levee En Rose
Built on the banks of the Mississippi , a quirky, affordable home in New Orleans proved it could stand up to anything - even Hurricane Katrina. Andrew Wagner visits a beacon of hope in a city in recovery. -- Byron Mouton/Bild Design- Observer ( UK )
ArchNewsNow Jan 8
Las Vegas Could See Shipping Container Homes Soon
A local architect and developer is making plans to provide affordable homes using recycled steel shipping containers. Jan 09 2007 -- In Business Las Vegas
Planetizen Jan 11
Housing That Works For Everybody
In the first large scale residential building to incorporate universal design principles, integration of disabled residents and mixed income households are keys to success. Jan 09 2007 -- The New York Times
Planetizen Jan 11
Seattle Adds Touch of Green New Construction Rules
Construction rules recently approved by the city of Seattle seek to encourage developers to include “green” elements in their projects or on public rights of way, reported the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The rules apply to residential projects with more than four units and commercial buildings exceeding 4,000 square feet. Under the rules, developers can earn credit toward satisfying open-space requirements by installing environmentally beneficial landscaping or planting features such as public gardens. Larger tree canopies, vine-covered walls, drought-tolerant plants, and roofs topped with 4 or more inches of soil and vegetation earn extra credit, the article said. According to city officials, the program is likely the first of its kind in the nation. Standards in Berlin and Sweden served as the model for the initiative, which will help replenish groundwater and ease burdens on sewer and drainage systems, they say. Though supportive of the goals, some builders say soil-topped roofs are unlikely to ease storm-draining systems in a city with such heavy rainfall, while vegetated walls may attract rats. Further, the Seattle Planning Commission fears that the rules could hurt small businesses while creating green features in public areas that reduce street parking or impede visibility of signs.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Market for Green Affordable Housing Shows Promise
"Affordable developments incorporating energy-efficient technologies, healthy building materials, and environmentally smart site planning are coming on line in urban and rural areas across the country,” reported The American Prospect. Through its Green Communities initiative, Enterprise Community Partners seeks to make green affordable building mainstream, said the initiative’s director. To date, Enterprise has supported more than 8,500 green units in 139 projects in 23 states, the article said. Enterprise aims to engage more mainstream lenders in green projects by using data from its efforts to promote the financial benefits of green building. According to a recent survey, green construction will increase by up to 30 percent in 2007, representing a potential “turning point,” the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Corvallis Cohousing in Oregon Looks Forward to 2007
Residents of Coho Cohousing gather to discuss the design of their new neighborhood in Corvallis , Oregon , while Bruce Hecht and his accordion entertain the crowd. Coho Cohousing, part of Corvallis Neighborhood Housing Services, will accommodate a variety of housing populations, including people of low-income, single-parent families, older persons, and people with disabilities.
NeighborWorks Alert Jan 7
Building A Better, Cheaper Home
Mass production and prefabrication have revolutionized the manufacturing of cars, planes and ships -- now a number of pioneering builders and architects are applying these technologies to the housing industry. Jan 17 2007 -- Wired
Planetizen Jan 18
Habitat for Humanity Plans Condos, Town Homes
By "going condo," the Habitat for Humanity affiliate in Sarasota , Fla. , plans to build nearly 700 homes in the next six or so years -- about four times as many as the roughly 170 homes built by the chapter in the past two decades, reported the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Sarasota Habitat is jettisoning "its one-family, one-house tradition" in response to a critical shortage of affordable homes and increases in land and other costs, the article said. Nationwide, a few other Habitats have made a similar shift, also in response to demand and escalating home prices. Sarasota 's plans to construct town houses and mid-rise condos may involve working on mixed-income communities slated to replace four dilapidated public housing complexes. If Sarasota 's Habitat achieves its "ambitious" goals, it will become one of Habitat for Humanity International's largest U.S. builders, said an official with the organization. More Habitat affiliates are likely to turn to multifamily developments, he said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
'Granny Flats' Eyed for Inexpensive Housing
The demand for inexpensive housing in communities nationwide has revived interest in accessory apartments, also known as granny flats, reported the New York Times News Service. In recent years, suburban and exurban jurisdictions have rewritten their zoning laws to allow accessory units in backyards, garages, attics, and even -- in Vermont -- farmhouses, the article said. Communities are tailoring their rules to address fears that the sometimes-controversial apartments will cause crowding, parking problems, and other ills. Some limit the number of bedrooms to one; others prohibit school-age children. Many require the property owner to live on the premises. But some advocates of the apartments say in some areas the rules are so restrictive that no one is applying for the units.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Cheap Rentals Costly to Build due to impact fees
Two of three Dublin , Calif. , property owners planning to construct secondary housing units on their land say high impact fees may change their minds, reported Inside Bay Area. To cover the costs of roads and city services, the city would impose impact fees ranging from $18,899 to $33,094 for the projects, the article said. The property owners would also have to pay thousands of dollars more for other services and school districts. City community development officials are asking the City Council to consider ways to lessen financial outlays by those seeking to privately build more affordable homes. Options proposed include incremental reductions for renting to tenants at lower income brackets for longer periods of time or for constructing units whose square footage falls under a set baseline.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Homelessness Related Articles
More Help for Mental Illnesses, Drug Abuse
To slow the "revolving door" between incarceration and homelessness, Flagstaff , Ariz. , is pursuing initiatives to enhance community and in-custody substance abuse treatment, reported The Arizona Daily Sun. In September, voters approved a 0.2 cent increase to the county sales tax. The increase gives the county an additional $4.3 million to adequately fund the jail district and launch a new alcohol and drug treatment program for inmates who are repeat offenders. Officials expect the new program to start in February or March and serve 24 inmates at a time, at a cost of $200,000 per year. Also, a Mental Health Court begun by the Flagstaff Municipal Court in October seeks to ensure that mentally ill defendants who commit misdemeanor crimes stay in treatment. To further prevent people with mental illness from entering jail, Flagstaff police officers are being trained to identify and respond to such individuals.
KnowledgePlex Jan 05
Mayor Announces Homeless Protection Program
Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino announced a new initiative to address public safety and health concerns arising from the city's homeless population, reported The Boston Globe and a press release from the mayor's office. According to Menino, the city plans to increase the availability of substance abuse treatment, create a special re-entry program for recently incarcerated homeless people, and work with partners to place older homeless people in permanent supportive housing. As part of this Homeless Protection Program, a deputy superintendent with the Boston Police Department will be assigned to work with community police officers and homeless advocates to handle public safety issues. The city's police commissioner said the appointee will explore ways to deal with criminals and ex-offenders who blend in with homeless shelter residents and then commit crimes. According to shelter workers, some homeless people have been robbed by other shelter residents after cashing benefits checks.
KnowledgePlex Jan 05
City Denied Access to Homeless Database
Columbia , S.C. , has been barred from tapping into a national database used by homeless service providers and researchers, reported The State. When homeless people check into shelters, they complete forms asking for their name, Social Security number, the reason for their homelessness, and other private information. It is a violation of federal law to share the information with anyone else, including law enforcement officials. For about 21/2 weeks, city police pulled names and Social Security numbers to run criminal checks and make arrests. When the local agency overseeing use of the database learned of the checks, it revoked the city's access. Now the city is requiring shelter residents to sign a new intake form. Some local and national homeless advocates are asking the city to stop homeless background checks, saying arrests for such crimes as panhandling continue the cycle of homelessness. Columbia Mayor Bob Coble defended the tracking efforts, saying increased security efforts can help mitigate neighborhood resistance to homeless facilities.
KnowledgePlex Jan 05
Study Says Too Much Money May Be Going to Homeless Families
The new study looked at approximately 600 Massachusetts families admitted to shelters and other temporary housing programs for the first time in 2003. The 20 percent of families who stayed in the temporary housing system for long periods and used about half of the housing system’s resources were the most likely to have jobs, the study found. These families also had the least intensive mental health, substance abuse, or child welfare service histories, the study said. According to Culhane, such families may be staying longer because they are better able to comply with program requirements. It might cost less and be more effective to provide these families with rent subsidies that help them avoid becoming homeless or move more quickly out of temporary housing.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Tent City Brings Homeless to Forefront in St. Petersburg
The appearance of a “tent city” in St. Petersburg , Fla. , has brought homelessness to center stage, according to a series of articles in the St. Petersburg Times. Unlike such cities as Seattle and Ventura , Calif. , which have seasonal or permanent tent cities for the homeless, St. Petersburg is grappling with how to handle its first “tent situation,” the Times reported. The issue emerged in December when church groups distributed tents to homeless people. Tent dwellers first clustered under a highway overpass and then, thanks to the efforts of a local minister, relocated to a lot owned by the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Although the number of homeless people has not increased, the tent city’s visible manifestation of homelessness has led the city and Pinellas County to declare St. Petersburg ’s homeless situation a “crisis,” the Times reported.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Camp Makes Officials Focus on Homeless Needs
Citing code violations, St. Petersburg officials have set a Jan. 12 deadline to evict the camp’s 140-plus inhabitants. But social workers have also been dispatched to help camp residents access rental vouchers, disability assistance, or bus tickets if they can be reunited with family or friends elsewhere. Additionally, the city is seeking temporary sites to house the residents as well as a building to use as a permanent homeless shelter, given the current shortage of shelter beds. One city council member is leading a call for shelters that would allow people to stay long enough to save money toward their own apartments. According to another council member, the controversy surrounding the tent city has generated a positive outcome in the form of city resolve to address the needs of the homeless.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Columbus Program Succeeds by Giving Homeless an Apartment First
A Columbus , Ohio , program considered a global model of the “housing first” philosophy has created 760 supportive housing apartments for homeless people since its inception in 1999, reported The Columbus Dispatch. The Rebuilding Lives program ascribes to the notion that chronically homeless people need not be “clean and sober” before they are housed, but rather should get treatment once they are in their home, according to the executive director of the Community Shelter Board. Once housed, Rebuilding Lives tenants are connected to counseling, job training, budgeting classes, and other supports. Only six program participants have returned to a shelter since the program’s inception, the Community Shelter Board official said. Participants have also made fewer trips to the emergency room, she said. According to city officials, the program costs about $11,608 per participant per year, but reduces emergency services costs by tens of thousands of dollars.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Miami 's Housing Crisis Spawns Shantytown
A shantytown set up to protest Miami 's housing crisis is winning over neighbors and has become a "warm community." Jan 17 2007 -- New York Times
Planetizen Jan 18
Report: Nevada has Highest Percentage of Homeless in U.S.
According to the first national study on the number of homeless people since 1996, Nevada has the highest per capita rate of homelessness, reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Using data collected by HUD from service providers across the United States , the National Alliance to End Homelessness found that 16,402 Nevadans -- 0.68 percent of state residents -- were homeless as of January 2005. Social service providers attribute Nevada 's high number of homeless people to unrealistic expectations of prosperity and a lack of affordable housing. After Nevada , states with the highest per capita rates of homelessness were Rhode Island , Colorado , California , and Hawaii , the article said. The study identified a total of 744,000 homeless people nationwide in 2005, slightly more than half of whom were living in shelters, and nearly a quarter of whom were chronically homeless. Families made up about 41 percent of the homeless, the report said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Study Says California has Most Homeless in U.S.
The 1996 study estimated America 's homeless population at between 444,000 and 842,000, reported Inside Bay Area. The new report is expected to provide a baseline from which to measure progress on tackling homelessness, the article said. Although nearly a quarter of the nation's 744,000 homeless people are Californians, the scope of homelessness in that state has generated some of the most innovative solutions nationwide, said Nan Roman, NAEH's president. For example, the state taxes wealthy residents to fund mental health services. However, ending homelessness requires dealing with "the affordable housing crisis," she said. With its high housing costs, California could face a tough challenge to meet that mandate, she said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Rep. Barney Frank Holds a News Conference on Homelessness
Speaking at the press conference releasing the count, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, identified affordable housing production as the way to alleviate homelessness, according to a Congressional Quarterly transcript of the session. Currently, those seeking homes for the homeless must compete with the working poor for an inadequate supply of low-cost housing, he said. A congressional task force is reviewing ways to better equip the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program to work with all HUD and state housing programs to produce units with lower rents than those currently offered through the tax credit program, he said. Frank also cited several other potential initiatives, such as construction of public housing and creation of a national housing trust fund.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Education Law Has Helped Homeless Kids, Advocates Say
People who work with homeless students credit the federal No Child Left Behind law with helping school districts better identify and assist homeless students, reported The News & Observer. A 2006 report from the National Center for Homeless Education found more than 600,000 students nationwide were identified as homeless. The 2002 law, which allows public school students to transfer out of low-performing schools, also ordered school districts to spread homeless students among schools rather than place them at one site, the article said. For students who move out of a school's attendance area, the law shifted the burden of covering transportation costs from the family to school districts, the article said. Other changes included mandatory registration of students despite a lack of records and the hiring of a homeless liaison to work with local shelters. Improved communication between schools and shelters, as well as school personnel who are better equipped to spot clues to homelessness, are helping to pinpoint more homeless students, experts say.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Aid Urged for Older California Foster Kids
Child advocates in California sent a report to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and state lawmakers that urges the adoption of policies to boost assistance for youth who age out of foster care, reported the San Francisco Chronicle. Bills enacted last year that provide more rental assistance funds and other supports for foster children haven't addressed core problems, said the director of the Children's Advocacy Institute. A new institute report found that foster youth who've turned 18 receive state assistance equal to 12 percent of the average $44,000 apiece in rental assistance and other support that non-foster youth usually get from their parents after turning 18. As a result, life prospects for foster youth are bleak, the report authors said. For example, 40 percent of people living in the state's homeless shelters are former foster children, the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
County Opens Drive to Curb Homelessness
As Sacramento County rolls out the first local plan for allocating state Mental Health Services Act funds, some are voicing concern about proposed cuts to other state funding for services for the homeless mentally ill, reported the Sacramento Bee. In November 2004, voters approved the Mental Health Services Act, which imposed a 1 percent tax on millionaires to fund programs for mentally ill Californians. Sacramento County supervisors voted to use $4 million of those funds to build or renovate at least 60 supportive housing units for homeless mentally ill residents. According to a state official, next year the act is expected to yield $1.8 billion, nearly $500 million more than previously projected. The unexpected revenue has led Gov. Schwarzenegger to propose cutting about $55 million designated for the homeless mentally ill under a program called AB 2034, the state official said. The state senator who sponsored both the AB 2034 legislation and the Mental Health Services Act said he opposes the planned cuts. "Every dollar matters," he said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Helping Families Hold Onto Their Homes
The Missouri Association for Social Welfare and some state lawmakers are drafting legislation that would increase revenue to the state Housing Trust Fund, according to an opinion article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The fund was created in 1994 with a $3 fee on real estate transactions. By 2004, the fund had helped 16,015 people remain in their homes by funding agencies that offer emergency rental, utility, and mortgage assistance, the article said. But service agency requests for state funding exceed supply, the article said. Backed by a coalition of service agencies, MASW is seeking to increase the fee for the trust fund to $10 per transaction. The increase would offset inflation, and the new revenues would benefit the state and the real estate industry by helping to prevent more evictions or home losses due to foreclosure, the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Cities Join Together to Build Housing for the Homeless
Three Virginia cities that sponsored a new supportive housing complex in Norfolk plan to jointly fund a second such project in Virginia Beach , reported the Virginian-Pilot. Virginia Supportive Housing obtained funds from Norfolk , Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth to construct the Gosnold Apartments, which is expected to house 60 people by the end of the month. At the grand opening for the apartment building, federal officials hailed the regional partnership behind it as a national model. According to local and federal officials, the facility, which offers on-site support services, is the only single-room-occupancy complex in the country to be financed and supported by more than one city.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Homeless Agencies Join Forces
The Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts expects to spend about $2 million over the next three years on a regional initiative to end homelessness, reported the Telegram & Gazette. The foundation-funded Comprehensive Homeless Assessment and Intervention Network will engage the city of Worcester and several social service agencies in efforts to address community perceptions of homelessness, prevent homelessness, provide a "rapid exit" for those who enter the shelter system, and pair support services for chronically homeless people with housing subsidies, officials involved in the program say. The Health Foundation's focus on homelessness arises from a realization that "homelessness can be both a cause and a consequence of poor health," said the foundation's president. "The premature mortality rate among homeless adults is estimated to be three to six times higher than that of the general population," she said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Mental Health Services Expanding
New transitional housing for homeless people who are released from state psychiatric care is part of a collaborative plan to expand mental health services in Travis County, Texas, reported the Austin American-Statesman. The $3.3 million endeavor will include $1 million from the city of Austin to house patients who leave the state psychiatric hospital; $1.9 million from the Travis County Healthcare District to cover the costs of treating 585 uninsured people annually at a private psychiatric hospital; and $400,000 from the county for a mobile team to reach people in crisis.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Articles about Housing for Senior Citizens
More Seniors Find Care With Their Kids
Experts on aging say a lack of low-cost housing and affordable nursing home care could force more adult children to shelter their elderly parents, reported the Daily News of Los Angeles. Many Los Angeles seniors who can't afford to live on their own are moving in with their children, said a social service manager for adult day-care programs. The number of people older than 85 in Los Angeles County is expected to double by 2020, likely burdening more working families with the costs of caring for aging parents, the article said. Nursing home care, which costs an average of $63,875 a year, is provided free to only the poorest residents.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Rising Rents Trouble Seniors
According to housing experts, rising rents throughout California 's central San Joaquin Valley combined with an aging population will make it increasingly harder to find affordable housing for seniors, reported the Fresno Bee. Impending rent hikes for residents of the 192-unit Creek Park Village senior apartment complex in Clovis have highlighted the problem. In the coming months, rents for the units will increase by $50 to $175. The property owners say the increase is needed to generate funds for maintenance and operations and is consistent with market rates. Residents object, saying they can't afford the rising rents. In Fresno County , a senior receiving average Social Security benefits must pay almost 55 percent of that income to live in the average studio apartment, the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Aging Boomers Aren't Planning on Moving Far From Home
The aging of the nation’s 78 million baby boomers is raising a host of social concerns while prompting strategy shifts for some residential developers, reported The San Diego Union-Tribune. Recent research suggests that most boomers will remain close to their current homes, leading to a graying in the suburbs, the article said. The demographic shift and boomers’ aspirations to age in place raise several concerns. Among the fears expressed by service providers and developers are a lack of decent, affordable housing; insufficient transportation and other services to keep pace with demand; and, in some areas, an emerging “racial generation gap” between a minority-dominated younger population and an aging Caucasian population.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
No Golden Egg; Senior Housing Boom Has Downsides
An editorial in The Record urged North New Jersey communities to “give proposed new senior housing projects the same scrutiny they would any other development.” In 2005, nearly half of all housing built in the state targeted seniors, estimates the state builders association. Municipal officials who favor age-restricted housing projects for the tax revenues they generate, “supposedly without significantly increasing demand for community services,” need to revisit their assumptions, the article said. Among the “hidden costs” of such projects may be a greater use of ambulance services. Although seniors need reasonably priced homes, some proposed projects are too expensive for area residents, the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
New Home for the New Year ... Not Likely, Says AARP
AARP and the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging are urging Congress and the Bush administration to increase money for programs that fund affordable apartments for older Americans, according to a press release from the organizations. A new report from AARP and AAHSA identifies a growing gap between the supply of and demand for senior housing units constructed under the federal Section 202 housing program, said AARP's policy director. According to the release, for every Section 202 unit that becomes available in a given year, there are about 10 applicants. The wait for a unit averages more than a year. Of the more than 23,000 developments built under the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program, three in 10 serve primarily older persons. However, the waiting lists for nearly half of these properties extend more than a year, the release says.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Opportunity Knocks for Mobile Home Community
Soon, a seniors-only mobile home park in Oxnard, Calif., may join the roughly 200 other such parks statewide reported to have converted to cooperative ownership since the early 1980s, according to an article in the Ventura County Star. Currently, residents of the Hollywood Beach Mobile Home Park own their units but rent the ground underneath from the family that owns the park, the article said. According to a survey, 82 of the park's 96 tenants support a tentative plan enabling them to buy their lots. Similar to a condominium association, residents would also own a swimming pool, streets, and other common areas. Under state law, low-income residents must be given the choice to continue tenancy at rent-controlled rates.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Workforce Housing
Charlottesville Residents Back Affordable Housing
The Charlottesville , Va. , City Council may consider allocating 1 cent of the city’s real estate tax rate to a fund for affordable homes, reported The Clover Herald. The fund would serve households making less than 60 percent of the area median income, estimated at $66,500 for a family of four. The fund is one element in the Charlottesville Affordable Housing Investment Program, proposed by a committee to the council and receiving general support from both the council and some city residents. The program would also divert one-fourth of city lodging tax revenues to a fund for impoverished, elderly, or disabled residents; place developer contributions in a fund providing home-buyer assistance to workers such as teachers and firefighters; and target federal funds to help revitalize public housing neighborhoods. The initiative could help forestall the exodus of key service workers from the community, said the head of the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Many Health-Care Workers Priced Out of Homes, Study Finds
According to a new study, health care workers, police officers, and teachers in many communities can't afford to buy a median-priced home, reported MarketWatch. The study, by the Center for Housing Policy, compares the annual income of workers in more than 60 occupations with the annual income needed to purchase a median-price home in 202 metropolitan areas. In 187 of those areas, licensed practical nurses were priced out of homeownership, while registered nurses were priced out in 115 areas, the study found. Police officers in 161 metro areas and elementary school teachers in 157 areas earn too little to purchase homes, the data showed. Some workers must also stretch even to afford a small rental unit, the study said. The study also looked at the income required to rent standard one- or two-bedroom apartments in 210 markets. Nursing aides, home health aides, janitors, and retail salespeople in many communities cannot afford to rent a typical one-bedroom apartment, much less a two-bedroom unit, the study found. The study, "Paycheck to Paycheck: Wages and the Cost of Housing in America ," is provided in online.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Too Prosperous, Massachusetts is Losing its Labor Force
A labor shortage caused in part by a lack of homes affordable to young people is "putting a real crimp" on Massachusetts ' economic prospects, reported The Christian Science Monitor. A study by Northeastern University in Boston found that the Bay State lost 1.7 percent of its work force between 2003 and 2005 -- "the only state showing losses for all three years," the article said. According to a 2006 poll by The Boston Globe, half the people who recently left the state said the cost of housing was a major factor in their decision. Calls for more affordable housing are meeting resistance from communities that fear low-cost, high-density developments will lower property values and overwhelm school systems with new children, sources said. Housing advocates are trying to convince people that the shrinking labor force will eventually result in lower property values.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Housing Is Key Factor in State's Economic Equation
Keeping the "best and brightest" in Massachusetts is the state's most pressing economic challenge, the new secretary of housing and economic development told The Boston Globe. Daniel O'Connell, a former real estate industry executive appointed to the post by new Gov. Deval L. Patrick, said the connection between housing and business and job growth is increasingly apparent. The need to focus on retaining the workforce by providing housing "was a principal reason for elevating housing to a cabinet level position and merging it with economic development," he said. In addition to housing efforts, the state needs to better market the advantages of Massachusetts living to young people, ensure that the state's educational institutions are turning out workers with the right skills for the state's big employers, and perhaps provide some property tax relief for small businesses, he said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Resort Builds Workforce Housing
With help from the state housing finance agency, a resort in Virginia 's Blue Ridge Mountains is offering low-cost housing to its workers, reported the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The Wintergreen Resort used $3.35 million in permanent financing from the Virginia Housing Development Authority to construct the three-story apartment building. The complex has 16 three-bedroom units, each with six beds, allowing accommodations up to 96 employees. The rent is $86 a week per person. Residents have access to a common room, laundry room, and kitchen. The complex, which qualified as an economic development project, is reportedly the first such project for the VHDA, the article said. According to a Wintergreen official, the housing will help the resort to recruit workers.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Articles Relating to Funding, Legislation and Other Affordable Housing Issues
City Bouts With Cog Over Housing Allocation
The Southern California city of Simi Valley is opposing recommendations from a regional association of governments that suggest the city should increase its housing stock. The city council sees the increase as unrealistic, citing a lack of land. Dec 25 2006 -- Simi Valley Acorn
Planetizen December 28
Do Poor Neighborhoods Keep People Poor?
Studies tracking subjects in HUD's Moving to Opportunity program have shown surprising results. While girls thrive and adults feel safer after moving to more affluent neighborhoods, boys actually fare worse. And incomes don't rise. Dec 28 2006 -- Wall Street Journal
Planetizen January 2
Some New Orleans Housing May Reopen
HUD's initial plan for the complexes raised the ire of displaced former residents, who said some of the more than 4,000 units slated for demolition had less water damage than most of New Orleans , reported USA TODAY . Following several public hearings and a meeting between the mayor, HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson, and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), HUD appears ready to change its position. Waters, the incoming chairwoman of a key House panel with oversight of housing issues, said HUD can begin razing the most damaged developments while allowing residents to move back into areas with less damage. "You've got a crisis, and you've got people living in Dallas and Houston," she said. "They want to come home, and some of this housing is good housing."
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Biggest FEMA Chunk Bypassing Louisiana
The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that $280.8 million of the $388 million in funds awarded under a pilot housing program for hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast states will go to projects in Mississippi , reported articles in the Times-Picayune. Congress appropriated $400 million this year for the Alternative Housing Pilot Program, which seeks to foster cheaper, better alternatives to traditional forms of temporary housing such as FEMA trailers, reported the Times-Picayune. At about $65,000 per trailer, FEMA could better spend money on permanent homes, critics say. However, federal law forbids FEMA from funding permanent housing.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
NY State Oversight Board Approves Atlantic Yards Project in Brooklyn
A New York state panel gave final approval to a $4 billion plan to redevelop 22 acres in downtown Brooklyn , reported cponline.com. Forest City Ratner Cos.' Atlantic Yards project is expected to take 10 years to complete, creating 15,000 construction jobs and up to 6,400 commercial and retail jobs. The state and the city are contributing $100 million each to the project, which will include a new basketball arena for the New Jersey Nets, hotel, office and retail space, and 6,430 housing units, some of which will be subsidized. The state's Public Authorities Control Board greenlighted the project after the developer agreed to several changes, including the construction of at least 200 affordable for-sale homes on site, plus 600 to 1,000 affordable units as close to the site as possible.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
New York City Council Bill Alters 421-a Tax Break
In New York City , the City Council passed a bill revamping a tax break created in 1971 to spur residential development, reported The New York Sun and Newsday. Currently, developers working in a certain area of Manhattan can obtain the 421-a tax break only if they pledge to set aside at least 20 percent of the housing as affordable. The new rules, which need state approval, would expand the areas in which the affordability requirements apply to lower Manhattan and to parts of Harlem , Brooklyn , and Queens . Under the new rules, developers may no longer build the required affordable units off-site. Developers working in other parts of the city get tax breaks without creating any affordable housing. However, the legislation sets an income cap on luxury housing deemed eligible for the tax break.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Couple Donates Quarter of Apartment Property; Will Share Profits With Foundation
"A creative arrangement" between a developer and a foundation will preserve the affordable portion of a mixed-income complex in Elkridge , Md. , reported The Baltimore Sun. The Orchard Club Apartments were built in 1991. To help finance the 25 percent of the units in the complex set aside for low-income tenants, Enterprise Community Investment acquired a 25 percent interest in the property through a federal tax credit program. Another 25 percent of the units are reserved for moderate-income tenants, while the remaining units rent at market rates. The tax credits reached the end of their 15-year time period this year. Enterprise 's stake in the development was transferred to the majority owners of the development, who in turn gifted it to the Columbia Foundation. Under a new covenant, a quarter of the apartments will be kept available to low-income renters for 20 years beyond the original 30-year affordability requirement, while another quarter of the apartments will be preserved for moderate-income renters during that time.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Alexandria City Council Acts to Preserve Affordable Housing at Quaker Hill
The city of Alexandria , Va. , is stepping in to prevent 60 affordable apartments from being sold and converted to market-rate rentals, according to a press release from the city. The units are part of a larger community called Quaker Hill, which also includes market-rate housing. The affordable units were financed largely by federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Now that the credits have reached the end of their compliance period, the private owners want to sell the property. The Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority seeks to exercise its right of first refusal to purchase the units, using federal tax credits awarded under the state's new Northern Virginia affordable housing preservation tax credit program as a key financing source. However, ARHA has only until 2008 to exercise its right, while the program has just begun accepting applications. Under measures approved by the city council, the city will lend AHRA up to $3.5 million to acquire and rehabilitate the units, with as much as $1 million of that to be repaid within 18 to 24 months. Additional provisions exempt the units from city real estate taxes and give the city greater oversight of ARHA's finances.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Baltimore 's 'Community Schools' Link Struggling Households With Social Services
After gaining renewed momentum in cities such as Chicago and New York , the community schools movement is taking off in Baltimore , reported The Baltimore Sun. Community schools are public schools equipped to help low-income students and their families access health care, job training, and other needed social services, sometimes on site. This academic year, Baltimore provided $2.3 million for coordinator positions and services at 26 school campuses, 11 of which had been targeted for outside takeover due to poor performance. City housing department employees are working on site in those 11 schools, helping families at risk of being evicted from their homes or having their heat shut off.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Fairfield Collaborative Gives Nonprofits a Hand in Building Housing
In its first year, a Fairfield County, Conn., funders collaborative supporting nonprofit affordable housing developers has raised $500,000, reported Connecticut Post Online. The Fairfield County Collaborative Fund for Affordable Housing was founded by several organizations concerned about the impact of the high cost of living on the county and state economies. Fund members include banks, local United Ways , community and family foundations, and a private charitable association. Fund grants helps nonprofit developers pay for office supplies, utilities, and other operating costs, freeing up money for projects, sources said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Project Row Houses Receives Almost $1 Million to Continue its Visionary Mission
The Houston City Council recently granted $975,000 to a local nonprofit that invites artists to live or work out of restored shotgun houses -- "an early Christmas gift" to the entire city, according to an editorial in the Houston Chronicle. Recently, The New York Times said Project Row Houses' stretch of Holman Street in Houston "may be the most impressive and visionary public art project in the country," the article said. The nonprofit seeks to use the neighborhood as a canvas while supplying artists to re-envision the community. The neighborhood's permanent residents are encouraged to visit the artists, attend after-school programs, and help care for the "campus," the article said. To date, 150 artists have participated. Additionally, 40 young mothers have worked toward self-sufficiency in the project's affordable housing units. The city's "zero interest performance-based loan" will enable the project to create an additional 16 low-income rental units, the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Salt Lake City Debates Housing Policies
In Salt Lake City , a plan to prohibit city subsidies for 100 percent “affordable” multifamily complexes is generating controversy, reported the Salt Lake Tribune. The provision is part of a long-percolating housing policy that spotlights the need to develop new homes and rehabilitate old units. Under the proposed subsidy provision, the city would generally not fund new condominium or apartment projects that designate all the units as affordable, which are defined as targeting a family of four making less than $49,100 annually. The policy seeks to scatter low-income housing throughout the city and create mixed-income neighborhoods, the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Foreclosures Offer an Opportunity
Albany County , N.Y. 's county executive has launched a housing trust fund that will collect proceeds from the sale of tax-foreclosed properties, reported the Times Union. According to the county executive, the fund will prioritize projects that preserve affordable housing. The 2007 budget seeds the fund with $300,000, which is expected to be recouped with the tax-sale revenues, said the deputy county executive. A trust fund task force that includes affordable housing advocates will partner with the county to make funding decisions, which could involve for-profit or nonprofit developers, he said. The county hopes that local governments, foundations, banks, and perhaps state government will eventually join the initiative, he said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Fund Aids Public Housing Residents and will replace Razed housing complex
As part of a legal settlement, Bridgeport , Conn. , will provide $4 million to launch a trust fund to finance health care, job training, and other services for public housing residents, reported the Connecticut Post. In 2000, the 256-unit Pequonnock public housing complex was demolished to clear the site for an arena. Last year, Connecticut Legal Services, which represented the displaced residents, alleged that the city hadn’t met its pledge to replace the razed units, said Mayor John M. Fabrizi. The initial discussion between the mayor and CLS’s executive director led to the new agreement, signed by the city, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Bridgeport Housing Authority, and several social service agencies. Officials involved say they hope the fund established under the agreement will attract additional contributions. Besides seeding the fund, the city will build 60 replacement units, while the housing authority will construct 40 units.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Relief Far Off for Louisiana Rental Owners
Officials with the company administering the Road Home program for Louisiana homeowners say they plan to dedicate 170 financing specialists to the rental program set for launch at the end of January, reported the Times-Picayune. Currently, about 625 ICF International employees work on the $7.5 billion homeowners program, which has paid about 100 of more than 90,000 applicants to date. Under the rental program, owners of one- to four-unit rental complexes will be able to tap into an $869 million pool for no-interest repair loans. After 10 years, landlords who have kept rents at certain levels for a specified number of years may be relieved of repayment obligations. Landlords applaud the program but not the wait, the article said. According to figures gathered by the state, last year, rents in Orleans Parish surged 70 percent due to a shortage of apartments, the article said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Want Affordable Housing? Stop Overregulating Development
An editorial in the New York Sun scoffs at Mayor Bloomberg's desire to see more affordable housing built when the zoning code is as thick as a phone book and developers are nickel and dimed every step of the way. Jan 12 2007 -- The New York Sun
Planetizen Jan 15
A DASH of Hope, and then Some Seafood Capital of Alabama
For people who didn't have insurance or can't afford to repair, rebuild or raise their homes higher off the ground, DASH for the Gulf Coast in Mobile, Alabama, a NeighborWorks member, and a $15.6 million FEMA grant, offer the chance to get into homes of their own again.
NeighborWorks Alert Jan 7
March in Hill District Part of Nationwide Protest
On Jan. 10, almost 100 public housing agencies nationwide participated in rallies and shutdowns to protest federal funding cuts, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Federal funds distributed to public housing authorities have been cut for three straight years, the article said. The national protest was initiated by Carl Greene, executive director of the Philadelphia Housing Authority. "If the current trend continues, many housing authorities will simply go out of business," Greene said. The demise of housing authorities will lead to homelessness, said a Pittsburgh Housing Authority official. According to a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, a new formula redistributing public housing operating funds from Northeastern to Sun Belt states reflects research showing that Northeastern states have been overfunded while Southern states have been underfunded.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Plusquellic, Other Mayors Press Pelosi for Housing Aid
Two days after the public housing protests, Philadelphia Mayor John Street joined Stamford , Conn. , Mayor Dannel Malloy and 11 other mayors in a closed-door session with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), reported The Stamford Advocate. The mayors presented the U.S. Conference of Mayors' legislative agenda. The agenda includes increased funding for public housing, allocating more Homeland Security funding to cities with more likely terrorist targets, launching a block grant program to help communities fund energy-efficiency and environmental technology, and reversing cuts to crime-prevention programs. The mayors told Pelosi that their immediate concern is restoring public housing funding, Akron , Ohio , Mayor Don Plusquellic said in a conference call reported by the Akron Beacon Journal. HUD has requested 76 percent of the funds for which housing authorities are eligible under a federal formula, the article said. According to the Akron Housing Authority's executive director, housing authorities have historically received 92 to 96 percent of the funds for which they are eligible.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
10,000 by 2009: Atlanta Mayor and Taskforce Set Bold Goals
By 2009, 10,000 additional affordable homes will be created in Atlanta , according to a bold new plan from Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and the Affordable Workforce Housing Implementation Taskforce. The plan aims to provide options for people who have been forced out of the city by rising housing costs.
Enterprise Network Newsletter Jan 2007
Oakland , Richmond Expand Affordable Housing for Seniors
Nearly 200 new affordable homes are now available to seniors in Oakland , Calif. The Episcopal Homes Foundation’s Oak Center Towers features 196 studio and one-bedroom apartments and various resident services.
Enterprise Network Newsletter Jan 2007
National Expert Advises Groups Exploring Trust Fund
Organizations involved in South Mississippi 's recovery plan to propose and campaign for a state housing trust fund, said an official with Back Bay Mission. Groups exploring the creation of a fund include Back Bay Mission, Oxfam America, Enterprise Corporation of the Delta, the Mississippi Center for Justice, and Mid South Delta Local Initiatives Support Corp., reported The Sun Herald.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Housing Activists Want Spitzer to Create $100M Housing Fund
Local government officials and activists are calling on New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer to create a $100 million affordable housing fund with a dedicated, permanent revenue source, reported Gannett News Service. Although a state housing trust created in 1985 receives annual appropriations that have ranged from $25 million to $39 million, the state needs a constant, higher level of funding, supporters of the proposal say. Revenue for the new fund could come from a mortgage transfer tax that is applied to all real estate deals, said the president of an Albany-area community group called ARISE. Young people, many of whom cite the high cost of living, have been leaving New York at a faster rate than in any other state, he said.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Affordable Homes a Must-Have, City Says
Under an agreement with the Patterson, Calif. , City Council, the developer of a 3,100-home master-planned community cannot obtain permits for more than 300 market-rate homes without first beginning construction on at least 60 affordable dwellings, reported the Modesto Bee. Affordability must be incorporated into a project the size of the planned Villages of Patterson, said a city official. Last October, the city changed its policies to spur the development of affordable homes. It increased the in-lieu fee charged to developers to satisfy affordability requirements from $743 to $25,000 per house. Terra Firma Entitlement Co. agreed to include 465 affordable units in the community, some of which will be under construction as the company pulls permits for its market-rate homes
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Davie Town Council Backs Moratorium on Rezoning Parks
The Davie, Fla., Town Council tentatively approved a plan to impose a one-year moratorium on rezoning mobile home parks for other uses, reported the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The council's scrutiny of park conversions arose several weeks ago, after nearly 700 residents were informed by a real estate investment firm that two Davie parks might be sold or rezoned. Davie has 31 mobile home parks, the highest number in Broward County . According to a councilman, the moratorium will protect the one in four community residents who live in mobile home parks by allowing time to craft policies to aid those who are displaced. But an industry official expressed concern about the temporary ban, saying some park owners would challenge a moratorium that was "inequitable to the community owners."
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Public Housing Complex Sale May Be Halted
St. Petersburg , Fla. , City Council members quizzed the head of the city housing authority about his plans to sell a 486-unit public housing complex to a condominium developer, reported the St. Petersburg Times. Selling the Graham-Rogall complex would leave about 300 public housing units in a city that once had more than 1,000 such units, the article said. The authority's executive director attributed the shift to shrinking federal subsidies and the goal of using housing vouchers to spread subsidized renters throughout the city. Although the sale would net close to $12 million for creating new housing opportunities, it could be halted if $22 million for needed renovations could be found, he said. The City Council chairman said he isn't sure the authority could easily replenish its housing stock, even with millions more dollars.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Lawsuit Targets Los Angeles Housing Authority
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against the Los Angeles Housing Authority, alleging the agency broke the law when it reduced Section 8 rent subsidies in 2004, reported the Los Angeles Times. The suit, filed by a coalition of public interest law firms and civil rights groups, said financial mismanagement led the authority to decrease monthly subsidies for roughly 23,000 tenants by about $121 apiece. Tenants did not receive the required year's notice before their subsidies were cut, the lawsuit said. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development requested the rent increases, the authority's executive director said, adding, that "tenants received multiple notices and were provided precise information."
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Out-Of-Touch Planning Blamed For High Home Prices In Australia
Planning and land use regulations are being blamed for Australia 's high home prices, and also for the fact that four of its major cities are in a list of the 25 most unaffordable cities. Some feel planners are not planning with the people in mind. Jan 23 2007 -- The Age
Planetizen Jan 25
A Home In The Hood
Cheap rents draw many young people into less fashionable neighborhoods -- sparking gentrification -- though sometimes the trade-offs can be more than bargained for. Jan 25 2007 -- Wall Street Journal
Planetizen Jan 29
Habitat For Humanity Encounters Affluent California Nimbyism
The Jimmy Carter charity, long identified with "sweat equity" and affordable housing, is confronting strong, residential opposition in its application to build four homes to accompany three market-rate homes in affluent Marin County west of Tiburon. Jan 27 2007 -- San Francisco Chronicle
Planetizen Jan 29
STUDIES AND RESOURCES RELEASED
Report: State-Mandated Deed Restrictions Aren't Helpful to Struggling Neighborhoods
A new study says Massachusetts ' affordable housing programs are constricting investment in blighted city neighborhoods with weak real estate markets, reported Sentinel & Enterprise. According to the Pioneer Institute report, potential home buyers may be less interested in purchasing homes that, under program rules, cannot be resold at full market value for years or even decades. A Fitchburg official agreed, saying long-term deed restrictions limiting home resale values keep low-income residents concentrated in certain neighborhoods and dissuade outside investment. Fitchburg was one of the 14 city housing markets studied, all outside of Boston . The state Legislature should consider encouraging revitalization in "weak-market" neighborhoods in Fitchburg and elsewhere by waiving deed restrictions there, said the report's author. In many of the markets studied, housing prices are already close to affordable levels, the study says.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Web Portal Links to Hurricane Recovery Research
The Urban Institute is sponsoring a Web portal accessing an extensive selection of papers, commentaries, and research on how the New Orleans area can rebuild its social infrastructure after Hurricane Katrina and offer lessons to other cities. The "After Katrina" compendium includes links to essay collections, news commentary, and papers on many topics, including children and families, cultural vitality, education, and government and social services. The compendium also features the new Katrina Reading Room, a compilation of research on disaster response and recovery sponsored by Living Cities Inc., with data from the Institute, the Metropolitan Policy Program of The Brookings Institution, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City.
KnowledgePlex Jan 5
Report Highlights Housing Struggles for Displaced Hurricane Victims
According to a new report by the National Fair Housing Alliance, an alarmingly large number of Gulf Coast evacuees are still struggling to find long-term housing. Fair housing enforcement has not been a governmental priority in the region’s rebuilding efforts, the report said. An NFHA investigation found that racial discrimination continues to be a serious problem in Florida and Texas . NFHA has filed complaints against two apartment complexes in those states, the report said, and has outlined recommendations for rebuilding. The alliance urges the government and private sector to make a major commitment to ensure fair housing is a vital component of any program implemented in the region and to allocate resources to enforcement.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Report Explores Self-Help Housing
A new report from the Housing Assistance Council reviews how families and communities have been impacted by federal self-help housing development funds administered by HAC. Since 1996, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program funds to HAC and six other grantees. The funds are passed through to local organizations to support projects where families help build their own homes. The more than $76 million in SHOP funds received by HAC since the program’s inception have helped create more than 6,500 self-help homes in 36 states and Puerto Rico , the report said. Many of the new homeowners are part of vulnerable populations in the most rural areas. On average, HAC SHOP-assisted households pay $580 a month for housing, compared with $764 monthly for the average low-income, non-metro homeowner with a mortgage.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
New Evaluation Methods For Community Development Field
The winter issue of Bright Ideas features a cover article on evaluative methods and their integration in the community development field. The article profiles new tools that enable organizations to plan, implement and improve services that promote change and help families in lower income communities. Other articles of importance in the magazine include NeighborWorks' rebuilding work in the Gulf region; efforts to slow the rate of foreclosures; and various research and training notes.
NeighborWorks Alert Jan 7
Two New Analyses of Housing Affordability Outline Hurdles Faced by Low-Income Wage Earners
NeighborWorks America has recently released a report on homeownership affordability trends in 127 housing markets. The report describes "funding gaps" for low- to moderate-income households, creating an affordability-based typology of housing markets. A second analysis by The Center for Housing, the research arm of the National Housing Conference, has created a tool to allow users to see how working families fare in various housing markets.
NeighborWorks Alert Jan 7
Increasing the Availability of Affordable Homes: A workbook
In conjunction with the release of the study, the nonprofit Homes for Working Families has prepared a handbook on "high-impact state and local solutions" that can help increase the availability of affordable homes, reported MarketWatch. Intended as a reference tool for state and local leaders, the handbook identifies six broad strategies and then details 22 policies within those strategic categories. The strategies include making more sites available for affordable housing developments and reducing red tape and other regulatory barriers to constructing affordable homes.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Land Lines Magazine Looks at CLTs, Eminent Domain
The January 2007 issue of Land Lines, the quarterly magazine from the Lincoln Institute, features articles on community land trusts and eminent domain. As the article on community land trusts explains, CLTs help provide affordable housing by retaining ownership of the land on which homes are built, theoretically removing the cost of land from the housing price. The article looks at such issues as the income levels of households served by community land trusts and the application of property tax laws to trust properties. The article on eminent domain reviews current legal issues relating to the use of eminent domain. It suggests the use of a "special-purpose development corporation" to harness market forces to align the interests of landowners, public authorities, and developers.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
3rd Annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey
Of the six countries surveyed [U.K, U.S., Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand] all markets that are rated affordable are found to be within the United States and Canada...smart growth & urban consolidation: incompatible with housing affordability [pdf]- Demographia
ArchNewsNow Jan 25
EVENTS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Six Leaders Named 2007 James A. Johnson Fellows
The Fannie Mae Foundation recently named six leaders in the affordable housing and community development fields as the 2007 James A. Johnson Community Fellows. The 2007 Fellows are Nancy Biberman, founder and president of Women's Housing and Economic Development Corporation in Bronx, N.Y.; Young Hughley, president and CEO of Reynoldstown Revitalization Corporation in Atlanta; John Mealey, executive director of the Coachella Valley Housing Coalition in Indio, Calif.; Walter Moreau, executive director of Foundation Communities in Austin, Texas; David Silva, executive director of Home Ownership Made Easy in Culver City, Calif.; and Sue Taoka, executive director of the Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority in Seattle. The Fellows pursue yearlong development plans to strengthen their skills and explore new solutions to affordable housing and community development challenges. Each Fellow receives a $70,000 grant and up to $20,000 for travel and education-related expenses.
KnowledgePlex Jan 05
Butler Apartments Get State Award
An assisted-living complex for low-income seniors in Butler County , Pa. , has won a statewide award, reported the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Butler County YWCA and the Butler County Housing Authority, which partnered on the “one-of-a-kind” project, shared the Pennsylvania Association of Housing and Redevelopment Agencies’ 2006 Bellamy Award. The housing authority acted as the developer of the $2.9 million complex, which features 24 furnished studio apartments for residents age 62 and older. The YWCA offers residents government-reimbursed assisted living services such as a home health aide, a hot lunch, light housekeeping, and laundry. The housing authority’s executive director said he is working with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency to promote adoption of the model elsewhere.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
NeighborWorks® Training Institute, Feb. 19-23
NeighborWorks America will host a training institute for community development practitioners and resident leaders Feb. 19-23 in Atlanta . Workshops will cover a range of community development topics in such areas as affordable housing, homeownership and community lending, and management and leadership. Special features include a one-day symposium on trends in manufactured housing, complemented by related courses throughout the institute, and a selection of courses on green building and healthy homes. There will also be a five-day Nonprofit Housing Management Specialist course, which helps satisfy requirements for professional designation from the Consortium for Housing and Asset Management. The registration deadline is Jan. 29. After that, registrations will be processed on-site.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Feb. 23 Deadline for Community-Police Partnership Award Applications
The MetLife Foundation and LISC are seeking applications for the sixth annual MetLife Foundation Community-Police Partnership Awards. The awards honor innovative partnerships between community groups and police to promote neighborhood safety and revitalization. Applications are invited in two categories: Neighborhood Revitalization Awards recognize collaborations that reduce crime and foster economic development, with awards of $10,000 to $25,000. Special Strategy Awards recognize collaborations that advance specific goals -- such as enhancing school safety or disrupting drug markets -- with $15,000 awards. Preliminary applications are due Feb. 23. Potential awardees will be contacted, likely in early March, and asked to submit full proposals.
KnowledgePlex Jan 11
Home Depot Foundation: 2007 Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly
The 2007 Awards of Excellence for Affordable Housing Built Responsibly program competition has been launched and nonprofits can obtain this year's program guidelines, timetable and a Letter of Interest (LOI) form to submit for program consideration by visiting the Home Depot Foundation web site. The deadline for submitting a LOI is March 31, 2007
NeighborWorks Jan 7
Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Grants
The 2007 Bank of America Charitable Foundation Neighborhood Excellence Initiative is underway. Through this unique program, qualified organizations can apply to be awarded $200,000 in unrestricted general operating support to further their work. Since 2004, the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative has provided in excess of $48 million to 220 organizations through this exciting program. The Neighborhood Excellence Initiative has quickly set the standard- combining leadership development with mission based funding to organizations addressing the most pressing needs of their communities across the country. The Neighborhood Excellence Initiative is designed to recognize and reward individuals and groups who are making a difference in their communities, and is divided into three categories of recipients: Neighborhood Builders – Provides $200,000 in grant funding and leadership training over two years to two neighborhood non-profit organizations working to promote vibrant neighborhoods. Local Heroes - Recognizes and honors five community heroes per year; recipients will be able to direct a $5,000 contribution to an eligible non-profit of their choice. Student Leaders - Recognizes five high school students who are recommended as exemplary young people with an interest in improving their neighborhoods. Each student will participate in an eight-week paid internship with a community-based organization, as well as a leadership program arranged by Bank of America.
NeighborWorks Jan 7
National Community Reinvestment Coalition Conference, March 14-17
National Community Reinvestment Coalition will host its 17th annual conference March 14-17 in Washington , D.C. With the theme of "Making Markets and Government Work for All Communities," the conference will gather together economic justice proponents and supporters of the Community Reinvestment Act as a tool for economic development. Conference highlights will include a luncheon discussion with congressional and community leaders on how the new Congress will impact communities and an awards night honoring outstanding organizations and individuals working toward economic justice. Conference sessions will cover such topics as tools for analyzing bank lending and branching, capacity building for successful advocacy, and predatory products and responses.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Five Leaders Honored for Rural Housing Efforts
During the National Rural Housing Conference last month, the Housing Assistance Council recognized five individuals for their rural housing work at the local and national levels. The Skip Jason Community Service Award, which recognizes individuals whose efforts have improved the housing conditions of the rural poor in their communities, went to Lorna Bourg, executive director of the Southern Mutual Help Association Inc. in Louisiana; Steve Kirk, president of Rural Neighborhoods Inc. in Florida; Sabino Lopez, executive sub-director of the Center for Community Advocacy in California; and Griffin Lotson, CEO of Sams Memorial Community Economic Development Inc. in Georgia. HAC also recognized Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (D-Texas) for service on the national level with the Clay Cochran Award for Distinguished Service in Housing for the Rural Poor.
KnowledgePlex Jan 19
Nominations for Leadership IS Award Due Feb. 15
Independent Sector is accepting nominations for the 2007 Leadership IS Award. The program recognizes organizations for their leadership in investing in the people of the charitable community, through an emphasis on the development of internal staff, board, and volunteer leadership. Anyone may nominate an organization for the award. To be eligible, an organization must be a nonprofit but need not be an Independent Sector member. Once an organization is nominated, it will receive the Leadership IS Award application. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 15.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
Manufactured Housing Symposium, Feb. 21
NeighborWorks® America will host a one-day symposium on manufactured housing and the future of affordable housing Feb. 21 in Atlanta . The symposium is part of the NeighborWorks Training Institute, which occurs Feb. 19-23 and features workshops on affordable housing, homeownership and community lending, and other community development topics. Experts invited to speak at the symposium include Paul Bradley, vice president for the New Hampshire Community Loan Fund, which has helped residents of 82 manufactured home parks gain ownership of their communities; David Buchholz and Kathryn Gwatkin Goulding, both with CFED, which operates a national demonstration program to improve the lives of manufactured home occupants; Stacey Epperson, executive director of Frontier Housing in Kentucky; and George McCarthy, senior program officer for the Ford Foundation. The registration deadline for both the symposium and the institute is Jan. 29.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
March 30 Deadline for Executive Fellowships at Harvard
Each year, the Fannie Mae Foundation sponsors up to 35 government and nonprofit housing and community development leaders to attend the Senior Executives in State and Local Government program at Harvard University 's John F. Kennedy School of Government. The three-week program, held twice during the summer, focuses on organizational strategy, political management, policy development, management control and operations, and human resource management. The program is taught by Kennedy School faculty. Fannie Mae Foundation Fellows also attend special sessions addressing housing issues, trends, policies, and public/private partnerships. The application deadline for FMF fellowship consideration is March 30.
KnowledgePlex Jan 25
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The Center for Innovation in Affordable Housing Design,
is a partnership between Penn Design at the
University of Pennsylvania and the Peoples Emergency Center
Community Development Corporation (PECCDC).
The Center for Innovation in Affordable Housing is funded by
a Community Outreach Partnership Center (COPC)
futures grant from the Office of University Partnerships of
the US Department of Housing and Urban
Development. You can find out more about the OUP
here, and more about the current COPC grants here.
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