Newsletter « Oregon Opportunity Network

Register by tomorrow for the Oregon Opportunity Network (Oregon ON) 2009 Banquet, to be held on Wednesday, October 7 at the Oregon Convention Center. The event features special guest keynote speaker Oregon State Representative David Edwards.

Register by October 2 for the Oregon ON Peer Network Meeting, being held October 7 & 8. This event is a bi-annual meeting of Oregon ON Voting Members and their staff to share information, develop best practices and improve their skills in the work they do. For more information and to register, click here.

For more information about the banquet, click here. Or to register, click here.

Capacity Matters – Part 3

Housing Works Self-Sufficiency Program Helps Mom Build Plan for New Life–top

Jennifer moved to Central Oregon for a fresh start for herself and her daughter, Kennedy. When Jennifer began her participation with the Family Self-Sufficiency Program (FSS) with Housing Works in 2007, she knew she wanted to own her own home. She desired a good, safe, and healthy neighborhood where she could raise her daughter. Jennifer developed her plan with the FSS Coordinator and quickly began working on raising her credit score and creating a spending plan.

Jennifer continued to work hard at her full-time job and soon began an escrow savings account because of the increases in her income. She completed “Financial Fitness” classes and a “Realizing the American Dream” homeownership class.

Because of Jennifer’s hard work and determination, she was ready to take advantage of a homeownership opportunity that was made available through the HomeQuest Ground Lease Program. Housing Works contracted with the Bend Area Habitat for Humanity to build a home. Upon completion, Housing Works sold the home only to Jennifer and leased the land to her for a small amount, thus removing the cost of the land from the sales price. Jennifer secured her financing with Umpqua Bank and used her escrow savings to pay a portion of her closing costs. Her Housing Choice Voucher will pay a portion of the monthly mortgage payment. This innovative partnership, the HomeQuest Ground Lease Program, and the Housing Choice Voucher has made homeownership possible for Jennifer and Kennedy.

Jennifer knew she would one day provide a safe, secure home for her daughter. She always told Kennedy, “First the home and then the dog”. Now living in their brand new home, Kennedy is searching for her dream, a dog to call her own and grow-up with in her new home!

Statewide News

Housing Opportunity Forums Begin Next Week – Dates Finalized–top

The Housing Opportunity Bill (House Bill 2436) Forums will start next week – please note some details have changed or been added since our last newsletter:

Roseburg, 1 – 4 p.m., Monday, September 21 -
Douglas County Commissioners’ Chambers
Room 216
1036 SE Douglas

Bend, 1 – 4 p.m., Wednesday, September 23 –
Deschutes County Government Building
Barnes Sawyer Room
1300 N.W. Wall
(Corner of Lafayette and the Parkway)

Pendleton, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Thursday, September 24 –
Pendleton Parks and Recreation Center
Foundation Room, Gymnasium Building
500 SW Dorion
(West of City Hall)

Portland, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 29 -
The Portland Building
2nd Floor Auditorium
1120 SW 5th Avenue

Salem, 1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Friday, October 9 -
North Mall Office Building
Room 124A
725 Summer St. NE

Please send written comments on implementing House Bill 2436 to:

Lisa Joyce, Manager of Policy and Communication
Re: Housing Opportunity Bill Implementation Forum
Oregon Housing and Community Services
725 Summer St. NE, Suite B
Salem, OR 97301

Via email or 503-986-0951.

Find more information at www.ohcs.oregon.gov.

Recovery Act Awards Address Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Financing Gaps–top

Governor Ted Kulongoski announced awards totaling close to $19 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funds that will aid the completion of seven low-income housing projects. The Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services (OHCS) administers the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program for the state and will lead the implementation of these funding sources.

Recently approved by the State Housing Council, these awards will result in the development, acquisition and rehabilitation of 272 multifamily housing units throughout Oregon.

“These funds are targeted to restart projects that have been stalled because of this economic downturn creating jobs and affordable housing across Oregon,” Governor Kulongoski said. “This Recovery Act funding both stimulates the economy and helps those in need.”

Projects approved Friday, August 28, for Recovery Act funding are:

Crest Butte Apartments of Bend, Oregon, $3,825,731 for acquisition and rehabilitation of 52 affordable housing units.
Seacrest Apartments of Bandon, Oregon, $1,655,486 for acquisition and rehabilitation of 20 affordable housing units.
Linnhaven/Stonebrook Apartments of Sweet Home, Oregon, $3,074,905 for acquisition and rehabilitation of 51 affordable housing units.
Parkside Village of Roseburg, Oregon, $4,760,164 for acquisition and rehabilitation of 36 affordable family housing units.
Walnut Park of Portland, Oregon, $798,236 for acquisition and rehabilitation of 38 affordable housing units.
Upshur House of Portland, Oregon, $3,022,152 for acquisition and rehabilitation of 30 affordable housing units.
Roosevelt Crossing of Eugene, Oregon, $2,587,976 for new development of 45 homeless affordable housing units.

The funding for these awards are derived from the Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) and the Tax Credit Exchange Program, both of which are components of the Recovery Act, signed by President Obama in February of 2009.

The Act allocates monetary assistance in lieu of tax credits to fill equity and capital investment gaps that have threatened the financing of formerly approved low-income housing developments across the nation. The U.S. Treasury has implemented the Exchange Program while the Department of Housing and Urban Development oversees TCAP.

The TCAP awards include part of the competitive portion of $27.3 million in federal funds allocated to the state by HUD, announced June 30, 2009, for low-income housing projects in Oregon that have been troubled by capital investment gaps.

Oregon Housing and Community Services estimates the Exchange Program proceeds could be as high as $49.9 million if the equity investment market does not improve soon. OHCS will also make reservations of TCAP and Exchange funding in late September 2009 for up to 19 remaining projects that have already applied through a competitive process.

Both the TCAP and Exchange Program are temporary. Their implementation will end in 2012 and 2011, respectively. By design, these two programs help stabilize the low-income housing tax credit market which has been hard hit by diminishing or complete lack of capital for investment in affordable housing projects.

Public Comments Requested for Proposed 2010 HUD Funding Action Plan–top

The Oregon Business Development Department (OBDD), Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) and the Oregon Department of Human Services are seeking public comment on the proposed 2010 Action Plan relating to funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Housing Opportunities for Persons with HIV/AIDs (HOPWA) and the Emergency Shelter Grant Program (ESG). The three agencies are jointly submitting the 2010 Action Plan, which includes the proposed 2010 CDBG Method of Distribution to HUD for a variety of housing and community development activities. Descriptions of the activities are contained within the plans.

The agencies are seeking public comment on these plans through October 9, 2009. A public hearing will be held at 12:00 pm on October 7, 2009 at OBDD, 775 Summer Street NE, Salem, Oregon in conference room 201. The draft plans can be viewed at: http://www.oregon.gov/OBDD/IF/index.shtml or http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/HD/HRS/CONSPLAN/AnnualActionPlan/AnnualActionPlan2010.doc

Written comments on the proposed 2010 Action Plan will be received until 5:00 pm on October 9, 2009. Comments regarding the CDBG Method of Distribution can be forwarded to Mary Baker, OBDD, PO Box 866, Klamath Falls, Oregon 97601 or by e-mail. Comments regarding the Action Plan can be forwarded to Loren Schultz, OHCS, 725 Summer Street NE – Suite B, Salem, Oregon 97301 or by e-mail.

Oregon Minimum Wage Will Not Rise in 2010–top

Oregon’s lowest-paid workers won’t be getting a raise next year. With the recession keeping inflation in check, Oregon law has not triggered a cost-of-living increase in the state’s minimum wage, which will stay put at $8.40 an hour in 2010.

The law tying the minimum wage to inflation increases is working as intended, ensuring that the minimum wage reflects current economic conditions.

Read the news release Oregon’s Minimum Wage Won’t Rise in 2010: Cost-of-living wage peg is “working as intended,” says OCPP. Click here for a PDF copy.

OHCS Expands Strategic Plan Vision to Include Supportive Services–top

Oregon Housing and Community Services has expanded its strategic plan’s vision to express clearly that services are a key element along with housing. The new vision: “All Oregonians have housing and services that meet their needs.”

To look at the plan past and present, click here: http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/DO_StrategicPlanning.shtml.

Central Oregon Homeless Rate Among Worst Nationally–top

By Kelsey Watts, KTVZ.COM

As Central Oregon’s homeless rate rises to the sixth-highest in the country, one local woman who has been homeless herself is speaking out about how easy is it to end up on the street.

“Homelessness can happen to absolutely anybody,” Cheerie Williams said Friday. ”I don’t care what you think your position in life is right now.”

The new report shows about one in every 90 people in Central Oregon are homeless, making our rate worse than some major cities like Boston and Washington, D.C.

The numbers are based on the annual one-day homeless count, conducted last winter. But local experts agree, the actual numbers are probably even higher, because it’s nearly impossible to count everyone in one day.

Click here to read the full story.

Federal News

TCAP Spending Requirement Eased–top

An interim final rule from the Treasury Department requires state housing credit agencies to use Tax Credit Assistance Program funds to make subawards before January 1, 2011 rather than disburse the funds by that date. Comments are due September 30, 2009. See Federal Register, 8/31/09 http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a090831c.html, or http://www.regulations.gov. Contact Ellen Neubauer, Treasury, 202-622-0560, or via email.

HUD Seeks Comments on Ending Hold-Harmless Section 8 Policy–top

A Federal Register Notice published on Monday, September 14, 2009, is seeking comments on a proposal to end HUD’s policy of maintaining Section 8 income limits at the previously published level in cases where they would otherwise decrease. HUD adopted this “hold harmless” policy to ensure that Multifamily Tax Subsidy Projects (MTSPs) would not be subject to income-limit decreases. MTSPs are affordable rental housing projects subsidized with the Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (Internal Revenue Code section 42) and/or financed by Tax-Exempt Private Activity Bonds issued by states (Internal Revenue Code section 142).

The rents of MTSPs were tied to Section 8 income limits and a decrease would jeopardize the financial feasibility of existing housing projects. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 changed the tax code to protect existing MTSPs from decreases in income limits and rents by creating project-level hold-harmless calculation of income limits for existing MTSPs, thus obviating the need for HUD to continue the hold-harmless policy for the benefit of MTSPs.

Maintaining artificially high-income limits has had an adverse impact on other federal programs. Higher income limits increase the number of eligible participants, making it harder to target limited HUD resources to those most in need. More than 99 percent of HUD-assisted households have incomes below the extremely low-income level (30 percent of area median family income), so modest decreases in the Section 8 income limits from these changes would have minimal impact on families residing in assisted housing.

However, there are many other programs that use HUD’s Section 8 income limits to determine program eligibility and these programs may benefit from the proposed change. A listing of these programs is in the notice (www.huduser.org/datasets/il/incomelimits_hh_fr.pdf), with more detail available at www.huduser.org/datasets/il/il09/IncomeLimitsBriefingMaterial_FY09.pdf.

A 30-day comment period has been provided, ending October 14, 2009. Any change in HUD’s policy in this regard would become effective only upon publication of a future notice by HUD.

Senator Dodd Will Remain as Chair of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs–top

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) announced on September 9 that he will remain as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs. With the death of Senator Ted Kennedy, the chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) became open. Senator Dodd was the next in line for that position, but Senate rules dictate he choose between the chairmanships. Senator Dodd had been leading the HELP committee as it considered health care reform during Senator Kennedy’s illness.

In his statement announcing his decision to remain as chair of the Banking Committee instead of moving to HELP, Senator Dodd said the Banking Committee has taken significant steps to stem the financial and foreclosure crises but there remains much to do, including passing legislation to reform the financial system. Senator Dodd will also continue to take a lead role in health care reform.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), who was chair of the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, has taken over as chair of the HELP Committee. As a result, Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) has moved up to chair the Agriculture Committee.

Congress Returns with Robust Housing Agenda–top

Congress returned from its August recess on Sept. 8. The House Committee on Financial Services, chaired by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), will be taking up several housing bills, while much of the Committee’s attention will also be on financial regulatory reform.

Low income housing legislation before the authorizing committees this fall will include the following – click on a title below to skip down to it:

Section 8 Voucher Reform Act
Public Housing
Climate Change and Housing
Transportation and Housing
Appropriations
Section 811
Section 202
Preservation of Federally Assisted Housing

Section 8 Voucher Reform Act. The Section 8 Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA), H.R. 3045, introduced by Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA), was voted out of the House Committee on Financial Services on July 23 by a vote of 41 to 24 (see Memo, 7/24). The full House is expected to take up the bill in September.

The bill would:

strengthen and stabilize the system by which HUD calculates and distributes voucher renewal funds,
provide incentives to housing agencies to lease up more of their authorized vouchers,
simplify the rent-setting process,
emphasize housing mobility and choice,
encourage increased earned income by assisted housing residents, and
authorize 150,000 new vouchers in FY10.

The House bill enjoys wide support, including that of NLIHC. There are three major issues that NLIHC will work to improve in the bill as it goes forward. The first is to increase the authorization of new vouchers. While increased authorizations do not necessarily translate into increased appropriations, they send a strong message to appropriators that new vouchers are needed to address long-standing housing affordability problems of low income families and the growth in homelessness as a result of the recession. NLIHC is advocating that the number of funded vouchers go from the current 2 million to 4 million over the next 10 years.

The second issue of concern to NLIHC is the future of the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration program. The current bill, which renames the program to the Housing Improvement Program (HIP), would allow the HUD Secretary to expand the current program to include more housing agencies. NLIHC continues to oppose any expansion of MTW, which allows housing agencies to experiment with policies that could be harmful to extremely low income voucher holders and public housing residents, and has never been evaluated. However, the MTW provisions in H.R. 3045 are an improvement over those that were in the SEVRA legislation considered in the previous Congress.

The third issue NLIHC is following is the “acceptable identification requirement” amendment, offered by Representative Tom Price (R-GA), that was added during the Committee’s consideration of H.R. 3045. This amendment would prohibit voucher assistance to any household in which every adult member could not provide the following: Social Security card and state/federal photo identification; state identification, but only if the state is in compliance with the REAL ID Act, which no state is; United States passport; or United States Customs and Immigration Services document verifying eligible immigrant status under one of seven allowable categories (there are seven classes of non-citizens eligible for federal housing assistance). These more stringent identification requirements could result in many eligible citizens or legal immigrants being terminated from, or denied access to, the voucher program. (Federal law already prohibits non-citizens who are not present in the United States legally from receiving assistance from the Section 8 voucher program.)

The House is expected to pass H.R. 3045 easily, although any number of damaging amendments could be debated on the floor. NLIHC will issue one or more Calls to Action when H.R. 3045 moves to the House floor in September to alert advocates about votes on amendments and final passage.

No one in the Senate has introduced a companion Section 8 voucher reform act. However, the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, chaired by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), is expected to hold a hearing on Section 8 voucher reform this fall. Introduction of a Senate bill could occur before or after the hearing. It remains unknown whether the full Banking Committee will take up Section 8 voucher reform this year.

Link to NLIHC’s testimony on SEVRA before the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity at http://www.nlihc.org/doc/NLIHC-SEVRA-June-2009.pdf

Public Housing. Two public housing issues that are certain to be considered this fall are the President’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative and Section 3 reform. In addition, House Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee Chair Waters is working on a general public housing reform bill.

In his FY10 HUD budget request, President Obama asked Congress for $250 million for a new Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI). CNI is a major priority of HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. The details of the program have yet to be made public, but it is a neighborhood revitalization program that is to take the place of and expand on HOPE VI, the public housing revitalization program that began in the mid 1990s. (The Administration’s budget proposal zeroed out HOPE VI.) CNI is expected to promote more holistic neighborhood change, rather than just public housing site redevelopment, with a broader range of grantees that could include public housing agencies, HUD-assisted housing owners, nonprofits and others. What would be required of grantees remains to be seen.

NLIHC understands that HUD is working to get a detailed CNI framework to Congress as quickly as possible. What HUD has said is that the program will build on the successes of public housing transformation under HOPE VI but with a broader approach to concentrated poverty. Many questions remain: What does HUD mean by success of HOPE VI? How would HUD define one-for-one replacement of public housing units? What rights would residents have to return to their redeveloped homes? Would affordability, income targeting and resident participation requirements be maintained? How will relocation work during redevelopment?

These are all questions the House and Senate have grappled with for several years when contemplating reauthorization of HOPE VI. The House passed a HOPE VI reauthorization bill in the last Congress that addressed many of these longstanding concerns raised by NLIHC and other tenant advocates. The Senate bill in the last Congress was more in tune with developers than residents. A single hearing was held on the Senate bill, and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs never considered the bill.

Because no CNI legislation has been introduced, the only real possible vehicle for its enactment this year is on the FY10 T-HUD appropriations bill. However, the T-HUD appropriations bill passed by the House does not include CNI, precisely because no authorizing legislation was under consideration. Instead, House appropriators opted to increase HOPE VI appropriations from the $120 million in FY09 to $250 million, the amount HUD wants for CNI (see Memo, 7/24). But, the Senate Committee on Appropriations’ FY10 HUD bill does contain the request $250 million for CNI (see Memo, 7/31 and 8/7).

Reform of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968 is also expected to be taken up this fall in forthcoming legislation from Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY). Section 3 requires that at least 30% of new hires and 10% of contracts from certain HUD-funded projects be directed to low and very low income individuals, with priority given to public housing residents. Section 3 is rarely enforced; the Velazquez bill would increase its impact.

The Velazquez bill would create a stand-alone Section 3 office at HUD, mandate that recipients of HUD funding designate or hire staff to coordinate Section 3 compliance, clarify which funding recipients and employment activities are covered, and direct HUD to implement sanctions for non-compliance. The draft legislation would also expand residents covered by Section 3 to include all recipients of HUD housing assistance. No Senate counterpart to the bill has surfaced.

Secretary Donovan has made strengthening and enforcement of Section 3 a major priority for his administration. HUD has already held a Section 3 training and webcast to educate stakeholders on Section 3’s requirements.

Subcommittee Chair Waters is also expected to introduce broad public housing legislation this fall, which could include language regarding the demolition and disposition of public housing, as well as repeal of the current requirement that most adult public housing residents complete eight hours of community service each month. Chairman Frank and Ms. Waters sent a letter in June to Secretary Donovan asking him to impose a one-year moratorium on the demolition and disposition of public housing (see Memo, 6/19), foreshadowing some of the concerns that will be reflected in the new bill.

Link to NLIHC’s Public Housing Principles at http://www.nlihc.org/doc/public-housing-principles.pdf

Link to Frank and Waters letter to Donovan http://www.nlihc.org/doc/Frank-Waters-Letter-to-Donovan-6-15-09-Moratorium.pdf

Preservation of Federally Assisted Housing. Chairman Frank is expected to introduce and move legislation to preserve the affordable assisted housing stock before the end of this first session of the 111th Congress. He circulated a draft bill, titled “Housing Preservation and Tenant Protection Act of 2009,” in June. The purpose of the bill is ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that housing receiving federal or state subsidies would remain affordable to persons and families with lower incomes when the assisted housing is refinanced or recapitalized, or when the underlying loan in the property matures.

The draft bill’s proposed preservation tools include:

ensuring the availability of rental assistance for affected units and tenants (subject to appropriations),
providing flexibility to use project-based vouchers instead of enhanced vouchers in some cases to ensure the long-term affordability of projects,
providing a right-of-first-purchase to a purchaser who is willing to agree to extend use restrictions,
giving tenants access to certain project-level information to allow them to better participate in such purchases,
providing tenants the right as third-party beneficiaries to enforce certain contracts between HUD and the owners of properties, and
protecting state and local preservation laws from preemption by federal law.

The bill also includes provisions from H.R. 3965, the Mark-to-Market Extension Act of 2007, passed by the Financial Services Committee in the 110th Congress. The Mark-to-Market program, currently authorized through FY11, allows HUD to restructure federally insured mortgages on properties with project-based Section 8 contracts, assuring these projects will operate in a cost-effective and competitive manner. The Mark-to-Market provisions in the draft bill also include strengthening the ability of tenants to participate in the restructuring process, lifting the cap on exception rents (rents at levels above those provided in the statue) from 5% to 9%, and extending the Mark-to-Market program to Section 8 moderate rehabilitation projects.

The draft bill would also allow for the establishment of a national preservation database, which would provide regularly updated, consistent data about federally assisted projects to ensure that the federal government can effectively manage its portfolio, that the Congress can oversee the use of federal resources, and that communities and advocates can monitor and preserve important housing resources. The preservation database provisions are based on NLIHC’s preservation database work of the last several years.

The bill also includes a rural preservation title, which would provide a program for preserving Section 515 projects similar to what is used for HUD-assisted housing. These provisions are based on H.R. 2876, introduced on June 15 (see Memo, 6/19) .The Section 202 reform bill (described below) will be part of the legislation as well.

On June 25 (see Memo, 6/26), HUD Secretary Donovan testified at a hearing on preservation before the full Financial Services Committee and indicated he supported the principles underlying the draft bill. The Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity held a second hearing on preservation on July 15 (see Memo, 7/17). Witnesses included for-profit and not-for-profit owners, tenants, community organizations, and Rural Housing Service staff.

The draft bill generally represents a consensus between owners (both for-profit and not-for-profit), tenants, and other advocates as to the changes needed to preserve the assisted stock. NLIHC supports it, while working to improve it. The major points of contention include a right of first purchase, adding tenants as third-party beneficiaries, and giving tenants rights to certain project-level information. The National Association of Homebuilders, the National Leased Housing Association, the National Multi Housing Council, and others sent a letter to Chairman Frank and Secretary Donovan on August 3 expressing concerns over these and other provisions.

Chairman Frank is expected to introduce the draft legislation before the end of September, with mark-up by the full committee before the end of the session. It is unclear, but unlikely, that the Senate will take up preservation legislation this session.

A copy of the discussion draft can be found at

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/frank_035_xml.pdf

A copy of the Secretary’s testimony can be found at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/Flhr_061809.shtml

The testimony for the July hearing can be found at http://www.house.gov/apps/list/hearing/financialsvcs_dem/hhr_071509.shtml

A copy of the letter from the industry groups can be found at http://www.nlihc.org/doc/industry_preservation_letter.pdf

Section 202. The Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Act of 2009, S. 118, was introduced by Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) and was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs in January. The Committee has not yet taken up the bill. Similar legislation in the 110^th Congress passed the House in December 2007 and was introduced in the Senate in March 2008 but never acted on.

S. 118 would reform the Section 202 program by promoting new construction of housing for seniors, preserving existing developments, and improving the condition of existing housing. The bill would expand opportunities for seniors to age in place by developing a subsidy contract that provides rental assistance for units with elderly households paying market rate rents. Nonprofit building owners would be eligible for this assistance, which would follow project-based rental assistance guidelines.

The bill would make it easier to convert Section 202 housing into assisted living facilities, and provide health care and social services to a population in need of those services in order to allow people to age in place. The bill would also require new capital advance recipients to employ a service coordinator as part of the management staff.

The language in S. 118 is expected to be included in the housing preservation bill that Chairman Frank is likely to introduce soon. In addition, the Senate Banking Committee may take up S. 118 this fall. If the Senate passes S. 118 as a stand-alone bill, the House may take it up individually instead of integrating the Section 202 reforms in the draft preservation bill.

Link to the text of bill S. 118 at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s118is.txt.pdf.

For additional background on the Section 202 program, visit the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging (AAHSA) resources at: http://www.aahsa.org/tag-single.aspx?id=204.

Section 811. The Frank Melville Supported Housing Investment Act of 2009, H.R. 1675, was introduced by Representative Christopher Murphy (D-CT) in March. The bill passed the House with overwhelming support in July.

An identical bill was also introduced in the Senate in July as S. 1481, by Senator Menendez, and is co-sponsored by Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE), also a member of the Housing, Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee. Similar legislation was passed by the House in the 110th Congress, but was not taken up by the Senate.

The bill would improve the Section 811 housing for persons with disabilities program by authorizing new capital and project- based rental assistance funds. The bill would also authorize a demonstration program on community integration for people with disabilities.

The Senate Banking Committee may take up the Section 811 bill this fall.

Link to the text of the bill at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:s1481is.txt.pdf

Finally, on authorizations, the Housing Transportation, and Community Development Subcommittee of the Senate Banking Committee may consider S. 1160, a homeless veterans’ bill, introduced by Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (see Memo, 6/5).

Appropriations. The other major low income housing action this fall will be completion of the FY10 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) appropriations bill, H.R. 3288. The House passed its version on July 23, and the Senate Committee on Appropriations reported out its T-HUD bill on July 30 (see Memo, 7/24 and 7/31 ). The Senate bill has not been released, but the Committee’s report to the bill, S.Rept. 111-69, is available.

Both the House and Senate bills would increase the funding levels for many housing programs above the President’s FY10 request and above the programs’ FY09 funding levels. For the first time in many years, the housing and community development community can look forward to a positive and non-contentious final appropriations process. This outcome is at least in part an affirmation by the appropriators of the confidence they have in HUD Secretary Donovan.

The House bill provides slightly more funding than the Senate bill or President’s request for tenant and project-based rental assistance, public housing operating funds, community development funds, HOME, Section 202, Section 811, Native American block grants and HOPWA. The Senate bill provides more funding than the House bill for homeless assistance grants and the Native Hawaiian block grants.

The Housing Voucher Program, called Tenant Based Rental Assistance, would be funded at $18.2 billion by the House and $18.1 billion by the Senate, compared to $17.8 billion requested by the President. Both the House and Senate bills include $75 million in new funding for HUD-Veterans Affairs Supported Housing (VASH) vouchers. The Senate also adds $20 million in new Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers. Neither VASH or FUP vouchers were in the President’s request, reflecting an intention to move away from specialized vouchers. However, these programs enjoy Congressional support and will likely continue to be set aside in the overall voucher budget.

Appropriators and advocates will be paying close attention to the voucher funding levels given the current funding shortfall being experienced by many housing agencies. The FY09 program, funded at $16.8 billion, is not enough to cover all costs, and HUD is seeking flexibility to access advance funding in order to fully fund vouchers through the end of FY09.

In addition, advocates will continue to seek to have $1.6 billion for 200,000 new vouchers included in the final FY10 appropriations including a number of project-based vouchers to be used in conjunction with National Housing Trust Fund capital grants.

While the House has completed all of its FY10 appropriations bills, the Senate has passed just four of its 12 bills. The Senate is expected to complete three to four of these before the end of the session, and T-HUD could be among them. If the Senate does not complete work on the bill by October 1, 2009, the beginning of the 2010 fiscal year, Congress will have to pass a continuing resolution to ensure that ongoing funding is available for T-HUD programs.

When the bill moves to the Senate floor, NLIHC will issue a Call to Action with details on possible amendments to the bill.

Link to http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app10.html to access H.R3288 and the House and Senate reports to their appropriations bills.

Link to NLIHC’s budget chart at: http://www.nlihc.org/doc/FY10-chart-8-24.pdf

Transportation and Housing. Two transportation bills that are making their way through Congress seek to tie transportation and environmental planning more closely to housing and community development planning at HUD. The first is S. 1619, the Livable Communities Act of 2009, introduced by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT) on August 6 (see Memo, 8/7). The second is the transportation reauthorization bill. The current transportation reauthorization, the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act, a Legacy for Users (Safetea-lu; pronounced safety-lou), expires on September 30.

The Livable Communities Act corresponds to the major initiative of the Obama Administration to improve coordination of transportation, housing, and community development projects and funding. A concrete step in this direction has been to create an Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities at HUD, headed by HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims. The primary purpose of the Livable Communities Act of 2009 is to formally create the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities within HUD and authorize its funding and programs.

The Senate bill complements action in the Appropriations process. Both the Senate and House FY10 HUD spending bills include $150 million for HUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative.

The bill would authorize $100 million a year for four years for comprehensive planning grants, for which consortia of local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, rural planning organizations, or regional councils would be eligible. The bill would also give the recipients of the planning grants the opportunity to apply for $3.75 billion of authorized funds over three years to implement the plans.

S. 1619 would also establish an Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities, formally convening HUD, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies on these matters. While planning activities related to the lowest income households and the affordability of their housing are explicitly eligible in the bill, there is currently no requirement or incentive for the planning and implementation foreseen by the bill to serve those households. Advocates will seek to change this as the bill moves forward. The outlook for the bill is unclear.

The Obama Administration has asked Congress for an 18-month extension of the current transportation authorization to allow the White House to develop its own reauthorization plans, including the better coordination of transportation, housing, and community development. The Senate is considering a six-month extension. And while a transportation reauthorization bill has yet to be marked up by the transportation committees in either the House or the Senate, Representative James L. Oberstar (D-MN), Chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, has drafted a six-year bill. He has stated repeatedly that he would like to pass reauthorization this year.

Climate Change and Housing. The Climate Bill, formally known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (ACES), passed the House of Representatives on June 26 (see Memo, 6/26). The bill contained a number of provisions that would assist low income consumers and retrofit low income housing. A companion bill is now being drafted by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

The climate bill is wide-ranging, and while housing and low income programs and provisions make up just a small part of the overall bill, the provisions are potentially significant for low income families and communities. In particular, low income advocates, including NLIHC, were able to have a provision added to make 10% of funds that states would receive under the bill’s Retrofit for Energy and Environmental Performance (REEP) program available to public and assisted housing on a preferential basis. This allocation would be roughly 0.05% of total allowances granted in the bill, and could yield as much as $65 million annually. (Allowances are essentially the proceeds from the sale of permits to pollute.) In the Senate, advocates are seeking to increase this allocation to approximately 1% of all allowances, or $750 million annually (see Memo, 7/31 ).

In addition to the set aside for public and assisted housing, NLIHC and other advocates support a variety of other provisions to protect low income consumers and provide disadvantaged communities with access to green jobs. On August 6, the Climate Equity Alliance, of which NLIHC is a member, sent all Senators a letter broadly outlining what advocates are seeking in the Senate bill, including the assisted housing provisions. The Climate Equity Alliance is a collection of groups from the research, advocacy, faith-based, labor, human services, and civil rights communities seeking to ensure that that the strong policies needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions also protect low and moderate-income households.

Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chair of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works, which has primary jurisdiction over the bill, and Senator John Kerry (D-MA) announced on August 31 that they expect to release a draft of the Senate’s climate bill in late September. Along with the general pressure to complete this legislation in advance of the 2010 mid-term elections, supporters feel pressed to have achieved significant progress prior to the United Nations climate talks, which are set to take place in December 2009.

Though the Senate is understood to be using the House bill as its guide, it is not certain that the provisions to set aside resources for public and assisted housing, which were added in the final hours before passage, are being considered. Advocates are meeting with Senate staff to ask that the House provision be included, along with further relief for low income households.

Link to the CEA letter to Senators at http://www.nlihc.org/doc/CEA-Senate-letter.pdf

HUD Again Delays Troublesome Rule Denying Access to Non-Citizens–top

In an August 28 Federal Register notice, HUD once again announced that it is delaying implementation of a problematic rule that would deny access to housing assistance to eligible low income families, particularly ‘mixed-status’ households that include ineligible non-citizens as well as citizens or eligible immigrants.

The rule, once implemented, would prohibit a household from receiving any housing assistance if even one household member could not produce and verify the required identification documents. Currently, the amount of a household’s assistance can be pro-rated to support the household’s members that are able to provide the required documentation.

Under the rule, every member of every household in HUD public and assisted housing would be required to submit and verify their Social Security numbers. Today, only household members over the age of six must submit their Social Security numbers.

Another portion of the rule would allow HUD to redefine “annual income” so that public housing agencies and owners would have the option to determine a household’s income for rent and program eligibility purposes based on either current or anticipated income, or on income during the previous twelve months. Current law bases income determinations on current or anticipated income.

The rule’s implementation date, which had already been delayed from March 30 to September 30, is now slated for January 31, 2010.

The notice, FR-4998-F-05, points out that Assistant Secretary for Housing David Stevens and Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Sandra Henriquez, who share responsibility for the programs affected by the rule, were only recently confirmed. “HUD seeks to ensure that these two officials have sufficient time to review the subject matter of this rule, and to consider the public comments received in response to HUD’s February 11, 2009, Federal Register notice.”

The February notice sought comments on whether to delay the original March 30 effective date of the rule. HUD received more than 50 comments on the February notice, two of which were signed onto by NLIHC. One letter warned of the potential loss of assistance to mixed-status households. The second letter voiced concern over a household’s income level, for both rent and program eligibility purposes, being pegged to their income in the previous 12 months rather than prospectively.

“Given the number of public comments submitted in response to the February 11 notice, and the concerns and questions raised in those comments, the additional time provided by today’s final rule will allow the Department to carefully weigh available policy options to help ensure the successful implementation of the enhanced income and rent verification procedures,” the August 28 notice says.

The enhanced income and rent verification procedures, HUD says, will help to identify and cure inaccuracies in public and assisted housing rental determinations. (See Memo, 2/13; 4/3). The procedures would begin by the rule’s implementation of HUD’s Enterprise Income Verification (EIV) system by public housing agencies and by owners and management agents of federally-assisted housing.

Link to the August 28 rule at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-20879.pdf

African American Voucher Holders Face Discrimination In New Orleans–top

In a recent test, 82% of rental homes in New Orleans were not available to holders of Housing Choice Vouchers, severely limiting the actual housing choices of program participants. Based on the results of the test and multiple interviews, the study concludes that discrimination against African-Americans and dysfunction in the administration of the New Orleans voucher program are the primary reasons that voucher households are denied access to eligible rental homes.

The testing was done of 100 units selected randomly from local listings. The units had to meet two conditions: the published asking rent needed to be below the voucher program’s threshold of $1,250, and the advertisement could not have a stated preference for or against voucher holders. In each case, the landlord was contacted first by a white tester who did not claim to have a voucher, second by a white tester who did claim to have a voucher, and third by a black tester who also claimed to have a voucher. The testers recorded the results of their inquiries, which were than coded and tabulated.

In 18 cases the landlord accepted the voucher participants without conditions. In seven cases the voucher holders were asked to pay higher fees or meet additional requirements that likely placed the unit out of reach. In the remaining 75% of the cases at least one of the voucher holders was refused. In the majority of cases, both the white and black voucher holders were refused, but in 9% of the cases the white voucher holder was told the unit was available and the black tester was told it was not.

Statements made during the tests and in additional interviews conducted with landlords and others involved in the process revealed racial bias and stereotypes were often behind the refusal to accept vouchers (99% of voucher holders in New Orleans are black). Also important, however, were the bad experiences landlords had had with the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO). Many landlords stated that they did not to participate in the program after experiencing delays in signing contracts and leases and late or lacking payments in previous transactions.

The report concludes with a number of recommendations to rectify the situation in New Orleans. Many of these recommendations, such as exploring a regional approach to voucher administration or a public education campaign to address discrimination against voucher holders, are applicable in other jurisdictions and at the federal level.

The report, “Housing Choice in Crisis: An Audit on Discrimination Against Voucher Holders in the Greater New Orleans Rental Housing Market,” was prepared and released by the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center and is available at http://www.gnofairhousing.org/pdfs/HousingChoiceInCrisis2009.pdf

Portland Metro News

City of Portland Well Positioned to Receive Federal Stimulus Funds –top

In a new audit report, Portland City Auditor LaVonne Griffin-Valade has found the City of Portland is in good shape to receive federal stimulus funds through the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The report says the City has made significant progress towards meeting the numerous requirements set forth in the legislation and in subsequent rules and executive orders.

The first of a series, the report looks primarily at internal controls to mitigate fraud, waste and abuse. Subsequent reports will examine how the money is being spent and whether the internal controls are working as intended.

The report states that the audits are being undertaken because the federal government has made it clear that there will be an unprecedented level of accountability and transparency on Recovery Act funds, and “because programs of this magnitude are inherently risky . . . The risk of fraud in any program can grow when large sums of money are spent quickly and when requirements are created or changed.”

Some of the requirements City Council has committed to meeting in order to qualify for the funds, include having a separate accounting system for grant funds, reporting project status details within ten days of the end of each calendar quarter, and establishing contract provisions to buy American goods, pay fair wages, and protect whistleblowers.

As of August 2009, the City of Portland has received or been awarded $21 million, and expects to receive a total of $58 million in federal Recovery Act funds. Projects range from repairing roads and assisting the homeless, to hiring police officers.

ACE Purchases Low Income Apartment Building in Washougal, WA–top

Affordable Community Environments (ACE) closed the acquisition of the Bethea Park Estates located at 4300 Addy Street in Washougal, WA.

The Bethea Park Estates were developed in 1981 under the United State Department of Agriculture Rural Development Program intended to bring affordable rental housing to rural communities.

ACE was able to purchase the property using federal HOME Program resources administrated by Clark County Department of Community Services and the State of Washington Department of Commerce. ACE also received funding assistance from Impact Capital, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) providing real estate financing to non-profit community-based organizations. ACE is also partnering with Clark County’s Housing Preservation Program to complete the upgrade.

“Bethea Park fits in perfectly with ACE’s mission,” says Leah Greenwood, ACE Executive Director. “We want to ensure this property continues to be available for low-income individuals and families in Washougal. We want to increase the sustainability of the property through a green and energy efficient renovation. And, we want to build a strong community among the residents by providing access to services and resources.”

Later this year, ACE will undertake a major renovation that will replace many of the aging materials and systems within the property to increase the energy efficiency of the building and improve the living conditions for the residents. The renovation will include a range of upgrades including adding all new high-performance windows, new efficient appliances and heat systems, installing low flow plumbing fixtures, improved ADA accessibility in designated units, and new kitchens. Additional improvements will be made to the exterior of the building and property to promote natural cooling through shading, as well as upgrades to the appearance of the property.

In addition to the physical building upgrades, ACE will add a playground, raised vegetable gardens and a community room where ACE will be able to offer programs and services to residents.

ACE has hired TEAM Construction as the General Contractor to begin renovation of Bethea Park this winter. In the Spring, ACE will unveil a new name signifying a new beginning for this apartment community.

Member News from Around the State

Housing Works Receives Funding for Matched Savings Program–top

A new allocation of $50,000 will give up to eight additional Central Oregon lower income families an opportunity to achieve their savings goals. Housing Works announced today that it has been awarded additional funding for its matched savings program, Valley Individual Development Account (VIDA), through CASA of Oregon.

The Individual Development Account program, called IDAs, is an innovative matched savings program to help hard working Oregonians build assets and financial management skills. Participants who have saved between $25 and $84 each month have their savings matched at ratio of 3 to 1. At the end of three years, this could mean that as much as $12,000 might be available to the participant for the purchase of an asset. The IDA money can be used for homeownership, microenterprises, further post-secondary education, home repair and renovation, or adaptive equipment technology with specialized training. During the savings period, program participants also attend financial education and other classes related to their savings goals to help secure financial self-sufficiency.

“We’re very pleased to be able to open our VIDA program to more people,” said Kelly Fisher, Homerownership Manager for Housing Works. “This program really helps low-income families start saving for their futures and we will be using this additional allocation primarily for families saving for homeownership.”

To be eligible for the program, a household income must be 80% or less of a county’s area median income. This income limit depends on the number of persons in the household and the county of residence.

Since Housing Works began its VIDA program in 2007, it has had thirty-eight participants. Of those, fifteen have graduated with an average of $4,200 in matched savings. Thirteen of those graduates have become homeowners and one is pursuing higher education.

The Oregon IDA program began in 1999 and is funded through an IDA tax credit initiative. Individuals and businesses can contribute to the initiative through the Neighborhood Partnership Fund, anOregon non-profit, which is empowered by Oregon Housing and Community Services to manage the tax credits. Seventy-five percent of the contribution to the program returns to the contributor as a tax credit on their Oregon income tax returns.

Housing Works serves over 1,600 households throughout Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. With a mission to ‘foster dignity through housing’, the organization addresses a continuum of housing needs of lower income households and vulnerable citizens, such as seniors and the disabled. Housing Works offers award-winning affordable rental communities, special needs/supportive housing, homeownership opportunities, a family self-sufficiency program, savings programs, and a rental assistance program which serves almost 1,100 households.

The Community And Shelter Assistance Corporation, or CASA of Oregon, is a statewide nonprofit that develops housing, programs and facilities that improve the quality of life and self-sufficiency of farmworkers and other low-income populations. CASA generally works in collaboration with community organizations and housing sponsors such as Housing Works. The organization is the administrator of the Valley Individual Development Account program. VIDA is the largest IDA program in Oregon, constituting a collaboration of forty-two Community Development Corporations, Housing Authorities and non-profit organizations that serve low income families throughout the state.

For information on the VIDA program, call Kelly Fisher at Housing Works at 323-7410.

CPAH Helps Ready 150 Kids for School, Publishes Cookbook–top

Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Inc. (CPAH) is pleased to announce that nearly 150 Tigard youth in grades K-12 have received a backpack filled with school supplies to start the 2009-10 school year – thanks to the generosity of the Tigard United Methodist Church, Tigard Breakfast Rotary Club, Income Property Management and Lewis & Clark College students (who spent an afternoon assembling all the backpacks).

On Thursday, Sept. 3, after a volunteer-manned barbecue of hamburgers and hot dogs with all the trimmings, a slide show of the kids enjoying their Summer Youth activities, and much anticipation – 150 children of all ages picked up their backpacks at the Greenburg Oaks apartments community center. The backpacks contained the required grade-appropriate supplies, and each student also received a hygiene kit with bath soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, and hand towel. These backpacks and supplies help CPAH’s kids start off the school year prepared and ready to succeed.

Greenburg Oaks community garden a great success, and a new cookbook created by resident kids

Six years ago, with the help of some very special volunteers, CPAH’s garden at Greenburg Oaks was built. Since then, the children participating in the After School and OAKS Summer Programs have spent spring, summer and fall with dirt under their nails and shovels in their hands. Through the programs provided by CPAH, they have had the unique opportunity to learn all there is to know about caring for a garden. This year, they learned how to prepare some of the tasty vegetables and fruit they worked so hard to grow. A book of recipes was compiled – some from the OAKS kids themselves, some from Greenburg families, and some from our favorite cookbooks – and the book is titled “Delicious Delights from OAKS Kids – A Book Inspired by Our Garden.”

Children from Greenburg Oaks worked hard in the garden (rain or shine!), OAKS Summer Youth Program kids made the illustrations for the book, OAKS teens spent hours typing the recipes and text, and Deacon Mimi Eick of St. James Episcopal Church is the founder and “heart and soul” of the garden. We are so grateful for all their help!

Rogue Valley CDC Wins Fee Waiver for Verde Village Affordable Housing Units–top

City boosts affordable, green housing – Planning, engineering fees waived for project

By Vickie Aldous, Ashland Daily Tidings

A City Council majority has shown its support for green, affordable housing by waiving $38,295 in planning and engineering fees for a 15-unit housing project near the Dog Park.

A vote to waive the fees came on Tuesday night even after Ashland Community Development Department Director Bill Molnar warned that a waiver could further strain the revenue-strapped department.

A construction slowdown in Ashland that came with the national economic recession means the Community Development Department is collecting fewer fees.

Molnar said the housing project already is automatically receiving a waiver of $97,000 in system development charges under city rules meant to encourage affordable housing.

It was up to the council’s discretion to decide whether to grant the further $38,295 waiver of planning and engineering fees.

Click here to read the full story.

CCC Wins Legislation Permitting Reuse of Greywater for Outdoor Use

A new law, pursued by Portland-based Central City Concern (CCC), will legalize the reuse of greywater in Oregon. Property owners will be able to legally harvest wastewater from bathing and laundry, then treat the water and reuse it for irrigation and other outdoor applications.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will create a greywater-use permit process in the coming year, to reflect the new standards. Passage of House Bill 2080 is the culmination of a two-year effort by Central City Concern and other stakeholders to improve water conservation in multifamily buildings.

Central City Concern manages more than 1,400 affordable housing units. The nonprofit teamed with the Cascadia Region Green Building Council, Portland Development Commission and other groups to produce a detailed report called Achieving Water Independence in Buildings which can be downloaded at http://ilbi.org/resources/research/water/oregon

Funding and Award Opportunities

Neighborhood Small Grants Program – deadline Nov 2, training Sept 23–top

Central Northeast Neighbors (CNN) http://www.cnncoalition.org/ and the City of Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement are pleased to announce the fourth year of the city’s Neighborhood Small Grants Program, with $178,831 in grant funds available to neighborhood and community groups across the city. CNN will be awarding $16,836 in grant funds for projects that build community, attract new and diverse members and sustain those already involved. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis and may range from $500-$5000. Deadline to submit a proposal is Monday, November 2nd by 2 PM.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to attend one of CNN’s Grant Information Sessions to learn more about the application process and discuss ideas for grant projects. The first session is on Wednesday, Sept 23 6:30-8:00 PM, at CNN, 4415 NE 87th by Sandy Blvd. Please RSVP to via email or at 503-823-2780.

To learn about other Grant Information Sessions and about grant guidelines, click here: http://www.cnncoalition.org/activities.asp

Ecotrust Event Spaces Community Grant - deadlines January and June 2010 –top

Ecotrust Event Spaces http://www.ecotrust.org/ is grateful to be as busy as ever as they enter into their eighth year of business at the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center. They are thankful to all of the non-profit groups who have partnered with them over the years and whose loyalty has helped build a vibrant event center.

They understand that not every organization is in a position to afford meeting space. In an effort to make Ecotrust event venues accessible to non-profits of all sizes and financial means, they have created a Community Grant Program.

The strongest proposals will be for events which are:

Mission driven and invest in the community in a positive way.
Are held at the Natural Capital Center and are a good logistical fit for the Billy Frank Jr. Conference Center or the Outdoor Terrace.
Planned by or directly benefit a local non-profit organization.

Additional preference will be given to:

Events that are open to the public and are free or of nominal charge.
Events that are unabashedly hopeful in nature.
Events that have a solid marketing or community outreach plan.

Award Amount

One full-day rental and five half-day rentals will be awarded twice per year. Awards will cover costs of the venue which includes the standard amenities and services, but will not cover additional expenses that may be incurred as a result of holding your event at the Natural Capital Center. This may include, but is not limited to, catering fees and outside equipment rental fees. *Unfortunately, we are not able to extend the Community Grant Program award to Saturday events ending after 5pm.

Timeline

Proposals will be accepted for events occurring between March 1, 2010 and December 31, 2010. Proposals will be reviewed in January and June 2010.

Here is the timeline for the awards:

Application material due: 5:00 PM, January 21, 2010
Proposals reviewed: February 4, 2010
Award recipients and all applicants notified: February 8, 2010

Information about the Application Process and Guidelines will be posted later this fall at http://www.ecotrust.org/events/community_grant2010.html

Events

Grand Opening of Proud Ground Pardee Commons Housing – Sept 18th –top

Join Proud Ground, Cityhouse Builders, Portland Development Commission and Albina Community Bank on September 18 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm for the grand opening celebration of Pardee Commons.

These ten homes combine affordability and efficient green building. With certifications pending as Earth Advantage Platinum and Oregon High Performance Homes, Pardee Commons will offer not only sales prices families can afford, but energy bills too!

The celebration includes home tours and free ice cream.

Speakers include City of Portland Commissioner Nick Fish, PDC Commissioner John Mohlis, Proud Ground Homebuyer Tracie and Albina Bank President Bob McKean.

For more information, please contact or visit the Pardee Commons website at www.pardeecommons.com.

The event is at Pardee Commons, at SE 122nd Avenue & Pardee Street. Click here to view map.

Rogue Valley CDC Winery Fundraiser and Auction – Sept 18–top

The Rogue Valley Community Development Corporation – which helps provide affordable housing in Ashland and other local communities – will hold a fundraiser on Friday, Sept. 18.

The event begins at 6 p.m. at EdenVale Winery, located at 2310 Voorhies Rd. in Medford. It includes hors d’oeuvres by Quality Catering and live music by Pachanga.

Tickets are available in advance and at the door for $30.

Participants can also bid in an auction on a scenic lunch flight, a winery and artisan food tour, a Columbia River sailboat cruise, a tandem paragliding flight and other items.

For reservations, call 734-2355.

Putting New Foreclosure Prevention Laws to Work – Sept 25–top

“It’s degrading.” That’s how Dodie Howard described her experience of being put on hold for hours and making endless calls for months on end just trying to reach someone who could help her with her home loan. They fell behind on the payments when business dried up for their family trucking business. She knew she needed to talk to her lender but she couldn’t reach anyone.

That’s about to change thanks to a new law Oregon legislators passed last June.

Now, homeowners like Dodie will have the right to request a meeting with their lender and receive a timely decision about their loan modification request. There’s also new help for renters. Renters facing eviction because their home is in foreclosure also have important new protections.

Your help is needed to spread the word about these important new rights for homeowners and renters.

Join state officials, legislative leaders and community advocates for a meeting to get the facts about the new laws and get materials to help spread the word.

Community Meeting: Putting Oregon’s New Foreclosure Prevention Laws to Work

Date: Friday September 25th, 9:30am – 11:00am

Location: Coalition for a Livable Future, Think Tank Conference Room

Address: 107 SE Washington, Portland 97214

Sponsors: Oregon Department of Justice, OSPIRG and Our Oregon

RSVP: Angela Martin via email, angela@ouroregon.org or phone, 503-239-8029.

Why should you come to this meeting? Organizations like yours will be instrumental in the success of these new laws. The new protections won’t help if families in trouble don’t have the best information. Last month more than 3,400 Oregon homeowners received a foreclosure notice and an untold number of Oregon renters received eviction notices through no fault of their own. Your group is often the first place Oregonians turn to for help – their churches, social service providers and community advocates. Our Oregon wants to give you all the information you need to give them the best advice and assistance about how to save their home.

Sisters Of The Road Turns 30 – Submit Stories by Sept 25–top

Sisters Of The Road turns 30 years old in November, and for this special birthday they want to find out in your words how Sisters has made a difference in your life.

They are seeking stories about the relationships you built in Sisters’ Cafe; how Sisters’ philosophies of nonviolence and gentle personalism change people’s lives; how their community organizing model shares power and how Sisters strives to work collaboratively to find real, lasting solutions to the problems of homelessness and poverty in our community.

By Friday, September 25^th, please send your stories, quotes, photos, poems and other submissions via email, or mail to:

Sisters Of The Road , Attn: Erinne Goodell ,133 NW 6th Avenue,  Portland, OR 97209

By your submission, you agree that your stories, quotes, photos, or other submissions can be printed in Sisters’ publications and materials, including our newsletter, enews, website, brochures and any future materials.

Oregon Civic Engagement Conference – Oct 1-3–top

You’re invited to take part in the Oregon Civic Engagement Conference on October 1-3, 2009, in Salem. This event will provide tools to build stronger, more vibrant and inclusive communities across the state.

OCPP executive director Chuck Sheketoff will lead the workshop “Don’t Know Much About Tax and Budget” on Friday, October 2. See the tentative conference schedule (PDF).

For more information of on the cost of attendance and to register, click here.

This event is being organized by Oregon Volunteers and sponsored by the Nonprofit Association of Oregon and AARP.

Horizon Homeowners Cooperative Grand Opening – October 10–top

Please join CASA of Oregon in celebrating the grand opening of Horizon Homeowners Cooperative (formerly known as Victor Manor), a resident- owned community!

When: Saturday, October 10th, 2009

Where: 900 SW Boothbend Rd,

McMinnville, OR 97128

Time: 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

For more information contact, Rosie Andalón at (503) 537-0319 x 304 or via email. randalon@casaoforegon.org

CASA of Oregon is a Certified Technical Assistance Provider with the ROC USA^TM National Network

Save the Date – HomeWord Bound CPAH Benefit – April 9–top

Event: HomeWord Bound: An Event of Literary Proportions

Date: Friday April 9, 2010

Time: 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission: $60/pp – two for $100

Tickets: Reservations required, call 503-293-4038 or www.cpahinc.org

Place: Tualatin Country Club

Address: 9145 SW Tualatin Road, Tualatin 97062

To benefit: Community Partners for Affordable Housing

SAVE THE DATE! Community Partners for Affordable Housing will host its 12^th annual fundraiser “HomeWord Bound: An Event of Literary Proportions,” on April 9, 6-10 p.m., at the Tualatin Country Club.

We are still confirming authors for this year’s event, but past featured speakers have included New York Times Bestselling authors Garth Stein, David Oliver Relin, Chelsea Cain and Shawn Levy, along with Oregon’s Attorney General John Kroger, and hilarious Masters of Ceremonies such as Dan Murphy of The Broadway Rose Theatre Company and author Marc Acito. This year’s event will once again feature more than a dozen local authors, dinner, a silent auction, book signings and sales. For details about past HomeWord Bound events, please visit the CPAH Web site, www.cpahinc.org.

CPAH provides safe and sustainable affordable housing along with support and skill-building services for families in the Tigard-Tualatin area and SW Portland. HomeWord Bound tickets are $60, two for $100; reservations required. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and auction items are gratefully accepted. For more information, please contact Tracy Stepp via email. tstepp@cpahinc.org.

Training and Conferences

Webinar for Lenders on Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act – Sept 22–top

NLIHC, the National Housing Law Project, and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty will host a second Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act (PTFA) webinar on Tuesday, September 22, at 2 pm ET. The one-hour webinar is open to the public but is designed to assist the lending and servicing community.

Presenters are expected to include representatives from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, NHLP, NLIHC, and NLCHP. The presenters will discuss the background, substance and implications of the PTFA and how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are implementing the law.

The Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009 (Title VII of Pub. L. No. 111-22), signed into law on May 20, requires that all persons or entities that take title to residential property at foreclosure honor leases of existing bona fide tenants, and forbids requiring such tenants to leave the properties unless the new owner has given at least 90 days’ notice to vacate.

To register for this webinar, go to https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/354522792

For more information, contact Mark Antonio of the National Housing Law Project at 510-251-9400 x3111 or email him.

Catholic Charities Calls for Legislation at Centennial Leadership Summit -Sept 24–top

In the opening session of its 2009 Annual Gathering, “Journey to Reduce Poverty in America,” Catholic Charities USA will urge public discussion of the organization’s goal of reducing poverty in America by 50 percent by the year 2020. Catholic Charities Caritas Housing is an Oregon ON member.

Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA, will launch this first of nine gatherings with an invitation to people of all faiths, business backgrounds, philanthropic intents and political leanings to join the Catholic Charities movement of bringing greater dignity and respect to the American poor through legislation that moves beyond safety net support to empowerment.

Open to the public for a fee of $125, the Centennial Leadership Summit will be held in Portland on Thursday, September 24, 2009, from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., in the Grand Ballroom of the Portland Hilton, located at 921 SW 6th Avenue. The summit includes lunch and a reception. To register or learn more, click here.

In 2010, Catholic Charities USA celebrates its centennial anniversary.

Award-winning Time Magazine photojournalist, Steve Liss, will be on hand at the opening reception of the Annual Gathering, where his work and that of several other notable photojournalists, will be exhibited in “In Our Own Backyard: U.S. Poverty in the 21st Century.” The reception will occur in the Portland Hilton’s Pavilion Ballroom, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.; access to the reception will be granted only to those who have registered for the opening session of the Annual Gathering, the Centennial Leadership Summit.

The exhibit itself, however, is free and open to the public. It will be mounted in the Plaza Foyer of the Portland Hilton, located at 921 SW 6^th Avenue, from 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2009, until noon on Saturday, September 26.

Over the next year, this exhibit, which portrays poverty in modern-day America, will be mounted in collaboration with Catholic Charities USA in nine different cities, with each exhibition reflecting the face of poverty from the immediate region.

A poverty awareness project undertaken by American photojournalists, “In Our Own Backyard: U.S. Poverty in the 21^st Century” is designed to inspire dialog on poverty – and ultimately help make poverty reduction a national priority – by pairing the visual power of documentary photography with the persuasive power of the human story. The thousands of images captured by the photojournalists, along with video and oral histories, are available for use by qualifying organizations working to advance social justice and economic rights.

Times Are Tough Interfaith Committee on Homelessness Forum – Sept. 26 –top

Become Equipped to Respond

Oregon is fourth in the nation in unemployment and first in homelessness. People are outside, desperate, with no hope and no where to turn for help. Agencies are overwhelmed with requests for help. Churches must step up in this time of exceptional need. Please join other churches and agencies to come together to respond as a community to this crisis.

The Interfaith Committee on Homelessness presents “Times are Tough — Become Equipped to Respond” on Housing, Healthcare, and Hunger, Saturday Sept. 26 from 8:30am – 12:30pm at Sonrise Church, 6701 NE Campus Way Hillsboro, OR. It is a forum bringing diverse faith communities, ministers, lay leaders and community members from all over the Washington County together to respond to the plight of our neighbors caught in the grips of the hard times. Pre-register Today at www.ahomeoftheirown.com.

Participants will break into regions of the county to discuss service gaps and develop strategies on how the congregations potentially can begin to collaborate with one another and with agencies to help provide desperately needed services.

Click here to register today.

Oregon Homeownership Forums – Beginning Sept 30–top

Everyone deserves access to homeownership, and focusing on first-time homebuyers is a great source of business for lenders and realtors. Sometimes a slight drop in the monthly house payment is all an individual needs to qualify to purchase their first home. Join other local attendees to:

Learn about the Neighborhood Stabilization Program funding and how it can help stabilize housing in your community
Hear an update on the current state of homeownership in your area
Learn about available down payment assistance programs, including Oregon Housing and Community Services’ Purchase Assistance Loan (PAL) program, that can help you qualify first-time homebuyers
Share your challenges and successes in helping homebuyers become homeowners
Discover the resources offered by your local housing center and how you can collaborate with them to increase homeownership
Receive an update on foreclosures in Oregon and how you can assist distressed borrowers

Sponsored by Oregon Housing and Community Services, Oregon Association of Realtors and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

There is no charge, but advanced registration one week prior to each workshop is required. Space is limited.

All workshops are scheduled from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Realtors, contact your Broker to determine continuing education eligibility.

Questions? Craig Nolte, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco (206) 396-2192

Upcoming Dates and Locations

September 30 Courtyard Hotel 3050 NW Stucki Pl Hillsboro	October 5 Hood River Inn Best Western 1108 E Marina Way Hood River	October 6 Central Oregon Association of Realtors 2112 NE Fourth St Bend	October 13 Red Lion Hotel 3301 Market Street NE Salem


October 26 Holiday Inn 919 Kruse Way Springfield	October 27 Orchard Heights Winery 6057 Orchard Heights Road N.W. Dallas	November 17 Holiday Inn Express 375 W Harvard Ave Roseburg	November 18 Red Lion Hotel 1313 N Bayshore Drive Coos Bay


TBD Portland	TBD Ontario	TBD Astoria

Click here to register: http://www.frbsf.org/community/resources/2009/0824/index.html

Reports

Average Incomes Decline, Poverty Rises – Drop Sharpest for Poorest–top

According to data released by the U.S. Census on September 10, real median household income in the United States fell by 3.6% between 2007 and 2008, the largest single-year decline in the last 40 years. This dramatic decline from, $52,163 to $50,303, completely erased the limited gains made in the previous decade. Hispanic households saw a 5.6% drop in median family income, the steepest decline among the racial and ethnic groups detailed in the report.

Much of the impact of this decline was felt at the bottom of the income distribution, among the poorest households. Between 2007 and 2008, the income of the poorest 10% of households declined by 3.7% while the richest 10% saw a decline of 2.1%. As a result, the nation’s official poverty rate in 2008 rose to 13.2% from 12.5% in 2007. This represents a 6.9% increase in the number of people in poverty. The number of people in deep poverty, defined as residing in households earning less than half of the poverty threshold, rose even more quickly, by 7.7%. This represents an increase of 1.2 million people in deep poverty to more than 17 million, nearly half of the 39.8 million people in poverty in 2008. The poverty rate for children under 18 years old rose to 19%, up from 18% in 2007.

The report also provides data on health insurance, finding that the percentage of people without health insurance in 2008 was not statistically different from 2007, though there was a statistical decline in private insurance and an uptick in government provided insurance. The percentage of people covered by private health insurance was 66.7%, down from 67.5% percent in 2007 while the percentage of people covered by government health insurance programs increased to 29% from 27.8 %.

The report, Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2008 can be found by clicking here. www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/p60-236.pdf

A variety of resources including state-by-state estimates (Table POV46) can be found by clicking here.

Kids Count Data Released, Tracking Child Wellbeing State-by-State –top

The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s annual publication, 2009 KIDS COUNT Data Book, provides a national and state-by-state picture of child well-being including overall state rankings.

Additionally, the online KIDS COUNT Data Center has been expanded to include community-level data in addition to city, state, and national data. Find more than 100 indicators of child well-being, including economic status, health, safety, and risk factors. Create your own maps, graphs, and charts for use in presentations or on your own website.

Visit http://www.kidscount.org.

2009 Nonprofit Salary and Benefits Survey Released–top

The MBL Group, LLC is pleased to announce the publication of the 2009 Nonprofit Salary & Benefits Survey. Now in its 5^th edition, this report provides data on 95 benchmark positions and 17 pay and benefit practice topics compiled from 140 nonprofit organizations throughout Oregon and Southwest Washington. The Nonprofit Salary and Benefits Survey is a valuable tool for Human Resources professionals and Boards of Directors.

Like previous surveys, the 2009 Nonprofit Salary & Benefits Survey includes Pay and Benefits data on Base Pay, Bonus, Incentive Pay, Total Cash Compensation, and Salary Structure Information.

Benefit topics include:

Medical / Dental / Vision / Rx

Life / STD / AD&D / LTD

Retirement / Time-off

This year the Survey was conducted and compiled using an on-line platform. As such, the 2009 Survey distribution / purchase process is being conducted in a similar manner.

The 2009 Survey is available in two format options:

Basic- Executive Summary, Pay and Benefit Topics data for “All Participants”
Enhanced -All the features of the “Basic” report plus online capability to search pay and benefits data by operating budget, geographic location, area of emphasis and/or FTE. Enhanced subscribers can create custom reports that match specific search criteria.

For more information about the 2009 Nonprofit Salary & Benefits Survey, please visit the MBL website by clicking here: http://www.mblgroup.com/survey/np/index.html.

Housing Slips, Emergency Measures Gain in Ten-Year Plans to End Homelessness –top

The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) has found that while housing was one of the most prevalent strategies in ten-year plans to end homelessness, in newer plans, permanent housing is slipping while emergency prevention measures gain:

Strategies to end Percent of plans Percent of plans homelessness using strategy pre-2005 using strategy post-2005

Permanent Housing 92% 87%

Emergency Prevention 79% 85%

Services 94% 68%

Outreach 79% 54%

Rapidly Rehousing 57% 69%

Number of plans 90 144

The report, as well as charts and graphs can be found by clicking here.

Shared Equity and Shared Appreciation Homeownership Programs Clarified–top

Sometimes, the same term is used to describe very different products or services. This appears to be the case with the term “shared equity homeownership,” as well as the related term “shared appreciation homeownership.”

To help bring greater clarity to this emerging field, the Center for Housing Policy has released the report What’s in a Name? Clarifying the Different Forms and Policy Objectives of “Shared Equity” and “Shared Appreciation” Homeownership Programs. This report seeks to clarify the overall characteristics of shared equity / shared appreciation homeownership models and identify the distinguishing characteristics of the multiple programs. The report also seeks to show how the different programs fulfill somewhat different housing policy objectives.

Click here to read the report.

Resources

Website Compiles State Laws that Impact Healthy Homes–top

Laws set the minimum standards needed to protect the health of residents in their homes. The laws can be made at the federal, state and local level. Traditionally, the federal government set standards in three circumstances: for specific hazards such as lead and asbestos; when federal funds are involved; and where products pose a serious hazard. There is no federal housing code, building code, or health code. States and localities are left to set standards and fill the gaps. Some states have acted. Others leave it to localities. Increasingly, they rely on model codes that they modify to fit their needs. As a result, we have a complicated mix of laws that apply to each community.

To sort it all out, the National Center for Healthy Housing and the National Conference of State Legislatures have prepared http://www.healthyhomestraining.org/codes/state.htm, providing links to state landlord-tenant laws, housing/maintenance codes, health/sanitation codes, and others. To make it easier, NCHH and NCSL divided the codes into categories. For three types of codes that broadly affected housing – landlord-tenant laws, housing / maintenance codes, and health / sanitation codes – they affirmatively determined that the state did or did not have a code. For other codes related to specific problems, they were as thorough as possible.

For more information go to http://www.healthyhomestraining.org/codes/state.htm, or contact Tom Neltner via email or at 410-992-0712.

September 3 Newsletter

OREGON ON BANQUET AND PEER NETWORK DAY

Peer Network Day Gives Opportunities for Best Practices, Training – Oct 7, 8

CAPACITY MATTERS – PART 2

Hacienda CDC Keeps Latino Community’s Lights On

STATEWIDE NEWS

Housing Opportunity Meetings Scheduled Around the State, Sept – Oct

Oregon ON Members Receive Federal Funding to Address Foreclosure Blight

HUD Names Section 8 Voucher Set-Aside Agencies, but Shortfall Likely

Oregon Short Foreclosure Mitigation Counselors

Welfare Reform’s Self-Sufficiency Goal Further Away in Oregon

Green Housing Increasingly Available to Low-Income Residents

FEDERAL NEWS

HUD Revises Tax Credit Assistance Program Requirements

Legal Settlement Signals HUD Approach to Furthering Fair Housing

HUD IT System Opens for PHA Input of Debtor Information Sept 14

Senate Appropriations Bill Released with Full Text, Details

EPA Provides Heads Up on Planned New Lead Rules

2009 Affordable Housing Goals Set for Fannie and Freddie

Unemployed Homeowners Have Few Options – Foreclosure Rates Rise

See Obama’s Rural Tour on New Website

New Mobile Home Installation Research Released

MEMBER NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

Housing Works to Use NSP Award to Sell Foreclosed Homes, Lease Land

St Vincent de Paul Oldest Thrift Store Falls, Lamb Building Breaks Ground

Economically Disadvantaged Kids Get Eco-friendly Playground

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

Boeing Offers Printing, Auction Items, Equipment

Section 202 and 811, Service Coordinator, Assisted Living Conversion NOFAs

EVENTS

Assets and Opportunity Scorecard Release Is Advocate Opportunity – Sept 21

CCLT Breaks Ground on Juneberry Lane Earth Advantage Housing – Sept 23

Indulge in Chocolate to Support Affordable Housing – Oct 1

Michael Allen Harrison Piano Concert Supports Human Solutions – Oct 2

Heathman’s Oktoberfest to Benefit Habitat Portland-Metro East – Oct 8

CONFERENCES

Registration Open for Rural Rental Preservation Conference – Sept 24

Oregon Small Business Fair – September 19

REPORTS

Cap-and-Dividend Helps Lower Income Families More than Cap-and-Trade

Delinquency, Foreclosures for HOME-,ADDI-Assisted Borrowers Analyzed

Movers More Likely to Switch from Owning to Renting than Vice Versa

RESOURCES

Public Notices Collected Online

ARRA Webinar for Small Businesses and Nonprofits – September 9

Vital Communities Toolbox Helps Overcome Regulatory Barriers

OREGON ON BANQUET AND PEER NETWORK DAY

Register for Oregon ON Banquet Today – Oct 7 –top

This has been a historic year for affordable housing in Oregon – a year of long-sought victories and exciting growth. In this spirit of hope and reinvigorated purpose, we invite YOU to join us at the Oregon Opportunity Network (Oregon ON) 2009 Banquet, to be held on Wednesday, October 7 at the Oregon Convention Center. The event features special guest keynote speaker Oregon State Representative David Edwards.

We are proud of the passage of two important bills championed by Oregon ON and our partners at the Housing Alliance: The Housing Opportunity Bill, which institutes a document recording fee that will create $15 million for affordable housing in 2009-2011; and the just-passed Lottery-backed bonds bill that will produce over $19 million in 2009-2011 to preserve subsidized rental housing and manufactured home parks.

In the current economy, their passage is nothing short of amazing. Come celebrate with us!

We are also celebrating the great successes of our first year: Since last year’s merger of the Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations (AOCDO) and the Community Development Network (CDN), Oregon ON has become the strong, unified state-wide voice we knew it could be. Over our first year, our peer support training program, policy councils, and our communication network have galvanized and are more relevant than ever.

For more information about the banquet, click here. Or to register, click here.

Peer Network Day Gives Opportunities for Best Practices, Training – Oct 7, 8 –top

On October 7 & 8th Oregon ON will be hosting the Fall 2009 Peer Network Conference in Portland, OR. Since the first statewide peer network meeting in 2007, attendance has more than doubled to over 200 participants and continues to grow with each meeting.

The six groups meeting on October 7 & 8 are: Fiscal Managers; Homeownership Development; Multi-Family Development; Property & Asset Managers; Resident Services and Homeownership Education & Counseling (hosted by the Oregon Homeownership Association, OHA). A wide range of topics will be covered throughout the day, including: green operations and maintenance; credit counseling for homeownership; prevailing wage rate training, resident services programs; what fiscal managers should look for in tax credit partnership agreements among many others.

The Oregon ON Peer Network is designed to give Oregon nonprofit practitioners the opportunity to: develop and promote best practices; receive training and technical assistance; learn from their peers; and, build professional relationships. By building the knowledge, best practices and professional relationships among our members and their staff we are doing our part to ensure the affordable housing and community development community will continue to thrive.

For more information about the Peer Network and the Fall 2009 Conference, please click here or contact Terrie Hendrickson.

CAPACITY MATTERS – PART 2

Capacity Matters: Hacienda CDC Keeps Latino Community’s Lights On –top

In May, Hacienda Community Development Corporation was awarded a contract with the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette to administer over $25,000 in Community Relief Funds to assist Latino families in Multnomah County with rent and utility expenses. Hacienda was among those chosen to award the funds because of its track record of serving the Latino community in a culturally specific and trusted way.

The United Way created the Community Relief Fund as a disaster relief effort to address skyrocketing needs in the four-county area hit hardest by the economic crisis. The fund provides immediate help with food, rent, and utilities, to families stricken by unemployment, evictions, foreclosures and rising costs for basic needs.

In the past four months, Hacienda CDC has assisted 45 families with an average assistance amount of $500. In addition, they have helped farmworker families at Plaza los Robles access rent and utility assistance through Clackamas County Social Services, who received similar funds from United Way.

“The stories we heard were, the main breadwinner had their hours reduced or totally cut, or medical bills had to be paid, and families had to make a choice between paying medical bills or paying rent or utilities or buying food, said Tanya Wolfersperger, Hacienda’s Director of Community Building. “The assistance maybe provided enough of a bridge so they didn’t end up with an eviction on their rental history, or so they could hold out until other assistance came in, or to fill the gap until a new job started.”

An example of one family’s challenges is the Ortega family. Mr. Ortega, a resident at Plaza los Robles, works at a Christmas tree farm, but his hours were cut. It was very hard for him to collect money for rent and utilities, and sometimes his family struggled to have money left for food. If they were able to receive help for rent, Mr. Ortega’s salary would be enough to pay food and utilities. Hacienda submitted a request for six months of rent and utility assistance to help stabilize this family.

By applying to administer the funds, Hacienda CDC had to learn to do something they had not done before. Before, they had referred families who needed rent or utility assistance to other agencies. Now they were the go-to person for not only their own clients, but were getting referrals from Multnomah County, El Programa Hispano, and other organizations.

“We utilized our Resident Services Coordinator, gave her the task to be point person,” said Wolfersperger. “After we did outreach to let people know we had the money, she started fielding calls and setting up appointments. It became a temporary, full-time job! (laughs)”

Families would come in with a copy of a shut-off notice, or a notice from the landlord, and then Hacienda would work directly with landlords and utility companies to provide assistance and prevent the eviction or shut-offs.

What about the work the Coordinator had been doing before? “Part of her job always was to connect people to resources, so now we had a more direct way to do that than advocacy and referrals. It had an impact on our bookkeepers too, because they were managing checks [to landlords and utility companies].

While the additional work in administering a direct relief allocation compounded the already busy work load of staff, Hacienda chose to take on this role and be a conduit for agile distribution to its constituents. “We are grateful to United Way for prioritizing an immediate response to the economic crisis and for their rapid deployment of resources through trusted entities with the community”, said Pietro Ferrari, Hacienda’s executive director. The short term campaign was quickly oversubscribed by the overwhelming number of people in need for assistance.

STATEWIDE NEWS

Housing Opportunity Meetings Scheduled Around the State, Sept – Oct–top

Oregon Housing and Community Services has announced its upcoming dates for Housing Opportunity Implementation (House Bill 2436) forums around the state. OHCS says they are meant to ‘take the pulse’ of Oregonians about the best way to put HB 2436 into effect. It provides a dedicated source of revenue to OHCS.

Oregon Housing and Community Services is seeking a broad range of opinions about strategies. The concept is to gather information to best serve the needs of Oregonians who will be helped by the bill. Broadly speaking, they are the homeless, first-time homebuyers and those who live in subsidized, multifamily housing.

OHCS is refining the exact times and places for the meetings within the framework of the following incomplete information. So, make a note of the meeting that suits your time and location.

Roseburg

1 – 4 p.m., Monday, September 21 -
Douglas County Commissioners’ Chambers
Room 216
1036 SE Douglas

Bend

1 – 4 p.m., Wednesday, September 23 -
Deschutes County Government Building
Barnes Sawyer Room
1300 N.W. Wall
(Corner of Lafayette and the Parkway)

Pendleton

10 a.m. – 1 p.m., Thursday, September 24 –
Parks and Recreation Center
City of Pendleton
500 SW Dorion

Portland

Monday, September 28,
To be determined.

Salem

1:30 – 4:30 p.m., Thursday, October 1 -
North Mall Office Building
Room 124A/B
725 Summer St. NE

If you cannot attend a Housing Opportunity Implementation Forum, or even if you can, please give your views in writing. Address ideas on strategies for distribution of revenues from HB 2436 to:

Lisa Joyce, Director of Policy and Communication
Re: Housing Opportunity Implementation Forum
Oregon Housing and Community Services
725 Summer St. NE, Suite B

Salem, OR 97301
Via email
503-986-0951

Oregon ON Members Receive Federal Funds to Address Foreclosure Blight –top

Governor Ted Kulongoski announced on August 27 that Oregon Housing and Community Services has awarded $4 million to nonprofit housing organizations that will purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed properties. Concentrations of properties qualifying for these grants are located in rural areas of the state and include areas of high foreclosure.

Congratulations to the Oregon ON voting and affiliate members who were among the awardees: Habitat for Humanity Oregon, Umpqua CDC, Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, and Community Services Consortium.

These awards encompass the competitive portion of $19.6 million in federal funds allocated by the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) announced in January 2009, through the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, for communities severely affected by subprime mortgage failures.

“This demonstrates the importance of federal support in grappling with the trauma brought on by the subprime meltdown and resulting foreclosure crisis,” Gov. Kulongoski said. “This will not stop foreclosures, but it can keep neighborhoods from further decline and provide affordable homeownership and rental housing.”

Successful recipients are:

Community Services Consortium ($600,000), targeting Albany, Lebanon, Lincoln City and Toledo.

Umpqua Community Development Corporation ($900,000), targeting Sutherlin, Coos Bay, North Bend, Green and Roseburg.

Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority, DBA Housing Works ($600,000), targeting Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties.

Habitat for Humanity of Oregon, Inc. ($400,000), targeting LaPine, Albany, Stayton and Dallas.

Habitat for Humanity of Oregon, Inc. ($500,000), targeting Crook County, Junction City, Lebanon, Lincoln County and Newberg.

Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, Inc. ($500,000), targeting Baker, Grant and Union counties.

Housing Authority of Yamhill County ($500,000), targeting Willamette Valley, McMinnville and Newberg.

This $4 million distribution comes in addition to $11.6 million delivered earlier by Oregon Housing and Community Services to designated communities. They are typically metropolitan areas where significant foreclosures have threatened neighborhoods: Portland/Multnomah County, Gresham, Clackamas County, Washington County/Beaverton/Hillsboro, Salem, Eugene, Springfield, Medford and Bend.

The remainder of the $19.6 million includes $2 million distributed directly by OHCS, principally for down payment assistance, and $2 million to cover program costs.

This NSP funding was authorized by the federal Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The money was distributed to states and other jurisdictions by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

NSP is not designed to solve the foreclosure crisis. It is aimed at stabilizing neighborhoods plagued by foreclosure, thus preserving the value of nearby homes. A major change in the NSP rules has been put in place to stoke the sale of these properties. The new rule requires the properties be discounted by at least 1 percent – not the earlier 15 percent – below their current appraised value. Lenders holding the foreclosed properties perceived the higher discount as an impediment to making sales because it increased their losses.

Twenty-five percent of the NSP money must be used to help persons and families who earn 50 percent or less than the area median income (AMI) for the locale in which they live. Beneficiaries may not earn more than 120 percent of AMI. Across Oregon, this varies from $60,000 to $84,950 per year for a four-person family.

The NSP money provides successful competitive applicants with the funds to acquire, rehabilitate, demolish and redevelop foreclosed properties – single family or multifamily – held by banks and other lenders.

Separately, OHCS, in concert with a consortium of public entities in the state, has applied to HUD under a second Neighborhood Stabilization Program, or NSP2, through a competitive application. NSP2 was authorized by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Oregon Housing and Community Services is the state’s housing finance agency and community services program administrator. The department provides financial and program support to create and preserve opportunities for affordable housing serving Oregonians of lower and moderate income, and administers federal and state antipoverty, homeless, energy assistance and community service programs.  Go to http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/.

HUD Names Section 8 Voucher Set-Aside Agencies, but Shortfall Likely –top

On August 11, HUD posted the list of public housing agencies (PHAs) that have received funding from an FY09 contingency fund for the Section 8 voucher program. The $100 million fund, set aside for tenant protection vouchers, unforeseen voucher expenses and voucher portability from regular FY09 voucher renewal funds, was distributed to eligible PHAs that face voucher funding shortfalls (see Memo, 8/7) and that met HUD’s June 4 application deadline. As of early August, $11 million of the $100 million remained to be allocated.

Here are Oregon housing authorities that received funds, and the categories they were awarded under:

Unforeseen Circumstances

Central Oregon $9,814

Additional leasing

Housing Authority of Yamhill County $444,710

Linn-Benton Housing Authority $15,916

Josephine Housing Community Development $289,409

Portability

Housing Authority of Portland $63,966

Marion County Housing Authority $23,664

Klamath Housing Authority $1,161

Northwest Oregon Housing Agency $18,637

Central Oregon Regional Housing Authority $24,336

Unfortunately, HUD does not anticipate that the $100 million in contingency funds will be sufficient to meet the total shortfall. In September, HUD is expected to request permission from Congress to use a portion of anticipated carryover funds in the voucher program to address the remaining deficit. HUD expects to have approximately $400 million in carryover funds from FY09 available on October 1, the start of the next fiscal year. Without some modification to its authority, however, HUD may not be able to use any of these carryover funds to address the current funding shortfall.

Advocates are concerned, however, that before HUD will provide additional financial relief, PHAs must spend down their voucher program reserves to zero, reduce payment standards, impose minimum rents of $50, and give up vouchers that are turned in by people who no longer need them.

The shortfall is already causing some PHAs to reduce payment standards and freeze waiting lists. HUD has asked that PHAs not terminate any voucher holders due to lack of funding, but any of these actions that PHAs are required to take before receiving assistance can potentially cause the loss of assistance to existing voucher holders. Advocates are working to encourage HUD to take all steps necessary to support and maintain a robust voucher program.

View the full list of agencies that received the $100 million in contingency funds by clicking here.

Oregon Short Foreclosure Mitigation Counselors –top

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) reports that foreclosure mitigation counselors are in seriously short supply in Oregon. They are depending on a third round of federal funding through NeighborWorks America in September, and report that a possible fourth round will be needed because of the tremendous demand for counseling. As many as 19,000 Oregonians were in the process of foreclosure through the second quarter of 2009, according to RealtyTrac.

To help address the problem, OHCS reports they are working closely with the Department of Consumer and Business Services to implement key legislation to inform borrowers about their rights to meet with lenders. Oregon Senate Bill 628 is planned for implementation October 1.

Welfare Reform’s Self-Sufficiency Goal Further Away in Oregon–top

The overhaul of the nation’s welfare system 13 years ago was supposed to help set poor families on a path toward self-sufficiency, but that goal has moved further away for Oregon families currently served by the program, according to the Oregon Center for Public Policy.

Falling amid the deepest recession in a generation, the anniversary of reform draws attention to how changes to the welfare system have made it more difficult for states like Oregon to respond to increased economic need, said OCPP policy analyst Joy Margheim.

President Bill Clinton hailed the “end of welfare as we know it” on August 22, 1996, with the signing of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act. That law created the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program to replace Aid to Families with Dependent Children, which had assisted poor families with children since 1935.

Oregon families today have to be much poorer to qualify for TANF, and its benefits don’t go as far in meeting basic needs as when the program came into being, according Margheim.

To qualify for TANF in Oregon a family of three can earn no more than $616 a month, the same as in 1996, Margheim said. Because of inflation’s effect in eroding the purchasing power of money, families today must be significantly poorer in real terms to qualify for assistance than 13 years ago. Today, the $616 limit reflects just 40 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines, down from 57 percent in 1996. Benefit levels have also fallen behind inflation.

With TANF’s income eligibility level frozen, fewer needy families in Oregon can get in the door and a smaller share of those who receive benefits have earnings from work, the analyst said.

“A relatively small paycheck disqualifies Oregon families from TANF,” said Margheim. “This creates a disincentive to work and undermines a key goal of welfare reform.”

In 1996, the breadwinner of a three-person family could work 30 hours a week at a minimum wage job and remain eligible for TANF, but today that same family would lose the cash assistance if the breadwinner worked more than 18 hours a week, according to Margheim. Both inflation and increases in Oregon’s minimum wage since 1996 contribute to the decline.

Under the 1996 welfare law, the federal government provides a block grant to states, while previously states were entitled to matching funds under a formula similar to that used in the Medicaid program.

The change in federal funding set the stage for states’ fiscal problems when the economy turns sour, as is the case now, according to Margheim.

“When the federal government moved the welfare system onto a block grant, federal support froze no matter what happened in a particular state’s economy,” said Margheim. “States lost the ability to respond effectively to increased needs because states were no longer entitled to additional federal help as they step up to the plate to help families with dependent children.”

Case in point for Margheim is what has happened during this recession to the TANF program that serves two-parent families with dependent children in which both parents are unemployed or severely underemployed. Even though families have to be poorer to qualify for the program than in the past, caseloads have soared along with unemployment rates this recession. The caseload for the two-parent welfare program doubled from July 2008 to July 2009 and tripled from July 2007 to July of this year.

Yet the two-parent welfare program was on the 2009 Oregon legislature’s chopping block as lawmakers sought to balance a budget in the midst of a fiscal crisis. Funds from the federal recovery package temporarily rescued the program.

The federal package provides $4 for every $1 that Oregon spends on increased assistance to families with dependent children up to a capped amount.

The state was able to continue providing assistance to two-parent families with the new stimulus dollars, but the extension will be in jeopardy if voters defeat the modest tax increases on profitable corporations and the richest Oregonians enacted by the legislature, said Margheim. Loss of the funds generated by the measures would necessitate significant further cuts to state programs such as TANF.

“Oregonians need to ensure the state maintains programs for Oregon’s poorest families by voting ‘yes’ on the tax measures if they make it to the ballot,” Margheim said. “If opponents of the revenue measures defeat them at the ballot box, some of Oregon’s poorest families could take a direct hit.”

The Oregon Center for Public Policy is a non-partisan research institute that does in-depth research and analysis on budget, tax and economic issues. The Center’s goal is to improve decision making and generate more opportunities for all Oregonians.

Green Housing Increasingly Available to Low-Income Residents–top

From OregonLive, posted by Carrie Sturrock August 27, 2009

Sean Magee loves his new apartment. Solar panels on the roof of his building will soon power a Zipcar station with an electric car. A section of “living” roof planted with sedum and Mexican feathergrass helps manage storm-water runoff.

He expects low energy bills because the building is on track to become Gold LEED certified, which means it meets some of the highest standards for green building. He has 13-foot ceilings in his unit and views of the West Hills and downtown Portland. Best of all, he pays just $515 a month.

“I love my unit — I can’t tell you,” he said.

This is Shaver Green, one of the newest affordable housing projects in Portland, located at the corner of Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Shaver Street. It has 85 units, 71 of which are rented to people making 60percent or less of median income. (The median income for a family of four in Multnomah County is $44,000.) The rest are set aside for those making 30percent or less of median, many of whom were previously homeless.

To read the whole story, click here.

FEDERAL NEWS

HUD Revises Tax Credit Assistance Program Requirements –top

TCAP, created by the February 2009 Recovery Act, helps states fill gaps in Low Income Housing Tax Credit financing. See Federal Register, 8/6/09. Contact Clifford Taffet, HUD, 1-800-998-9999.

Legal Settlement Signals HUD Approach to Furthering Fair Housing–top

HUD announced on August 10 a historic fair housing settlement with Westchester County, NY, that requires the county to use its own funds to develop affordable housing in parts of the county that are currently home to very few people of color.

The settlement is the latest step in a legal process that began in April 2006 when the Anti-Discrimination Center (ADC) sued the county, alleging that it violated the False Claims Act each time it certified as part of its Consolidated Planning process since 2000 that it was “affirmatively furthering fair housing” (AFFH). The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York found on February 24, 2009, that the county had “utterly failed” to meet its annual AFFH certification. Then, on April 28, HUD rejected the accuracy of the county’s AFFH certification, leading to the rare disapproval of the county’s 2009 ConPlan and reflecting Secretary Shaun Donavan’s stated commitment to AFFH (See Memo, 6/5).

Jurisdictions that receive CDBG, HOME, ESG, and HOPWA block grants are required to have a HUD-approved Consolidated Plan (ConPlan). In its ConPlan, a jurisdiction must certify that it is affirmatively furthering the jurisdiction’s commitment to fair housing choice.

“This [settlement] is about expanding the geography of opportunity for families who may have been limited in their housing choices. The agreement we announce today demonstrates Westchester County’s commitment to make sure its neighborhoods are open to everyone, regardless of the color of their skin,” HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a news release on the issue. “This agreement signals a new commitment by HUD to ensure that housing opportunities be available to all, and not just to some.”

According to the settlement, the county must spend $51.6 million of non-federal, non-state funds to “ensure the development of” at least 750 new units of affordable housing over the next seven years. At least 630 of these homes must be in municipalities with an African-American population of less than 3% and a Latino population of less than 7%. Within such municipalities, the homes cannot be developed in census blocks that have more than 10% African-American or Latino populations.

After building permits are issued for 175 of these homes, up to 60 homes can be developed in municipalities that have African-American populations of less than 7% and Latino populations of less than 10%, while up to another 60 homes can be created in municipalities with African-American populations of less than 14% and Latino populations of less than 16%.

All 750 homes must remain affordable and occupied by income-eligible households for at least 50 years. At least half must be rental units, with a minimum of 20% affordable to households with very low incomes, below 50% of the area median income (AMI), and the remaining 80% affordable to households with incomes below 65% AMI. In the settlement, “affordable” for rental housing is defined by the HOME program. Owner-occupied homes must be occupied by households with incomes below 80% AMI and consume no more than 33% of the income of a hypothetical household with income at 80% AMI.

No more than 25% of all homes can be exclusively for senior citizens, and such senior homes cannot be developed until at least 175 non-senior homes have building permits. Up to 25% of the 750 homes could be previously existing homes as long as they meet several criteria.

The county has 120 days to come up with an implementation plan that has benchmarks specified by the settlement for each year through 2016. This plan must assess land suitable for development or adaptive reuse that has potential to provide access to services and facilities that promote employment and educational opportunities, as well as medical and other family services. Priority must be given to sites close to public transportation. The implementation plan obligates the county to promote to its municipalities a model inclusionary zoning ordinance and standards for affirmative marketing. The plan must also contain a CDBG allocation process that gives priority to and provides incentives for projects that further the development of AFFH affordable housing.

Among other requirements, the county must promote legislation already before the county Board of Legislators that would ban “source of income” discrimination in housing, and use at least $400,000 for public education, outreach, affirmative marketing, and consultants.

The court has appointed a monitor to oversee compliance with the settlement. Each quarter, the county must submit to the monitor reports that present the location of homes at three stages of development: completed, under construction, or merely with financing in place. The reports must also provide race and ethnic information about the occupants as well as the municipalities and census blocks where the homes are located. These reports must be available to the public.

“Residential segregation underlies virtually every racial disparity in America, from education to jobs to the delivery of health care, but has been a problem that too many have ignored for too long,” ADC Executive Director Craig Gurian said regarding the settlement. “This settlement means that Westchester can no longer hide from the ugly reality of continuing residential segregation. More broadly, the settlement reflects a new commitment by HUD to make sure that recipients of federal housing funds throughout the country recognize that token efforts to affirmatively further fair housing will not be tolerated.”

More information, including the complete settlement agreement and earlier court decision, are available from ADC, or by emailing Craig Gurian, Executive Director of the Anti-Discrimination Center.

HUD IT System Opens for PHA Input of Debtor Information Sept 14–top

Tom Cusack at the Oregon Housing Blog reports that on Sept. 2, HUD published a potentially controversial Federal Register Privacy Act notification announcing HUD IT system changes that will allow public housing authorities (PHA’s) to enter and share debtor information. Click here to see it.

From the Notification:

“Effective September 14, 2009, PHAs will have the ability to enter the following information into EIV:

1. Amount of debt owed by a former tenant to a PHA;

2. If applicable, indication of executed repayment agreement;

3. If applicable, indication of bankruptcy filing;

4. If applicable, the reason for any adverse termination of the family from a

Federally assisted housing program.

This information will be used by HUD to create a national repository of families that owe a debt to a PHA and/or have been terminated from a Federally assisted housing program. This national repository will be available within the EIV system for all PHAs to access during the time of application for rental assistance. PHAs will be able to access this information to determine a family’s suitability for rental assistance, and avoid providing limited Federal housing assistance to families who either: 1) owe a debt to a PHA; or 2) have previously been unable to comply with HUD program requirements.

Senate Appropriations Bill Released with Full Text, Details–top

The Senate Committee on Appropriations has published the full text of H.R. 3288, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies (T-HUD) bill. The Senate completed its work on the bill August 5, but provided only a summary of funding levels at that time (see Memo, 8/7).

The Senate bill generally follows the House bill. The full text of the bill confirms increased funding levels for HUD programs over the FY09 level and the President’s FY10 request, offers more details on the Choice Neighborhood Initiative, and includes changes the Senate would make to the public housing capital fund and the Family Unification Program.

As reported, the Senate bill calls for eliminating funding for the HOPE VI program and replacing it with the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI), a new program that President Obama requested in his FY10 budget proposal to replace HOPE VI. The House did not fund CNI, saying that such significant changes to public housing programs should be authorized by the Financial Services Committee before being considered for appropriations.

If enacted, CNI would provide funds for the rehabilitation and replacement of HUD public or assisted housing as well as the “transformation” of neighborhoods, a broader goal than that of the HOPE VI program. As described in the Senate bill, public housing authorities (PHAs), local governments, nonprofits, and for-profits with public partners would be eligible to apply for CNI funds. Eligible uses of funds would include housing, services for residents, and community development. Applicants would be required to partner with resident organizations and service providers. The program would specifically fund the conversion of foreclosed properties into affordable housing.

The Senate would fund this new program at $250 million, the same level at which the House funded the HOPE VI program. This is more than double the HOPE VI FY09 funding.

A minimum of $165 million would be set aside for applications from PHAs, assuring continued access to redevelopment funds for the PHAs that would no longer have exclusive access to HOPE VI funds. The set-aside funds exceed the FY09 funding level for the HOPE VI program.

The bill would require HUD to submit a plan for the CNI program to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations and to develop guidelines that include protections for current residents of public or HUD-assisted housing.

In addition to providing details on the proposed CNI program, the Senate bill adds a provision to the public housing capital fund to allow funds to be used for the development of facilities to provide child and adult education and employment services. PHAs would be able to apply for up to $50 million for construction, rehabilitation or purchase of properties at which to conduct these services. Grantees would be required to leverage funding for development of the centers and demonstrate long-term ability to support operating costs of such facilities.

Finally, the Senate bill would restore the Family Unification Program, eliminated in the President’s budget and the House bill. The bill would fund the program at its FY09 funding level of $20 million and includes the same provisions as in FY09.

Link to the text of bill H.R. 3288 at: http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app10.html

EPA Provides Heads Up on Planned New Lead Rules–top

On August 26 Tom Cusak of the Oregon Housing Blog reported that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to strengthen requirements it issued in 2008 to protect children from lead-based paint poisoning associated with renovation and repair activities in homes and schools.

EPA will propose to expand lead-safe work practices and other protective requirements for renovation and painting work involving lead paint to cover most pre-1978 housing, and after certain renovation, repair, and painting preparation activities are performed to require renovation firms to perform quantitative dust testing to achieve dust-lead levels that comply with EPA’s regulatory standards. Renovations on the exteriors of public and commercial buildings will also be proposed to be covered and EPA will evaluate whether renovations in the interior of these buildings create lead-based paint hazards.

EPA will undertake three separate rulemakings to expand coverage and strengthen requirements of the 2008 RRP rule, which will take full effect on April 22, 2010. These rulemakings will be available for public comment.

The agreement was part of a settlement of litigation by the Sierra Club, the New York City Coalition to End Lead Poisoning, and other public interest petitioners over the April 2008 Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) Rule, issued under the authority of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to address lead-based paint hazards created by common renovation activities in homes, child care centers, and schools built before 1978.

These proposed amendments to the 2008 RRP rule would result in reduced exposures to lead-based paint hazards for young children, the most sensitive population, as well as for older children and adults. Read EPA’s press release by clicking here.

2009 Affordable Housing Goals Set for Fannie and Freddie –top

The affordable housing goals for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, HUD and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, set in 2008, remain in effect for 2009. FHFA has analyzed current market conditions and is adopting a final rule that adjusts the housing goal, home purchase sub-goal and special affordable multifamily housing sub-goal levels for the government-sponsored enterprises for 2009.

The final rule also permits loans owned or guaranteed by a GSE that are modified in accordance with the Administration’s Making Home Affordable Program, which was announced on March 4, to be treated as mortgage purchases and count for purposes of the housing goals. In addition, the final rule excluded purchases of jumbo conforming loans from counting toward the 2009 housing goals.

See Federal Register, 8/10/09 or http://www.fhfa.gov/Default.aspx?Page=89. Contact Nelson Hernandez, FHFA, 202-408-2993.

Unemployed Homeowners Have Few Options – Foreclosure Rates Rise–top

NACEDA (National Associate of Community Economic Development Associations) reports that economists estimate that 1.8 million borrowers will lose their homes this year, up from 1.4 million last year, according to Moody’s Economy.com. And the government, which has already committed billions of dollars to foreclosure prevention, has found it far more difficult to help unemployed people than those whose mortgage payments became unaffordable because of an interest-rate increase. Currently, unemployed borrowers have few options to save their homes. Banks often will allow two or three missed payments to give borrowers time to find a job. Others offer to temporarily lower their payments by 50 percent. But both of these options are not permanent and are ill-suited to the current crisis, according to consumer advocates and industry officials.

The number of unemployed people who have been looking for a job for more than 26 weeks rose more than 500,000 last month. Under the federal foreclosure prevention program, unemployment insurance can be counted as income when a borrower applies for a modification. But the borrower must show eligibility for at least nine months of unemployment checks.

See Obama’s Rural Tour on New Website–top

Viewers can read about the Obama Administration’s Rural Tour and leave comments at http://www.ruraltour.gov.

New Mobile Home Installation Research Released–top

HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) has released outcome data on verification testing conducted on conventional ground anchor assemblies for manufactured housing installations. The performance of these assemblies is critical to the overall quality and structural integrity of manufactured home installations.

The testing sought to verify the draft Ground Anchor Assembly Test Protocol (GAATP), which was developed to serve as a nationally recognized test protocol as called for in the Model Manufactured Home Installation Standard. This study assesses the proposed GAATP based on actual implementation of the test protocol using a variety of conventional ground anchor assemblies, test configurations, and site soil conditions. In addition, a new test rig was developed in compliance with the GAATP rig requirements and implemented to facilitate an efficient and repeatable method of ground anchor testing.

The results are published in Research and Analysis for

Manufactured Housing Foundations: Ground Anchor Verification Testing. The report and supplemental data are available online and can be downloaded at no cost at www.huduser.org/publications/destech/grnd_anchor_2d.html.

MEMBER NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE

Housing Works to Use NSP Award to Sell Foreclosed Homes, Lease Land–top

From KTVZ.COM

As many as 16 lower-income Central Oregon families will have the opportunity to purchase homes made affordable through federal stimulus funds. Housing Works announced Monday it has been awarded $600,000 through the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to purchased bank-owned, foreclosed homes throughout Central Oregon.

Housing Works, the regional housing authority, will use the NSP award to acquire approximately 16 homes. The homes will be placed in the organization’s HomeQuest Ground Lease program and will be made available for purchase to lower-income households participating in Housing Works’ HomeQuest Homeownership Program. The land will be retained by Housing Works and leased long-term to the homebuyer who will purchase the improvements. The Ground Lease program offers lower-income households the opportunity for homeownership which would otherwise be beyond their means.

Click here to read the whole story.

St Vincent de Paul Oldest Thrift Store Falls, Lamb Building Breaks Ground–top

Fall was in the air but not the cards on Aug. 24^th. That’s when City of Eugene and Lane County officials joined St. Vincent de Paul volunteers in “pulling together” on ropes meant to bring down a portion of St. Vinnie’s most familiar thrift store, situated on the corner of W. 11th Ave. and Hayes St.

But the building did not budge. Instead, a temporary support tumbled, and the familiar red-and-white arches sagged as if the 50-year-old landmark were unwilling to give up its post on St. Vinnie’s longest-held real estate.

As onlookers howled with laughter, workers moved in with a giant backhoe to finish the task and get started on the larger job: construction of the Donald L. Lamb Building. Named in memory of a longtime Vincentian and SVdP Board member, the four-story, $7.5 million project will bring 35 units of affordable housing and 7,500 sq. ft. of ground-floor retail to an aging neighborhood targeted by the City for redevelopment. The design features a community room, laundry facilities, an outdoor terrace, and high-speed internet, and utilizes materials and fixtures that are energy efficient, have low toxicity, and/or conserve water.

The Lamb Building’s anticipated completion date is October 2010.

The property was purchased in 1955 from the Lane County Rural Electrification Association, and Bob Lyford was on hand to sign the paperwork at St. Mary Catholic Church. Mr. Lyford, Dick Rademacher, Fred Seubert, and CJ Frieze attended this summer’s big pull, representing SVdP Lane County’s founders and earliest volunteers.

Mary Ann and Michael Lamb, Don Lamb’s widow and son, were there, too, and accepted the cobalt plaque that commemorates Don Lamb’s “life lived in service.” Crafted at St. Vinnie’s Aurora Glass foundry, the plaque will be a permanent fixture in the Lamb Building lobby.

In his comments, Commissioner Peter Sorenson wondered that without the W. 11th store, where would he would buy his next appliance. Those appliances have been distributed among St. Vinnie’s Seneca, West Broadway, and Division stores.

And a colony of disgruntled honeybees, found under the roof of an auxiliary building, were captured and relocated by a professional beekeeper.

St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County is grateful to its Lamb Building partners: Bergsund-DeLaney Architects, Meili Construction, Key Community Development Corp., Oregon Housing & Community Services, City of Eugene, Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, EWEB, Oregon Dept. of Energy, Enterprise Green Communities, KeyBank NA, and the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing.

Economically Disadvantaged Kids Get Eco-friendly Playground –top

On August 13^th, hundreds of community volunteers built a playground for economically disadvantaged kids in the middle of Human Solution’s Arbor Glen low-income apartment complex. The playground, built in one day, is one of three nationwide to pilot ‘green’ playground equipment through KaBOOM!, a nationwide nonprofit playground builder.

The new play area incorporates equipment manufactured by Big Toys, Inc. in which the playground platforms are comprised of 100-percent recycled milk jugs and the posts for the playground are made with 80-percent post-consumer recycled material. In addition, a rainwater collection system will be installed along with a dog run and an accessible community garden.

Human Solution’s Arbor Glen apartment complex has 96 units for low-income families, including hundreds of children, and includes 20 units for homeless families who receive intensive support services. The complex is located at SE 145^th Avenue and Division, in a neighborhood lacking safe places to play for children. The playground is a wonderful addition for many families as they work to escape poverty and move towards self-sufficiency.

Children who live at Arbor Glen were there on the day of the playground build – helping out as much as they could – and watching the volunteers in action! As soon as the playground was ready – the kids had lots of fun on their new equipment!

Human Solutions expects the playground to provide new and fun opportunities to engage youth in play, and to greatly enhance children’s sense of pride in their housing. It will also serve as the foundation for a renewed sense of community and help foster good neighbor relations for years to come.

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

Boeing Offers Printing, Auction Items, Equipment –top

The Boeing Company Contributions Program can help nonprofit orgs with:

Excess equipment (also referred to as capital assets and expense equipment): May include surplus office equipment, test and measurement equipment, machinery, computers, printers, etc.
Services: Includes printing, photography, videotaping and editing, etc. We do not print auction booklets, tickets or one-time items.
Loaned labor: Formal arrangement whereby an employee with a particular expertise or skill works with a nonprofit organization on a short-term project or program.
Auction items: Existing or purchased items that are given to a nonprofit organization to include in an auction to raise funds.
Give-away items: Small, inexpensive — often Boeing-branded — items given to a nonprofit organization for inclusion in gift bags, for door prizes, etc.

This support is available even for groups who receive grants from the Employees Community Fund of Boeing.

Click here to learn more.

Section 202 and 811, Service Coordinator, Assisted Living Conversion NOFAs–top

Assisted Living Conversion Program – Applications due November 5

Service Coordinator in Multifamily Housing- Applications due November 5

Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly – Applications due November 13

Section 811 Supportive Housing for People with Disabilities – Applications due November 16

For more information, check: http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm

EVENTS

Assets and Opportunity Scorecard Release Is Advocate Opportunity - Sept 21–top

How financially secure are Oregon families, compared to those of other states? What public policies can improve the financial security of families?

Those questions and more will be the focus of the 2009-2010 Assets and Opportunity Scorecard by the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), a national economic nonprofit. The Oregon Scorecard will be released on September 21:

Monday September 21, 2009
9 am to noon
YWCA Downtown Portland
1111 SW Tenth Avenue

Oregon ON and Oregon Thrives cordially invite you to join us on for this event. Immediately following a press conference on the release of the Scorecard, we will hold a forum for advocates from across the state.

The forum will be a conversation about common policy priorities for the coming years. Our hope is to build lines of communication between organizations who may not yet have established relationships.

Pre-registration is required to attend the discussion. A PDF form is attached here: Assets and Opportunity Scorecard Registration Form

CFED’s Assets & Opportunity Scorecard—online at scorecard.cfed.org [1]—measures the financial security of families in the United States by looking beyond just income to the whole picture of building ownership. The Scorecard ranks states on 58 performance measures in the areas of Financial Assets & Income, Businesses & Jobs, Housing & Homeownership, Health Care and Education. The Scorecard also assesses states on the strength of its policies to help families build financial security. It includes a detailed look at 12 policy priority areas.

We hope you’ll join us for this important two-part event.

CCLT Breaks Ground on Juneberry Lane Earth Advantage Housing – Sept 23 –top

Please join Clackamas Community Land Trust (CCLT) for the groundbreaking of Juneberry Lane homes in Oregon City. Juneberry Lane will be the first residential project to be certified as an Earth Advantgage Community. Each of the 12 homes are designed to meet the LEED-Home standard at the Platinum level. They will be priced from $115,000 and available for purchase to households of modest means.

The charming and unusual name refers to a plant that also goes by the name ’serviceberry’ or ‘Saskatoon’. It is a native plant that has been commonly used by Native Americans and settlers for food, medicine and tools, and is still used today for cancer research. The project location next to Willamette Falls hospital, Oregon City history, and CCLT’s dedication to sustainability all contributed to CCLT choosing the name.

WHEN: Wednesday, September 23, 2009, 10am-11am

WHERE: The Juneberry site, at 107 Morton Road, Oregon City

The following guests will help CCLT celebrate the groundbreaking of this exciting project: Clackamas County Commission Chair Lynn Peterson, Oregon City Commission President Daphne Wuest,  Clackamas Community Land Trust Board Chair Michael Silvey,  and Earth Advantage Institute Executive Director Sean Penrith.

Refreshments generously donated by Starbucks and Singer Hill Café. Project donors and lenders include Clackamas County, Lewis and Clark Bank, Mercy Loan Fund, Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle, Community Frameworks, Adrian Dominican Sisters, Home Depot Foundation and Energy Trust of Oregon. Project partners include Bonn Design, Nick Stearns Inc., AKS Engineering and Forestry LLC, Community Development Law Center, Earth Advantage Institute, Umpqua Bank, and RA Roth Construction and Son.

Indulge in Chocolate to Support Affordable Housing – Oct 1 –top

Please join Northwest Housing Alternatives for fun, chocolate, music and a good cause!

Home Sweet Home helps Northwest Housing Alternatives take a bite out of the high cost of housing and will feature decadent amounts of chocolate to sample, plus a mini-concert by Three Leg Torso. Chocolate samples will be provided by Cupcake Jones, Sweet Masterpieces, Blue Gardenia, Saint Cupcake, Wingnut Confections, Desserts of Distinction, Fleur de Lis Bakery, the Fifth Food Group, Lulu’s Chocolate and Stirs the Soul raw chocolate while coffee from Zbeanz Roasters will add zip to the event. Local reporter and meteorologist Stephanie Kralevich will MC the event.

Home Sweet Home celebrates Northwest Housing Alternatives’ 27 years of success in creating housing options for Oregonians with low incomes and raises funds for future affordable housing development.

Tickets are $30 (adults) and $15 (children) and are available at www.nwhousing.org

Thursday, October 1st, 2009
7 until 9:30pm
Melody Ballroom
615 SE Alder Street, Portland

Contact: Tim Collier, Resource Development Coordinator
503-654-1007 extension 113
collier@nwhousing.org

Northwest Housing Alternatives
2316 SE Willard Street
Milwaukie, OR 97222-7740

Michael Allen Harrison Piano Concert Supports Human Solutions – Oct 2–top

Please join Human Solutions in welcoming the fall by listening to the meditative piano music of Michael Allen Harrison on October 2^nd. All ages are welcome to enjoy freshly baked pumpkin bread and warm cider and hear a concert from Portland’s Premier Pianist, while helping a great cause – ending family homelessness.

WHEN: Friday, October 2, 2009

6:30 Reception – pumpkin bread and cider served
7:00 Concert by Michael Allen Harrison, Portland’s Premier Pianist

WHERE: Fremont United Methodist Church
2620 NE Fremont, Portland OR

WHAT: Family piano concert and reception, to benefit homeless families.

COST: Free. A suggested donation of $20 will provide housing, food, and services to a homeless family for one day at Human Solutions’ Daybreak Shelter for Homeless Families.

On any given night in Multnomah County, more than 700 families including 1,379 children are homeless. For many homeless families, Human Solutions’ Daybreak Shelter for Homeless Families is the only place they can go to receive the assistance they need to effectively overcome their homelessness, stay together as a family, and not be required to participate in religious services or programs that may be in conflict with their own beliefs. High mobility, lack of traditional safety nets, increased competition for living wage employment, and having few or no health care benefits takes a toll on families struggling to remain self-sufficient and in their homes.

The Daybreak Shelter Network is a unique and extremely cost-effective solution to family homelessness: A network of 27 churches offer volunteer support and nine of those churches (including the Fremont United Methodist Church) open their doors to families so they can spend the night. During the daytime, families stay at the Daybreak Shelter so they can wash their clothes, work with staff to plan out their futures, seek permanent housing and employment, and have a safe place to call home until they are ready to move onto a more stable situation.

Human Solutions manages and operates the Daybreak Shelter for Homeless Families – and is also responsible for ensuring this network has the financial resources necessary to continue its operations. Michael Allen Harrison has graciously, for the tenth year in a row, offered a free concert to the community to help Human Solutions raise dollars for this important cause. The suggested donation at this concert on October 2^nd is $20: enough to cover the cost of emergency shelter, food and services to an individual for one day and night at the shelter.

For over 20 years, Human Solutions has been fighting for the economic rights of those in need in East Portland – low income families that are just a car breakdown – or medical crisis – shy of spiraling into homelessness. By offering the unique opportunity to get out of poverty through affordable housing, emergency assistance, job training and other supportive services THOUSANDS of families in East Portland now are no longer suffering the affects of dire poverty. They are now working at career wage jobs, living in safe homes, and enjoying the wonderful things Portland has to offer.

For more information please visit www.humansolutions.org or call Lauren Rimestad at 503-548-0228.

Heathman’s Oktoberfest to Benefit Habitat Portland-Metro East – Oct 8–top

“Raise Your Glass to Raise the Roof,” with Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East at Oktoberfest, underwritten by the Heathman Restaurant and Bar.

The event is October 8, 2009 from 6-9 p.m at the Heathman Restaurant and Bar, located at 1001 SW Broadway, Portland. Tickets are $50 when purchased in advance at www.habitatportlandmetro.org, or will be $60 at the door. New this year is a silent auction!

Cuisine will be prepared by award-winning Chef Philippe Boulot. Beer will be donated by Full Sail Brewing Co. and wine donated by Cameron Winery and Westrey Wine Co. All funds raised during this festive evening will benefit Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East.

During this time of economic uncertainty, Habitat for Humanity is needed now more than ever. No other housing organization in the Portland/Metro East area offers no-interest mortgage, giving Habitat the ability to reach out to families one step away from homelessness. Their build it and buy it program is housing 20 families this year. Homes are sold at cost with a 0% interest mortgage after the families put in 500 hours of sweat equity on their home and other Habitat projects.

Habitat sells the homes at cost, making no profit. Houses are sold below market value because of volunteer labor and donations. Families pay a 1% down payment on a 0% interest mortgage. Instead of being in a vulnerable and fragile economic position, Habitat families find themselves in a position of strength. For more information contact www.habitatportlandmetro.org.

CONFERENCES

Registration Open for Rural Rental Preservation Conference – Sept 24 –top

HAC will convene “Preserving Rural Rental Housing: A Conference on Policy and Practice” in Washington, D.C. with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hear from key members of Congress, leaders in Section 515 preservation legislation, expert congressional and USDA staff, and local practitioners. Visit www.ruralhome.org.

Oregon Small Business Fair – September 19–top

Those who have always dreamed of starting their own business but don’t know how to get started, can get help at the 16th annual Oregon Small Business Fair, a free event for small-business owners and those thinking about becoming small-business owners.

The fair provides information that will help businesses comply with laws and regulations and is sponsored by local, state, and federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. Attendees will be able to get free consultations and can attend seminars on critical topics that are taught by agency and business experts, attorneys, and CPAs. Attendees can also learn about a Small Business Administration loan for small businesses and start-ups and can apply for and get approved for a business loan. Local businesses, government representatives, and exhibitors will be staffing information booths.

The Fair will be held at the Oregon Convention Center at 8:45am-5:00pm. For more information about the Oregon Small Business Fair, call 503-329-4260 or visit www.oregonbizfair.org. Also, the 7th Rogue Valley Business Resource Fair, also free, will be held on October 3rd from9am to 2pm at Rogue Community College in Medford.

REPORTS

Cap-and-Dividend Helps Lower Income Families More than Cap-and-Trade–top

The impacts of a climate bill that would place a cap on carbon emissions will vary across states and income brackets, according to a new study released by the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) and Economics for Equity and the Environment Network (E3).

In this report, the authors estimate how family budgets would be affected by the increase in the price of fossil fuels expected to result from a cap on carbon emissions. They then estimate what would happen if, instead of being given away to firms under a “cap-and-trade” scenario, all carbon permits were auctioned and 80% of the revenue from these auctions were returned to the American public in the form of equal dividends. The authors find that in every state, low income households would see a net benefit from this type of “cap-and-dividend” system.

A cap-and-dividend system differs from a cap-and-trade system in how the permits are distributed. In cap-and-trade, all of the permits would be given away for free to corporations. The corporations that got more permits than they needed would then sell their extra permits to firms that got fewer than they wanted. In a cap-and-dividend system, however, 100% of the carbon permits would be sold at auction, making trading unnecessary. The revenues from these auctions would then be returned to the public as equal payments per person. President Obama made the case for 100% of permits to be auctioned in his FY10 budget proposal.

In order to determine the net impacts of a cap-and-dividend policy across income brackets, the authors first estimate the carbon footprints of households based on the carbon dioxide emissions resulting from their direct fuel consumption and the production and distribution of other goods that they consume. They split the population into 10 income deciles and find that carbon emissions per capita in the highest income decile are more than 6 times greater than in the lowest decile; however, as a share of their income, carbon per dollar of expenditure is more than twice as high in the poorest decile as in the richest. This means that while lower income households have a much smaller carbon footprint than higher-income households, they would be paying a larger share of their income on increased energy costs.

The next step in finding the net impact on households is to observe how the revenues from the permit auctions are redistributed. The authors analyze how households would be affected if 80% of the revenue were returned to the households as dividends (the other 20% could be spent on transitional assistance to communities, workers, or firms that would be adversely affected by decreasing reliance on fossil fuels). They find that the average annual cost of carbon to consumers for higher fossil fuel prices ranges from $135 per person in the lowest income decile to $618 per person in the highest-income decile.

If each household were to receive an equal dividend of $386, then the bottom seven deciles would all receive more in dividends than they pay in higher prices, the eight decile breaks even, and the top two deciles experience a net cost. As a percentage of income, this is a 6.5% gain for people in the lowest decile and a 0.3% loss for people in the highest decile, turning this into a progressive climate change policy.

The remainder of the report analyzes the impacts of higher energy prices and a cap-and-dividend policy on each state, and on the income deciles within each state. They find that inter-state differences are not that large. The annual cost to a median-income household ranges from $239 per person in Oregon to $349 per person in Indiana, with the net benefits of the cap-and-dividend ranging from $147 per person in Oregon to $37 per person in Indiana.

The full report, Cap and Dividend: A State-by-State Analysis, can be found by clicking here.

Delinquency, Foreclosures for HOME-, ADDI-Assisted Borrowers Analyzed–top

HUD’s Office of Policy Development & Research recently published a report, Rates of Foreclosure in HOME and ADDI Programs, which estimates the annual foreclosure and delinquency rates for these programs. The report analyzed delinquency and foreclosure rates for both HOME- and ADDI-assisted borrowers who purchased homes from 2001 through 2005.

The report found that borrowers with HOME or ADDI downpayment assistance had lower average foreclosure rates than a similar set of borrowers that did not have downpayment assistance. Furthermore, the foreclosure rates in the HOME and ADDI downpayment assistance programs were far lower than the very risky seller-financed downpayment assistance program that has been discontinued by the FHA. The report provides evidence

that programs can be carefully developed and managed to assist lower-income families with housing and homeownership assistance.

This report is available as a free download by clicking here, www.huduser.org/publications/hsgfin/addi.html and print copies can be ordered for a nominal fee by calling HUD USER at 800-245-2691, option 1.

Movers More Likely to Switch from Owning to Renting than Vice Versa–top

The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) published an August 5 research note, Who’s Moving into Apartments?, that examines the type of households that switch from owners to renters and move into apartments. It is well known that renters tend to move more often than owners, but NMHC finds a substantial amount of tenure-switching when people move (from owner-to-renter or renter-to-owner) and reports that more owners are switching to renters than vice versa.

Using the 2007 American Housing Survey (AHS) as its data source, NMHC finds that 16% of all American households moved in the previous 12 months and of those, 30% switched tenure. It was more likely for a household to switch from owning to renting than it was for them to do the reverse, with 17% of movers switching from owners to renters and only 13% switching from renters to owners.

NMHC analyzes information from the AHS on recent movers, who are defined as households that moved within the prior two years, in order to uncover the ages and types of households that are moving from owners to renters. They find that all recent movers, except those in the 30-44 age group, are more likely to rent after their move. The recent movers with the largest increase in rentership are those aged 65 and over, with 35% of this age group renting before the move, and 52% renting after the move. The report points out that this age group is expected to be the fastest-growing over the next 15 years, making this tenure-switching trend an important one for the rental housing industry.

The types of households that are most likely to rent include singles and single parents, and these households are also the most likely to continue renting after moving. Alternatively, married couples with and without children are less likely to rent after moving than before. Finally, when looking at whether movers live in single-family or multifamily (rental or for sale buildings with at least two units in them) housing, NMHC finds that recent movers are more likely to live in multifamily housing after moving than they were before. This is true for all age groups except the 30-44 year-olds, but those households under 30 and 65 and over are among the most likely to move into multifamily housing along with singles and single parents.

The full report from NMHC, including tables and the statistics mentioned above, can be found by clicking here.

RESOURCES

Public Notices Collected Online –top

Public notices are announcements from all levels and branches of government, from businesses and from individuals. Newspapers publish thousands of public notices every day, often in their classified advertising sections.

Public notices inform you about government actions, environmental conditions and economic changes. Public notices alert you when the interests of your family, your neighborhood or your business are affected by what others do. Public notices invite you to participate in the democratic process and in business opportunities.

If you haven’t looked at your newspaper’s public notice section lately, here are a few things you may have missed:

foreclosures and unclaimed property in your neighborhood
the restaurant at the end of your block applied for a liquor license
government agencies are buying the products your company makes
a proposed tax increase is on the school board’s agenda
the assets of your late aunt’s estate are being distributed
your neighbor has applied for a permit to enlarge her house
the sewer authority is issuing bonds to finance a new plant
your client filed articles of incorporation with the help of another law firm
the state treasurer is holding unclaimed tax refunds
business and residential properties are going up for sale

MyPublicNotices.com (MPN) brings public notices from the country’s newspapers to the Web. Now, anyone can locate vital information about a community, a state or an entire region with MPN’s online searching and data management tools. MPN helps newspapers add more value to their public notice advertising.

Check out the database at http://www.mypublicnotices.com.

ARRA Webinar for Small Businesses and Nonprofits – September 9 –top

Please join Green for All and its partners, AEO and Tides Center, in a free webinar to help you learn how to access stimulus dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It will be held September 9, at 4pm (EDT).

This first Green for All webinar launches AEO’s new Capital Access Program (CAP) to create, sustain and scale green jobs in the U.S. Leveraging the work of their policy and field teams, CAP is responsible for building the capacity of stakeholders and mobilizing capital so that our work successfully leads to economic recovery and environmental restoration. CAP works with businesses – large and small – as well as nonprofit organizations. Through webinars, publications and convenings, AEO seeks to increase the capacity of these entities to be leaders in the green economy. Click here to sign up for the September 9th Webinar.

Vital Communities Toolbox Helps Overcome Regulatory Barriers–top

Numerous studies have shown that rigid land use and development regulations can impede affordable housing production. In response, local governments have adopted a wide assortment of strategies and mechanisms to overcome such regulatory barriers. An online toolkit, Vital Communities Toolbox, created by Tompkins County, New York, catalogues a variety of planning tools that are available to assist communities in the creation and preservation of affordable housing. The strategies in this toolbox are targeted toward achieving a set of principles, including “promoting choice and affordability in housing options,” and have been adopted by the county as part of its Vital Communities Initiative.

Tools listed on the website are categorized according to how they are applied in practice. For example, strategies such as cluster development, traditional neighborhood design, and infill development are listed as applicable to promoting a mix of housing choices. Other tools, such as inclusionary zoning, streamlined permitting, adaptive reuse, and cottage housing, are grouped together based on their capacity to increase affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income families. The online toolkit also includes a glossary and short description of each tool. Although Tompkins County developed the toolbox to encourage sustainable growth patterns within the county, these strategies can easily be tailored to meet the needs of any community.

You can view the Vital Communities Toolbox by clicking here.

August 20 Newsletter

STATEWIDE NEWS
State Plans Housing Opportunity Bill Meetings
HUD Assists Families Losing Section 8 – More Families Still at Risk
State Reports First Multifamily Bond Sale in a Year

FEDERAL NEWS
Committee Requests Funding for Choice Neighborhoods, Not Hope IV
HUD Continues to Address Voucher Shortfall
Federal Guidance Implementing the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act
Summary of Mortgage Lending Bills, Tenant Notice Bill
Bills Introduced – Vets, Chronic Homeless, Sustainable Communities, TARP
NACEDA Pushes for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Enhancements
35th Anniversary of Section 8, Community Development Block Grants

PORTLAND METRO NEWS
REACH 20th Paint and Repair-a-thon Improves a Record 21 Homes
Hacienda CDC Welcomes Working-Class Families to Miraflores Project

ANOTHER COUNTY HEARD FROM – MEMBER NEWS AROUND THE STATE
Lane County St Vincent de Paul Summer Camp Spiced with Learning, Fun

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
New Relief Loan Fund for Human Services Responding to Economic Crisis
RGK Foundation Supports Human Services, Community Improvement

EVENTS, TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES
REACH New Program Informs Community, Promotes Properties
Save the Date – NW Community Land Trust Coalition Conference Oct 21-23

REPORTS
Tenants Overcharged for Rent Because Utility Allowances Too Low
Report Says Renting Is Smart Choice
New Concise Congressional Report on Veterans and Homelessness

RESOURCES
ARRA Clearinghouse, SIRR Updated: New HPRP, NSP, Weatherization Materials

STATEWIDE NEWS

State Plans Housing Opportunity Bill Meetings–top

Oregon Housing and Community Services Deputy Director Rick Crager reports he is putting together a series of meetings to gather stakeholder feedback on new legislation affecting the department, especially the Housing Opportunity Bill.

The bill, which derives from House Bill 2436, will provide a projected $15 million in resources for the broad purpose of addressing the state’s housing needs. The revenue will start flowing to OHCS in January 2010.

The outreach meetings will be scheduled for late September and be designed to capture local thinking in key Oregon cities. More information is coming soon.

To read a more detailed bulletin by OHCS about implementing the Housing Opportunity Bill, click here.

HUD Assists Families Losing Section 8 – More Families Still at Risk–top

As reported in the last Oregon ON Newsletter, HUD is taking leadership and providing emergency assistance to struggling public housing agencies (PHAs) across the county that administer Section 8 vouchers. Please see related article in this Newsletter’s Federal section.

In Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook Counties, this means that 219 households who would have lost rent assistance in September will be able to stay in their homes. Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA), who administers the vouchers, will receive nearly $800,000 in HUD funding.

While this is very welcome news for the 219 households, NOHA reports there are 59 more who vacated their apartments upon receiving the notices they were being dropped from the program, which NOHA mailed on May 26. Now those households are not receiving assistance, and may wait for up to a year for their vouchers to be reinstated.

Clatsop Community Action (CCA), who had pledged to assist 44 Clatsop households losing section 8 vouchers (8/6 Oregon ON Newsletter) is now faced with the needs of the households who left the voucher program.

As well, Cassandra Profita and Deeda Schroeder of The Daily Astorian report that NOHA is raising the rent for another 312 families to make up for their budget shortfalls:

Click here to read the full story.

Click here to read an earlier story about the HUD money.

Read below to learn more about the HUD bailout:

The rent will be paid – Housing Authority receives $800,000 in rescue money to help voucher program

By Deeda Schroeder, The Daily Astorian, Friday, August 14, 2009

Good news for all of the 219 households in Clatsop, Columbia and Tillamook counties at risk of losing their rent assistance Sept.1: the Northwest Oregon Housing Authority will soon get nearly $800,000 in rescue money to keep those families in their homes.

The housing authority director, Carol Snell, announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has approved her request for “extraordinary administrative fees.”

“Of course we’re really excited we got the funding,” Snell said this morning. She added that the authority is busy crunching numbers with HUD officials in their Warrenton office this morning, double-checking that they’re following proper procedure as they take households out of the terminated status.

In May, the HUD annual budget came about $600,000 shy of the sum the housing authority was expecting, forcing the agency to cut 285 households from its federally-funded Housing Choice Voucher Program. With direction from its Board of Commissioners, the authority was able to scrape together July and August rent money for program participants that didn’t move.

In September, NOHA lowered rent help to 312 additional families on the program, as an attempt to trim its expenses.

An investigation by the Daily Astorian revealed the funding shortage was primarily caused by mismanagement of the agency. For months in 2009, the housing authority gave out more vouchers than it could afford, despite its accountant’s repeated warnings.

A recent review by the Portland housing authority found multiple management flaws and a HUD review of bookkeeping is also underway.

HUD recently announced it asked “troubled” housing authorities to apply for $41 million in help to prevent cutting families from Section 8 voucher programs. Snell requested $795,000 for NOHA, including $30,000 in technical assistance funds for training and software upgrades.

George Sabol, executive director of Clatsop Community Action, said he’s glad to hear his agency won’t be paying the rent bill for the families at risk in Clatsop County. CCA recently pledged to do so – using operating funds and stimulus money intended for another purpose – through the end of the year if the housing authority couldn’t come up with any other solution. But Sabol is still smarting about the households that were concerned enough to move out.

“The bad news is for the 70 families who did the right thing and moved out when they got their initial notice to vacate in May/June. They will be the next concern since not addressed according to my interpretation of discussions,” Sabol said.

In an e-mail Thursday, Snell said those families won’t be able to get back on the voucher program until January at the earliest.

Snell plans to send out a letter to program participants early next week to notify them of their status.

State Reports First Multifamily Bond Sale in a Year–top

Oregon Housing and Community Services closed an important multifamily bond sale last week. This is the first bond sale of any kind since the housing bond market collapsed a year ago.

OHCS completed paperwork late last week with Wells Fargo for sale of $9.2 million in conduit bonds to finance preservation of the Martha Washington Apartments in Southwest Portland. It will provide 108 units to serve persons who are homeless and earn very low incomes.

This is short-term financing employing tax-exempt, conduit bonds. The process provides Wells Fargo with a vehicle to fund the project through purchase of bonds and construction lending.

OHCS’ last bond sale was held August 26, 2008, to finance $92 million in single-family housing. Just prior to that, on July 18, the department used its bonding authority to finance a $6.9 million multifamily preservation project in Lebanon.

In addition to approving conduit bond financing for the Martha Washington, at the same July 24 meeting, the Housing Council approved a predevelopment loan for Uptown Tower. This is planned as 72 units of very-low-income housing in Portland. The project is slated for consideration in the fall consolidated funding cycle.

FEDERAL NEWS

Committee Requests Funding for Choice Neighborhoods, Not Hope IV–top

The Senate Committee on Appropriations made public its report on its FY10 HUD appropriations bill the week of August 3 (Senate Report 111-69). The Senate Committee bill, which does not yet have a bill number, would fund the President’s request for a Choice Neighborhoods Initiative at $250 million for FY10.

By contrast, the House appropriations bill (H.R. 3288) did not fund Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, instead providing $250 million, up from $120 million in FY09, for the HOPE VI public housing revitalization program. The House report said they did not fund the Initiative because, “the Committee on Appropriations is not the appropriate body to authorize a new initiative of this scale, especially when the Financial Services Committee has worked diligently over the past several years to reauthorize HOPE VI.”

HOPE VI has been blamed for the loss of 50,000 public housing units by Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), who chairs the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity (see 8/6 Oregon ON Newsletter).

HUD has not put forth details of what the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative would look like. As proposed in the President’s FY10 request for HUD, it would “build on the successes of public housing transformation under HOPE VI with a broader approach to concentrated poverty,” according to HUD budget documents. The Choice Neighborhoods Initiative program seeks to address high poverty neighborhoods in a holistic way, beyond redeveloping only public housing, which is the focus of HUD’s HOPE VI program. Public housing agencies (PHAs), owners of federally assisted housing and private owners would all be eligible to participate in the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. The HOPE VI program is restricted to PHAs.

The Senate report acknowledges the “lack of details” on the Initiative and would direct the HUD Secretary to submit a plan to the House and Senate appropriations committees within 60 days of the spending bill’s enactment. The plan should include details on how HUD will define functioning, sustainable, mixed-income neighborhoods, as well as what specific goals the Secretary and grant recipients would have to meet, according to the report.

To quell PHA concerns that a pool of grant funds dedicated to public housing redevelopment, HOPE VI, would be replaced by a program with a much broader scope of applicants, the Senate Committee’s report stipulates that not less than $165 million of the $250 million be awarded to projects where PHAs are the lead applicant.

The full Senate is expected to consider the FY10 spending bill in September.

Access the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s updated budget chart by clicking here.

HUD Continues to Address Voucher Shortfall–top

HUD took further steps the week of August 3 to help public housing agencies (PHAs) deal with the shortfalls in funds to renew existing vouchers in FY09. As reported last week (see NILHC Memo, 7/31 and Oregon ON Newsletter article), approximately 15% of PHAs are believed to be facing voucher funding shortfalls for a myriad of reasons, including late passage of an FY09 funding bill that did not include adequate funding for the program, rising rents, and declining tenant incomes.

On August 4, HUD issued a notice to PHAs on the protocol HUD will use to allocate the remaining $11 million in FY09 voucher contingency funds. The FY09 HUD appropriations bill provided $100 million in voucher contingency funds; HUD has awarded $89 million as of July 27. PHAs applied to HUD by a June 4 deadline to be eligible for the $100 million in contingency funds. Another deadline, of August 14, is the date by which HUD asked to hear from agencies experiencing voucher funding shortfalls.

HUD is not seeking additional applications for the remaining $11 million. Rather, HUD will review applicants that met the June 4 deadline to determine which of these agencies now might qualify for the $11 million. To the extent that agencies’ voucher costs, as a result of changes in tenant income or changes in rent and utility costs, are accelerating faster than HUD’s estimates anticipated, then HUD may approve funds from the $11 million pool.

Also the week of August 3, HUD staff told housing advocates that it would re-issue Public and Indian Housing Notice 2005-9, which was issued on February 25, 2005, in response to the 2004 voucher funding crisis (see Memo, 3/4/05).

The notice provides guidance on “administrative flexibility” and actions PHAs may take to reduce their voucher program costs. These actions include, according to the notice, decreasing payment standards, even lower than the 90% of Fair Market Rent, if a HUD waiver is received; review of utility allowances for accuracy; restrictions on portability moves and moves within the PHA jurisdiction; increasing minimum rents to $50; and termination of assistance, among other options.

On August 6, NLIHC issued an announcement to NLIHC members and partners, reiterating HUD’s communication with PHAs experiencing funding shortfalls to not terminate voucher holders. Instead, HUD urged PHAs to contact HUD by August 14, as requested, so that HUD can clearly assess the nature and scope of the funding shortfall and seek appropriate remedies for the shortfall.

Media reports began surfacing in June that some housing agencies did not receive sufficient FY09 voucher funding from HUD to operate their voucher programs for the balance of 2009. The shortfall is of great concern to housing advocates. A typical way for PHAs to save resources in the voucher program is by not reissuing vouchers that are handed back in. But, the recession has caused people to hold onto their vouchers for longer periods of time, and PHAs have less ability to save funds through the attrition process. Attrition, of course, leads to fewer vouchers available and is not an ideal solution to funding shortfalls.

Housing agencies are also responding to insufficient voucher budgets by decreasing the value of vouchers. When payment standards are decreased, voucher holders must pay more toward rent or landlords must take rent reductions. Housing authorities have the discretion to set their payment standards from 90 to 110% of HUD’s Fair Market Rent for most households, with higher payment standards for disabled households.

PHAs’ discretion on setting the value of vouchers from 90 to 110% of Fair Market Rents allows for response to local rental market conditions. If PHAs facing shortfalls must decrease their payment standards down to 90% of Fair Market Rent, such decreases might make leasing affordable apartments at that rent impossible, leaving voucher holders to make up the difference from their extremely low incomes.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations makes reference to the voucher funding shortfall in its report on the FY10 HUD appropriations bill, Senate Report 111-69. “Currently, increased unemployment is raising the cost of vouchers for many public housing authorities across the country since PHAs must assume housing costs that tenants can no longer pay as a result of a loss of income,” the Committee’s report says. The Committee’s bill, which does not yet have a number, would provide $150 million set-aside within the voucher account to allow the HUD Secretary to make voucher funding allocation adjustments in FY10. The FY09 bill provided $100 million for such adjustments.

Read HUD’s August 4 notice, PIH Notice 2009-26, by clicking here.

Read NLIHC’s August 6 announcement by clicking here.

Read analysis of the increase in administration fee funding from HUD in the Oregon Housing Blog by clicking here.

Federal Guidance Implementing the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act–top

The Federal Reserve System Board of Governors (FRB) issued a notice on July 30 providing information and examination procedures for the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009 (PTFA).

The Federal Reserve System consists of the FRB and 12 Federal Reserve Banks. The FRB and the Federal Reserve Banks regulate state-chartered member banks, bank holding companies, foreign branches of U.S. national and state member banks, and state-chartered U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks. The notice is directed at the FRB’s consumer affairs officers, who have oversight over bank compliance with legal requirements, including the new tenant protection law.

The PTFA, which was enacted May 20 as title VII, division A of Public Law 111-22, provides that, after foreclosure, bona fide tenants must be given 90 days’ notice before being required to vacate the property. The law also allows tenants with leases that extend beyond 90 days to remain in the property for the remaining terms of their leases.

In the notice, the FRB provided guidance to the Federal Reserve Banks on the provisions of the PTFA and the actions needed to ensure compliance with the act. The notice also states that institutions regulated by the Federal Reserve System will be monitored to determine compliance with the law. “Given the importance of the protections this law provides to tenants, examiners are instructed, as part of consumer compliance examinations, to evaluate an institution’s awareness of the law, its efforts to comply, and its responsiveness to addressing implementation deficiencies,” the notice says.

The FRB notice can be found by clicking here.

Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) made a Senate floor statement on August 6 on the intent behind the Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure Act, which was enacted in May. Senators will periodically make statements to elucidate the legislative intent of a provision in order to smooth a new law’s implementation.

“Under the new law, all bona fide tenants who began renting prior to transfer of title by foreclosure of their rental property must be given at least 90 days’ notice before being required to vacate the property. In addition, these bona fide tenants are allowed to remain in place for the remainder of any leases entered into prior to the transfer of title by foreclosure,” Senator Dodd said. “These leases may be terminated earlier only if the property is transferred to someone who intends to reside in the property and only if the tenants are given at least 90 days’ notice of the fact of such sale. Successors in interest to properties with Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher tenants automatically assume the obligations of the former owner under the housing assistance payments contract. These basic protections are the law for tenants in every state, unless states have laws or practices that provide greater protections.”

Link to the Congressional Record statement by clicking here.

Summary of Mortgage Lending Bills, Tenant Notice Bill–top

Mortgage lending practices – HB 2188

Protects Oregon mortgage borrowers against abusive lending practices by restricting the sale of negative amortization loans and by requiring lenders to provide translated disclosures when loans are marketed and negotiated in languages other than English. HB 2188 is effective January 1, 2010.

Enforcement of new federal mortgage lending standards – HB 2189

Protects mortgage borrowers by allowing the department to enforce new federal laws that require additional disclosures to borrowers and restrict loan servicing abuses and misleading advertising. The bill also increases surety bond requirements and enables Oregon to participate in a national licensing system for loan originators, to ensure they have met education requirements, passed background checks, and followed the laws in other states.

HB 2189 is effective July 30, 2009 and operative on July 31, 2010. Implementation authority for the state to adopt rules was effective immediately on passage.

There are two basic parts to 2189:
• The first allows the state to enforce new standards under federal law. That is in effect now and it doesn’t require rulemaking.
• The second part allows Oregon to become part of the national computer licensing system for mortgage loan originators (it also expands the definition to include some companies that Oregon had not defined as loan originators). This second piece requires rulemaking and startup time for companies to do the new registration. That’s why it becomes operative a year later.

Foreclosure prevention – SB 628

Oregonians facing foreclosure often have difficulty contacting their lender to discuss their options, such as a possible loan modification. SB 628 requires that the lender or loan servicer notify a homeowner facing foreclosure of the right to a meeting (either face-to-face or by phone) and that the lender/loan servicer assess whether the borrower is eligible for a loan modification. SB 628 is effective September 29, 2009.

Tenants in foreclosure – SB 952 and HB 3004

These bills help Oregon renters living in foreclosed homes by requiring advance notice of the foreclosure proceedings and providing protections related to leases and security deposits. The notice will provide information about tenants’ rights and where they can go for assistance. HB 3004/SB 952 are effective August 4, 2009 / August 23, 2009 (respectively).

Deficiency judgments after foreclosure – HB 3004

Prior to the mortgage lending crisis, many homebuyers financed 80 percent of the purchase price with a mortgage and trust deed and the remaining 20 percent with second mortgage financed from the same lender. However, these consumers did not have the same protections under Oregon’s foreclosure laws as borrowers with a single mortgage loan. HB 3004 closes that loophole by precluding lenders that foreclosure on borrower with an 80/20 loan from collecting from the second loan if the home sells for less than what the borrower owes.

Bills Introduced: Vets, Chronic Homeless, Sustainable Communities, TARP–top

The Senate and House are now on August recess until September 8. The fall legislative agenda is full of housing issues, including appropriations, preservation, the Section 8 voucher reform bill, public housing issues and the Section 811 housing for persons with disabilities legislation. Here are five bills that were introduced before the recess (click on a bill to jump down to it):

Comprehensive Veterans Housing and Service Bill
Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act (SELHA)
Sustainable Housing and Communities Bill; Merkley Co-Sponsors
Two Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) Bills

Comprehensive Veterans Housing and Service Bill -top of article

Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), along with five co-sponsors, introduced the “Zero Tolerance for Veterans Homelessness Act of 2009” on July 30 (see Memo, 7/31). The bill, S. 1547, would provide funding for services and authorize an increasing number of vouchers annually for homeless veterans through FY14. The bill targets both veterans experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless.

The types of financial support that would be authorized by the bill include short- and medium-term rental assistance, security deposits, utility payments and moving costs. Rental assistance would be administered through a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) supported housing program. In FY10, 30,000 vouchers would be available in FY10 and an additional 10,000 would be available each fiscal year until FY14, when 60,000 vouchers would be are available.

The bill calls for case management services for each veteran receiving rental assistance, including housing services such as housing search, landlord-tenant mediation, landlord outreach, credit repair, benefits access and referral to other federal programs. Additionally, case management would includes referrals for mental health, substance abuse, health education, employment and parenting skills services

A new staff position, a “special assistant” in the Office of the Secretary at the VA, would be responsible for ensuring veterans’ access to housing resources and services and also coordinate all programs serving homeless veterans. The bill would require data collection on both housing and services, for which the bill would necessitate require coordination between the VA and HUD.

Additionally, the Department VA would have to develop a “Plan to End Veteran Homelessness” within one year of the bill’s enactment. This plan would include performing an analysis of VA and other federal programs, evaluating potential partnerships between programs, and recommending the merger, elimination or creation of programs.

The bill would also make newly constructed transitional housing projects eligible for service grants. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs and no action has been scheduled at this time.

Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act (SELHA) -top of article

Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Jack Reed (D-RI) introduced on July 28 the “Services for Ending Long-Term Homelessness Act” (SELHA; see Memo, 7/31). The bill would provide services to chronically homeless individuals and families moving into permanent supported housing. The bill would also provide five-year, renewable grants for public or nonprofit agencies to provide services for households moving into permanent supported housing.

Households could begin receiving services while experiencing homelessness and could continue receiving them once housed. Grants would target households that have been homeless longer than others, have high utilization rates of emergency systems of care, or have a history with the criminal justice or law enforcement systems.

A minimum of 80% of grant funds would have to serve households that meet the definition for chronic homelessness. As defined by HUD, an individual is chronically homeless if he or she is currently homeless, has experienced homelessness for one year or four times in the previous three years, and has a disability. Families, who are not included in HUD’s current definition but who would be considered chronically homeless for purposes of the bill, must be currently homeless and meet the history of homeless criteria and have a head of household with a disability.

Eligible service areas include mental health, substance abuse and recovery, life skills and access to benefits. If households move from permanent supported housing, they could continue to receive services for up to 90 days or until existing services are transitioned to other support agencies.

The bill’s grant performance measures include increases in housing stability, increases in employment and education, and reduction of problems related to substance abuse or mental health disorders. Baseline measures for performance outcomes are not included in the bill.

The services would be administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill does not authorize funds for these services.

The bill, S. 1523, was referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. No action on the bill has been scheduled at this time.

Sustainable Housing and Communities Bill; Merkley Co-Sponsors-top of article

Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) introduced legislation on August 6 to create an Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities within HUD.

The bill, The Livable Communities Act of 2009, S. 1619, would also create a competitive, comprehensive regional planning grant program that would provide funding to communities to do regional housing and transportation planning. Communities that receive planning grants would then be eligible to receive challenge grants to implement their plans by investing in public transportation, transit oriented development, redeveloping polluted sites, and affordable housing. Finally, building off a partnership announced last month, the bill would establish an Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities, formally convening HUD, the Department of Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies on these matters.

The bill would authorize $100 million a year for four years for the comprehensive planning grants, for which consortia of local governments, metropolitan planning organizations, rural planning organizations, or regional councils would be eligible. Large metropolitan areas with 500,000 or more people could receive grants up to $5 million, communities with between 200,000 and 499,999 people could receive up to $1.5 million, and smaller metropolitan and micropolitan areas would be eligible for up to $750,000.

Recipients of the planning grants would then be eligible for $3.75 billion of authorized funds in increasing amounts over three years to assist implementation of the comprehensive regional plans. Maximum grants range from $100 million for large areas to $35 million for medium-sized areas and $15 million for small areas.

The bill would also require the director of the new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities to produce two reports within a year of passage, one on incentives for energy- and location- efficient mortgages and the other on the development of a “housing location affordability index,” which would combine housing and transportation costs in determining the affordability of a person’s home.

The bill includes a number of specific references to low income, very low income, and extremely low income families, and providing affordable housing for these populations is an eligible use for both the planning and the challenge grants. However, there appears to be no particular emphasis on such projects in selecting grantees and no explicit requirement that grantees plan or undertake such projects. There is also no reporting requirement on the implications of plans and projects on low income, very low income, or extremely low income households.

The Senate Committee on Appropriations’ FY10 HUD spending bill would provide $150 million for HUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative. The Committee’s report on its HUD spending bill, made public the week of August 3 (see related article elsewhere in Memo), would provide the funds requested by HUD for FY10. The $150 million includes $100 million for Regional Integrated Planning Grants to be promoted by HUD, EPA and DOT; $40 million local planning grants, with priority for localities within areas served by the regional planning grants; and $10 million for HUD, in partnership with the DOT, to conduct research around this initiative. The House’s FY10 HUD spending bill also provided $150 million for HUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative.

The bill is cosponsored by Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Daniel Akaka (D-HI), and Charles Schumer (D-NY).

Two Troubled Asset Relief Program Bills-top of article

Two bills related to the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) were introduced in the House on July 31.

Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-OH) introduced H.R. 3452, which would impose an additional tax on bonuses received from certain TARP recipients and deposit this tax revenue into HUD’s Section 4 Capacity Building for Community Development program. HUD’s Section 4 program provides grants to intermediaries so they may help develop the capacity of nonprofit community development corporations to enhance their technical and administrative capabilities. The grant allocations are limited to five national intermediaries: Enterprise Community Partners, the Local Initiative Support Corporation, Habitat for Humanity, Youthbuild USA and Living Cities/National Community Development Initiative.

The bill was referred to the House Committees on Ways and Means, and Financial Services.

On the same day, Representative Bob Inglis (R-SC) introduced H.Res. 714 to express the sense of the House that any interest or dividends repaid from the Troubled Asset Relief Program should be used solely for debt reduction. H.R. 3068, introduced earlier by House Financial Services Chair Barney Frank (D-MA), would use TARP funds to support several programs, including the National Housing Trust Fund (see Memo, 7/10).

H.Res. 714 was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

NACEDA Pushes for Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Enhancements–top

The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA) joined with a diverse coalition of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit stakeholders in the Affordable Rental Housing A.C.T.I.O.N. (A Call To Invest in Our Neighborhoods) Campaign to endorse proposals to stimulate affordable rental housing production while preserving and creating tens of thousands of jobs. This is an initial step in an ongoing advocacy effort; expect ongoing updates and alerts from NACEDA on this high-priority policy item. Highlights of the A.C.T.I.O.N. proposal include:
•    Expand exchange provisions to maintain development pipeline to 2010;
•    Immediately stimulate, broaden investment base for, and maintain housing credit investment demand investment by increasing the Housing Credit investment carryback period;
•    Further broaden the investor base for the LIHTC.
For additional detailed information and to join the coalition’s e-mail list, click here.

35th Anniversary of Section 8, Community Development Block Grants–top

The Oregon Housing Blog reports that Saturday August 22nd marks the 35th anniversary of three major HUD programs:
•    Section 8 Housing Vouchers
•    Section 8 Project Based Rental Assistance
•    Community Development Block Grants
These three landmark HUD programs were a creation of the Nixon administration. However, the actual legislation was signed by President Ford on August 22, 1974 just two weeks after Nixon announced his resignation.

Read the whole story at the Oregon Housing Blog by clicking here.

PORTLAND METRO NEWS

Hacienda CDC Welcomes Working-Class Families to Miraflores Project –top

Hacienda Community Development Corporation opened the doors of its Miraflores affordable housing project to residents in Portland’s Portsmouth neighborhood on August 11. Targeting working class Latino families and other immigrants, Hacienda CDC’s latest rental project is priced to be affordable to people earning 30-50% of area median income. There is already a long waiting list for the project, but the number to inquire is 503-289-4802.

A special public event to celebrate the grand opening of Miraflores took place on August 13 at the project site, located at 8901 N. Newell Avenue in North Portland. In addition to live Latin music and homemade tamales from Hacienda’s Micro Mercantes vendors, the event featured remarks from local dignitaries including Portland Commissioner Nick Fish; Oregon State Representative Tina Kotek; Enrique Cuevas, Consul of Mexico in Portland; Portland Housing Bureau Director Margaret Van Vliet; Victor Merced of Oregon Housing and Community Services; Paul Cummings of Enterprise Community Partners and a Miraflores resident.

“We are thrilled to open Miraflores as the latest step forward in Hacienda’s mission to develop high-quality, environmentally friendly affordable housing that builds a true sense of community,” said Pietro Ferrari, executive director of Hacienda Community Development Corporation. “Projects such as Miraflores not only provide housing for our resident community, but also deliver critical support services and deepen community engagement to help improve our residents’ overall quality of life.”

Providing New Affordable Housing Options, Building Community

The Miraflores development consists of 32 apartments featuring 2-bedroom, 3-bedroom and 4-bedroom apartments, as well as five floating units for victims of domestic violence. Building amenities include a spacious multi-purpose community room with full kitchen, offices and computers, a playground area, on-site child care unit, bicycle parking and a central courtyard for residents to interact. Street improvements at the entrance to Miraflores are designed to offer greater accessibility to buslines and enhance safety in the neighborhood.

Like all of Hacienda’s residential communities, Miraflores residents are offered an array of culturally appropriate services tailored to their needs that promote parental involvement, personal development and academic support. Youth in grades 1-8 can participate in after-school programs at the on-site community center, and adults can participate in parenting classes, healthy cooking workshops and relationship counseling. Hacienda’s adult education centers, Plaza Comunitarias, also provide opportunities for educational advancement and workforce skills development.

Environmentally-friendly Affordable Housing

The Miraflores project is characterized by several sustainable design and construction techniques that not only help protect the environment but also reduce utility costs for residents. Miraflores apartments are Energy Star rated and the project is also certified as an Enterprise Green Community. Sustainable features include:
-    Project site located in close proximity to public transit to encourage reduced car use
-    Open-loop ground source heating pump system for heating, space cooling and hot water expected to reduce energy costs by up to 70%
-    Low-flow water fixtures, dual-flush toilets and Energy Star appliances
-    Low/no VOC paints, adhesives and sealant
-    Recycled content carpeting, formaldehyde-free cabinetry and countertops
-    Flow-through planters to collect stormwater runoff on top of soil and filter pollutants
Hacienda’s Growing Affordable Housing Portfolio

Since 1992, Hacienda has rehabilitated or built nearly 400 units of affordable housing serving about 2,000 residents, primarily in the northeast Portland area. In 2007, Hacienda opened its first rural farmworker development known as Plaza Los Robles in Molalla, which recently received first-place honors in the category of rural development at the National Development Council’s 2009 awards competition.

With support from a grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Hacienda hired a housing development director in 2007 to help the organization manage its housing projects from concept to completion. In doing so, Hacienda has been able to build its in-house expertise to directly manage the development and construction of its housing communities. As a result, the organization is less dependent on third-parties to do this work.

“We are committed to supporting initiatives that build the operating capacity of nonprofits, such as Hacienda. These initiatives help nonprofit organizations serve more people, do their work better, and create lasting, positive change in local communities,” said Susan Coliton, vice president of the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation.

Hacienda’s growing housing portfolio now consists of eight developments that incorporate innovative green building and energy-efficient features. Nearly 85% of Hacienda’s residents are Latino, and children represent more than half of all residents. To help meet the needs of an underserved market, Hacienda’s developments target families and individuals earning 30-60% of area median income.

REACH 20th Paint and Repair-a-thon Improves a Record 21 Homes–top

Nearly 300 inspiring volunteers helped make REACH’s 20thyear of the Paint & Repair-a-thon (PARAT) a record-setting success.

On Saturday, August 1st, after a rousing send-off at Lents Park, a dedicated crew of PARAT volunteers hit the streets in Lents with their paintbrushes and tools. A record twenty-one homes and 116 projects from plumbing, carpentry and electrical to painting and yard work were successfully completed by the day’s end.
“What a wonderful program,” said one of the PARAT recipients. “I feel so grateful for the work that was done. It was great.”

PARAT 2009 was also generously supported by the following sponsors, who donated their resources, time, skills, and materials to help make this year’s event a record-breaking success. Check them out by clicking here.

REACH gives special thanks to Grainger International, a new sponsor this year. In addition to sending the largest crew ever to the Paint & Repair-a-thon (30 people!), Grainger made a generous gift of $30,000 to REACH to support their programs.
Click here to see 2009 Paint & Repair-a-thon photos.

ANOTHER COUNTY HEARD FROM – MEMBER NEWS AROUND THE STATE

Lane County St Vincent de Paul Summer Camp Spiced with Learning, Fun–top

Here’s a summer recipe for entertaining 80 kids, ages 6 through 13: Start with a huge helping of the great outdoors, fizz with extreme science, nourish with positive food choices, recycle, compost, spice it up with aspects of different cultures, and blend in lots of pool water. Bake for a few days in record-breaking heat, and you’ve got Summer Joy Camp, a 5-week adventure for kids from Oakwood Manor, Ross Lane, and Santa Clara Place, all affordable-housing complexes developed and managed by the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County.

Now the stuff of lifelong memories, Summer Joy Camp was heavily seasoned with educational and recreational activities thanks to grants from the Autzen Foundation and Juan Young Trust, the participation of community partners, and help from parents and teen volunteers. Resident Services Coordinators Samantha Heath, Mia Masters, and Guinevere Garcia concocted each day’s activities. Two recent college graduates landed summer work, one to ensure that academic skills weren’t forgotten, and the other to emphasize physical fitness and encourage a soccer game at every opportunity.

Each week of Camp followed a theme. Exploring the great outdoors included a trip to the Cascades Raptor Center. X-Treme Science brought scientists to the Oakwood grounds for live demonstrations before an amazed throng. A study of food took kids to a local farm. In a four-day Race Around the World kids sampled Chinese food and smashed a piñata at a community fiesta.

Lending expertise and accommodation to each week’s theme were M.E.C.C.A., OSU Extension Services NEP, Master Composters, the City of Eugene Aquatics Department, the Willamette Valley Company, and Lane Community College. Breakfast and lunch were provided each day of camp by FOOD for Lane County.

Among the tenant volunteers are Don and Carol Caruso who, during Kids in the Kitchen Week, grilled burgers, monitored side dishes, and did a lot of cleanup.

“I love it,” Don said of Summer Camp. “It keeps the kids busy and out of trouble. It gives them something to do during the summer so they’re not stuck at home watching TV all day.”

And it’s not all about kids.

“Camp gives parents a chance to know each other,” Carol added. “When they pick their kids up and drop them off, it’s like a big family. Camp gives us a chance to know who are neighbors are.”

St. Vincent de Paul is Lane County’s largest developer of affordable housing with 960 units serving individuals, families, seniors, and special populations, including chronically homeless veterans.

St. Vinnie’s kids will be at the fore again at the Golf for Kids Tournament on Friday, Sept. 11 at the Springfield Country Club. Proceeds are used to fund enrichment activities and scholarships. More information is available at www.svdp.us or by calling 541-687-5820.

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

New Relief Loan Fund for Human Services Responding to Economic Crisis –top

The Kresge Foundation has established a 24- to 36-month, interest-free program-related investment fund offering bridge loans of $250,000 to $500,000 each to high-performance human service organizations so that they may be better able to meet ever-increasing demand for food, shelter, and other emergency services. Homeless and domestic-violence shelters, safety-net providers, affordable housing and supportive services, legal aid services, emergency assistance providers, and multi-service health and human service organizations are encouraged to apply. Click here to access the RFP.

RGK Foundation Supports Human Services, Community Improvement–top

RGK Foundation supports a broad range of human services, community improvement, abuse prevention, and youth development programs. Human service programs of particular interest include children and family services, early childhood development, and parenting education. The Foundation is also interested in programs that enhance non-profit management and promote philanthropy and voluntarism.

The Foundation requires an electronic Letter of Inquiry (LOI). If the LOI is accepted, the organization will be invited to submit a proposal. There is no deadline, LOIs are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

EVENTS, TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES

REACH New Program Informs Community, Promotes Properties–top

REACH is launching an exciting new program, From the Ground Up, designed to give people information about REACH, combined with a tour of one of their properties. These are one-hour information sessions, led by REACH staff and volunteers. They’re fun, informative, and easy to fit into busy schedules.

It’s an excellent opportunity to connect the greater Portland community to the important work REACH does. It’s also a chance to meet REACH leadership and others who care about affordable housing.

Station Place Tower in northwest Portland and Patton Park Apartments in north Portland will be the featured sites of From the Ground Up in 2009. Station Place Tower will have sessions from 7:30 – 8:30 am on September 3 & 17, October 1 & 15, and December 11. Patton Park will have one session in November 5, 4:30 to 5:30 pm.

For details and online registration click here.

Save the Date – NW Community Land Trust Coalition Conference Oct 21-23–top

The Northwest Community Land Trust Coalition will host their Fall Conference in Portland, Oregon, October 21-23, 2009.  Please save the date! Details to follow.

REPORTS

Tenants Overcharged for Rent Because Utility Allowances Too Low–top

The National Housing Law Project (NHLP) has published a pamphlet regarding utility allowances in federally subsidized housing. NHLP has found that tenants around the country are being overcharged for rent because their “utility allowance”—the allowance that federally subsidized tenants receive to help pay for reasonable utility bills—is too low.

According to the pamphlet, rent plus utilities should not exceed more than 30% of a tenant’s monthly income. Because rent costs and utility costs combined cannot exceed the 30% of income, when a tenant’s utility costs are too high because utility allowances are too low, the resulting portion of 30% of a tenant’s income that comes from their rent payment is higher than it should be. The pamphlet provides tenant leaders with an overview of how utility allowances work, including how to find out how much utility allowance one receives, how to assess whether this allowance is too low, and how tenants can work together to gather information about rates.

The National Housing Law Project pamphlet, “Having Trouble Paying Your Utilities and Rent?” can be found by clicking here.

Report Says Renting Is Smart Choice–top

Tom Cusak of the Oregon Housing Blog analyzed data from a new paper published by the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Click here to see the Center’s paper.

Tom constructed the table below focusing on the Portland metro area by using data in report:

Measure                               Before Taxes     After Tax,       After Tax,
.                                                             15% Bracket      25% Bracket
Median Home Price 06-07    $283,800          $283,800 $283,800
Monthly Ownership Costs     $1,542 $1,457               $1,400
Monthly Fair Market Rent      $809                 $809      $809
Monthly Savings from Rent   $733       $648    $591

(Tom’s note: “Results are highly dependent on accuracy of values selected for comparison; I have not attempted to analyze the accuracy of the values selected. I did note that rent base used was for 2 BR Fair Market Rent, which may be less than typical size/quality than a prospective homeowner might be willing and able to pay.”)

Click here to see the blog posting.

New Concise Congressional Report on Veterans and Homelessness–top

The June 2009 Congressional Research Service report offers a very concise, comprehensive review of veteran homeless data and programs. Click here to read the report; the link also includes links to earlier related reports.

[Note: Veteran counts are available from American Community Survey; click here to see 2007 counts; 2008 ACS schedule (click here) says updated data is coming out at end of September for 1 year estimates, end of October for 3 year estimates.

Click here to see story as originally posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

RESOURCES

ARRA Clearinghouse, SIRR Updated: New HPRP, NSP, Weatherization Materials –top

The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) continues to maintain a clearinghouse of information about housing-related programs in the February’s stimulus bill, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). A number of materials from advocacy organizations were added recently.

Materials added about HUD’s Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) include a guide from the Technical Assistance Collaborative (TAC) and three guides from the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH). TAC’s “The New Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program” is a 12-page basic HPRP guide with a focus on extremely low income people with disabilities.

One of NAEH’s new guides, “Homelessness Prevention: Creating Programs that Work,” has 60 pages that can help organizations create a homelessness prevention program or improve an existing program. It includes information about the basics of prevention, start-up decisions and tools, interventions, and program evolution. A second, 16-page companion guide includes information about the nature and costs of homelessness and how to assess community needs and resources. The third guide, “Rapid Re-Housing: Creating Programs that Work,” has 82 pages designed to help organizations develop Rapid Re-Housing programs. Among the many topics covered in the guide are: assessing the community and selecting a program structure, selecting a target population, screening and assessment, financial assistance, housing options, stabilization, and staffing issues.

HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) is the subject of another TAC guide, “Using the Neighborhood Stabilization Program to Help Create Permanent Supportive Housing.”

The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), run by the Department of Energy (DOE) recently had a flurry of activity related to Davis-Bacon prevailing wages. Three documents, including Notice 09-09, were added by DOE. In response, CAPLAW (the organization providing legal education and services to Community Action Agencies) issued an article and a Q&A paper.

The Brookings Institution’s Metropolitan Policy Program launched a new “Implementing ARRA” website which includes a framing paper that highlights the emergence and nature of innovative ARRA implementation in metropolitan areas. While not exclusively housing-oriented, the paper and 11 “design snapshots” include examples of uses of NSP, WAP, and the DOE’s Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant, which NLIHC’s ARRA Clearinghouse covers.

Access NLIHC’s ARRA Clearinghouse by clicking here.

SIRR Continues to Grow

NLIHC also operates The State Internet Research Repository (SIRR), a library of state- and local-level housing research conducted by or for their state partners. SIRR is a resource to help housing advocates stay current on other states’ findings as well as the research questions and methodologies being pursued at the state and local levels across the country.

The collection, which continues to grow, includes a wide variety of research, including reports, case studies, conference papers and presentations, fact sheets, and briefs.

Recent additions to SIRR include:
·         A California report evaluating the extent to which two new programs created by a new state funding source in 2006 will reach households with low incomes. The Transit Oriented Development (TOD) program will create 3,600 homes within walking distance of transit stations; 1,770 will be affordable to people with low incomes. The Infill Infrastructure Grant program will encourage urban infill by funding infrastructure that supports new housing. Of the 9,900 new homes anticipated, 4,800 will be affordable to households with low incomes.
·         A Pennsylvania report recommends creation of a statewide Housing Trust Fund and notes that, for every dollar invested, the state’s coffers would reap $1.62 to $2.26 for from sales of supplies used in construction. The study notes that the biggest and quickest return on taxpayer investment comes from the rehab of existing properties because each dollar invested yields 20 full-time jobs for a year.
·         A Massachusetts survey revealed that 67% of respondents support developing affordable homes in their neighborhood, and 63% disagree that affordable homes would lead to more crime. A full 87.5% support policies to protect renters facing foreclosure, and 72% support increasing state financial support on rental assistance for those at risk of homelessness.

Access SIRR by clicking here.

Newsletter, August 6

CAPACITY MATTERS – PART 1 of an exciting new series!
Capacity Matters – Umpqua CDC Welcomes Constance Hammons Home

STATEWIDE NEWS
Now That Is Production – Oregon CDCs Top $1B in Housing Development
Urban League State of Black Oregon Shows Profound Poverty, Housing Gaps
Hope for Tenants Losing Section 8 in Clatsop County
LaMont Replaces Medinger as the Chair of the State Housing Council

FEDERAL NEWS
House Passes FY 2010 T-HUD Appropriations, Senate Committee Reports
HUD Responds to Shortfalls in Voucher Funding – Contact HUD by Aug 14
2010 Fair Market Rents Published
SEVRA Passes House Committee with Modified HIP Program
New Requirements for Nonprofits: Whistleblower, HIPAA, Billing, Mergers
Rural Housing and Economic Development Improvement Act Filed
USDA Announces ARRA Section 502 Funds, Other Rural Dev Admin Notices
Housing Begins Slow Rebound, but Affordability Still Threatened
Give Comments on Underserved Rural Markets, Insufficient Credit Histories
HUD Encourages Public Housing Authorities to Implement Non-Smoking Policies
Preservation Organizations Request Timely Access to REAC Scores
HOPE IV Blamed for Loss of 50,000 Affordable Housing Units
Housing Advocates Seek to Influence Climate Bill, Retrofit Assisted Housing

PORTLAND METRO NEWS
PDC Reports More Housing Affordable to the Wealthiest, Less to Poorest

AWARDS
WW Picks Elisa Aguilera of CAT as Best Advocate for Low-Income Tenants

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
Home Depot Building Healthy Communities Grant Opportunity
HUD Offers Funds for SHOP, Healthy Homes Tech Studies, HOPE VI, More
USDA Funds for Rural Housing, Utilities Service and Business Programs

EVENTS AND CONFERENCES
2009 Build it Green Home Tour and Info Fair in Portland – September 19
Sustainable, Affordable Communities Conference, More Details –Sept. 25

REPORTS
The Impacts of Foreclosures on Families and Communities: A Primer
Local Data on Seriously Delinquent Mortgages Published

RESOURCES AND TRAININGS
Renters’ Rights Workshop – Aug 12
HOME and NSP Training – August 25-26
Free Webinars on Microenterprise, Tax Prep, Financial Management, More

STATEWIDE NEWS

Now That Is Production – Oregon CDCs Top $1B in Housing Development–top

At an annual census of member developments, Oregon ON members have crossed the $1M mark. You can download a summary of their work from our website.

Urban League State of Black Oregon Shows Profound Poverty, Housing Gaps –top

Seven months after the inauguration of the first Black president, a statewide report on the condition of African Americans in Oregon reveals that black Oregonians remain at or near the bottom of every meaningful social and economic measure. African Americans in Oregon have significantly higher infant mortality rates, are more likely to live in poverty, have higher levels of unemployment, are half as likely to own their own homes and are far more likely to die of diseases such as diabetes than their white counterparts.

The State of Black Oregon was published on July 29th by the Urban League of Portland for the first time in 17 years. The report contains a stark inventory of statistics that show a persistent gap in living standards between black and white Oregonians – a gap that is growing wider as a result of the current economic downturn.

“During the last eight years, the poverty gap in America and in this state has continued to grow,” says Marcus C. Mundy, president and CEO of the Urban League of Portland. ”If there’s a poverty gap for Americans generally, the African-American poverty gap widens to chasm proportions. This flies in the face of the ideals our country stands for, and simply should not be acceptable here in Oregon or anywhere else.”

Visit The State of Black Oregon website.

Download a complete PDF of The State of Black Oregon. http://ulpdx.org/documents/UrbanLeague-StateofBlackOregon.pdf

Read a story about Black unemployment and the League’s report in the Oregonian by clicking here.

Hope for Tenants Losing Section 8 in Clatsop County –top

Please see related story in the Federal section of this newsletter, “HUD Responds to PHAs Facing Shortfalls in FY09 Voucher Funding.”

Clatsop Community Action, (CCA) has pledged to assist clients losing section 8 vouchers through December.

The volunteer Board of Directors authorized their agency Director to use operating funds, expected stimulus funding, and any charitable donations or city grants specified for the cause to assist all Clatsop County residents affected by loss of section 8 Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA) vouchers. They expect to help these families through December and hope NOHA will be able to reinstate families after that time. They also expect assistance from the communities, faith-based organizations, landlords, and concerned citizens to help fill the funding gap needed to ensure the families do not become homeless.

“The citizens of Clatsop County have stepped up to help their neighbors on many occasions,” said George Sabol, CCA’s Executive Director. “For example, the December storm of 2007 was catastrophic to many county residents. People helped their neighbors and they opened their hearts and wallets to help others in need throughout the county.” Various non-profit and governmental agencies teamed up to meet the challenge. “It makes me proud to live here”, Sabol continued, “and the help is happening again.”

“We need to address this crisis at hand,” Father Richard Loop, the CCA Board President stated, although he acknowledged a tough decision was made to use funding targeted for use over a three year period (if necessary).

“It would really be great if NOHA would pay back our agency over the next few years so that we can use the funding as originally intended,” said Loop. However, he added CCA did not expect repayment. Sabol stated his main concern is that NOHA has not been able to guarantee reinstatement dates yet and funds available through CCA are limited. He is optimistic all families will remain in their homes.

Contact Clatsop Community Action: 364 9th Street, Astoria, Oregon 97103; www.ccaservices.org; Telephone: 503-325-1400; Fax: 503-325-1153; Email.

July 23 Newsletter

STATEWIDE NEWS
Oregon Jumps to #1 Homelessness Per Capita, Number of Families Increase
Website, Database Key Tool to Preserve At-Risk Housing
Oregon $27.3 Million Tax Credit Assistance Plan Approved
Neighborhood Stabilization Program Addresses Blight
Analyst Predicts Oregon Foreclosures May Cycle Down
New Davis Bacon Residential Wage Decision for Select Oregon Counties
Oregon Gets $955k for 175 Homeless Veteran Vouchers

FEDERAL NEWS
Treasury Announces $486 Million to Create Jobs, Affordable Housing
House Completes FY10 Appropriations, Most Programs See Increases
Bill Introduced to Preserve Affordable Rental Housing Via Exit Tax Relief
House Holds Hearing on Preservation Legislation
Section 8 Voucher Reform Act Mark Up Rescheduled
Rural Dev Office Explains Davis-Bacon for ARRA-Funded Mortgages
FHA Loans Set New Record in June
Guidance Issued on Using Section 538 for Section 515 Preservation
USDA Funding Bills Approved by Full House, Senate Committee

PORTLAND METRO NEWS
HDC to Conduct Affordable Housing Portfolio Review
Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East Secures $60,000
Proud Ground Open House TONIGHT – Come See New Overlook Space
United Way Grants Oregon ON $34K for Res Services Cost Analysis Study
Bienestar Makes Use of Creative Connections
Catholic Charities Hires Development Officers

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
MetLife Awards for Senior Independent Living – Enter by Aug 14
Invitation for Rural Community Development Applications – Due Sept 24
Broadband Tech Funding Available for Public and Assisted Housing

EVENTS, TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES
NAYA Native American Housing to Homeownership Fair – July 25
Grand Opening of Miraflores, Hacienda’s Newest Housing Site –August 13
NEBC Brownfields Redevelopment Conference – October 18
Rural Rental Preservation Conference – September 24

REPORTS
Survey Finds Foreclosure and Economic Crises Increase Homelessness
Report Names “10 Meanest Cities” for People Experiencing Homelessness

RESOURCES
New Nonprofit Leader Bootcamp – August 31- Sept 4
One-stop Free Link for Housing Providers and Consumers
HUD GIS Tool Supports Orgs Helping Those Experiencing Homelessness

STATEWIDE NEWS

Oregon Jumps to #1 Homelessness Per Capita, Number of Families Increase -top

A recently released federal report shows that after climbing for the third year in a row, a greater percentage of Oregon’s population is experiencing homelessness than any other U.S. state. Also, Oregon was one of only 8 states that had more people unsheltered than sheltered. Nationally a full 42% of people experiencing homelessness were unsheltered.

Among those experiencing homelessness nationally, people in families grew almost 10%. As far as people in shelters, 32% were in families and 20% were children- half of which are 5 years old or younger.

Presented each year by the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) agency to Congress, the Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) shows that while states like New York had much higher overall numbers, their percentage was lower relative to their population: for example, .31% in New York, compared to .54% in Oregon.

To housing advocates, the numbers show that despite important new allocations in state funding and significant funding from Portland in the past three years, there is still significant work to be done to secure affordable housing for hardworking Oregon families, seniors, and people with disabilities.

“It is a tragedy that so many people in Oregon suffer from both homelessness and hunger, of which we are ranked #3 in the country,” said Patti Whitney-Wise, Executive Director of the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force. “They are both income issues, and numbers sometimes obscure the real families in crisis that need our help to get on their feet and succeed. Oregonians need to recognize that these families are our neighbors. We as a state need to wrestle with how we tax and fund services so that we can provide the opportunity for all families to succeed.”

Oregon jumped to #1 after being ranked fourth in the nation (.47%) in 2007 and fifth in the nation (.41%) in 2006. The rankings exclude traditionally high U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

2008’s report shows that 664,000 people nationwide were homeless—either sheltered or unsheltered—on a single night in January 2008, down about 7,500 people (or one percent) from the previous year.

However, the report noted some disturbing trends, including a 9% rise in families experiencing homelessness, and a 9% rise in people experiencing homelessness in suburban and rural areas. It also noted that a greater share of people accessing the homeless service system came from stays with family and friends and from places where they had lived for a year or more, suggesting that people who were previously stably housed had become homeless after exhausting their housing options.

“The HUD report paints the picture of the growing struggles of low-income families in Oregon,” says Elisa Aguilera, Co-director of the Community Alliance of Tenants. “Oregonians cannot keep waiting for real and meaningful investments in affordable housing. The recent win in additional revenue from the document recording fee is a real impact in Oregon, but it is just a start. In order to succeed, hardworking families need a place to call home.”

The report cautions that data collection ended in September 2008 just when the economic crisis was accelerating, and suggests that these early trends could be precursors to even bigger problems.

These numbers dovetail with recent numbers from the State of Oregon showing a 35%-37% increase in homelessness across the state, mostly represented by newly homeless families: a total of 17,000 Oregonians experiencing homelessness.

The report and more related information is available at the Oregon Housing Blog by clicking here.

Website, Database Key Tool to Preserve At-Risk Housing-top

6,300 units of affordable housing across Oregon are at serious risk of reverting to market rate housing over the next five years. The Oregon Housing Acquisition Project has launched a new website to help preserve those units. The site, www.preserveoregonhousing.com, includes a searchable database of all the Preservation properties in the state along with detailed property and contact information. The database was developed and is maintained by Neighborhood Partnerships. Oregon Housing and Community Services provided the initial funding for its creation.

Background of Problem
Oregon’s federally subsidized housing stock is at risk. Over the next five years, 6,300 affordable rental apartments will reach the end of their subsidy contracts. When the contracts expire, the property owners are allowed to opt out of the program and convert the housing to market rate. Many of these units have Section 8 subsidies which allow tenants to pay deeply reduced rents based on each household’s annual income. These kinds of subsidy are an invaluable resource for families with low incomes, adults with disabilities, and seniors.

Unless these units and their subsidies are preserved, Oregon could lose thousands of affordable homes at a time when demand for affordable housing already exceeds the supply in every part of the state. Almost three-quarters of Oregon’s very low-income households currently spend more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage payments. Over one-third of Portland’s very low-income households spend more than half of their household income on rent. Rent-burdened households are often hard pressed to pay rent and still afford food, medicine, and other necessities. These households are just one layoff or illness away from eviction and homelessness.

The Solution
The Oregon Housing Acquisition Project (OHAP) came about through an unprecedented collaboration among committed housing professionals. Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) and the City of Portland’s Bureau of Housing and Community Development joined with other leaders from around the state to find a way to prevent the loss of federal subsidies (referred to nationally as Preservation Properties). The group set a goal of preserving 6,000 units of housing for 25,000 Oregon families by 2013. Other program goals include:

1. Work with government agencies and private funders to streamline Preservation processes and secure gap financing;

2. Link interested sellers of Preservation projects with preservation-oriented buyers, provide technical assistance to buyer and sellers, and refer buyers to development consultants;

3. Establish a $44 million fund, the Housing Acquisition Fund, to finance interim acquisition of Preservation Projects and other projects and sites; and

4. Catalyze “green” building by providing gap financing for owners of permanently affordable Preservation projects who install upgrades to maximize energy efficiency and indoor air quality.

The group selected NOAH (the Network for Oregon Affordable Housing) to manage the program and the associated Housing Acquisition Fund. NOAH is a lending consortium with long term relationships within the banking community and has historically provided many of the permanent loans on affordable housing projects around the state. With strong underwriting capacity already in-house, NOAH hired a Preservation Director in March of 2008 to work specifically on Preservation issues.

Since the program’s launch, OHAP has already made strides towards reaching the program’s goals. Early successes include:

• Establishment of the Housing Acquisition Fund which is currently capitalized with a combination of foundation and private funds at over $32 million. These funds are available to eligible borrowers who wish to purchase Preservation properties. They are designed as short term (3-4 year) low interest loans to facilitate quick purchase by buyers committed to maintaining rental subsidies long term. Obtaining permanent financing for affordable housing can take two or more years; the Fund allows buyers to act more quickly and compete in the open market to prevent affordable apartments from converting to market rate.

o As of the end of March, 2009, eight properties have utilized the fund. These projects represent a combined 287 affordable homes that are now permanently preserved for low income families and individuals.

• OHAP staff are finalizing an agreement with project partner, Enterprise Communities, which will establish the Green Pilot Program. This program provides funds for researching energy efficient construction options and money to help cover the cost of installing the recommended items.

• Creation of the Preserve Oregon Housing website (www.preserveoregonhousing.com) that includes a searchable database of all the Preservation properties in the state along with detailed property and contact information. The database is maintained by the Neighborhood Partnership Fund.

• By establishing two working groups, one consisting of agency managers and another of field level staff, the OHAP is encouraging innovation and cooperation among the agencies working on Preservation deals. These groups have proved an invaluable resource when trying to accommodate sometimes conflicting program rules and regulations.

• Support for OHAP: Just-passed SB 5535 provides $19.4 million in lottery-backed bonds to preserve affordable housing and manufactured home dwelling parks. $16.3 is for multi-family housing with federal rent assistance, and $3.1 million is for manufactured home parks. Funding was effective July 1, 2009. The third leg of the agenda, SB 199 would have increased the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit cap by $4 million in support of preserving existing federally subsidized affordable housing. SB 199 did not pass but currently there is not that much demand for OAHTC so it should not be a problem. There will be another opportunity in special session next February to try again.

The Oregon Acquisition Project is only one tool in the complex process of permanently preserving affordable housing. Developers, current owners, communities, and other funders all play a role in ensuring the long term viability of our state’s affordable housing portfolio. What OHAP creates is a way to quickly get the process started—to preserve the subsidy now while long term plans are set in motion. The success of the program’s fundraising campaign in the face of harsh economic times underlines the strength of team. OHAP is on track to meet their aggressive goals and secure an affordable future for all Oregonians.

Oregon $27.3 Million Tax Credit Assistance Plan Approved -top

On June 30 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) approved Oregon’s Tax Credit Assistance Program (TCAP) application, awarding $27.3 million in federal funds to move stalled affordable housing projects throughout the state.

“Many affordable housing projects were severely impacted when the nation’s economy worsened,” Gov. Ted Kulongoski said. “These federal economic stimulus dollars will cover the remaining financing gaps that will move these projects forward, developing critical housing for low-income Oregonians and creating jobs in communities throughout the state.”

For Oregon, the issue at hand relates principally to a mixture of 2009 tax credit projects and bond projects that preserve federally subsidized rental housing in some of the neediest regions in the state. Both types have been stalled due to current economic conditions.

TCAP, a HUD program, was created by the federal American and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to combat the distressed economy and its drag on housing construction. It works by supporting capitalization of affordable housing tax credit projects experiencing diminished tax credit value.

Stalled multifamily housing projects that received federal low-income housing tax credits in federal fiscal years 2007, 2008 and 2009 are eligible to participate in this federal capital investments subsidy program.

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), the state agency that manages Oregon’s low-income housing tax credit program and finances low- and moderate-income housing, is now moving quickly to administer TCAP and its companion Section 1602 Exchange Program and fill gaps on stalled projects.

OHCS reports that based on the most recently available project data and preliminary estimates of need for gap funding, there appears to be adequate TCAP and Section 1602 resources to meet the demand and assist most stalled tax credit projects.
They are working under compressed timelines to meet the needs of project sponsors and complete their work in accordance with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Treasury deadlines:

•    June 30 – Housing and Urban Development awarded $27.3 million in TCAP funds.
•    July 13 – OHCS conducted application training for gap financing.
•    August 10 – TCAP/Exchange applications are due to OHCS.
•    August 28 – State Housing Council makes TCAP and Exchange awards.
•    Sept. 1 – Projects may proceed toward start of construction this season.

Successful applicants are required to demonstrate financial need. They must also meet key criteria prescribed by the state, such as evidence of ability to expend resources effectively within federally mandated timelines. But most importantly, their projects must be ready to proceed and be complete in 2010-11.

The programs, as implemented by OHCS, cover preservation of federal subsidized rental housing in addition to new construction. The pipeline of potentially eligible projects includes about 30 developments across the state.

Vital to preparing a successful application, project sponsors must secure investment equity or demonstrate due diligence in striving to secure equity investments and leveraging those resources to complete their projects.

The OHCS Multifamily Housing Division has carefully analyzed the portfolio of potentially eligible projects in view of the ongoing volatility of the market. This analysis will continue during the TCAP and Exchange application process.

The diminished value of housing tax credits, which have historically been a stable source of private funding for our industry, exemplifies the dramatic downward spiral the recession has had on acquisition of capital investments. In addition, the tax credit value drop illustrates the fierce competition for the diminished capital available in the market.

Investment capital that historically has been readily available to develop a diverse portfolio of project types since 1986, when low-income housing tax credits were legislatively implemented, has dried up almost entirely in some markets around the country.

Projects have stalled without the anticipated equity infusions that were included in the financing structure completed prior to the competitive award of tax credits. Financing structures have had to adapt and carry the burden of a recessionary market.

The economic downturn has hurt investor earnings, diminishing their tax liabilities and need for long-term federal tax credits. Where investor interest still thrives, conservative real estate underwriting and healthy projects in markets with good demand will prevail.
Oregon has a portfolio of such projects, and with additional funds from TCAP and Exchange, OHCS anticipates completion of most developments to which the department has awarded tax credits.

Unlike many markets around the country where projects with 2008 credit awards have been unable to find investments, the bulk of Oregon’s 2008 tax credit projects are currently under construction. Remaining 2008 tax credit projects are eligible for federal stimulus gap-financing resources.

“We are pleased that HUD has approved our application and look forward to putting these funds to the best possible use in meeting critical affordable housing needs across the state,” Rick Crager, OHCS deputy director, said. “The sooner these projects can be built, the sooner communities will benefit from the resulting construction activity and the sooner families in need will have stable affordable housing.”

“The funding for these projects will come from a variety of public and private sources, Crager added, “and the TCAP stimulus funds will provide the last piece of the financial puzzle for many projects.”

OHCS is the direct grantee for TCAP and the associated ARRA Tax Credit Exchange Program. The state agency is responsible to implement and oversee deployment of these ARRA resources in Oregon. The implementation plan for TCAP and the exchange program are available on the OHCS Web site.

Next Steps:
An application for these funds is currently under development by OHCS and is expected to be issued on the agency’s Web site in the coming weeks. OHCS will hold a training session on completing the application and will provide additional assistance about eligible uses of these funds during the training.

Projects will be evaluated by OHCS based on their financial need, project readiness, investment availability, populations served, and other criteria as outlined in the state plan. The evaluation of projects will continue throughout the summer. TCAP will sunset February 16, 2012.

For more information, visit OHCS’ Web site at www.ohcs.oregon.gov or contact Mariana Negoita, 503-986-0968, email; or Floyd Smith, 503-986-6747, email.

Neighborhood Stabilization Program Addresses Blight, NSP Changes -top

Oregon Housing and Community Services reports that surging home foreclosures in Oregon, up substantially in the first quarter of 2009, are influencing policymakers to focus on the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
NSP is designed to stabilize communities facing blight caused by foreclosure, not to solve the foreclosure problem.

NSP experts Dona Lanterman and Becky Baxter of Oregon Housing and Community Services are currently working to assimilate federal rule changes in the first program (NSP1), and have just processed the application for the second program (NSP2).
NSP1 is worth $19.6 million to Oregon under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) to provide qualified government entities, developers and individuals to acquire, rehabilitate, demolish and redevelop foreclosed properties.

That money is just now getting into the Oregon pipeline to help revitalize the moribund housing market by facilitating purchase of foreclosed properties.

Key among the changes is a requirement that the sale price of a property be discounted 1 percent from the appraised value. The required discount had been 15 percent, a likely deal-killer in many instances. Holders of foreclosed properties might be reluctant to sell, even in this market, at such a deep mark-down. Thankfully, this rule was relaxed.

Dona and Becky returned to Oregon July 14 from a major instructional workshop to sort out the new rules and get NSP1 money working for Oregonians. They also packaged Oregon’s NSP2 application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by the July 17 deadline.

OHCS is applying for the NSP2 grant as a consortium with other key entities where the foreclosure challenges are great. Federal guidance on NSP allows use of funds only in the select areas of the state designated by HUD as hit hardest by foreclosure. These include parts of Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, Clackamas, Jackson, Washington, and Marion counties.

NSP2 is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, unlike NSP1, funded by HERA of 2008 (see above).

The foreclosure situation in Oregon has continued to worsen. Oregon homes in foreclosure jumped 31 percent during the first quarter of 2009 over the preceding quarter (14,064, up from 10,775), reports the Mortgage Bankers Association. This compares to a 16 percent quarter-to-quarter jump nationwide.

The greatest problem is in Central Oregon, where a significant number of targeted NSP2 census tracts are located. “Unemployment and loss of housing value” are major contributors to the “staggering” effects on Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties, according to Dona and Becky.

Analyst Predicts Oregon Foreclosures May Cycle Down -top

Tom Cusack at the Oregon Housing Blog analyzed the details of RealtyTrac foreclosure data and found that recent news stories may have misinterpreted the data. He was surprised to find that the reported count of trustee notices is trending down for the year, while REO has clearly gone up. To him, this means that although the trustee notice count is still quite high, if the economy begins to turn around and unemployment drops, a continuing decline in trustee notices would eventually translate into fewer REO actions. Read the full post by clicking here.

New Davis Bacon Residential Wage Decision for Select Oregon Counties -top

For new Davis Bacon wage decisions specific to Oregon, click here. There was a New Residential decision (OR20080007) issued July 17th for Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Jackson, Lane, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington and Yamhill Counties in Oregon. Click here to read it.

Tom Cusack at the Oregon Housing Blog reports that there may not be any significant changes: read more by clicking here.

Oregon Gets $955K for 175 Homeless Veteran Vouchers -top

A month after the first announcements from select members of the HUD Senate Appropriations Committee were released, July 15th saw the national release of grant announcements for the rest of the country for the HUD/VA homeless voucher program.
Read HUD’s press release by clicking here.

Oregon received $955,000 for 175 vouchers, to 4 different housing authorities, at three different VA medical facilities:
Lane         Roseburg     35     $178,318
Portland     Portland     35     $240,639
Jackson     White City     70     $354,333
Linn-Benton     Roseburg     35     $181,818
State Total:             175     $955,108

Washington received funding for 420 vouchers and Idaho, 20 vouchers.

FEDERAL NEWS

Treasury Announces $486 Million to Create Jobs, Affordable Housing -top

As part of the Obama Administration’s effort to create jobs and ease pressures on the housing market, the U.S. Department of the Treasury on July 10 announced $486 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) funding to spur the development of affordable housing units in Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Montana, New Hampshire, New Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Vermont.

“Today’s announcement of housing funds demonstrates how the Recovery Act is putting our nation on the path to economic stability, one community at a time,” said Treasury Deputy Secretary Neal Wolin. “This initiative will help spur construction and development, create much needed jobs, and increase the availability of affordable housing for families around the country.”

The labor and housing crises in this country are deeply inter-connected. Since their peak level at the beginning of 2006, housing starts have fallen almost 80 percent. Houses currently under construction are at a 13-year low, down more than 60 percent from the peak in the first quarter of 2006. This collapse has led to severe job losses in the residential building and specialty trades sector related to housing, with employment down by nearly one-third — a loss of over one million jobs. Such losses not only indicate significant problems in the residential construction sector, but also suggest that the need for affordable housing has risen markedly during the recession.

In response, the Treasury Department and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have been implementing new efforts designed to help families while providing important assistance to homebuilders. Specifically, Treasury has launched an innovative program that will provide more than $3 billion from the Recovery Act to put people to work building quality, affordable housing for individuals and families affected by the current crisis.

The Treasury Department will work with state housing agencies to jump start the development or renovation of qualified affordable housing for families across the country. Under this program, after meeting certain eligibility requirements, state housing agencies will receive funding to construct affordable housing developments.

On June 10, the Treasury Department announced the fourth round of recipients: $36 million in Alabama; $29 million in Arkansas; $34 million in Connecticut; $76 million in Georgia; $114 million in Louisiana; $44 million in Maryland; $51 million in Massachusetts; $16 in Montana; a second round for $17 million in New Hampshire bringing the total to nearly $28 million; $38 million in New Mexico; $20 million to the Virgin Islands; and $10 million to Vermont.

The funds announced today are the fourth round in a series of awards based on a rolling application process. The Treasury Department anticipates making similar announcements in the coming weeks. To view the terms and conditions for the Treasury application, please click here.

House Completes FY10 Appropriations, Most Programs See Increases -top

The House Committee on Appropriations completed its work on the FY10 Transportation, HUD and Related Agencies (T-HUD) bill on July 17. The T-HUD subcommittee had considered and passed the bill on July 13.

The Committee-passed bill would provide $47 billion for HUD operations and programs, a slight increase over the President’s request. Complete details of the allocations for each HUD program were not available at press time; however, the summary information provided by the Committee shows increases over the FY09 appropriation for the Section 8 accounts, the public housing accounts, CDBG, HOME, homeless assistance grants, and the Section 202 (elderly housing) and Section 811 (housing for the disabled) programs.

Both the tenant-based and project-based Section 8 accounts would receive increases over the FY09 appropriation and over the President’s request. As adopted by the Subcommittee, the tenant-based Section 8 account would have been funded at $18.044 billion (an increase of $1.069 billion over FY09 and $208 million over the President’s request) and the project-based Section 8 account at the level requested by the Administration, $8.1 billion (an increase of $1 billion over at FY09).

The full Committee, however, adopted an amendment that would reduce the cost of the FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program (HUD’s reverse mortgage program) and transfer those savings to the Section 8 accounts. The amendment increased the project-based Section 8 account by $600 million for a total of $8.7 billion, and the tenant-based account by $198 million for a total of $18.242 million. Subcommittee Chair John Olver (D-MA) said the additional funds will be needed for Section 8, because rising unemployment means tenants’ rent contributions will be lower.

Funding for the tenant-based Section 8 program includes money for 10,000 new vouchers for homeless veterans (the VASH program).

Advocates are seeking $1.6 billion for 200,000 new vouchers in FY10 and will work to have these vouchers included in the final FY10 appropriations legislation. NLIHC sent letters to the House and Senate appropriation committees requesting the inclusion of these additional vouchers and outlining other funding priorities July 13. Funding for 2 million new vouchers over 10 years is one of NLIHC’s top priorities. Copies of the letters can be found by clicking here.

The Committee bill would provide $2.5 billion for the public housing capital fund (an increase of $50 million over FY09 and $256 million over the President’s request) and $4.8 billion for the public housing operating fund (an increase of $345 million over FY09 and $200 million over the President’s request).

The HOPE VI program would receive $250 million, $130 million above FY09. The President’s request did not include any funds for HOPE VI, instead proposing to replace the program with a “Choice Neighborhoods” initiative. The Administration has yet to propose details about this new program, which will require legislation to implement.

Under the bill, CDBG would receive $4.601 for FY10 (an increase of $701 million over FY09 and $151 million over the President’s request) and the HOME program would be funded at $2 billion in FY10 (an increase of $ 175 million over both the FY09 appropriation and the President’s request).

The bill would also provide:

$1.85 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants (an increase of $173 million over FY09 and $56 million over the President’s request) to provide permanent and transitional housing for homeless families and individuals.
$1 billion for the Section 202 program (an increase of $235 million over FY09 and the President’s request).
$350 million for the Section 811 program (an increase of $100 million over FY09 and the President’s request).
$750 million for Native American Housing Block grants (an increase of $105 million over FY09 and the President’s request).
$350 million for Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA; an increase of $40 million over FY09 and the President’s request).
$63.8 million for foreclosure counseling.
$50 million for the Energy Innovation Fund in order to increase the utilization of FHA’s energy efficient mortgages and to develop a strategy for incorporating green building standards into public and assisted housing.
$150 million for the President’s Sustainable Communities Initiative, a partnership with DOT to encourage coordination in housing and transportation planning.
$25 million for Brownfields redevelopment.

The full House is expected to take up the bill before the August recess. The Senate T-HUD subcommittee is expected to consider the bill on July 29, with the full Senate Appropriations committee taking the bill up on July 30.

The NLIHC budget chart has been updated and can be found by clicking here. The chart will be updated as more information becomes available.

Bill Introduced to Preserve Affordable Rental Housing Via Exit Tax Relief -top

Representatives Artur Davis (D-AL) and Geoff Davis (R-KY) have introduced legislation to assist in the preservation of affordable rental housing by providing tax relief to owners when they transfer such property to purchasers who agree to keep the property affordable. H.R. 2887, the Affordable Housing Preservation Relief Act of 2009, is identical to H.R. 1491, which was introduced in the 110th Congress. The bill is broadly supported by advocates and others seeking to preserve the assisted housing stock, including NLIHC.

The bill was introduced June 16 and was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

House Holds Hearing on Preservation Legislation -top

On July 15, the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity Services held a second hearing on draft legislation that would help preserve the assisted housing stock. The legislation, the “Housing Preservation and Tenant Protection Act of 2009” was circulated publically the week of June 22. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan was the sole witness at the first hearing on the bill on June 25.

Subcommittee Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA) opened the hearing by stressing the importance of preserving existing affordable housing. Chair Waters noted that nearly 1 million assisted, affordable units could be lost due to the expiration of project-based Section 8 contracts or other subsidies over the next few years. She said that preserving these units is cost-effective, environmentally responsible, and is necessary to protect the most vulnerable members of our society, the seniors and people with disabilities who occupy almost 50% of this housing.

Rural Housing Service (RHS) Administrator Tammy Trevino testified first. Ms. Trevino said that while RHS is still reviewing the bill, “the proposed legislation appears to provide the Agency with a number of revitalization tools that would provide cost-effective preservation options for the existing multifamily housing rental housing portfolio.” She was particularly supportive of the provision of the bill giving authority to RHS to provide enhanced vouchers to tenants of Section 515 properties that opt out of program, noting that this authority would allow affected tenants to stay in their homes. Ms. Trevino did ask that the bill be expanded to provide for the preservation of Section 514 /Section 516 farm worker housing.

Toby Halliday of the National Housing Trust (NHT) led the second panel with testimony on behalf of the National Preservation Working Group, which NLIHC co-chairs with NHT. Mr. Halliday stressed the importance of preserving the existing housing stock and the need to increase resources and tools to preserve assisted housing and protect tenants. Mr. Halliday also testified in support of the provisions in the bill that would create a national Preservation Catalog, a database of government subsidized rental properties.

Mr. Halliday took the opportunity of presenting his testimony to express concern with provisions adopted during the recent markup of H.R. 3045, the Section 8 voucher reform bill (SEVRA), that would require adult members of households receiving Section 8 assistance to provide a specific form of identification to be eligible for assistance (see Memo, 7/10). He noted that this type of requirement is unnecessary to ensure that housing assistance is provided only to citizens and those in the country legally and such a requirement would most negatively impact the elderly who often do not have the required documentation.

Ricky Leung, a tenant and treasurer of the National Alliance of HUD Tenants, focused in his testimony on the importance of giving tenants and communities the ability to purchase assisted housing that might be sold and taken out of the assisted stock. The draft legislation requires an owner, under certain conditions, to sell an assisted property to a purchaser who is committed to maintaining the property as affordable.

Vincent O’Donnell, president of the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association in Massachusetts (an NLIHC state partner), stressed the importance of preservation and the need for different tools to address different types of preservation issues. Mr. O’Donnell noted that there are a variety of reasons that assisted housing stock can be lost, ranging from physical deterioration, to the conversion of properties to market rate housing after the maturity or prepayment of a subsidized mortgage, to the failure of an owner to renew a Section 8 contract. He said that the draft legislation provides the tools needed to deal with these various causes.

Mr. O’Donnell expressed support for language in the bill encouraging the transfer of properties to preservation-minded purchasers as a way to help maintain the stock. He did, however, express concerns about the specific right-to-purchase provisions in the draft bill, noting that the provisions may not be sufficiently flexible to result in a successful transfer to a new preservation owner while being fair to the existing owner.

Katie Alitz testified on behalf of the Council of Affordable and Rural Housing and took the opportunity of testifying before the Subcommittee to express support for making tax credits in the Gulf Coast Opportunity Zone eligible for the tax credit exchange program created in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).

In her testimony on the preservation bill, Ms. Alitz discussed the need for exit tax relief to allow owners of Section 515 multifamily rental properties to sell those properties while protecting the affordability of the units. In expressing limited support for the bill, Ms. Alitz suggested three changes: reducing the capital needs assessment period of buildings from 30 years to something more in line with the industry standard of 10 to 20 years, providing additional rental subsidies, and eliminating the requirement that an owner who received a damage award (a settlement from the federal government for the government’s contract violations) repay part of the award before being allowed to receive preservation incentives.

In contrast to Ms. Alitz, Joe Myer, testifying on behalf of the National Rural Housing Coalition, supported the repayment requirement for owners and other rural preservation sections of the bill. “Given the limitation of funds available, and the huge dimension of need, Congress should require that project owners contribute to the cost of revitalization and restructuring,” Mr. Myer said.

Allan Isbitz, testifying on behalf of the National Leased Housing Association, expressed general support for the draft legislation. He testified that one of the bill’s most important provisions is the expansion of enhanced vouchers to allow tenants in projects with expiring mortgages to qualify for these protections.

NLIHC submitted testimony for the record in support of the national preservation catalog. Citing its experience in developing databases of assisted properties in several communities to help identify housing in need of preservation, the testimony focused on the need for a national database of units receiving federal assistance. “Ensuring that regularly updated, consistent data about assisted projects is readily available is important to ensure that the federal government can effectively manage its portfolio, Congress can oversee the use of federal resources, and communities and advocates can monitor and preserve important housing resources,” NLIHC wrote.

Formal introduction of the bill is expected after August recess and Committee consideration as early as September.

A copy of NLIHC’s testimony can be found by clicking here.

Link to testimony from the hearing by clicking here.

Section 8 Voucher Reform Act Mark Up Rescheduled -top

The House Committee on Financial Services had scheduled a continuation of its Section 8 Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA) mark up for June 17, but Committee Chair Barney Frank (D-MA) postponed that mark up as deliberations on the bill continued. The mark up could now occur on Thursday, July 23. The Committee began consideration of the bill, H.R. 3045, on July 8 when it took up uncontroversial amendments. On July 9, the Committee considered amendments to the bill that required roll call votes (see Memo, 7/10).

Remaining issues for what will likely be the last Committee-level consideration of the bill mostly center on the bill’s Housing Innovation Program (HIP), which would be the next iteration of HUD’s Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration program. Approximately 30 public housing agencies currently participate in MTW, which provides significant relaxation of HUD’s rules for the housing agencies.

At the next Committee mark up of the bill, Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA) is expected to offer an amendment to the bill that would make a number of changes to the HIP section of the bill.

As introduced, H.R. 3045 would allow the HUD Secretary to determine how many housing agencies can participate in HIP. In the amendment expected from Chair Waters, the Secretary would have to select up to 60 housing agencies to participate in HIP and would have to maintain the number of agencies participating in HIP that it chooses initially.

Under its two priority strategies, the bill would allow HIP agencies to implement policies that either increase housing opportunities for residents or allow residents to increase their earned income and achieve self-sufficiency. The expected amendment would replace the bill’s requirement that activities and waivers sought under a HIP agreement be limited to one of these priority strategies. Instead, HIP would have a more general requirement that activities contemplated in, and waivers from HUD rules sought by, the application be only generally included in the application and not necessarily related to these two priority areas.

As currently written, the bill would allow the HUD Secretary to discontinue or modify HIP policies if there is evidence that a policy has harmed a resident or residents. The amendment would remove the Secretary’s ability to discontinue a HIP policy found to be harmful to residents and would allow the Secretary only to modify such a policy.

Housing agencies currently participating in MTW would have two years to adapt their programs to conform to the new HIP structure in H.R. 3045. Only agencies that were not in default of their agreement could transfer to HIP. Moreover, in the bill as introduced, if an agency had been audited by the HUD Inspector General, it must demonstrate compliance with any program rules with which the IG had determined they were not in compliance. In the expected amendment, the burden of proving compliance does not seem to rest on the housing agency, but is back on the IG.

HIP would, like its predecessors, allow flexibility in how rents are set, but this must be done, according to H.R. 3045, in such a way that rents are affordable to residents. And, while housing agencies can continue to impose work requirements and time limits on residents, the bill as introduced imposes restrictions on when these requirements can be imposed. The expected amendment would delete the bill’s reference to “rents that are not affordable to assisted families” and replace it with a policy that rents cannot be “substantially higher” than rent payments of other families in the program, with “substantially” left undefined.

The bill, as introduced, would maintain many protections in HIP that are absent from the current MTW program, such as requiring participating housing agencies to comply with HUD’s Part 964 resident participation requirements.

The expected amendment would no longer require the participating HIP agency to comply with Part 964, but would require: the establishment of resident councils and jurisdiction-wide resident organizations; public housing agency “support” for such councils and organizations (where “support” is undefined as to whether it is the financial support required by Part 964 or some other kind); and “involvement of such councils and organizations in public housing agency operations.”

The deletion of the Part 964 requirement by the anticipated amendment would mean that HIP agencies would not have to comply with HUD’s specific rules requiring at least one resident on housing agency boards, would delete HUD’s current language on its policy on partnerships between housing agencies and residents, and would delete resident management corporation requirements, as well as other changes to the ability of public housing and voucher holders to participate in decisions impacting their housing.

The introduced H.R. 3045 would also allow housing agencies to co-mingle their public housing and voucher funds if they could show they were serving “not less than 98% of the number” assisted in the year before the agency’s first year of HIP participation. The expected amendment would remove the “98%” requirement with a requirement that agencies serve “substantially the same” number of families.

NLIHC issued a call to action in anticipation of Committee action calling on advocates to ask their Members of Congress to oppose any amendment that would weaken the current MTW provisions in H.R. 3045.

Rural Dev Office Explains Davis-Bacon for ARRA-Funded Mortgages -top

Administrative Notice 4449 guides RD staff in following Davis-Bacon wage requirements for properties receiving Section 502 direct or guaranteed loans under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. AN 4449 is available by clicking here or from RD offices. Contact Bill Downs, RD, 202-720-1499, or via email.

FHA Loans Set New Record in June -top

From the Wall Street Journal Blogs.

Uncle Sam is setting new records as a mortgage lender.

The Federal Housing Administration guaranteed nearly 186,000 mortgages in June, the most mortgages endorsed by the agency in its 75 year history. The June total bypasses the previous high of nearly 157,000 loans last October, which edged out a level last reached in March of 1994.

That’s helping, in part, to fuel a boom in mortgage-bond issuance for Ginnie Mae, which generates mortgage-backed securities for loans backed by the FHA or the Department of Veterans Affairs. The FHA, a New Deal-era agency, doesn’t make loans but instead insures lenders against losses.

To read the full story, click here.

Guidance Issued on Using Section 538 for Section 515 Preservation -top

An RD Unnumbered Letter (June 18, 2009) explains how to reconcile program differences when using a Section 538 guaranteed loan for an existing Section 515 property. Obtain the UL by clicking here or from an RD office. Contact James Carey, RD, 202-401-2307 or via email.

USDA Funding Bills Approved by Full House, Senate Committee -top

The House passed H.R. 2997 on July 9, making no changes in the Appropriations Committee’s funding for rural housing programs (see Oregon ON Newsletter 7/9). S. 1406, passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 7, would almost double the Section 502 guaranteed loan program to $12 billion and does not include most of the House’s increases. Like the FY 2009 appropriations act, both the House and Senate would eliminate interest subsidies for Section 538 guaranteed loans. Click here.

PORTLAND METRO NEWS

HDC to Conduct Affordable Housing Portfolio Review -top

The newly established Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) has contracted with Housing Development Center (HDC) to review the current performance of the City’s affordable housing portfolio. Over the past four decades, the City has worked with housing providers to create over 10,000 units of rental housing serving a diverse population of low income residents in need of safe and affordable housing not provided by the private market. This assessment will help ensure that this valuable community resource is preserved and meeting the City’s policy goals.

In the upcoming months, HDC will be collecting and analyzing property data that will be used to inform:

1.    Which projects are meeting PHB housing goals and which ones may need reinvestment or financial restructuring through the creation and application of a risk rating system;
2.    Data driven housing policies, funding guidelines and the need for resource development; and
3.    Future underwriting guidelines that lead to greater sustainability of the affordable housing portfolio.

HDC has embarked on the first phase of the review, focusing on property level and portfolio-wide financial viability and a depiction of the types of populations served through the City’s housing investment. The second phase of the review will include a risk analysis of the portfolio’s physical condition and a more in-depth look at how the tenant populations are being served with a special focus on permanent supportive housing.

Habitat for Humanity Portland-Metro East Secures $60,000 -top

From The Gresham Outlook, July 18, by Mara Stine.

A 23-home Habitat for Humanity project in Rockwood just got a huge financial boost.

Wells Fargo is donating $60,000 to the Portland/Metro East affiliate, which is building Jubilee Commons on Southeast 197th Avenue between East Burnside and Stark streets.

To read the whole story, click here.

Proud Ground Open House TONIGHT – Come See New Overlook Space -top

Proud Ground is honored to be in their new home in the Overlook neighborhood. Come celebrate with refreshments provided by Hot Lips Pizza, Eddies Pizza and Full Sail!

When: Thursday, July 23rd from 4:30 to 6:30 pm

Where: Proud Ground (Formerly Portland Community Land Trust)  5288 N Interstate Ave  (Corner of N Interstate & Emerson)  Portland, OR 97217  www.proudground.org

Your RSVP via email is appreciated but not required.
Click here to forward this message to a friend.

United Way Grants Oregon ON $34K for Res Services Cost Analysis Study -top

The United Way of the Columbia-Willamette awarded Oregon ON a $34,000 Project Innovation grant for the period July 2009 to 2010. The funds will allow Oregon ON to conduct a cost analysis study around the services and programs that we provide to our residents. The industry is pushing for some quantitative data around resident services and this opportunity provides us a solid option for obtaining this information. Drafting a compelling need for resident services and providing clarity around its costs per service and program type will assist Oregon ON members in the search for resident services funding and support.

Oregon ON is currently working with Portland State University Regional Research Institute to implement this resident services cost analysis study around the core services (service coordination, conflict resolution/eviction prevention, and community building) and programs (based on target population, i.e. after-school or other youth programs, health and wellness, financial literacy, adult education/ESL, among others) that organizations provide for their residents.

The results of the cost analysis study will be shared with Oregon ON members and highlighted at the State of the Industry Forum on resident services in 2010.

We thank United Way of the Columbia-Willamette for its support of Oregon ON’s project. Oregon ON was one of twelve programs in receipt of funding that focused on innovative approaches to systems change. Click here to see the full list of United Way grant winners.

For more information about the Resident Services Opportunities Project, please contact Kate Fulton via email or 503-223-4041.

About the United Way of the Columbia-Willamette: They are working to advance the common good in the four-county Portland/Vancouver area by focusing on the basics we all need for success: education, income, and health. We all win when children succeed in school, families are financially stable and independent, and people have good health. Their goal is to create long-lasting changes that prevent problems from happening in the first place. By working together they can create opportunities for a better life and create a stronger community.

Bienestar Makes Use of Creative Connections -top
From Oregonian Article, July 9, by by Jill Rehkopf Smith

When Housing Development Corporation of Northwest Oregon gave itself an extreme makeover, it made creative connections that improved its efforts to offer affordable housing to farmworkers. In 2007, after the longtime directors of the 27-year-old Hillsboro-based nonprofit moved away, board members hired a new director, Karen Shawcross, and started strategic planning.

One of their first decisions was to change the name. Any nonprofit with the words “Development” and “Corporation” in its name “didn’t sound like anything that needed money,” Shawcross said. They chose “Bienestar,” Spanish for “well-being.”

Click here to read the full story.

Catholic Charities Hires New Development Officers -top

Catholic Charities in Oregon has hired Kim Randles as chief development officer and Anne Holloway as development director, according to Dennis Keenan, executive director of Catholic Charities. Both individuals were hired after leading the agency’s first-ever capital campaign, which raised $12.5 million in just 18 months for Clark Family Center, a new Catholic Charities administration and service center scheduled to open next spring.

In their new positions, Randles oversees the strategic direction of Catholic Charities’ development efforts, with a focus on major gifts activities, and Holloway directs the day-to-day operations of the department, and oversees all marketing communications outreach for the organization.

“Kim and Anne are a proven development team with a combined 45 years of experience whom we are blessed to have among us at Catholic Charities,” said Keenan. “Their leadership abilities are invaluable to our mission of serving our community’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens.”

Since starting with Catholic Charities this February, Randles and Holloway have already helped inspire an increase in donations. This year’s Catholic Charities Annual Celebration was the most successful in the event’s nine-year history, raising nearly $600,000. In addition, the 2008/09 annual appeal to parishes of the Archdiocese of Portland generated more than $555,000, making it the second highest annual appeal amount raised in the organization’s history.

“It is very humbling to be so supported by our community, particularly during what has shaped up to be the worst recession in our country’s recent history,” said Randles. “Given that 89 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to programs and services, donors can be assured that their contributions are being used to the fullest.”

“The fact that donations are up this year truly is a testament to donors understanding that, while they may be feeling a financial pinch, there are people out there who are in dire straits,” added Holloway. “The sad reality is that Catholic Charities is approaching a 200 percent increase in requests for emergency assistance over last year alone. The generosity of our donors is making it possible for us to keep up with the need.”

Randles and Holloway previously served together in development positions at Jesuit High School, where Randles was vice president of development, and Holloway was director of development. While at Jesuit, they were responsible for raising more than $2.5 million annually.

While vice president of development at Jesuit, Randles initiated and directed the school’s first financial aid luncheon, which is now in its sixth year and nets approximately $230,000 annually for students needing financial assistance. Prior to being an employee at Jesuit, Randles served as a volunteer for the high school for more than 20 years. As a volunteer, she led several notable efforts, including raising the necessary funds and lobbying the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to install traffic lights at Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy and White Pine Lane. Randles also successfully raised $7 million for construction of Canisius Hall, a priest residence building, and DeSmet Business Center. A native Oregonian and a resident of Raleigh Hills, Randles holds Bachelor and Master degrees in Political Science from Portland State University.

Before working with Randles at Jesuit, Holloway was a religion teacher at Our Lady of Lake School in Lake Oswego, and also assisted the church’s Endowment Board. Prior to moving to the Greater Portland area, Holloway began her fundraising experience while serving as family ministry director at St. William’s Parish in Atascadero, Calif. A native of Arkansas, Holloway started her career in Memphis, Tenn., where she was a systems engineer for IBM. Holloway holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the University of Mississippi, and is a resident of Lake Oswego.

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES

MetLife Awards for Senior Independent Living – Enter by Aug 14 -top

MetLife Foundation is offering an Award for Excellence in Affordable Housing. This year’s awards will focus on Senior Independent Living projects utilizing green, energy efficient methods.

The application period is July 20th – August 14th, 2009. The deadline is Friday, August 14th, Midnight Pacific Time.

Four equal $50,000 awards will be given for affordable housing projects serving low-income seniors. Priority will be given to projects located in Enterprise Impact Markets : CA, CO, CT, DC, IL, LA, MD, MS, NJ, NY, OH, OR, VA, WA.

Click here http://metlifeawards.enterprisecommunity.org for the application and complete information. Prospective applicants should send any questions via email.

Invitation for Rural Community Development Applications – Due Sept 24 -top

The Agriculture Department’s Rural Housing Service (RHS) is offering $6.25 million in Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) technical assistance grants and is accepting applications for the money through 4:00 p.m. local time Sept. 24.

Approximately $6.2 million of grant funds will be awarded to projects that involve a nonprofit, public, or tribal group receiving (and matching) the RCDI grant, and using these funds to provide capacity-building technical assistance to other rural nonprofits or communities for housing, community, or economic development projects. Individual awards are expected to range between $50,000 and $300,000 and will be made via a national competition among applicants.

Those with RCDI grants of longer than three years are ineligible. Matching funds are required. These matching funds cannot be spent before a grant agreement with Agriculture is made regarding the technical assistance funds, or unless the awardees are non-profit or educational entities that have agency approval to do so.

The DEADLINE for applications is 4:00 P.M. on September 24, 2009. Oregon applications should be submitted to the Oregon State Office (contact info below).

Further details about the RCDI program along with application rules can be found in the official Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA).

Application materials can be downloaded by clicking here.

Any potential applicant interested in submitting an application is encouraged to review the material and contact John J. Brugger, USDA Rural Development Community Program Director to discuss the structure of the proposed project and its objectives. His info: (503) 414-3362; fax (503) 414-3397; email; website.

Broadband Tech Funding Available for Public and Assisted Housing -top

HUD would like to make owners and managers of public and assisted housing aware of a new grant opportunity being offered through the Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). As more and more types of transactions related to government, employment, health, job training, and education deliver services online, access to broadband is becoming increasingly necessary. In response, the Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) is making funding available to connect unserved and underserved populations to this important infrastructure.

BTOP’s funding is made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to help achieve the Administration’s goal of providing broadband access to
all Americans. Owners and managers of low-income and affordable housing serve the very populations that BTOP is attempting to reach, possess existing infrastructure (including Neighborhood Networks centers), and other resources that can be leveraged to create a more competitive grant application, and ultimately, a more viable and effective project.

There are two grant categories within the BTOP that will be applicable to housing organizations: the Public Computer Center Grant and the Sustainable Broadband Adoption Grant. Owners of multifamily housing properties, Public Housing Authorities, and other housing groups may wish to submit applications in partnership with organizations possessing expertise in information technology delivery and training.

Grant applications are being accepted from July 14 through August 14, 2009. Electronic applications will be available on or about July 31st. Paper applications for grant requests of less then $1 million will be accepted. To obtain the Notice of Funding Availability and application materials, please click here.

Informational workshops are being offered by NTIA through July only. To register, please click here.

For additional information, please contact The Broadband Technology Opportunities Program; 1401 Constitution Ave, NW; Washington, DC 20230; tel. 202-482-2048; email.

EVENTS, TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES

NAYA Native American Housing to Homeownership Fair – July 25 -top

NAYA Family Center’s 4th Annual Native American Housing to Homeownership Fair provides a wide range of housing and homeownership resources tailored to the Portland Metropolitan area’s Native American community. The Fair is an equal housing opportunity event with a culturally specific focus – free and open to everyone.

If you’re interested in learning about housing opportunities and how to achieve your housing dreams, NAYA welcomes you and all of Portland to join us on Saturday July 25th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the NAYA Family center at 5135 NE Columbia Blvd., Portland OR, 97218.

The Native American Housing to Homeownership Fair is a key part of NAYA Family Center’s initiative to close the Native American homeownership gap. Although homeownership rates in Portland are over 65%, only 25% of American Indian and Alaska Native community members own their own home. Since NAYA’s inaugural Fair in 2006, our homeownership programming has resulted in over 40 new homeowners or refinances. It’s important for members of Portland’s Native community to know that buying a home is a goal that can be achieved by finding the right path and using the right resources.

This event is specifically designed to provide housing information for anyone – renters, prospective buyers, or current owners. The workshops and information available will help each person identify their individual path to housing stability. The Fair provides information about what it takes to buy and keep a home and features organizations and programs that support homeowners to achieve their goals.

Highlights include:

$2,500 Down Payment Assistance Raffle
$400 Rent Assistance Raffle
Workshops on renting, first time home buying, foreclosure prevention and financial programs
Staff from banks, Real Estate Agents, homeownership non-profits, affordable housing providers, and Tribal Housing Authorities, including the HUD Section 184 Indian Home Loan Guarantee program
Community resources and programs
Free lunch, a kid’s corner, a performance by the NAYA Family Center Dancers, and raffle for prizes

This event is sponsored by the Portland Development Commission, Sterling Savings Bank, Bank of America, Guild Mortgage, Cascade Residential Mortgage and over 20 community organizations.

For additional information click here or contact Sara Libby at the NAYA Family Center: 503-288-8177 ext. 232, or via email.

Grand Opening of Miraflores, Hacienda’s Newest Housing Site –August 13 -top

Come join Hacienda CDC from 4-6pm on Thursday, August 13th to celebrate the grand opening of Miraflores, Hacienda’s vibrant newest affordable housing site.
The celebration will feature a tour of the complex, homemade tamales from Micro Mercantes vendors, Q & A with residents calling Miraflores home, and a recognition of all the partners making Miraflores possible – providing safe, dignified and affordable housing where low-income families can live, thrive and build community.
The party location is Miraflores Community Room, 8901 N. Newell, Portland, OR 97203.

NEBC Brownfields Redevelopment Conference – October 18 -top

Save the date for Northwest Environmental Business Council’s Brownfield Redevelopment Conference, being held October 14, 2009 at the Greater Tacoma Convention & Trade Center at 1500 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402. The conference runs 8:00 am – 5:00 pm (reception following).

There is also a Pre-Conference Funding Workshop October 13 open to attendees; please see more info, below.

•    See Agenda & Speakers
•    Register Now
•    Sponsorship Info
•    Exhibitor Info

This conference brings together the diverse parties that need to work in concert to transform contaminated properties into economic success stories – with an agenda that emphasizes the manner in which multiple disciplines need to be integrated into a project from start to finish.

The theme of “Building Sustainable Communities” responds to the growing interest by communities to rethink development models in ways that reflect sustainability principles and reduce their carbon footprints. This creates a new context for developers and increases the importance of public/private partnerships. At the same time, the conference explores how these goals must align with the economic realities of the property development marketplace.

Session offerings are provided for both experienced professionals and newcomers to the concept. Topics include:
• The financial side of sustainable development
• Identifying redevelopment opportunities
• Assessing a project’s potential
• Basics of the redevelopment transaction
• Negotiating the deal
• Managing the project
• Aggregating small sites
• Contamination-based site planning
• Update on regulatory issues
• Green remediation & development

Why Attend
• Gain an up-to-date perspective on brownfields redevelopment opportunities.
• Learn what it takes to effectively manage transactions and projects.
• Meet and network with leading experts, colleagues, potential partners, and customers.
• Participate at the forefront of the sustainable communities movement.

Who Should Attend
• Local government & economic development staff
• Land developers and real estate agents
• Environmental engineers, consultants, and remediation experts
• Financers, lawyers, and insurance providers
• Environmental regulators
• Property owners

Special Pre-Conference “Funding” Workshop [for conference attendees only, please]

October 13, 1:00-5:00 pm at the Hotel Murano, 1320 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma (across from the Convention Center). NEBC is partnering with the Center for Creative Land Recycling (CCLR) to hold a 1/2 day pre-conference workshop on project funding. Check their website for more details soon.

Presented By: Northwest Environmental Business Council; U.S. EPA Region 10 Brownfields Team; and the Washington State Department of Ecology.

Rural Rental Preservation Conference – September 24 -top

HAC will convene “Preserving Rural Rental Housing: A Conference on Policy and Practice” in Washington, D.C. with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Hear from leaders in Section 515 preservation legislation, expert congressional staff, USDA staff, and local practitioners. Watch for details at http://www.ruralhome.org and in the HAC News.

REPORTS

Survey Finds Foreclosure and Economic Crises Increase Homelessness -top

When seven national homeless and housing organizations surveyed homeless service and advocacy agencies in both urban and rural places, 79% stated that at least some of their clients were homeless as a result of foreclosure. Foreclosure to Homelessness 2009 is available at http://www.nationalhomeless.org.

Report Names “10 Meanest Cities” for People Experiencing Homelessness -top

A new report by the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty (NLCHP) and the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) ranks the nation’s “Top 10 Meanest Cities” based on city records and practices in criminalizing homelessness. Los Angeles topped the list, with Orlando, Atlanta, and San Francisco also ranking in the top 10.

The national ranking is based on factors that include the number of laws targeting people experiencing homelessness, such as those that make it illegal to sleep, eat, or sit in public spaces; the enforcement of those laws; the general political climate toward homeless people in the city; and the city’s history of criminalization measures. The report includes information from 273 cities nationwide over 2007-2008 period.

Since NLCHP and NCH’s last joint report on the topic in 2006, the groups found an increase in laws enacted to target the homeless, including an 11% increase in laws prohibiting loitering and a 7% increase in laws prohibiting camping in various public places. Among all the cities surveyed for the most recent report, 47% had laws prohibiting loitering and 33% had laws prohibiting camping.

The report also includes information about studies examining the costs of criminalization measures, on how criminalization measures violate human rights law, and on constitutional challenges to measures that criminalize homelessness, as well as constructive alternatives to criminalization.

The other meanest cities, according to the report, were: St. Petersburg, FL (2); Gainesville, FL (5); Kalamazoo, MI (6); Honolulu (8); Bradenton, FL (9); and Berkeley, CA (10).

The report, titled Homes Not Handcuffs, is the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty’s ninth report on the criminalization of homelessness and the National Coalition for the Homeless’ fifth. The full report is available by clicking here.

HUD Report Shows Low Foreclosure Rates for HOME/ADDI Homeowners -top

According to a HUD report released June 25, homeowners who received downpayment assistance through the HOME and American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI) programs are less likely to be foreclosed upon than buyers using the standard FHA program.

HUD conducted the study to address concerns that homeowners who receive direct assistance may be more prone to delinquency and foreclosures. Instead, the study found a lower foreclosure rate among those who purchased with HOME/ADDI funds than among FHA-insured borrowers overall. As of early 2008, the foreclosure rate for HOME/ADDI homebuyers who purchased in 2001 was 5.3%, compared to a 6.5% foreclosure rate for FHA-insured mortgages. The study also noted that both HOME/ADDI and FHA-insured homebuyers had significantly lower rates of foreclosures than those who purchased using a subprime mortgage.

The analysis also highlighted some of the key factors affecting foreclosure rates among HOME/ADDI homebuyers. For instance, the type of mortgage product used by the homebuyer affected foreclosure rates. Those homeowners who used an adjustable rate mortgage were 2.6 times more likely to experience a foreclosure. Jurisdictions that used credit scores in determining HOME/ADDI eligibility had 55% lower foreclosure rates than those that did not.

The study also found that homebuyers who had greater equity in their homes through downpayment assistance experienced lower foreclosure rates, showing that programs that are able to provide deeper levels of subsidy for homeowners may also reduce risks of foreclosure. For example, first-time homebuyers who received HOME/ADDI assistance equal to between 5% and 10% of the purchase price had foreclosure rates of 4.4%, higher than the foreclosure rate of 3.1% among homebuyers who received HOME/ADDI assistance equal to 20% of their purchase price.

To increase the number of observations, this research pooled HOME and ADDI data from jurisdictions eligible for both programs. The American Dream Downpayment Act established ADDI as an addition to the HOME program in 2003. While homeowner assistance is one potential use of HOME funds, ADDI is specifically intended to assist with downpayments, closing costs, and, if necessary, rehabilitation work done in conjunction with a home purchase. Each state receives an allocation of ADDI funding proportionate to its percentage of the national total of low income households residing in rental housing in the state, as determined by the most recently available U.S. census data. The funds are then dispersed to participating jurisdictions with a population of at least 150,000.

For each household assisted, HOME/ADDI funds are not to exceed $10,000 or six percent of the purchase price of the home, whichever is greater, and individuals qualifying for HOME/ADDI assistance may not have incomes exceeding 80% of the area median income (AMI). The HOME program does not have a first-time homebuyer requirement, while ADDI recipients must not have owned a home three years prior to their purchase in order to be considered a first-time homebuyer.

The full report, Rates of Foreclosure in HOME and ADDI programs can be found by clicking here.

RESOURCES

New Nonprofit Leader Bootcamp – August 31- Sept 4 -top

BootCamp is designed for individuals who have stepped into leadership positions of nonprofit organizations and volunteer based groups. BootCamp is intended to give new leaders a firm grounding in what it takes to run a nonprofit organization as well as give tools and skills for work/life balance. BootCamp is a retreat experience, August 31 - Sept 4 at the Alton Collins Retreat and Conference Center nestled in the trees in Eagle Creek Oregon about 40 minutes from downtown Portland.

Who can benefit? While nonprofit organizations run a gamut in size and shape, New Nonprofit Leaders often face similar experiences and challenges. New leaders often learn in the school of experience. And, while you care deeply about the mission of your organization, you may have “come up through the ranks” and need new skills to meet the challenges of the new position.

Is this you? Bootcamp can help you if:

• You are faced with supervising people, maybe for the first time. Paid staff, volunteers, interns. Staffing for your organization may be varied. You need creative ways to manage.

• You have been handed administrative duties your background didn’t prepare you for. The job description is long and multifaceted. You need support and encouragement as you learn to juggle.

• You need to work with, and manage, a board of directors. Your volunteer board has a strong investment in the mission of the organization. You want an engaged and motivated board that will work in partnership with you to build your organization.

• You are faced with constant changes in funding and want to build a sustainable organization. You wonder how to build systems that are flexible and how to expand your unrestricted funding.

New Nonprofit Leader BootCamp is being sponsored by the Institute for Nonprofit Management at Portland State University. The Institute is a leader in providing training and education to those engaged in nonprofit organizations – staff, board, and volunteers. Their goal is to build the nonprofit sector by offering practical skills and lifelong learning to professionals and volunteers. Their faculty include experienced professional practitioners from the nonprofit community.

Visit their website or contact Linda via email or by calling 503-725-2955 for more information.

One-stop Free Link for Housing Providers and Consumers -top

Several years ago, Portland’s Bureau of Housing and Community Development (BHCD) received a grant from the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to develop a cutting-edge service and make it available to anyone interested in housing or related services in the Portland Metro area. Stakeholder groups of housing providers, consumers, and housing-related agencies worked together with City staff and created a technological tool that fulfilled the collective “wish list” of the stakeholders. The Fair Housing Council (FHCO) has worked under contract with the City of Portland to help expand awareness and use of the resulting web-based housing locator service www.housingconnections.org.

How You Can Help:
Many of you already know about HousingConnections.org (if you don’t, please read on for an explanation); many may routinely face low vacancy rates and lengthy waitlists. Even if you’re not currently using the free site to promote your own property, please consider doing the following:

1. Provide a link to HousingConnections.org on your own website. This will help the public service site tremendously as those websites that are most often linked to tend to fall higher in search engine results. Both higher search engine placement and the actual link on your site will help spread the word about this great resource! If you would like to link with a HousingConnections.org graphic contact JBecker@FHCO.org and they’ll send you one!

2. Tell others about HousingConnections.org. Several of you were involved in the stakeholder meetings during the site’s creation and have been tremendous supporters of the site. Besides telling housing consumers about the site, it would also be greatly appreciated if you’d share your positive experiences with it with other housing providers and encourage them to post on the site.

3. If you have suggestions of how to promote the site to housing providers or housing consumers, please don’t hesitate to contact JBecker@FHCO.org with your recommendations. They’d love to hear your thoughts! Likewise, if you have ideas for improving the site’s functionality, pass it along.

How the Site Works:
The site is designed to link housing providers, housing consumers, and housing related services and agencies in a one-stop virtual information fair. Whether you are seeking housing or listing / marketing available housing, access and use is free. Currently, the site sees thousands of housing searches a week and with on-going marketing to consumers, this number is only expected to increase. While designed for the Portland-Vancouver market, it turns out folks from all across Oregon are using HousingConnections.org.

When a virtual visitor selects “search for housing” they are presented with the opportunity to look for rental housing, homes for sale, and/or shared housing options. A housing consumer can search for a dwelling by location, size, price, accessibility, special needs/features/amenities, and/or availability date and can then refine the database to identify housing that most closely matches their needs. They can also obtain information on how to become involved in homeownership programs, calculate the most appropriate monthly housing payment for their household income, find bus routes and other local services/schools in the area of a particular residence, and/or learn about a host of other consumer-related issues of interest.

Housing providers are able to find information about how to most successfully market their housing, use special system tools to manage property wait lists, learn about community-based programs to pay for capital improvements and property maintenance, locate housing provider trade associations, hear about the latest local news in the industry and/or upcoming training and events related to housing, and accept on-line applications from consumers. Additionally, the City has technical staff to assist those who are technology-challenged in uploading and managing your data in your own free HousingConnections account.

All of this is FREE. This is probably the only situation you will ever find that even if it sounds too good to be true, it really IS true! Think of it as evidence of your tax dollars and your progressive BHCD staff at work for you.

In this day and age of scarce resources, where people and dollars are required to be stretched beyond all previous boundaries to achieve even better results than ever before expected, housingconnections.org is a method for everyone interested in housing in the Portland-Metro area to pool energies, resources, and opportunities for a mutually beneficial outcome. Give it a try! If you have questions about HousingConnections, if you need help to get started, and/or if you would like someone to come and talk to you or your staff about the site, please contact Laura Shepherd at 503/223-8197 Ext. 107 or via email.

HUD GIS Tool Supports Orgs Helping Those Experiencing Homelessness-top

The HUD GIS Tool for Communities is a free downloadable software tool on the Homelessness Resource Exchange site that allows users to explore HUD project data as well as design and print custom maps. Click here for more info.

Newsletter, July 9

STATEWIDE NEWS

Legislature Champions Housing Opportunity, Passes Lottery-Backed Bonds
Oregon Housing and Community Services Will Cut Staff, Programs
Mixed Use PWR Bill Stalled in Senate Rules Committee at Session’s End
Oregon Gets $27 Million in TCAP Stimulus Money for Affordable Housing
TCAP Stimulus Elusive – Developers Must Show Effort to Find Investors
$2 Million Awarded to Rural Oregon Communities in Block Grants

FEDERAL NEWS
Congress Changes Davis-Bacon for Some HUD ARRA Programs
Appropriations Committee Leaves Most Rural Housing at FY 2009 Levels
Rural Multifamily Housing Preservation Bill Introduced
Hearing Set for Bill Directing $1 Billion to National Housing Trust Fund
TARP for Main Street Act Funds National Housing Trust Fund
HUD Section 8 Voucher Reform Act Draft Introduced with Two Changes
Donovan Outlines “New Priorities” for Preserving Affordable Housing
HUD Climate Bill Passes House with New Money for Housing
HUD Nominations: One More Confirmation, Two More to Go
Homeless Prevention Program Notice -New Deadlines, Provisions

PORTLAND METRO NEWS
Oregon ON Member Tualatin Valley Housing Partners Closes After 15 Years
11 Youth Graduate from First Graduating Class of NAYA Academy
Portland Community Land Trust Changes Name to Proud Ground, Moves
Council Amends Zoning Code to Extend Land Use Expiration Dates
Enforcement of Sit-Lie Law Officially Suspended

AWARDS
CASA Receives Competitive $2 Million Award Under ARRA Act

FUNDING AND AWARD OPPORTUNITIES
Apply Now for Tax Credits For Farmworker Housing
HUD Funds For Housing Counseling, Training and FSS: July 17, Aug 11
SBA Support for Small Business Development Centers Deadline: July 23
Support for Social Change – UUA Fund for a Just Society Deadline: Sept 15
EDA Grants for Regions Experiencing Chronic High Unemployment
NW Natural Funding for Residents at Less than 80% Median Family Income

EVENTS, TRAININGS AND CONFERENCES
Bridges to Housing Benefit Film Screening: July 16
Save the Date: Sustainable, Affordable Communities Conference –Sept. 25
HAC Summer CHDO Trainings: July 15-16 and 29-30, August 5-6 and 12-13

REPORTS
HUD Report Finds Lowest Income Renters Have 2 Million Fewer Options
Harvard Joint Center: Housing Duress Despite Sales and Starts Stabilization
NCRC Report Details Race, Gender Discrimination in Subprime Lending
NW America Reports Low-Income Families Suffer More Foreclosures

RESOURCES
State Treasury Dept Introduces Financing Tool for Building and Expansion
Federal Data Sets On Housing Updated and Available
Download AEO National Summit on Entrepreneurship Workshop Materials
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STATEWIDE NEWS

Legislature Champions Housing Opportunity, Passes Lottery-Backed Bonds -top

Responding to the economic pressure that has beset communities throughout the State, the Oregon’s 2009 Legislature passed two historic housing bills that commit almost $35 million in new money for affordable housing. The funding, which is generated from an increase to a real estate document recording fee and lottery-backed bonds, will be used to provide new housing opportunities for working families, seniors, and people with disabilities, as well as preserving existing affordable housing at risk of being lost to the private market.

The Legislature also passed housing bills that expand tenant protections in foreclosed properties and support Oregon’s manufactured dwelling park residents, spared the Emergency Housing Account the worst of the budget cuts, and restored General Fund money cut from the State Homeless Assistance Program.

“We have made great progress this session in spite of the economic downturn,” said Michael Anderson, Executive Director of Oregon Opportunity Network. “Dedicating Lottery-backed bonds to fund the preservation of existing affordable housing is especially important now, when so many are facing housing insecurity. We are grateful to the many legislators who stepped up to champion the importance of housing and worked to find resources in this difficult session to maintain stability for individuals, families and communities.”

In addition to the strong support for affordable housing within the Legislature, the success of housing legislation is largely a result of the advocacy of the Housing Alliance, a broad local coalition of local governments, housing authorities, community development corporations, environmentalists, service providers, business interests and other housing supporters.

The Housing Opportunity Bill, passed in February, raises the document recording fee in Oregon’s real estate transactions by $15 dollars. Over 2009-2011, it will generate an estimated $15 million in funds that will be used to prevent homelessness through emergency rent assistance, to create new affordable housing, and to provide greater opportunities for home ownership for families who would qualify for home ownership but don’t have the income to get in.

The Lottery-backed bonds bill funds housing programs that preserve existing subsidized rental housing and manufactured home parks. The measure, passed in the final hours of the Legislative session, will produce an estimated $19.4 million in 2009-2011 to keep vulnerable Oregonians in their homes.

“We were thrilled to see this session-long, passionate, and bi-partisan support of affordable housing,” said Janet Byrd, Executive Director of Neighborhood Partnerships. “The commitment of legislative leaders has been unwavering. We are extremely heartened by their dedication.”

To summarize our wins:
•    SB 5535 — provides $19.4 million in Lottery Backed Bonds to support preservation of existing affordable housing. $16.3 is for multi-family housing with federal rent assistance, and $3.1 million is for manufactured home parks.
•    HB 2436, the Housing Opportunity Bill creates a dedicated revenue source for affordable housing. An estimated $15 million will be generated in the 2009-2011 biennium.
•    SB 952 — Tenants living in foreclosed properties gain some protections.
•    Funding for the Emergency Housing Account was cut in the General Fund budget – the cuts will be offset by the EHA portion of the document recording fee. While this hardly seems a victory, it was indeed a victory to maintain level funding this session.
•    The State Homeless Assistance Program was maintained at level funding – cuts proposed early in the session were restored in the last hours.

We were not successful with SB 199, which would have expanded the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit cap. If development activity increases, we may approach the Emergency Board about reconsidering the cap increase.

We also lost funds for homeownership. These funds will be more than offset by the document recording fee, but the loss in funding is problematic as our communities work to recover from the loss of housing stability.

Click here for a recap of what the Housing Alliance has accomplished in the last four years.

Oregon Opportunity Network

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From OregonLive, posted by Carrie Sturrock August 27, 2009

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