Oregon ON the Beat: March 2 Newsletter

Oregon ON News
Fearless Leader Needed! Spread the Word

Capacity Matters – Part 12
Catholic Charities: “Our promises mean something.”

Member News
Irish Echo St Patrick Benefit for St Vincent dePaul – March 12
Grand Opening Innovative Housing New CDFI – March 16
PRI Makers Publishes Article and Interview with Jim Tierney of CAT
Volunteer Tutors Needed in Florence and Cottage Grove SVdP Sites
Housing Works Offers Rental Assistance to 160 Local Households
Central City Concern Hooper Detox Gets Ready to Move

Achtung! Action Alerts
Statewide – Get Candidates on Board for Affordable Housing Debate
Statewide – Help Your Clients Get $ Back through EITC
Federal – Tell Your Clients SSA Settlement May Mean Back Pay
Federal – Tell Senate to Save the Low Income Housing Tax Credit

Portland Metro News
PDC Approves Block 33 Sale – League of Women Voters Concerned
What Advocates Should Know – HUD Sustainable Communities –March 4
Portland Plan Interactive Workshop at New Columbia – March 15
Nominate for Cameron Award in Washington County –April 2
Nominate Residential Projects for Build It Green!– Due April 29
BOA Neighborhood Excellence Initiative Makes Portland Grants – June 1
City Seeks Homeowners for Energy Efficiency Pilot
Hey Housing Wonks – Be A Budget Advisor to City Council!
Get Up to Speed on Metro Council Actions

Regional and Rural News
Oregon Coast Housing Advocate Bob More Retires after 24 Years
Funding Uncertain for Newberg Housing Rehab
Site Collects Community Resources for Deschutes, Klamath Counties

Statewide News
$11.3 in Lottery-Backed Bonds Allocated to 519 Units Across Oregon
Crager, Byrd, McLennan Update State on Affordable Development
First in the Nation – California Adopts Mandatory Green Building Code
Housing Conference Postponed Until 2011
State Receives First $2-6M of Housing Opportunity Bill Money
IDA Initiative Awards $4-3M to Six Nonprofits
Oregon Thrives – Have a Heart Day a Success
Housing Advocate Rey Ramsey Defects to Silicon Valley

Federal News
Donovan Testifies on FY11 T-HUD Budget
Two Bills- Supporting the LIHTC, CDBG Set-Aside for Veterans
Dissent in House on Senate Jobs Bills, that Does Not Include NHTF
Office of Sustainable Housing Seeks Grant Suggestions – March 9, 11
Weatherization – USDA Opportunity, Hiring Freezes Hamper Plan
New Market Tax Credit Guidance, CDFI Fund Seeks to Collect Info
Sweat Equity Grants for Affordable Homes Through SHOP Program
Farmworkers Final H2-A Rule, Rental Assistance Implemented
New Initiative to Assist Distressed Borrowers in Five States
Financial Services Postpones Hearing on Housing Finance System
Proposed Housing Goals for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Issued
HUD Chief Financial Officer Doug Criscitello Sworn In
Section 538 Continuous Guarantee Program, Comment by March 30
RD Guidance on Design-Build or Construction Management

Funding and Award Opportunities
NLIHC Members Apply for State, Local Organizing Awards – March 12
MacArthur Housing Research Grant Opportunity – March 22
Mentoring Inmates Grants from the Second Chance Act– March 18
Ms Funds Child Care and Job Training Programs – March 29
Enter the Home Depot Affordable Housing Awards – March 31
Allstate Helps DV Survivors Gain Financial Independence – July 15

Events
Come to Street Roots Summer Fun Auction Planning – March 4
Adelante Mujeres Fiesta of HerStories – March 6
Get on the Bus to Learn About Housing Discrimination – April 23

Training and Conferences
New Green Communities Live Online Events – March 17 and 25
Making Housing Accessible Free Training – March 25
Frank, Ellison and NLIHC Conference Schedule Confirmed – April 11-14
Affordable Housing Management Conference, Eugene – May 12-14
Partners in Innovation Forum on Preservation in Portland – May 17
Sustainable Rural Housing Conference Save the Date – June 9

Reports
UN Special Rapporteur Reports on U.S. Housing Crisis
Housing Affordability for U.S. Working Households Declines
Foreclosure Effects on Latino Families Reported
Report Describes New Market Tax Credit Best Practices

Resources
New Center for Housing Policy Briefs on Housing and Transit
Transit-Oriented Development, New Manufacturing Products
SAMHSA Homelessness Resource Center

One Fun Thing
San Francisco Residents Install Own Solar Panels, Cut Bills in Half

Oregon ON News

Fearless Leader Needed! Spread the Word –top

Executive Director Position available

Oregon ON is seeking a proven leader with the partnership building, community outreach, fundraising, supervision, and financial oversight skills to continue maximizing the merger in 2008 of AOCDO and CDN into an increasingly powerful voice for community development and affordable housing in Portland and across the State.

Click this link to view the job description. To apply, submit the above information to Bob Hazen at TACS via email with “OON” in the title by Friday, March 15th at 5:00pm. Or by mail to: TACS, 1001 SE Water St, Suite 490, Portland, OR 97214. Attn: Bob Hazen, OON.

Capacity Matters Part 12

Catholic Charities: “Our promises mean something.”–top

Measuring the full impact of nonprofit community development organizations is difficult. Arising from within their communities, they are connected to and in tune with community needs. When the capacity and expertise to quickly respond to need and opportunity is added, extraordinary things can happen.

The following interview with Terri Silvis, Director of Housing for Catholic Charities, is Part Twelve of a series highlighting the many ways that our members’ capacity strengthens Oregon’s communities.

Oregon ON: So your job title is .. .

Terri: Director of Housing, soon to be Housing and Economic Development.

Oregon ON: Good heavens, that sounds like a lot of work. Why the title change?

Terri: (laughs) Well, we are adding Individual Development Accounts (IDA) and asset development tools and products to our portfolio of services. These tools will be available to not only our housing residents, but to all Catholic Charities’ clients. It’s taken longer for us to jump into that realm because it takes time, conversations, buy-in, and planning on what it will look like. We have many internal programs and staff that are included in structuring and informing new initiatives so that takes time, but time well invested.

Oregon ON: And when you say “all Catholic Charities’ clients”. . . ?

Terri: We serve over 120,000 clients a year throughout western Oregon, and mostly in the Multnomah-Clackamas area. We also have affiliates up and down the Willamette Valley. We have a southern Oregon branch office, Catholic Charities of Southern Oregon, that does a lot of immigration work and is part of our 501(c)3. But we also have several faith-based affiliates separate from our 501(c)3 too, initiated under the auspices of the Archdiocese and working in partnership with us. We have about 125-150 employees, depending on the day. Most of our staff who provide direct services; we have less than 15 people in admin. We are services-heavy.

Oregon ON: So, I was catching up on your website, and you sure have a lot of irons in the fire.

Terri: Yes, yes we do! First there’s the Powell Street developments (28^th and SE Powell): 4 acres, 5 projects, 5 years to complete, and it’s almost done! First was Kateri Park, with 50 affordable units. We bought the land from Saint Vincent DePaul of Portland (SVdP), and it was finished in 2005. Then we followed it up with the renovation and expansion of Howard House, renovating an existing 8 units into permanent supportive housing and adding 4 units; that was finished in 2007. Esperanza Court was finished last year, providing 70 units of affordable rental housing, including 14 units of housing for families in crisis. We completed a 13 lot subdivision behind Esperanza Court that is ready for single-family development. And we are in the final stages of our capital campaign and new markets tax credit (NMTC) project, the Clark Family Center in Portland. It will be finished this May!

Oregon ON: Congratulations! So how do you fund all these projects?

Terri: Howard House is city-financed through general obligation bonds from a few years ago. Between the city and county, it was fully funded. The other two properties are low-income housing tax credit projects, with all the financing that comes with that. For the Clark Center, we had a capital campaign lead by Catholic Charities staff Dennis Keenan (Executive Director), Kim Randles (Chief Development Officer) and Anne Holloway (Development Director). When Dennis brought Kim and Anne in on the job they just nailed it. They have stayed on to do on-going fund development.

In addition to the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, the Clark Family Foundation and Mike and Tracey Clark, all of whom pledged a combined total of $2.65 million, other major donors included the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, the Meyer Memorial Trust, and Pacific Seafood.

Oregon ON: I saw that! I mean, who gets $300,000 from Pacific Seafood?

Terri: (laughs) Kim and Anne! They are fearless about asking for money. They always say that they “are asking for those who can’t ask for themselves!” That’s powerful. And it helps when the Archbishop goes along on the call! (laughs) He’s a very sweet man, very inclusive. We got all the funding right before the economy tanked, luckily, and our funders are following through on their commitments. Then we filled the financing gap with $2.24 million in new markets tax credits, which worked exactly the way they’re supposed to. Community Funding Group out of Seattle is our NMTC partner, along with USBank, and they have been very good to work with.

Oregon ON: So what stage is Clark Center construction in?

Terri: The building will be dedicated in August, but we’ll start moving in on the first of June, floor by floor, program by program.

Oregon ON: How many floors and programs are we talking about?

Terri: Five levels overall. Housing Transitions will be in the daylight basement where the parking is also located. They wanted street access for their clients. We’ll have a commercial kitchen on the first floor that Loaves and Fishes will use, and after hours we’ll use it for job training and catering for our events. Grandma’s Place Early Childhood Development Center will also rent a space built out on the first floor. The second floor is vacant at the moment, and we left that unfinished for future expansion, when we eventually need more space. Services will be on the third floor. The fourth floor will house administration and the Regence Conference Center. The Center will be one large conference room with a full AV system, drop down screens, etc., with the ability to divide it into three smaller rooms. It will be good for us to use, and also for a community resource, and eventually a possible source of income; we’ve already had area small businesses asking about renting it out. We’ll also be working with Mercy Corps NW to make it available for micro-business development trainings.

Oregon ON: So the Center consolidates all your services?

Terri: Right, it combines most of our programs – that took a lot of planning! It combines five programs and all the sub-programs that go with them, so about 10 total; all of our Multnomah County services except El Programa Hispano’s Gresham office, although the Portland EPH office will move into the Clark Family Center.

Oregon ON: Would you say that the Center will increase Catholic Charities’ capacity as an organization?

Terri: Yes! It means we can bring all our wonderful service knowledge into one building. When problems come up in our housing, there’s always someone in Catholic Charities who knows how to deal with it. Now we can go from a “silo” model of program provision to a more integrated approach. So for example, if we have a refugee suffering from domestic violence, their case manager can go down the hall and talk to a staffer from the domestic violence program. This is a much more human-centered approach to service.

Oregon ON: What a big project. Has the Clark Family Center been a long time in coming?

Terri: Yes. We have been looking for the “perfect site” since before I got here in 2001: a site on transit, with a lot of room, close-in, etc. After Kateri Park, we started taking down pieces of the Saint Vincent DePaul property one by one, demolishing old buildings, etc. SVdP has been wonderful to work with, by the way. They allowed us to buy different pieces of their property one by one, which made it manageable for us. They were cooperative, and our missions are aligned, serving the poor from a social justice position. The community is very welcoming, too; they were happy to see us coming and building a new development. Even DEQ cooperated!

Oregon ON: Why did DEQ need to cooperate?

Terri: The land beneath Esperanza Court was a Brownfield. It turns out there was an old, undocumented city landfill there. We first found this out with Kateri Park when we started digging up trash. So we had to do an expensive fix, basically dig it out. When we started development of Esperanza Court, DEQ had to get involved because there was methane under the ground. Because we were turning it into a residential use, not industrial, we had to cap it with a certain material and vent it out and up. There wasn’t enough methane to be creative and useful with as an energy source, just to make developing the land difficult! But it all worked out well in the end.

Oregon ON: What a mess! And you said in your email that you have “completed a workout for Sacred Heart Villa.” What does it mean?

Terri: We restructured Sacred Heart Villa last year – Sacred Heart is a 68-unit seniors project on Milwaukie Avenue funded with 501(c)3 bond financing. For a variety of reasons, the property was having issues with occupancy, cash flow, and a variety of other issues. The property had been a mix of affordable, moderate and market-rate housing, but it had a 35% vacancy rate. We were asked by the previous nonprofit owners to purchase it, so we worked with Portland Development Commission to get HOME funds to restructure and buy down the debt and make the units into affordable housing [HOME is the largest Federal block grant to State and local governments designed to create affordable housing for low-income households. Each year it allocates approximately $2 billion among the States and localities nationwide.]

Oregon ON: It sounds like you saved it.

Terri: Well it was at risk. Now we have 12 permanent supportive units for homeless seniors, and the rest are affordable to 50-60% of median income. We left a few units market-rate so we didn’t have to evict the seniors; as they move out over time, the units will become affordable. Because we paid the debt down we were able to decrease the rents for income qualified seniors. Most residents didn’t leave, and most even qualified for rent reductions; previously many had been rent-burdened, so they were thrilled. And they have resident services too. The building is mixed-use: there’s a physical therapy clinic on the first floor, and Loaves and Fishes too.

Oregon ON: That’s a great idea to have those two services on the ground floor of a building for seniors.

Terri: Yes, and that was the nonprofit we bought it from; they had done good work planning the space. Oregon ON’s work with the underwriting guidelines for asset management and putting resident services above the line helped with this project, too. That was the first time we were able to use that, so we have to thank Oregon ON.

Oregon ON: It sounds like a lot of little pieces lined up just right to salvage the project.

Terri: Yeah, my boss was recently called and asked, “Can you pull a Sacred Heart again?” I’m not saying it wasn’t hard, it was. But it just hit every window of opportunity. The city had money to get out the door; and we had enough already vacant units to use HAP vouchers to turn 12 units into immediate permanent supportive housing for homeless seniors. The stars just aligned. I see it a lot. I call it the “Catholic Charities Factor!”

Oregon ON: Working at Sisters Of The Road was like that. I think it’s something about the energy of the place, the philosophy and ethics.

Terri: Right. The organizational heart is big. It can be frustrating because process time, but we do things from our values and try to be thoughtful. A lot of that comes from our Executive Director, Dennis Keenan, and also Doug Alles, our Director of Social Services. I am lucky to have wonderful service support. For example, at first Residents Services was part of the housing department. And I’m not a service provider, I’m not good at it. But when the organization restructured its homeless women’s outreach program into the Housing Transitions Program (HTP), we placed Residents Services there and it has worked out wonderfully. HTP follows a housing transition model based on the JOIN model, they work with JOIN to follow a rapid re-housing model and get people stabilized as quickly as possible. So now there are two parts of the shop, re-housing and case management, and resident services. Margi Dechenne and her resident services staff go to the Oregon ON Resident Services Working Group [RSWG] meetings and do a great job. It makes me happy, because I don’t have to oversee services! I just wasn’t good at it.

Oregon ON: Now, you said that you stepped in for Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare (CBHC) as the general partner on the Rain Garden project and it has been a great experience. Can you tell me about that?

Terri: A while back we got into our first HUD 811-funded project, providing housing for people with chronic mentally illness, Renaissance Court. We just dipped our toes into it, because we don’t offer mental health services on the whole and we wanted to be careful. That went well, and we were going to take a break. Then Jim [Hlava, CBHC Vice President of Housing] called us April of 2008 to say, “I have a project that may not close on funding and needs to be built, can you take it?” so we met. We were in the middle of closing something else, Sacred Heart, I think. Then Jim showed up, and the projects ended up being back to back! We worked with our partners to restructure the addictions and mental health aspects and closed the deal in three months! Everybody pulled it together to make it work; there were so many attorneys!

Oregon ON: Three months – isn’t that a quick learning curve?

Terri: Yes, well, the negotiation not only put our organization in the general partnership role, but we also had a lot to learn about the model of what Cascadia does. The deal closed before we knew who would do the services. It was an exciting challenge. We didn’t know where the money would come from to pay for services at first, and we couldn’t work without it, so AMH came through with a commitment for the service dollars Cascadia typically does all the work itself—ownership, management, and services. This new model for Rain Garden flipped the old model on its head because the project had a separate owner, a third party manager, and a separate service provider. Jim was great. He had to walk me though what they do. How do you service your residents? What are their needs? What do we need to know as owner?

Oregon ON: In addition to stepping in on Rain Garden, you are taking a role in following up on the collapse of [former Oregon ON member] Tualatin Valley Housing Partners (TVHP), right?

Terri: Right, we are negotiating stepping in for TVHP on Villa Capri in Washington County as the general partner. It is a general-population building, tax credit housing. Cascade Management had already stepped in, and they have stabilized operations. Our becoming a partner won’t mean anything to tenants, but with Cascade doing the property management and with us as an owner, we’ll have the financial capacity to be responsive to tenant needs. It also means the residents won’t have upheaval. It’s not really a troubled property. It’s in good shape. There was some deferred maintenance, but Cascade has resolved that. Our role was to bring to the lender a stable financial partner – they needed our capacity. We already used Cascade Management on all our properties. The same thing with Sacred Heart Villa, the owner agreed to bring in Cascade Management before we took ownership. It works well for me, I don’t know about [Cascade Management’s] David Bachman – it’s probably a lot of heartache for him! (laughs) He’s a gracious, kind man, who can put his foot down without offending anyone; he can say ‘no’ to a room, and they don’t even know they got a no.

Oregon ON: So it sounds like Villa Capri, Sacred Heart Villa and Rain Garden were all possible because of your organizational capacity – would you agree?

Terri: Yes I would.

Oregon ON: What else would you say about Catholic Charities’ capacity affecting its ability to do your work in the community?

Terri: We are fortunate. We’ve been over 75 years. Many stable organizations have had to make budget cuts; that is normal in this economy. And we also have had layoffs and furloughs. Are things here perfect? No. But we have had an aggressive approach to dealing with economic challenges and have taken a proactive approach to addressing what we see as declining financial resources. Our Board of Directors and ED are prudent about budgeting. For example, when we receive bequests or other large, unexpected donations, the policy is to put a significant certain percentage into the endowment. It’s nice to have a Board and business office with prudent financial management. I mean, we have a healthy balance sheet, but we have to live on what we raise, and we’re not rolling in dough. But we have a savings account. And so far, lenders are able to continue lending to us, and investors are able to invest in us. Our promises mean something.

Member News

Irish Echo St Patrick Benefit for St Vincent dePaul – March 12–top

Come join the Irish Echo for a St. Patrick’s Day Party, a musical benefit for Project Starfish. Project Starfish helps families through St. Vincent dePaul of Lane County to find housing!

Where: Marist High School Activity Center, Eugene Oregon
When: Friday, March 12, at 6 pm
Cost: $20 per person, including a potato soup dinner

RSVP by March 9. Call John Stacy for Tickets: (541) 335-2966

Grand Opening Innovative Housing New CDFI – March 16–top

You’re invited to the exciting grand opening of Innovative Change$, an emerging nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) founded by Innovative Housing Inc., with a mission to help lower-income individuals and families manage short-term financial needs in order to achieve and maintain financial and household stability. They do this by providing access to financial education, small-dollar consumer loans, and credit-building opportunities.

Event Details
Tuesday, March 16 2010 from 5-7pm. Opening remarks by Mayor Sam Adams.
4610 N Trenton St., New Columbia Opportunity Center, Portland Oregon, 97203. Parking is available on the street and in the lot behind the building off of Dwight St.

Please RSVP as soon as possible via email or by calling (503) 943-5607.

PRI Makers Publishes Article and Interview with Jim Tierney of CAT–top

A ‘PRI’ is a program-related investment, a tool foundations can use to leverage their philanthropic dollars and to give charitable organizations or commercial ventures access to needed capital, typically at favorable terms. Unlike grants, foundations get a return on their investment, through either repayment or return on equity.

PRIs can be used to rebuild homes after natural disasters, like the Haiti earthquake. A loan guarantee and grant made by the Meyer Memorial Trust has helped Oregon ON member Community Action Team (CAT) finance the repair of over 140 homes ravaged by the late 2007 floods in the Pacific Northwest.

The PRI Maker Network recently interviewed Jim Tierney, CAT Deputy Director and head of the community investment program, about the investment: click here to read the interview. Click here to read the story about how the Meyer Memorial Trust, ShoreBank Enterprise Cascadia, and CAT used PRIs to repair hundreds of homes.

More about PRIs: the White House has proposed a number of initiatives that represent opportunities for leverage for PRI makers. These include support for the National Housing Trust Fund, the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, and Promise Neighborhoods, which are designed to replicate successful social programs.

Volunteer Tutors Needed in Florence and Cottage Grove SVdP Sites–top

Volunteer tutors are needed at St. Vincent de Paul of Lane County’s affordable housing in Florence & Cottage Grove!  They need volunteers to tutor kids anywhere from 5th grade through high school, for a few hours, one day a week. The day may vary depending on the site. For more information on volunteering, email Val Ko or call 541-687-5820 x167. Thank you for helping!

Housing Works Offers Rental Assistance to 160 Local Households–top

With an increase in funding from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD), Housing Works is able to offer an additional 160 Central Oregon households rental assistance. Applicants will be pulled from the existing Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist and be notified by mail beginning February 25, 2010.

Pre-applications for the waitlist were taken during the week of January 6^th, 2010. Housing Works provided outreach to different local communities by taking pre-applications in La Pine, Prineville, Madras and at the main office in Redmond. Nearly 1000 pre-applications for the rental assistance program were turned in. These pre-applications were then placed onto a numerical waiting list based on a computer-generated lottery.

In order to qualify for rental assistance, applicants will need to attend an orientation on either March 8^th or March 9^th, 2010, provide the required documentation, and lease a rental unit within 60 days of the voucher issuance.

Housing Works manages a federal contract with HUD to provide rental assistance to income-qualified households in the region. Annually Housing Works assists up to 1,100+ low-income families and individuals who earn 50% or less of the Area Median Income. The monthly rental assistance for each household is paid directly to landlords and makes up the difference between what the family can afford to pay and the fair market rent. This program distributes more than $6 million annually into the private rental market in the region with over 400 local landlords participating in the program.

For more information on the rental assistance program, call Housing Works at 923-1018.

Central City Concern Hooper Detox Gets Ready to Move–top

Central City Concern’s Hooper Detoxification Services is MOVING on March 15, 2010 to a new location at 1535 N. Williams Avenue. The Sobering Station will remain at 20 NE MLK Jr. Blvd. For a map to the new Hooper Detox location, go to: http://centralcityconcern.org/_pdf/hooper%20map_sign.pdf

What is The Hooper Center? The Center intervenes at critical junctures by providing medical detoxification. It also performs a significant public service with its outreach and sobering programs.

Those who have worked in Old Town Chinatown for years will tell you, before Central City Concern founded ‘Hooper,’ as it is known, it was common to see people passed on the sidewalk, or even to see people die. Jail was the only alternative for people that needed treatment, not punishment. Many people will tell you frankly, that ‘Hooper saved my life.’

Hooper symbolizes the momentous shift Oregon made when in 1971, the legislature defined alcoholism as a disease, not a crime. That seemingly simple act shifted responsibility from the legal system to the social system, with a focus on more humane and cost effective means for handling what was then Portland’s chronic public inebriate program.

Unlike so many cities, Portland didn’t abandon skid row, but rather began to transform it. Central City Concern has been a vital part of the process from the beginning.

Background on Hooper’s Namesake: His name was David P. Hooper – he was an eccentric, highly intelligent young man, a talented running star in college, an aspiring politician and a chronic alcoholic.

He was also the last person to die of alcoholism in the old Portland city jail.

The center that today bears his name is where the road to recovery begins.

For more information about Hooper, click here.

Achtung! Action Alerts

Statewide – Get Candidates on Board for Affordable Housing Debate–top

Please consider contacting these candidates for Oregon Governor to urge their participation in the Affordable Housing Debate, being organized by Habitat for Humanity of Oregon! Habitat is also seeking your suggestions for the best questions to ask the candidates; send them to Patricia Day TenEyck, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Oregon via email.

While Bradbury has formally accepted the invitation, Kitzhaber and Dudley have verbally said yes (but not agreed to a date, nor contacted the Habitat Oregon office), Habitat would like to ask everyone with an interest in affordable housing to write, call or e-mail all candidates listed below to not only urge them to participate in the debate, but to also remind them of the importance of affordable housing for low income families in Oregon. One of these candidates will represent Oregonians as governor, so let’s make sure they know what issues are important to us.

John Kitzhaber (D)
PO Box 4593
Portland, OR 97208
(503) 217-6222
campaign@johnkitzhaber.com
www.johnkitzhaber.com

Bill Bradbury (D)
240 N Broadway Suite127
Portland OR 97227
(503)-206-4501
info@bradbury2010.com
www.bradbury2010.com

Jerry Wilson (Progressive)
22380 NW Meler Rd
Hillsboro, OR 97124
(503) 333-3866
www.viva-la-revolucion.org

Allen Alley (R)
333 South State St. Suite V-216
Lake Oswego, OR 97034
(503) 869-8243
www.allenalley.com

Chris Dudley (R)
P.O. Box 9308
Portland, OR 97207
(503) 616-5350
www.chrisdudley.com

John Lim (R)
http://www.limforgovernor.com

Statewide – Help Your Clients Get $ Back through EITC–top

Working families and persons with low or moderate income may qualify for various tax credits worth up to several thousand dollars, through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Even people who owe no taxes may qualify for a refundable credit and have their taxes prepared for free. Help reach the people you serve with this important information, by posting the flyer for clients to see and link the information to your agency website and/or through list-serves and email communications. The flyer is available at: http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/pdfs/2010_tax-aid.pdf

Oregon Housing and Community Services will report to the legislature about the success of this outreach. Send a quick email to Mary Carroll describing how you have distributed the Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) and free tax preparation information.

From Victor Merced, Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services:

As we approach the midway mark of 2010 tax season, I am writing to encourage you to join us in promoting the use of the Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) to your clients and community partners. We know that families are struggling to maintain an adequate income in the face of the rising costs of housing, energy and transportation, coupled with the loss of employment or reduced hours. Connecting them to available resources is a big help for families trying to achieve financial security.

The 2009 Legislature charged me, as Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, to work with other state agencies and community programs to expand the number of eligible taxpayers who claim the EITC. Oregon Opportunity Network would be an excellent partner in reaching those eligible families.

Contact Mary Carroll for flyers in English and Spanish, created by the Multnomah County Commission on Children and Families, that contain information about free tax preparation sites across the state, and information about applying for the tax credits. Please take some time to plan on how you can communicate this information to your local commissions, programs and partners across the state.

The following message and link could be posted on your website:

Helping Oregonians get money back on their taxes. Working families and persons with low or moderate income may qualify for various tax credits worth up to several thousand dollars. Even people who owe no taxes may qualify for a refundable credit and have their taxes prepared for free.

http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/pdfs/2010_tax-aid.pdf

So, please help us reach the people you serve with this important information.

Please consider posting the link and a message about EITC on your website
Print and post the flyer where clients meet
Include the link or the flyer in emails or communication to your clients, including newsletter or through your list-serve.

Finally, let us know how you’ve distributed the information. I will report to the legislature about the success of this outreach in the fall. Just send a quick email to Mary Carroll describing how you have distributed the EITC and free tax preparation information. Thank you for your help.

Victor Merced, Director, Oregon Housing and Community Services

Federal – Tell Your Clients SSA Settlement May Mean Back Pay–top

Please let your community know: Those who have been denied Social Security because of warrants may qualify for retroactive benefits! Read on. . .

A class action litigation brought by the National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC) and others, challenging the Social Security Administration (SSA)’s implementation of the ‘fleeing felon’ disqualification from receiving SSI and OASDI benefits, has settled.

As the result, the SSA must pay back half a billion in illegally withheld benefits. Thousands of SSI and SSD recipients should get their benefits back, including retroactive benefits.

While SSA is supposed to notify affected class members, the concern is that homeless clients and clients who move around will not be informed of their rights.

SPREAD THE NEWS: If you serve people experiencing homelessness, itinerant laborers, or others without steady addresses, please inform them of this settlement and their right to benefits! More information and outreach fliers can be found at: http://www.nsclc.org/front-page/areas/social-security-ssi/Martinez-Settlement

Background: In the past, the SSA matched warrant databases against people receiving benefits. When a match was made SSA provided information on the individual’s whereabouts to law enforcement in the jurisdiction that issued the warrant. SSA then waited 60 days to allow law enforcement to secure an arrest.

Only after law enforcement declined to pursue the individual did SSA take action to suspend benefits. Thus most of those who lost benefits were wanted for minor offenses, often from decades earlier. Many did not even know criminal charges had been filed against them.

“The vast majority of class members were not fleeing at all; many never knew that criminal charges were pending against them, let alone that a warrant had been issued,” Gerald McIntyre, attorney with the National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC), one of the organizations that represented the plaintiffs, said.

Martinez plaintiffs filed a class action lawsuit in 2008 in California federal district court. Social Security Recipients in the Martinez settlement class are:

•Anyone who had benefits under Title II (Social Security) or Title XVI (SSI) or Title VIII

(Special Veterans’ Benefits –SVB) denied or suspended due to an outstanding felony warrant.

•Anyone not permitted to serve as a representative payee due to an outstanding felony warrant.

As the result of the settlement, retroactive to April 1, 2009, SSA will no longer suspend or deny benefits, or refuse to allow someone to serve as rep payee, solely on the basis of an outstanding felony warrant.regi

(Note: The law prohibits payment of benefits to those violating a condition of probation or parole, so if a warrant is for probation or parole violation, clients are not part of the Martinez settlement and the SSA will still automatically suspend or deny benefits.)

To learn more from the From the National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC), click here!

Federal – Tell Senate to Save the Low Income Housing Tax Credit–top

Enterprise has issued a Policy Action Alert to Save the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, by including the following three A.C.T.I.O.N proposals in the next Senate jobs bill, the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act of 2010.

While the House to a big step forward by introducing legislation that would extend the 9% Tax Credit Exchange Program (TCEP) [H.R.4687: see related article in the Federal section of this enews], advocates have had difficulty getting concrete legislation introduced in the Senate.

Please contact your Senators and urge them to support critical proposals to stimulate investment in the most successful affordable rental housing production program in U.S. history, while ensuring that desperately needed affordable housing continues to be built in the short term. Visit rentalhousingaction.org to learn more or contact Juan Sebastian Arias at Enterprise with questions.

The three A.C.T.I.O.N proposals are:

Extend the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit) exchange program to include bond-financed housing
Increase the Housing Credit carryback period to 5 years for new housing and qualifying existing housing
Expand the Housing Credit investor base by permitting Subchapter S, LLCs, and closely-held corporations to utilize the Credit

Portland Metro News

PDC Approves Block 33 Sale – League of Women Voters Concern–top

Block 33 could be sold to OHSU, Daily Journal of Commerce, Wednesday, February 24, By Nathalie Weinstein

The Portland Development Commission (PDC) February 24 approved the sale of the Block 33 property to Oregon Health & Science University. The block is bordered by Southwest Curry Street, Macadam Avenue, Moody Street and Gaines Street.

The OHSU board will consider the sale at its April 8 meeting.

Under the deal, the PDC will get a $3 million refund for parking space payment and $1 million in Transportation System Development Charges from OHSU. In addition, if OHSU were to sell Block 33, the PDC would be entitled to 25 percent of the proceeds, up to $2 million.

The site had been tapped for an affordable housing project, but the PDC scrapped the deal in late 2009 due to financial difficulties. Another affordable housing project, The Tamarack, was slated to be built in the South Waterfront District as well, but has yet to be built.

According to PDC spokesman Shawn Uhlman, the Portland Housing Bureau will now take the lead to find a place for affordable housing in the district.

Here’s more background on the history of South Waterfront development from the Oregonian’s Ryan Frank in December 2009: http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/12/ohsu_delays_parking_lot_scraps.html

League of Women Voters Letter on North Macadam URA – Block 33
DATE: February 23, 2010
TO: Chair Scott Andrews, PDC Board of Commissioners

FROM: League of Women Voters of Portland

CC: Commissioner Nick Fish, Margaret Van Vliet, Kate Allen, Steve Gray, Julie Massa, Lisa Abuaf

RE: Action item: Agreement of Assignment and Assumption of PDC’s Rights in Block 33 of the South Waterfront Project of the North Macadam Urban Renewal Area to the Oregon Heath Sciences University and the Ninth Amendment to the Central District Development Agreement.

The League of Women Voters of Portland has followed the North Macadam Urban Renewal Area development since the inception of the steering committee responsible for the district’s 1999 Framework Plan. Over the years, we have encouraged PDC to leverage effectively urban renewal dollars with an emphasis on funding amenities that private developers would not undertake, including parks, the greenway, and housing affordable to a broad spectrum of incomes.

The Central District Development Agreement obligated North Macadam Investors to develop 400 units of affordable housing subject to the availability of sufficient PDC financing. The obligation to develop those units was assumed by the city when the 8th amendment was executed in 2006. Block 33 was identified as the location for those units at that time. That obligation will be cancelled in the Ninth Amendment and PDC will give up the air rights in return for $1 million in transportation system development charge credits currently owned by OHSU plus 25 percent of any profits realized by OHSU should it sell the property within seven years, up to a maximum of $2 million. It is worth noting that PDC paid $3 million for the air rights.

The League is extremely concerned about the future of this district in terms of the affordable housing commitments made in the Central District Development Agreement, the district wide affordable housing targets, and the city’s broader equity goals. The North Macadam Urban Renewal Area Housing Development Strategy states that of the first 3,000 housing units produced, 788 will be affordable to households earning up to 120 percent of MFI (754 units affordable up to 100 percent of MFI). The Central District Development Agreement called for a minimum of 200 units developed in Phase 1 and 230 units in Phase 3. If development of more than 3,000 units occurs additional future development will match the city’s income profile.

The North Macadam urban renewal area is 11 years old. To date not one unit of affordable housing has been developed. Many of the other projects outlined in the plan and the Central District Development Agreement, however, have been completed or are near-complete including the OHSU tram, streetcar, condo towers, streets and sidewalks, and Elizabeth Caruthers Park. During the early planning for this district fears were expressed that this area might become an enclave for the wealthy. Given the amount of public resources that will be devoted to this district we urge you to ensure that fear is not borne out.

In 2006, when the 8th amendment was adopted, PDC believed Block 33 was a viable option for 400 units of affordable housing. We do not understand why this is no longer the case and encourage you to ask that question of staff involved in negotiating the deal. Furthermore, the 8th amendment transferred the obligation to develop 400 units of affordable housing from North Macadam Investors to the city. What are the plans for fulfilling that obligation

The League also urges you to ask PDC and housing bureau staff on Wednesday how they plan to meet district wide affordable housing goals and ensure that the significant public investment in South Waterfront benefits Portlanders at all income levels.

Click here to read a story about Block 33 in Street Roots.

What Advocates Should Know – Sustainable Communities –March 4 –top

The new HUD Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program offers an exciting opportunity to create more equitable communities across America. It is a HUD/Dept of Transportation joint venture intended to “create strong, sustainable communities by connecting housing to jobs, fostering local innovation, and helping to build a clean energy economy.” [Please see related article on this program in the Federal section of this enews.]

Join a webinar on Thursday, March 4, at Noon Eastern (9 am Pacific) to find out how you can influence the program to make it more responsive to low-income communities and people of color. Please note, registration is required.

The webinar will cover how the program can better:

Engage the Nonprofit Sector and Community Leaders for Policy
Meet Housing Need and Affordability in our Communities
Build Equity into Regional Consolidated Plans
Foster Better Community and Agency Collaboration

Shelley Poticha, Senior Advisor for Sustainable Housing and Communities at HUD will provide program details and outline the office’s effort to integrate housing, economic development, environmental impact and transportation decision-making.

Kalima Rose and Radhika Fox from PolicyLink will offer insights on how communities of opportunity and place-based strategies could be strengthened by a transformative and visionary federal effort on sustainable communities.

To RSVP now, click here. PolicyLink comments on this program will be posted on March 5, and will be e-mailed to all call participants.

View program details and submit your comments through the HUD website at www.hud.gov/sustainability.

Portland Plan Interactive Workshop at New Columbia – March 15–top

New Columbia and North Portland Residents are invited to participate in a Portland Plan workshop Monday, March 15, 2010, from 5:30-8 p.m. at the New Columbia Community Education Center, 4625 North Trenton, in North Portland.

Meet Commissioner Nick Fish; Steve Rudman, Executive Director of HAP; Eric Engstrom, Project Manager for the Portland Plan; and other civic leaders.

Hand-held voting clickers will make the whole session interactive, and instant voting will allow participants to inform the planning process. Food and beverages will be provided by local area vendors, including Reflections Coffee House and Porqué No, and child care is available with reservations.

A lot of people love what Portland has to offer, especially its natural beauty and fun things to do. But not everyone is happy with it all the time: Too many kids are dropping out of high school, people continue to lose their jobs, we’re still polluting the air, and not everyone lives in a nice neighborhood. We can’t fix these problems alone; we need to help each other make a better Portland — now and in the future.

To RSVP for childcare call 503-823-2041 or via email. For questions about the event please call Marty Stockton at 503-823-2041 or e-mail Rachel Tillman by clicking here. For more information about the Portland Plan visit: www.pdxplan.com.

The Portland Plan will be our City’s strategic plan for the next 25 years, ensuring that Portland is a thriving and sustainable city and our people are prosperous, healthy and educated. Under Mayor Sam Adam’s leadership, the Portland Plan is being developed in partnership with other agencies and organizations throughout the city and region. This event is a collaboration between the Housing Authority of Portland, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and area residents, creating an opportunity for our diverse community to work together to discuss challenges, define priorities and guide investments for the future.

More about Phase Two of the plan, from Mayor Adam’s blog:

Nearly 1,000 participants attended the seven Portland Plan workshops held in November and December 2009, and BPS staff has been providing presentations about the Portland Plan to some 50 additional community groups and organizations over the past few months. These smaller group presentations are part of our ongoing outreach efforts to include underrepresented groups and others who typically don’t show up to big public workshops. BPS is working with the Office of Neighborhood Involvement, the Diversity and Civic Leadership program and Portland’s neighborhood coalitions. In addition, the Portland Plan Community Involvement Committee is helping build stronger connections with the business community and develop a more robust outreach program with the schools.

Jobs, education and walkability are the top priorities identified by Portland Plan workshop participants and respondents to the paper and online surveys. From November to February, we’ve received 8,000 surveys — 3,000 online and 5,000 through the mail. We are still accepting survey responses through March 31, and copies are available at neighborhood association offices as well as online at www.pdxplan.com.

Now that the Phase I workshops have wrapped up, the bureau is gathering, sorting and analyzing the feedback we received from the workshops, group discussions and surveys. We’re comparing that information with what we learned from visionPDX and earlier outreach efforts for the Portland Plan, as well as the findings from the background reports, to provide the starting material for Phase II workshops .

So what’s next?

Phase II workshops will begin in late April and extend into May (check the Web site for dates, times and locations soon). During this next phase, we’ll look to set a course for Portland’s future by focusing on objectives for each of the nine action areas and establishing targets to achieve our goals. We’ll also ask Portlanders to weigh in on the barriers to success and drivers (or strategies) that will help us achieve our objectives.

Stay tuned for final survey results, and get ready as we tee up for Phase II. Your voice counts.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on the Portland Plan background reports as part of the state periodic review process. The meeting is scheduled for March 3, 1:15 p.m. to 3 p.m., 1900 SW 4th Ave., Room 2500A. Portlanders are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to present public testimony before the Commission on information related to the background reports. This testimony becomes part of the public record.

Nominate for Cameron Award in Washington County –April 2–top

Friday, February 19 in The Hillsboro Argus

The Cameron Award has been presented annually to organizations and individuals that embrace collaboration and epitomize a commitment to working across multiple sectors of the community. Established in 2005, the award is named after Charlie Cameron to honor his leadership and to inspire others to embrace the collaborative vision he repeatedly demonstrated.

Cameron was the Washington County Administrator from 1986 to 2005 and was a founding Board member of the Vision Action Network.

The Cameron Award for Outstanding Community Collaboration is not a typical community excellence or achievement award. In these times of reduced budgets and increased need, cross-sector collaboration is imperative to meeting the needs of the community.

Individuals, organizations, businesses and faith communities in Washington County have seen the increased benefit in working together and embrace a collaborative spirit that the Vision Action Network wants to acknowledge and celebrate.

Nominations for this year’s Cameron Awards are open. Nominations can be in one of three categories: Individual, Organization and Emerging Leader (40 years and under). The 500-word narrative essay should highlight the nominee’s work in three areas: Community Leadership, Cross-Sector Collaboration, and Making a Difference in the Community.

Nominators are encouraged to give specific examples of how the nominee uses collaboration to achieve community benefit. Supporting materials (e.g., letters of support from collaborators, news articles, etc.) are strongly encouraged to add strength and documentation of the nominee’s collaborative work.

Nomination forms are available at www.visionactionnetwork.org.

Deadline for nominations is 5 p.m., Friday, April 2. Late submissions will not be accepted. Please send nominations by e-mail.

Nominate Your Residential Project for Build It Green!– April 29–top

The City of Portland has just issued the home nomination form for the City of Portland 2010 Build It Green! Home Tour. If you would like to submit your green residential project within the Portland city limits for consideration, nominations are due by 5:00pm, Thursday, April 29th, 2010.

Tour Date: Saturday, September 25, 11am – 5pm

Link: Build It Green! Home Nomination Form

If you have any questions, contact Valerie Garrett, BIG! Coordinator via email.

BOA Initiative Makes Portland Grants – June 1–top

This Bank of America Neighborhood Excellence initiative works with community-based organizations, local heroes and student leaders to address critical neighborhood needs. The grants will be awarded to organizations in each of 44 cities nationwide (Portland, Oregon is one of them; to see all the cities, click here). For both programs, online applications are due June 1.

The initiative has two award categories:

1. Neighborhood Builder awards: $200,000 in unrestricted grants. Neighborhood Builder awards carry with them national leadership programs (all expenses paid) for the Executive Director and an emerging leader from the organization. The grants will be awarded to two organizations in each of 44 cities nationwide. The online applications are only seven questions long.

2. Local Hero awards: $5,000 will be directed to an organization of their choice. Five winners will be selected in each of 44 cities nationwide.

Click here to learn more.

City Seeks Homeowners for Energy Efficiency Pilot–top

Portland homeowners can receive energy efficiency improvements with no upfront costs through Clean Energy Works Portland, a City of Portland pilot program. The program aims to help residents overcome financial obstacles so they can quickly and easily reduce their energy costs and protect the environment.

The program is looking for 300 homes to participate in the program. This is the first time the pilot has been opened to the general public for participation.

See: http://www.portlandonline.com/?c=26361&a=287879.

Hey Housing Wonks – Be A Budget Advisor to City Council!–top

Portland Mayor Sam Adams and City Commissioners announced February 23 three vacancies for public advisors to participate in review of budget requests submitted by all City bureaus. Positions are open until filled. However, budget activities for the Board commence March 15, 2010, with orientation and training offered in advance.

The Community Budget Advisory Board participates in City Council budget deliberations, advises Council regarding proposed amendments to the budget, and assists the Council in reviewing budget plans against results to date. The Advisory Board includes five (5) community members with staggered 3-year terms who are eligible for reappointment.

Overview and application information, including submission instructions, is online at: http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=37423&a=99395

Application Requirements (forms and supplemental questions are all online):

Cover Letter
City Boards and Commissions application form
Answers to supplemental questions
Conflict of Interest Form

Need more information? Call 503-823-6806

Get Up to Speed on Metro Council Actions –top

From Tom Cusack at the Oregon Housing Blog:

Tom Cusack has kindly assembled a number of materials that give anyone the opportunity to get up to speed on what recent Metro Council actions have been on affordable housing as we lead to key 2010 events:

2010 ADOPTION of the Urban Growth Plan,[to date it has only been "accepted", and Metro Council says that policy choices will be made in 2010]
Adoption of new Framework and Functional plan housing policies.
A possible HUD Livable Communities Regional Planning grant application (due to HUD in early June 2010.

Click here for the story.

Regional and Rural News

Oregon Coast Housing Advocate Bob More Retires after 24 Years –top

By Alexander Rich, Staff Writer for The World, serving Oregon’s South Coast
Monday, February 15

Bob More is retiring after 24 years working with the Oregon Coast Community Action housing office in Coos Bay, advocating on behalf of low-income people needing affordable housing.

Get him to talk about affordable housing or the rights of disabled Americans and the passion in his voice echoes that of a twentysomething. He’s disappointed that so many people in our society can’t get basic necessities, but still More, 66, has no regrets about the path he took.

“I know I’ve helped thousands of people,” he said Thursday, the day before his last at Community Action. “I know I’ve made a difference for them.”

Click here to read the story.

Funding Uncertain for Newberg Housing Rehab–top

By: David Sale, 2/16/2010 in the Newberg Graphic

As the members of Newberg, Oregon’s Affordable Housing Committee set priorities for making the city more livable for working-class families, the talk kept circling back to one issue: money.

“Affordable” housing is defined as costing no more than 30 percent of household income, but at present 35 percent of mortgage holders and 37 percent of renters pay more to live in Newberg.

While the committee pursues strategies to add new housing stock by increasing neighborhood density through code changes, and potentially expansion, the city also hopes to rehabilitate existing housing — as one-quarter of the existing stock was built 50 or more years ago.

Click here to read the story.

Site Collects Community Resources for Deschutes, Klamath Counties–top

In an example of how one person can make a difference, ordinary citizen Kathy Matthews has created a comprehensive website “especially designed for those of us who live in La Pine, Sunriver, Gilchrist and Crescent. It is intended to outline the community resources available to southern Deschutes County and northern Klamath County.”

It offers information on community resources such as Housing and Shelter, Healthcare and Counseling, Heating and Electricity, Childcare, Clothing and Food, and much more.

Click here to see Kathy’s website.

Statewide News

$11.3 in Lottery-Backed Bonds Allocated to 519 Units Across Oregon–top

Nearly $11.3 million in lottery-backed bond proceeds will help fund the preservation of 519 units of affordable housing, allowing us to keep millions in federal rent subsidies in Oregon for the next 20 years.

It also helps Oregon save money – to replace these units would cost nearly $104 million.

Thirteen housing developments serving lower-income households throughout Oregon have been allocated funding from the department’s preservation initiative, which could generate millions in economic activity throughout the state.

Projects receiving allocations still need to complete their due diligence and receive Housing Council approval.

Ashland (Stratford Apts.) – $1.95 million in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 51 units of affordable housing. Upon completion, 50 units will benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Beaverton (Crestview Court) – $697,047 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 48 units of affordable housing, 47 of which benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Klamath Falls (High Valley Estates) – $529,716 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 37 units of affordable housing, 36 of which benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Lincoln City (Spyglass Apts.) – $485,000 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 40 units. Upon completion, 39 units will benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Madras (The Madison Apts.) – $265,436 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 30 units of affordable housing, 29 of which benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Madras (Willowcreek Apts.) – $265,436 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 40 units of affordable housing, 39 of which benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Medford (Spring Street Apts.) – $1.6 million in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 56 units of affordable housing, 55 of which benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Monmouth (The Village) – $690,000 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 23 units of affordable housing, all of which benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Mt. Angel (Cascade Valley) – $1.3 million in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 40 units of affordable housing. Upon completion, 39 units will benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Prineville (Grasshopper Village) – $236,223 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 22 units of affordable housing. All units benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Redmond (Wintergreen Apts.) – $265,436 in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 24 units of affordable housing, 23 of which benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Willamina (Willamina) – $1.25 million in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 24 units of affordable housing. All residents benefit from project-based rental assistance.
Wilsonville (Montebello/Montecino Apts.) – $1.6 million in lottery-backed bond proceeds will preserve 84 units of affordable housing. Upon completion, 83 units will benefit from project-based rental assistance.

Crager, Byrd, McLennan Update State on Affordable Development–top

Deputy Director Rick Crager appeared before the House Committee on Business and Labor to provide an update on the status of affordable housing in Oregon. He was joined by Janet Byrd representing the Oregon Housing Alliance, and Martha McLennan from Northwest Housing Alternatives.

During Rick’s presentation, he touched on the need for affordable housing, pointing to the 75 percent growth in the population experiencing homelessness since 2002 and the fact that nearly 66 percent of low-income Oregonians pay more than one-third of their incomes on housing. In the current economy, the demand for affordable housing continues to far out pace the supply, as more people face foreclosure and unemployment.

Deputy Director Crager also addressed some of the challenges facing the affordable housing development industry, such as the lack of investor demand for tax credits and the restricted access to capital and credit.

In response to the demand and the changing economy, the Legislature and Congress have both made investments totaling $115.3 million to increase the supply of affordable housing opportunities across Oregon during the 2009-11 biennium.

The new dollars come from three sources: lottery-backed bonds, the new document-recording fee, and the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.

Rick described how OHCS is putting those dollars to use and provided dramatic information about the difference the new funding will make across the state.

Total units of federally subsidized housing preserved: 2,213
Total units of new affordable housing: 818
Total units of housing weatherized: 4,635
Total new homes for low-income homebuyers: 500
Estimated economic benefits: $986.9 million
Federal funds retained in the state: $115.1 million
Jobs created: 3,947

Committee member Rep. Kennemer, who found Rick’s report “remarkable,” said “It’s nice to see it makes such a huge difference.”

First in the Nation – California Adopts Mandatory Green Building Code–top

[This might be stretching it to put this in the Statewide News section, but it might influence Oregon . . .]

California’s first-in-the-nation mandatory green building code will help the state meet its tough curbs on greenhouse gas emissions and its goal of deriving a third of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. “California continues to pave the way,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, praising the code adopted Tuesday by the California Building Standards Commission.

The code, which takes effect in January 2011, will require that every new home, commercial building and public structure reduce water consumption by 20% below the current code. It mandates separate water meters for indoor and outdoor water use in non-residential buildings. Large landscaping projects will have to install moisture-sensing irrigation systems.

The code will also encourage recycling by forcing builders to divert 50% of construction waste away from landfills. Materials must be low-polluting, as in paints that emit fewer volatile organic compounds. Inspections of energy systems such as heat furnaces and air conditioners will be mandatory in non-residential buildings over 10,000 square feet to ensure that all are working at maximum efficiency.

Environmentalists praised the mandatory elements of the code but opposed the code’s voluntary CalGreen label, saying that it would cause confusion in the market. CalGreen labels could compete with the much stricter Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, which have become a national norm, they said.

Housing Conference Postponed Until 2011–top

From OHCS: After much reflection, the leadership of OHCS has decided to cancel the 2010 housing conference.

We didn’t come to this decision easily. We, like those who attend the conference, have found it a valuable time to network and collaborate on our shared goals.

The slow economy means that we cannot count on adequate sponsorships to make the conference a success. Moreover, the requirements of ARRA reporting have significantly increased the demands on our staff, stretching our capacity to deliver core services.

We look forward to putting on an event in 2011.

State Receives First $2-6M of Housing Opportunity Bill Money –top

From OHCS: The first quarterly transfer from document recording fee collections came to Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) the second week of February. HB 2436 requires a three-way split of the $2.6 million that was deposited:

76 percent to the General Housing Account or a bit less than $2 million.
10 percent to the Emergency Housing Account for a little more than $263,000.
14 percent to the Home Ownership Assistance Account or just over $368,280.

If revenues were to continue at this level for the remainder of the biennium, then the fee could generate as much as $17.5 million by the end of June 2011.

However, we need more time to know if this will be the continuing pattern, or if the real estate market will resume a more sluggish pace.

We will be putting these new resources to work as soon as possible. By the end of this month, we will release more specific details on when and how OHCS will implement its allocation strategies.

IDA Initiative Awards $4-3M to Six Nonprofits –top

Neighborhood Partnerships and Oregon Housing and Community Services proudly announced awards totaling $4.397 million to six nonprofit agencies by the Oregon Individual Development Account (IDA) Initiative. Funds were awarded to six valued partner organizations serving 29 counties in our state.

By coupling matched savings with financial education and other supports, the Oregon IDA Initiative fosters hope and opportunity. Thanks to the great work of these partner organizations over 1,200 IDA participants have already purchased an asset. This year’s funding will allow approximately 750 more low income Oregonians to start saving toward an asset goal in 2010.

Read more about the awarded funds and the IDA Program in Cynthia Winter’s latest blog post.

Oregon Thrives Have a Heart Day a Success–top

On Friday, February 12, 100 advocates gathered in Salem for Oregon Thrives’ “Have a Heart Day” in honor of Oregon’s 151st birthday and Valentine’s Day. Oregon Thrives is a coalition of advocacy and service organizations in Oregon of which Neighborhood Partnerships is a founding member. NP staff went to Salem to participate in the event and encourage legislators to have a heart and remember Oregon’s most vulnerable citizens during this special legislative session and these difficult economic times. Janet Byrd spoke about the extreme number of homeless school children and families, and things that the legislature can do to help alleviate this crisis. She also testified at the Earned Income Tax Credit hearing about the importance of expanding EITC for working families.

Have a Heart Day was a great success! Together with Oregon Thrives and our partners we were able to thank many members of the Oregon State Legislature, reminding them to have a heart during the remainder of the February session to ensure that all Oregonians have an opportunity to thrive.

Learn more about what went on at Have a Heart Day in Haley Cloyd’s latest blog!

Housing Advocate Rey Ramsey Defects to Silicon Valley–top

[There is a rumor that Rey Ramsey is going to be the MC at Habitat for Humanity's TBA gubernatorial debate! But where is this man of mystery today? Read on . . ]

By Mike Zapler, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Feb. 20, republished on Builder Jobs.com

Rey Ramsey has dedicated much of his adult life to building more affordable housing, first as the head of Oregon’s housing agency and then at the Enterprise Foundation, a nonprofit based outside Washington, D.C. Over the past decade he has led an organization that works to expand Internet access to low-income people in their homes.

In his new role of president and CEO of TechNet, a bipartisan group founded in 1997 made up of CEOs of some of the nation’s largest technology companies, the Philadelphia native wants to promote innovative ways that technology can help solve some of the nation’s pressing social problems — and boost the profits of member companies at the same time. That means broadening the sector’s scope beyond its perennial list of legislative priorities, he says, and building alliances with nonprofits and government.

Click here to read the interview.

Federal News

Donovan Testifies on FY11 T-HUD Budget –top

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) heard testimony from HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan on HUD’s FY11 budget proposal at its February 23 hearing. The budget proposal includes new initiatives on rental assistance, serving homeless households and economic development (see Memo, 2/5).

The House and Senate Appropriations Committees’ hearings mark the beginning of Congress crafting the details of the FY11 budget (see Memo, 1/8). As the next step in the appropriations process, the House and Senate Committees on Budget will aim to pass a budget resolution that will set the overall framework for federal spending.

Details of the Hearing:

Subcommittee Chair John Olver (D-MA) opened the hearing by praising aspects of the Administration’s budget, including HUD’s commitment to its Sustainable Communities Initiative and programs serving homeless households. Much of the focus in Mr. Olver’s opening marks, however, was on cuts the Administration has proposed, specifically its plan to zero out the programs that serve seniors and people with disabilities.

In his testimony, Secretary Donovan stated that HUD’s work over the last year and the $41.5 billion proposed for HUD in the President’s FY11 budget provide a foundation for the agency to provide security to tenants and homeowners, rebuild confidence in the agency’s work to help the economy grow, and “put money back into households’ pockets” by helping borrowers to refinance at lower rates.

Secretary Donovan focused his remarks on the Transitioning Rental Assistance (TRA) program, a new HUD initiative that would combine HUD’s 13 rental assistance streams into one program (see Memo, 2/5). He said that HUD rental assistance programs “desperately need simplification” to better serve the 4.6 million households in these programs.

As envisioned, TRA would allow public housing agencies and project-based owners to voluntarily convert their current federal subsidy streams to a new, more streamlined source of operating subsidy while giving residents in such units the choice to move with a tenant-based voucher. Secretary Donovan described the guiding principles of the TRA program as simplifying the current funding structures, shifting from capital and operating subsidy structure to a structure that leverages private funds, instituting market discipline that attracts private capital, and providing all residents with additional mobility choices. HUD is currently developing program details.

In speaking about the Administration’s proposal to increase funding for HUD’s homeless assistance programs by $200 million in FY11, the Secretary cited recent successes in reducing chronic homelessness by 30% in the last four years.

Both Mr. Olver and Representative Tom Latham (R-IA), ranking member of the Subcommittee, questioned the Secretary about the Administration’s decision to cut the Section 202 housing for the elderly and Section 811 housing for people with disabilities programs (see Memo, 2/5). Mr. Olver noted that Congress, and specifically the Committee, have increased the investment in these programs over the last three years, and he questioned the Administration’s position that funding should be halted until program reforms are completed. While two bills that would make significant changes to the programs have passed the House and are before the Senate, Mr. Olver stated that he understands as many as two-thirds of needed changes could be made by HUD now without legislation.

The Secretary said that, faced with difficult decisions about where to dedicate limited funds for FY11, HUD chose to shore up rental programs and allocate cuts to capital programs. Secretary Donovan also noted that the 202 and 811 programs produce a small number of units each year, 4,000 and 1,000 respectively, just one-tenth that of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. The Secretary did not address Mr. Olver’s question of why the program funding needs to be cut when improvements to the program could be made by the Administration.

Mr. Olver said he was also “disappointed” that HUD did not adhere to agreements made between the Administration and Congress on waiting to include the new Choice Neighborhoods Initiative (CNI) in the budget proposal until after the program is authorized by Congress. HUD proposed CNI, a new program to address distressed public and assisted housing stock in high poverty neighborhoods, in its FY10 budget proposal (see Memo 10/2/09). The proposal was included in the final FY10 appropriations bill before it was vetted by the House and Senate authorizing committees, something many thought was necessary for a new program of its scope.

HUD’s overall budget request anticipates a significant increase in revenue, or “offsetting receipts” from the Federal Housing Administration’s business, $6.9 billion in FY11 compared to $3.3 billion in FY10. These revenues offset HUD’s expenditures and result in an overall lower HUD budget request than would exist without these FHA revenues. Citing past discrepancies between HUD and Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) projections for FHA receipts, Mr. Olver asked Secretary Donovan if the anticipated FHA receipts were in line with the CBO’s estimates.

The Secretary responded that, for FY11, HUD used conservative estimates including lower home prices than CBO uses and a higher decline in home prices than are currently expected, making HUD confident that its estimates of FHA receipts will be accurate. HUD began meeting with CBO to discuss these estimates on February 22.

A hearing on HUD’s budget request by the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on T-HUD scheduled for February 25 was postponed and is expected to be rescheduled for March. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees’ hearings mark the first steps in Congress’s process to enact a FY11 budget (see Memo, 1/8).

View the webcast of the hearing at: http://appropriations.house.gov/Subcommittees/sub_tranurb.shtml

View Secretary Donovan’s testimony at: http://appropriations.house.gov/Witness_testimony/TH/Shaun%20Donovan_2_23_10.pdf

View NLIHC’s budget chart at: http://www.nlihc.org/doc/FY11-Budget-Chart-HUD-Programs.pdf

Two Bills – Supporting the LIHTC, CDBG Set-Aside for Veterans –top

Low Income Housing Tax Credit [LIHTC]:

On February 24, House Representative Linda Sanchez (D-CA) introduced H.R.4687, the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Exchange Expansion and Job Creation Act of 2010. This legislation would extend the 9% Tax Credit Exchange Program (TCEP) created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and improve that program to enable affordable housing projects to move forward. The bill would also provide an exchange program for the 4% credit, providing financing for much needed preservation activities.

The House passed an extension of the 9% credit in December 2009 (see Memo, 12/11/09). The 9% exchange program allows state tax credit allocating agencies to trade a portion of their tax credits for cash and use that cash to finance affordable housing. H.R. 4687 would improve on that legislation by making technical corrections to make the 9% exchange program more effective.

The bill would also expand TCEP to include the exchange of 4% credits and allow developers to return allocations of mortgage revenue bonds associated with the exchanged credits, and use taxable financing instead, if they can demonstrate that the bonds cannot be sold on reasonable terms or that replacing the bonds with taxable financing would likely lead to the creation of more affordable housing. The 4% credit is used in connection with development or rehabilitation activities involving other federal funds, including housing bonds. ARRA did not include an exchange program for the 4% credits.

Advocates will be contacting their member of Congress to ask them to cosponsor H.R. 4687.

It was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and to the Committee on Ways and Means.

CDBG Set-Aside Program for Veterans:

Representative Timothy Bishop (D-NY) on February 22 introduced H.R. 4632. The bill would amend the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 to set aside a portion of Community Development Block Grant funds in each fiscal year for grants to local chapters of veterans’ service organizations for rehabilitation of their facilities.

The bill, the Renovate and Enhance Veterans’ Meeting Halls and Posts Act of 2010, or the REVAMP Act of 2010, would create a competitive grant program that would allocate up to $50 million of CDBG funds for improvements or repairs to existing local nonprofit veterans facilities.

“The debt we owe our veterans can never fully be repaid. I introduced this legislation to help our veterans maintain and improve their meeting places to reward their service and sacrifices,” Mr. Bishop said in a press release.

The bill was referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Dissent in House on Senate Jobs Bill that Does Not Include NHTF–top

The Senate passed a $15 billion jobs bill on February 24 in a bipartisan vote of 70-28. Unlike the House’s $154 billion jobs bill that passed in December (see Memo, 12/18/09), this Senate bill does not include $1.065 billion for the National Housing Trust Fund.

Advocates feared the House would be forced to simply adopt the Senate version of the bill in lieu of doing nothing at all. However, House members of the Congressional Black Caucus objected to acting on the Senate bill, because they consider it insufficient. House members of the fiscally-conservative Democratic Blue Dogs objected because the provisions in the Senate bill do not have an offset. If these objections force the Senate and the House into a conference committee to iron out the differences between the two bills, the NHTF funding stands a good chance of being retained.

Background: On February 11 Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D.-Mont., and Ranking Member Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, released a draft of jobs legislation called the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act.

The draft bill extended several tax provisions that expired on December 31, 2009:

extend the Section 1602 low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) cash grant exchange program that was created by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act;
extend for one year the new markets tax credit (NMTC);
and extend Gulf Opportunity (GO) Zone provisions.

The tax extenders are estimated to cost about $31 billion over 10 years. Sens. Baucus and Grassley list three offsets for the cost of the HIRE Act, including codification of the economic substance doctrine.

A.C.T.I.O.N., a grassroots campaign led by a coalition of 100 cross-industry organizations focused on stimulating investment in affordable rental housing, advocated for inclusion of three campaign proposals to stimulate investment in the tax credit market during negotiations on the bill:

Extend the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit) exchange program to include bond-financed housing
Increase the Housing Credit carryback period to 5 years for new housing and qualifying existing housing
Expand the Housing Credit investor base by permitting Subchapter S, LLCs, and closely-held corporations to utilize the Credit

[To learn more about the A.C.T.I.O.N. proposals, check out an AOL editorial co-authored by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and David Abromowitz of the Center for American Progress on the impending shortage of rental units affordable to working families.]

However, when the draft bill was released, it included an extension of the nine percent exchange program, but it did not include proposals to increase the carryback period or broaden the investor base. It also did not include the National Housing Trust Fund.

The A.C.T.I.O.N Campaign will continue to advocate for inclusion of its proposals in upcoming Senate tax legislation.

NHTF Background: As far as the failure to include the NHTF, Senate sources cite the fact that HUD has not yet issued the program regulations, therefore making it impossible for NHTF dollars to actually create jobs in 2010, as the reason the NHTF is not in the bill. In a classic Catch-22, HUD officials state the program regulations will be issued once funding is approved. The NHTF campaign will focus on two avenues to achieve passage of funding to get the NHTF started:

1. Negotiations between the Senate and the House on jobs legislation, as the House bill passed in December does include $1.065 billion to capitalize the NHTF and fund project-based vouchers to be coupled with capital grants (see Memo, 12/18/09)

2. Other must-pass vehicles to which the NHTF can be attached.

Advocates are asked to contact their Senators to express dismay that the Senate has failed to provide funding for the NHTF, even though such funding is supported by a majority of Senators.

Office of Sustainable Housing Seeks Grant Suggestions – March 9, 11–top

HUD’s new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC) has announced the dates and locations of listening sessions the agency will hold to receive input regarding the structure of the new Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program. As the initiative’s primary grant program, the Planning Grants would provide $100 million to support multi-jurisdictional regional planning efforts that integrate housing, transportation, environmental impact, and economic development decision-making.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan formally announced the launch of OHCS on February 4. FY10 appropriations made $150 million available for the Obama Administration’s Sustainable Communities Initiative (see Memo, 12/11/09).

OSHC will hold national webcasts on March 9 and March 11, both at 1 pm ET. To participate on the webcasts, go to www.hud.gov/webcasts/index.cfm. HUD will take comments during the webcast via email. Advocates are advised to periodically check the OSHC website for more information, www.hud.gov/sustainability. [Please see related article in the Portland section of this enews.]

In addition to the webcasts, local listening sessions are scheduled in Albuquerque, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Hartford, and Cleveland from March 1 to March 10. Listening sessions were held in Miami on February 19 and Denver on February 26.

Advocates are urged to watch the webcast even if they think their region is not likely to apply for a grant, because HUD and other federal agencies are just beginning their stated attempt to integrate housing, transportation, and environmental considerations. Therefore, it is important to introduce and keep the impacts of regional efforts on low income people and communities in the forefront as other HUD programs, processes, and policies attempt to address the sustainable communities concept.

HUD is considering three funding categories for the program:

Where there are no existing regional plans for sustainable development, grants would support the preparation of such plans. Funds could be used for: “visioning and scenario planning exercises,” data analysis, urban design, outreach efforts to achieve broad consensus on a single “vision/scenario,” and adoption of a plan by all appropriate regional governmental bodies.

Where there are regional sustainable development plans, grants would support the preparation of more detailed programs to implement those existing plans. Examples of detailed programs include: inter-jurisdictional affordable and fair housing strategies, corridor transit-oriented development plans, land banking and acquisition strategies, and revenue sharing strategies.

Where regions have already implemented meaningful regional sustainable development plans, grants would provide incentives that could result in even greater action. Incentives might include funding for pre-development costs, land acquisition, or capital for infrastructure.

Two levels of funding are being considered. For large metro areas of more than 500,000 people, maximum grants might be $5 million, while for small metro or rural areas with fewer than 500,000 people, maximum grants might be $2 million. At least $25 million is set aside for small metro or rural areas.

A tentative schedule for rolling out these grants begins with the regional listening sessions and webcast briefings in February and March 1, comments due March 12, a NOFA published the week of March 12, applications due by June 5, and awards announced on August 2.

A separate NOFA will be issued for the Community Planning Challenge Grants Program. This program will provide incentives for jurisdictions to make key changes in local zoning and land use ordinances that will encourage sustainable growth.

More on the new Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities (OSHC):

On February 25 Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) introduced H.R. 4960, the House version of the Senate’s Livable Communities Act, S. 1619. The bill would formally authorize initiatives that HUD is already implementing relating to its Sustainable Communities Initiative because of authority provided in annual HUD appropriations for FY10. The initiatives include to create an Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities within HUD; create a competitive grant program for communities to complete regional housing and transportation planning and implement aspects of their plans; and establish an Interagency Council on Sustainable Communities. The bill is cosponsored by 19 other Democrats.

Shelley Poticha, who came to HUD in July of 2009, has been named the director of OSHC, which is under the purview of Deputy Secretary Ron Sims.

OSHC will work to coordinate federal housing and transportation investments with local land use decisions in order to improve housing affordability, increase access to housing and employment opportunities, reduce transportation costs, save energy, and reduce pollution. The office will oversee two primary grant programs: a $100 million Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program and a $40 million Community Planning Challenge Grants Program.

HUD’s Sustainable Communities Initiative reflects the agency’s involvement in the Administration’s broader conversation about livable communities. In June, the Administration announced the Partnership for Sustainable Communities, a cooperative effort among HUD, the Department of Transportation, and the Environmental Protection Agency (see Memo, 6/19/09). The three agencies of the Partnership have six Livability Principles guiding their effort to coordinate federal policies, programs, and resources to build more sustainable communities. In response to the June announcement, NLIHC established its own principles as a basis for advocacy in this area, which include the provision and retention of housing for people with the lowest incomes and a commitment to affirmatively furthering fair housing.

Contact HUD staff via email.

Link to the OSHC webpage at: http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/program_offices/sustainable_housing_communities

The February 4 media release on the establishment of the office is at: http://portal.hud.gov/portal/page/portal/HUD/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2010/HUDNo.10-028

The Advance Notice and Request for Comments for the Sustainable Communities Planning Grant Program is available at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-2979.pdf

Link to the Partnership for Sustainable Communities website at: www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/partnership

Link to NLIHC principles at: http://www.nlihc.org/doc/Principles-NLIHC-Letterhead.pdf

New Market Tax Credit Guidance, CDFI Fund Seeks to Collect Info –top

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) the last week of January released two private letter rulings (PLRs) that discuss the eligibility of a six-month cure for failure to meet the substantially-all requirement within the initial 12 months as required by the new markets tax credit (NMTC) program. The IRS states in PLR 201004008 and PLR 201004021 that the six-month cure period is not automatically tacked on to the 12-month period; instead it begins when a community development entity (CDE) becomes aware (or reasonably should have become aware) of the failure to meet the substantially-all requirement.

“These two PLRs provide welcome guidance,” said Brad Elphick, CPA, a partner in the Atlanta office of Novogradac & Company LLP and head of the NMTC Working Group. “While it’s important to note that the letter rulings themselves cannot be used or cited as precedent, the position taken by the IRS provides some much needed clarification for the NMTC community regarding use of the cure period.”

Click here to access copies of PLR 201004008 and PLR 201004021. Additional analysis is also available in this article in the February issue of the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits.

CDFI Fund Seeks Approval for New NMTC Information Collection

Also, the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund February 4 announced its intent to request approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for new information collection activities associated with an independent, multi-year evaluation of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program.

In a notice in the February 4 Federal Register, the CDFI Fund describes a one-time information collection effort involving participants and stakeholders in the program, which is intended to describe and assess program activities as well as identify project-specific and community level outputs and outcomes. Click here for more information.

From the Novogradac Journal of Tax Credits.

Sweat Equity Grants for Affordable Homes Through SHOP Program–top

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on February 24 awarded $26.5 million in “sweat equity” grants to produce at least 1,500 affordable homes for low-income individuals and families.

Funded through HUD’s Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP), the funding awarded on the 24^th, along with the labor contributed by these households, will significantly lower the cost of homeownership.

SHOP grants will be provided to national and regional nonprofit organizations and consortia that have experience in administering self-help housing programs. The funds must be used to purchase land and install or improve infrastructure, which together may not exceed an average investment of $15,000 per dwelling. Grantees may carry out activities directly and/or propose to distribute SHOP funds to local nonprofit affiliates that will acquire and prepare the land for construction, select homebuyers, coordinate the homebuyer sweat equity and volunteer efforts, and assist in the arrangement of interim and permanent financing for the homebuyers.

Click here to learn more.

Weatherization – USDA Opportunity, Hiring Freezes Hamper Plan–top

Properties subsidized by USDA, HUD, or the Low Income Housing Tax Credit may be eligible for the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program without further evaluation of eligibility. See Federal Register, 1/25/10 or http://www.regulations.gov. Contact Claire Broido Johnson, DOE, 202-586-1510, or via email.

Hiring Freezes Hamper Weatherization Plan, by MATTHEW L. WALD and LESLIE KAUFMAN for the New York Times, published Feb 23

President Obama’s plan to create jobs and rein in energy costs through a steep increase in money for weatherizing the homes of low-income Americans has so far borne little fruit, with many of the biggest states meeting less than 2 percent of their three-year goals to date, the Department of Energy’s inspector general said in a report Tuesday.

The inspector general, Gregory H. Friedman, called the lack of progress “alarming.” Far into the nation’s winter heating season, the program for the most part has neither saved energy nor put people to work, Mr. Friedman wrote.

“The job creation impact of what was considered to be one of the department’s most ‘shovel ready’ projects has not materialized,” the report said.

The assessment, issued a year after the weatherization program was created under the fiscal Recovery Act, comes as Congress moves toward passing a second bill to stimulate employment. Republicans and Democrats have been arguing over whether that second bill will add enough jobs in time to help revive the economy.

Responding to the report, Cathy Zoi, the Energy Department’s assistant secretary for energy efficiency and renewable energy, acknowledged Tuesday that the weatherization program could have gotten off to a faster start but said that it was gaining momentum quickly.

“Since September 2009, we have tripled the pace of Recovery Act-funded home weatherization,” Ms. Zoi said in a statement.

Click here to read the full story.

Farmworkers Final H2-A Rule, Rental Assistance Implemented–top

U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announced February 11 a new rule regarding the H-2A program. The Labor Department will publish in the Feb. 12 edition of the Federal Register, a final rule governing the labor certification process and enforcement mechanisms for the H-2A temporary agricultural worker program. The Department’s aim with the rule is to strengthen worker protections for both U.S. and foreign workers and to ensure overall H-2A program integrity. It will be effective March 15, 2010. Federal Register, 2/12/10 or http://www.doleta.gov/ETA_News_Releases/20100198.cfm. Contact William L. Carlson, DOL, 202-693-3010.

In other farmworker news, USDA RD provides guidance on recapturing unused Section 521 Rental Assistance from Section 514/516 farmworker properties, based on FY 2010 appropriations language, in an unnumbered letter dated January 12, 2010, available at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/regs/ul/uljanuary10.pdf or from RD offices.

New Initiative to Assist Distressed Borrowers in Five States–top

President Obama announced on February 19 a new program that would address rising foreclosures in five states. Under the program, $1.5 billion of funds remaining from the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA; also known as the Troubled Asset Relief Program or TARP) will be distributed to housing finance agencies (HFAs) in Arizona, California, Florida, Michigan, and Nevada. The funds would be distributed based on a formula to be developed by the Department of the Treasury that will be based on home price declines and unemployment rates. These states were chosen because in the average price for all homeowners in each state has fallen more than 20% from their peak, leaving many families with mortgages in excess of the current value of their homes.

Under the program, states will apply to Treasury for funds based on a plan each state will develop to address the particular needs of its communities. The plans may include measures to assist unemployed homeowners, borrowers owing more than their home is now worth, and borrowers with second mortgages. The plans will be posted online.

Recipients of funds must be eligible financial institutions, and the funds must be used to pay for mortgage modifications or for other permitted uses under EESA. According to the White House announcement, Treasury will announce maximum state level allocations in the next two weeks, along with rules governing the submission of program designs by HFAs, and provide a period thereafter for HFAs to submit their program designs in order to receive funding.

In a press statement, NLIHC President Sheila Crowley called the program a worthy one, but urged the President to also assist renters facing foreclosure. NLIHC estimates that 40% of the households who lose their homes due to foreclosure are renters whose landlords have defaulted on their mortgage. In addition, NLIHC called for the White House to make good on its promise to provide $1 billion in funding for the National Housing Trust Fund. The NHTF would provide low income renters that face the nation’s worst housing problems with much-needed assistance, the statement noted.

The White House announcement can be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/president-obama-announces-help-hardest-hit-housing-markets

NLIHC’s press release can be found at: https://www2398.ssldomain.com/nlihc/detail/article.cfm?article_id=6774&id=48

Financial Services Postpones Hearing on Housing Finance System–top

The House Committee on Financial Services postponed its hearing on the future of the housing finance system, originally scheduled for March 2 (see Memo, 2/5). The hearing is expected to be rescheduled for later in March.

The scheduled witnesses for the hearing included Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. Both were to present the Administration’s perspectives on future of housing finance and the private and public entities that support the mortgage market, including the Federal Housing Administration, Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, Federal Home Loan Banks, and private lenders and securitizers.

In related news, Secretary Geithner stated in testimony before the House Committee on the Budget on February 24 that the Administration would not release its plans to reform the housing finance system until next year.

Proposed Housing Goals for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae Issued–top

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced on February 17 that it sent to the Federal Register for publication a proposed rule establishing 2010 and 2011 housing goals for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. The goals require Fannie and Freddie to direct a specific portion of their business to low and moderate income families.

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA) created FHFA and authorized the agency to establish a new housing goal regime for the enterprises. Prior to HERA, HUD served as the enterprises’ program regulator and set housing goals in three categories: low and moderate income mortgages, mortgages in underserved areas, and special affordable mortgages. HERA altered the goals by focusing on single-family and multifamily purchases separately, and by putting a greater emphasis on the mortgages used to purchase a home, as opposed to mortgages used to refinance an existing mortgage.

Under HERA, the FHFA is to establish five goals and one sub-goal. These goal and sub-goal categories consist of three single-family, owner-occupied home purchase mortgage goals (low income families, very low income families, and families in low income/high minority/disaster areas), a low income single-family refinancing mortgage goal, and a multifamily special affordable housing goal (focused on families with low incomes and, as a sub-goal, families with very low incomes).

The proposed rule would implement the HERA provisions by setting prospective goals for each category. However, unlike under past housing goal rules, FHFA will determine compliance with the goals in one of two ways. An enterprise can meet an annual goal either by meeting the prospective goal set in the regulation, or by “meeting the market” and purchasing mortgages targeted under the goal at a level at least equal to the number of those mortgages in the market during the goal year.

In an effort to keep the enterprises from supporting undesirable lending practices, the rule would also prohibit the enterprises from getting credit for mortgages in private-label securities and for purchasing mortgages with high interest rates or other undesirable terms.

The public comment period for the proposed rule is 45 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register. FHFA also announced that it will propose two related rules in the near future: a Federal Home Loan Banks’ affordable housing goals rule and a duty-to-serve rule for Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, which will address the enterprises’ efforts to serve the manufactured housing market, rural areas, and housing preservation.

More information on the FHFA proposed rule can be found at: http://www.fhfa.gov/webfiles/15409/2010HousingGoalsPress_Release21710F%5b1%5d.pdf

HUD Chief Financial Officer Doug Criscitello Sworn In–top

After being confirmed by the Senate on February 11, Doug Criscitello was sworn in as HUD’s new chief financial officer on February 16. Mr. Criscutello will be responsible for HUD’s budget, financial management, and strategic planning (see Memo, 1/22).

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said in a press release that Mr. Criscutello “brings a broad base of experience to the table…and those we serve will benefit greatly from his insights and his expertise.” Mr. Criscutello was founding director of the New York City Independent Budget Office and held management positions at the Small Business Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, the Congressional Budget Office, JPMorgan, and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Section 538 Continuous Guarantee Program, Comment by March 30–top
USDA would offer a multifamily housing guarantee covering construction through permanent financing. Comments are due March 30. See Federal Register, 1/29/10 or http://www.regulations.gov. Contact Tammy S. Daniels, tammy.daniels@wdc.usda.gov, 202-720-0021.

RD Guidance on Design-Build or Construction Management–top

Two Administrative Notites explain the process of obtaining national office approval for such projects: AN 4491 and AN 4492, both dated January 21, 2010 (also available at RD offices).

Funding and Award Opportunities

NLIHC Members Apply for State, Local Organizing Awards – March 12–top

NLIHC is soliciting nominations of NLIHC members for its first annual State and Local Organizing Award, to be presented at NLIHC’s Annual Housing Policy Conference in April 2010. (We hear Neighborhood Partnerships is applying for the Housing Opportunity Bill: best of luck!!)

The award will be given for outstanding achievement in the 2009 year for organizing activity at the state or local level that furthers the mission of NLIHC: achieving socially just public policy that assures people with the lowest incomes in the United States have affordable and decent homes.

Such activity could include, but is not limited to: a significant legislative victory at the state or local level, significant progress on a state or local legislative campaign, or significant progress in the building of a resident-driven organization.

Eligible organizations are those that were NLIHC members during the 2009 calendar year. Organizations may self-nominate. The deadline for nominations is 5 pm ET on Friday, March 12. A committee of judges will include NLIHC board members and state partners, and their decisions will be final.

The honoree will be notified before NLIHC’s annual conference, scheduled for April 11-14, and will be announced at a plenary session of the conference. Two representatives of the honored organization will receive free conference registration as well as complimentary hotel accommodations and transportation to Washington to accept the award.

To nominate an organization, send an email with the subject Organizing Award. The body of the email should contain the following information:

· Name of and contact information for nominated organization

· Name of and contact information for nominating person/organization (if different)

· Description of the organization’s achievement in the area of state and local organizing in 2009, and how that achievement assists in the furthering of NLIHC’s mission (1,000 word maximum)

· If appropriate, supporting materials, such as press clips or campaign materials, that describe the activity or its impact (optional; should be attached to the email in the form of a .pdf)

The submitted essay or a version of it may be circulated to NLIHC conference attendees and members and/or posted on NLIHC’s website.

Questions? Need to verify if the organization you’d like to nominate is a member? Contact Kim Schaffer, Director of Outreach and Communications via email.

Mentoring Inmates Grants from the Second Chance Act– March 18 –top

The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance announced that it is seeking applications from nonprofit organizations for funding for mentoring grants to nonprofit organizations under the Second Chance Act. This program furthers the department’s mission by providing services and programs to facilitate inmates’ successful reintegration into society.

Deadline: March 18, 2010. (Full announcement)

MacArthur Housing Research Grant Opportunity – March 22 –top

The MacArthur Foundation has a new grant solicitation out that will award $6 million to support research on How Housing Matters to Children, Families, and Communities. Some interesting things:

It has $6 million available for research grants to study the impact of investments in affordable housing on economic and social outcomes, with initial proposals due March 22nd. Please notify any entity that may be in a position to propose a project, and it may be a great opportunity for collaborations.
It talks about housing as a “platform” for other social and economic outcomes, including education and health. This new language may be good for advocate’s communication work.
If the empirical research substantiates the connection between stable housing and family prosperity, school success, and/or other social and economic outcomes, it will be very helpful to our community as we seek housing funding from public and private sources.

For more information on submitting a proposal, along with background material to help applicants develop strong and responsive proposals, context for the competition, technical information necessary to apply, and previous winners, click here.

Ms Funds Child Care and Job Training Programs – March 29–top

Ms. Foundation for Women builds women’s collective power across race and class to tackle the root causes of injustice and ignite progressive change for all. One of the Foundation’s priorities is to ensure that women, particularly low-income women and women of color who have been disproportionately impacted by the economic recession, benefit to the greatest degree possible from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) implementation.

Through the current Request for Proposals (RFP), the Foundation seeks to support two specific areas of ARRA implementation: expanding the availability of affordable child care and improving the quality of child care jobs; and securing training and job set-asides for women in emerging green sectors. Nonprofit organizations nationwide that address these issues are eligible to apply. The application deadline for this RFP is March 29, 2010. Visit the Foundation’s website to submit an online application,

Enter the Home Depot Affordable Housing Awards – March 31–top

Thanks to Enterprise for the heads up: Get the recognition that your project deserves by submitting a Letter of Inquiry today for the Home Depot Foundation’s 2010 Awards of Excellence (AOE) in Affordable Housing Built Responsibly national competition. The Home Depot Foundation is seeking housing developers that went beyond the issue of affordability and addressed the health and environmental impacts of housing design and construction.

There are two award categories, Homeownership and Rental. The Foundation awards up to five grants within each category as outlined below:

Winner – $75,000 grant

Runner-up – $25,000 grant

Honorable Mention – three grants of $2,500 eac

The grants are to be used at the discretion of the nonprofit to further the goal of producing affordable, efficient and healthy housing for low- to moderate-income families.

For more information about criteria and eligibility for the Home Depot Foundation 2010 Awards of Excellence (AOE) in Affordable Housing Built Responsibly visit: http://www.homedepotfoundation.org/awards_housing.html

Award Dates and Deadlines:

Awards of Excellence Program	Project Completed	LOI Available	Letter of Inquiry (LOI) Deadline	Full Project Application Deadline	Notification
Affordable Housing Built Responsibly	Between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009	February 1, 2010	March 31, 2010	May 15, 2010	August 2010
Sustainable Community Development	Between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2009	February 15, 2010	March 31, 2010	May 15, 2010	August 2010

Submit your Letter of Inquiry before March 31 at:

https://www.GrantRequest.com/SID_248?SA=SNA&FID=35033

Allstate Helps DV Survivors Gain Financial Independence – July 15–top
The Allstate Foundation is accepting applications for its Economic Empowerment for Domestic Violence Survivors grant program, which helps survivors of domestic violence build financial independence by providing knowledge, skills and opportunities. Grantees include nonprofit job training organizations, social service agencies, community colleges, legal advocacy groups, and domestic violence service organizations.

Deadline: July 15, 2010. The Allstate Foundation also awards $1,000 grants to nonprofit organizations where Allstate agents volunteer.

Events

Help Street Roots Plan Summer Fun Auction –top

Street Roots is planning a summer-themed online auction to keep their wonderful advocacy work and vendor program going strong. They need your help procuring auction items on the summer theme: think outdoors, camping, gardening, beach trips, summer gear, eateries, brew pub, and of course, plenty of beach balls!

Their March 4th planning event, originally announced in this enews, has been canceled because of scheduling issues.

Instead, to learn about helping with the auction, email or call Street Roots Director Israel Bayer at 503-228-5657!

They are a wonderful, very fun group of people to work with at Street Roots, and your efforts will support a very important organization that Portland housing advocates owe a great debt to. Thank you!

Adelante Mujeres Fiesta of HerStories – March 6–top

Come join in the fun! Help celebrate Adelante Mujeres programs and participants in honor of International Women’s Day. Enjoy a silent auction and a short program, a Salsa dance lesson to prepare for live salsa music, as well as abundant hors d’ oeuvres, desserts, and local beer & wine!

Saturday March 6, 2010 · 6:30 pm

Walters Cultural Arts Center, 527 E. Main Street, Hillsboro, OR

If you have questions please call 503.992.0078 or email them.

Get on the Bus to Learn About Housing Discrimination – April 23–top
Happy 20^th birthday to the Fair Housing Council of Oregon, and happy 42^nd

Anniversary of the Fair Housing Act! Celebrate while getting your learn on, with two great events:

Join the Fair Housing Council of Oregon on Friday, April 23^rd, for an opportunity to explore Portland’s hidden history of housing discrimination, discover a sensational murder trial with historic civil rights implications, and find out the latest on fair housing challenges in Oregon today.

The tour, entitled Fasten Your Seat Belts-It’s Been a Bumpy Ride, will explore lost ethnic communities, forgotten hate crimes, Klan rallies, and groups of Oregonians who were rounded up and exiled based on their ethnic origins. Following the tour, a luncheon program will feature Kevin Boyle, author of Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights and Murder in the Jazz Age. The book, which won the National Book Award for nonfiction and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize is, to quote a review, a poignant biography, a tour-de-force of historical detective work, a gripping courtroom drama, and a powerful reflection on race relations in America. Better than any historian to date, Boyle captures the tensions of… a period that witnessed the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan and the flowering of the Harlem Renaissance… the crystallization of racial segregation, both north and south, and the rise of the modern civil rights movement. Also on the luncheon agenda is an update on discrimination in Oregon today and a performance by the dynamic Sermonettes Gospel Singers.

The event will be held at the Ambridge Event Center in Portland, from 8:30 until 2:30 pm. The cost of the morning bus tour is $30, $25 for students and seniors. The luncheon cost is $30, $25 for students and seniors. The cost for attending both events is $50, $40 for students and seniors.

Advance-registration is required and the registration deadline is April 14^th. Registrations will be accepted on a space-available basis. To obtain registration information, contact the Fair Housing Council via email.

IT’S BEEN A BUMPY RIDE

8:30-12:00 Bus Tour

Charter bus tour of sites of historic discrimination and segregation. Special appearances by local experts and individuals telling their personal stories.

(Part of the tour will be outside the bus; be prepared for rain.)

LUNCHEON AGENDA

12:00-2:30 Lunch and Program

Welcome: Brad Avakian, Oregon Labor Commissioner, and Nick Fish, Portland City Commissioner

Keynote Speaker: Kevin Boyle, Author of Arc of Justice: A Saga of Race, Civil Rights and Murder in the Jazz Age

Update: Housing Discrimination and Segregation in Oregon in 2010

Award: Grand Prize Winner of the 2010 Fair Housing Children’s Poster Contest

Performance: The Sermonettes Gospel Singers

For further information, email FHCO or call (503)223-8197, ext.108, or go to www.FHCO.org.

Training and Conferences

New Green Communities Live Online Events – March 17 and 25–top
1. Green Communities Certification Process

Wednesday, March 17th, 2:00 – 3:00 PM (Eastern)

Description

Enterprise Green Communities is pleased to now offer an online process for certifying green affordable housing developments. Enterprise Green Communities Certification is open to affordable housing projects intending to meet the Green Communities Criteria. Developments that receive Green Communities Certification will be recognized on the Green Communities website and will receive a Green Communities plaque after construction completion.

This WebEx will include discussion of the Enterprise Green Communities’ certification process as well as a demonstration of the current requirements for the two-step online certification submittal and review. Future plans for the refinement of the certification process moving forward will also be presented.

Learning objectives: Understand the requirements of the Enterprise Green Communities Certification Process. Learn how to prepare application materials to successfully complete the process.

Who should participate? Affordable housing developers interested in certifying their projects through Enterprise Green Communities. Policymakers interested in learning of an implementation pathway for green affordable housing policy.

Our presenters:

Dana Bourland — Dana directs all aspects of Enterprise’s national award-winning Green Communities initiative. Currently, she is leading the second phase of Green Communities to specifically address retrofits of existing buildings and the comprehensive provision of community-based green services.

Emily Mitchell — Emily is a Program Director at Enterprise, where she provides technical assistance and training to developers and project team members incorporating the Green Communities Criteria into affordable housing projects.

2. Introduction to the Green Communities NSP Webpage

Thursday, March 25th, 1:00 -2:00 PM (Eastern)

No prior registration necessary. Login details below.

Description

A recent collaboration between Enterprise Green Communities and GreenBuildingAdvisor.com (GBA), the Enterprise Green Communities NSP webpage includes informational resources for those focusing on incorporating green rehabilitation standards into their Neighborhood Stabilization Program.

Hosted by GreenBuildingAdvisor.com, this webinar will walk you through all the ways in which you can use GBA and the Enterprise Green Communities NSP webpage in your work as a green rehab specialist. Some of the features reviewed will be the GBA encyclopedia, the Construction Details Library, and the Strategy Generator. There will be substantial Q&A time to make sure you get full value from the webinar and from GBA.

Learning objectives: Understand how the Enterprise Green Communities NSP webpage can be used as an information tool for green rehabilitation projects.Learn about the upcoming features on the Enterprise Green Communities NSP webpage. Become familiar with other features of the GBA website.

Who should participate? Rehabilitation specialists and program managers in the public and non-profit sector. Contractors and Developers interested in learning more about building science resources related to single family rehabilitation.

Our presenters

Peter Yost – Peter Yost is the technical director of GreenBuildingAdvisor.com. Peter is one of the primary authors and reviewers of GBA’s technical content. He has 25 years experience in the residential building industry, including work with DOE’s Building America program; EPA’s WaterSense, Waste Management, and Green Building programs; Environmental Building News; Building Science Corporation; and the NAHB Research Center

Amy Hook – Amy Hook is a Program Director in the Green Communities Initiative for Enterprise Community Partners in Columbia, Maryland. Amy is an experienced residential and commercial real estate developer, as well as a LEED Accredited Professional. Prior to joining Enterprise, Amy was the Neighborhood Stabilization Program Manager for Richland County in South Carolina and worked as Development Director at Struever Bros. Eccles & Rouse in Baltimore, Maryland. She holds a Master’s degree in Real Estate Development from Clemson University.

Instructions for joining

Please join the session through the following website, about 5 minutes before the session begins: http://buildinggreen.acrobat.com/ecpweb1

Making Housing Accessible Free Training – March 25–top

HUD presents a free training on accessible design and construction on March 25^th.

DETAILS: March 25^th, 2010: 9:00am – 4:00pm
Beaverton Library, 12375 SW 5^th St., Beaverton, OR 97005

To register, visit www.fairhousingfirst.org and click on the “CALENDAR” link

Agenda includes trainings on Fair Housing Act Accessibility Requirements, Common Design and Construction Violations and Solutions, and Making Housing Accessible Through Accommodations and Modifications.

HUD’s Fair Housing Accessibility FIRST program promotes compliance with the Fair Housing Act design and construction requirements. The program offers comprehensive and detailed instruction, useful online web resources, and a toll-free information line for technical guidance.

For more information contact Sam Young at via email or at 202.904.6391

Frank, Ellison and NLIHC Conference Schedule Confirmed - April 11-14–top

House Financial Services Chair Barney Frank (D-MA) and Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) are confirmed as speakers at NLIHC’s Congressional Breakfast. The event is part of NLIHC’s 2010 Annual Housing Policy Conference and Lobby Day, to be held April 11-14 at the L’Enfant Plaza Hotel in Washington, DC.

Other speakers at the conference include HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan; senior HUD officials including HUD Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing Sandra Henriquez; and Adrian Nicole LeBlanc, author of Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble and Coming of Age in the Bronx. In addition, more than 30 plenary sessions and workshops are designed to bring you up-to-date on federal housing policy issues and in contact with HUD officials.

The conference brochure and Schedule-at-a-Glance are now available at http://www.nlihc.org/doc/conference/brochure.pdf

The 28^th NLIHC Annual Housing Leadership Awards Reception will be held on Tuesday, April 13, from 6 pm to 8 pm at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington, DC. 2010 honorees are Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN), who will receive the Edward W. Brooke III Housing Leadership Award, and Gordon Cavanaugh, the first recipient of the Cushing Niles Dolbeare Lifetime Service Award. This event is ticketed separately.

More than 30 workshops are designed to bring you up-to-date on federal housing policy issues and in contact with HUD officials.

NLIHC’s special hotel room rate expires March 19, so book your room and register now! Please note that there are special conference rates available for residents of public and assisted housing, members of resident groups, and other people with low incomes. Please email for more information.

Affordable Housing Management Conference, Eugene – May 12-14 –top

AHMA Annual Education Conference & Trade Show

May 12, 13, & 14, 2010
Hilton Eugene & Conference Center (MAP)

Founded in 2001, the Oregon Affordable Housing Management Association (AHMA) is a statewide, trade association providing continuing education and advocacy to the owners, management agents, and housing project management staff of HUD, Rural Development, Tax Credit, and HOME-financed apartment housing for low income seniors, families, and people with disabilities.

Oregon AHMA is governed by an active, enthusiastic board of directors with Executive Director, Maggie Meikle, managing the day-to-day administration of this Oregon 501(c)(6) non-profit organization.

Oregon AHMA’s 2.5-day statewide annual conference is guaranteed to sharpen members’ skills and expand their knowledge about the industry. National and local trainers provide hands-on continuing education for you and your staff.

*Conference Schedule

*Donate a door prize

*Registration Form

*Trade Show Registration Form

*Hilton Exhibitors Policies & Procedures

*Nomination Forms

Click here for more information.

Partners in Innovation Preservation Forums in Portland – May 17, 18–top

From the National Housing Conference:

Building on the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s $150 million commitment to preserving affordable rental housing, the National Housing Conference is developing a series of regional forums on rental housing preservation to be held throughout 2010.

Join us as we highlight state and local best practices in rental housing preservation and explore ways to better support this work through innovative partnerships, policy development, and legislative reform. The Partners in Innovation forums will bring together federal, state, and local officials, industry leaders, and advocates for a critical dialogue on future efforts to preserve and improve affordable rental housing throughout the nation.

Partners in Innovation: Financing the Preservation of Rural and Urban Affordable Rental Housing

Portland, OR • Monday and Tuesday, May 17 and 18, 2010

Northwest participants will delve into the challenges and the opportunities to preserve affordable rental homes in urban and rural communities. This forum will have a special focus on financing tools.

Day Two will focus on Preservation of Manufactured Home Parks – a separate registration will be required as attendance will be limited.

Registration and agenda details will be posted to the NHC website as they become available. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Please direct questions to Lynn Ross, director of state and local initiatives for NHC and the Center for Housing Policy.

Sustainable Rural Housing Conference Save the Date – June 9–top

Save the date for “Building Green in Rural America: A Symposium on Policy and Practice” to be held June 9 in Washington, DC. Sponsored by Housing Assistance Council (HAC) and the Home Depot Foundation, the conference features local housing developers who have successfully used a wide range of sustainable and green practices in their rural homeownership and rental projects.

After March 1, look for registration details on HAC’s site, http://www.ruralhome.org, or contact Dan Stern, HAC, 202-842-8600, or via email.

Reports

UN Special Rapporteur Reports on U.S. Housing Crisis–top

The United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, Raquel Rolnik, released her report on February 12 in which she analyzes current U.S. housing conditions. The report will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council on March 5. In the document, Ms. Rolnik “expresses her deep concern about the millions of people living in the United States today who face serious challenges in accessing affordable and adequate housing, issues long faced by the poorest people and today affecting a greater proportion of society.”

During a three-week tour of the United States in the fall of 2009, Ms. Rolnik met with U.S. housing policy experts including NLIHC President Sheila Crowley and visited numerous cities, including Washington, DC; New York City; New Orleans; Los Angeles; and Chicago, as well as a Native American reservation in South Dakota (see Memo, 10/30/09). While at each of these locations, Ms. Rolnik compiled data on factors affecting current housing conditions, including the availability of adequate and affordable housing, the rising instances of homelessness, the effects of foreclosures on tenants, and the effects of discriminatory practices on housing accessibility.

In her report, Ms. Rolnik describes the long and less-than-favorable history of housing for people with low incomes in the United States, from the introduction of public housing policy in the 1930s through today, and describes the numerous government programs that have tried to alleviate the lack of low income housing.

The report is critical of the diminishing federal resources that have been appropriated to housing programs over the past several decades, but does acknowledge recent efforts by the Obama Administration to restore some measure of funding. “The Special Rapporteur welcomes the measures adopted by the new Administration to improve access to adequate housing,” the report notes, “including committing significant resources to housing, addressing mortgage modification programs, and neighborhood enhancement and recovery initiatives through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.”

The report concludes with numerous recommendations to correct the problems associated with affordability, availability, and discriminatory practices, as well as the importance of active participation of tenants in matters affecting them. Ms. Rolnik lists as the highest priority the continued funding of federal low income housing programs and a shift in federal spending from housing from tax credits for homeowners to housing assistance for people with low incomes. “Each year, the federal government spends more than three times as much on tax breaks for homeowners—with a large share of the resulting tax benefits going to upper-income households—as it spends on low-income housing assistance,” the report notes.

In other recommendations, the report calls for:

· additional federal spending to maintain and renovate the remaining public housing supply, and for a moratorium on the demolition of public housing until new units are built to replace the deteriorating ones.

· the extension of tenant protection legislation, including the 2009 Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act.

· an expansion of the definition of homeless to include those people who have moved in with family or friends, and for the provision of HUD assistance to this population.

· development by the Interagency Council on Homelessness of new alternatives to the criminalization of homelessness.

· further enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, especially to protect those with disabilities from discrimination, and a prohibition on practices such as tying housing assistance to successful drug tests and criminal checks.

· the creation of mechanisms to improve the participation of affected tenants, perhaps via the creation of residents’ councils.

Access the entire report at: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/docs/13session/A.HRC.13.20.Add.4_AEV.pdf

Housing Affordability for U.S. Working Households Declines–top

A study released in December reports that housing cost burdens for households have increased, despite declines in housing prices across the nation. The report, produced by the Center for Housing Policy (CHP), shows that the proportion of working households spending more than 50% of their monthly income on housing costs (including utilities) increased significantly to 21% in 2008, from 20% in 2005. The report finds that one reason for this increase is a dramatic 23% rise in utility costs between 2005 and 2008. The study also cites increases in monthly payments for homeowners with adjustable-rate mortgages as a factor.

The study uses the American Community Survey (ACS) to focus on the 47.3 million working households in the United States in 2008, defined in the report as households with members working 20 or more hours per week, but with incomes less than or equal to 120% of the area median income (AMI). These households make up about 40% of the overall population.

Among the 10 million working households spending more than 50% of their monthly income on housing costs, the burden was split almost evenly between renters (22% of whom were severely cost burdened) and homeowners (20% of whom were severely cost burdened). These levels increased for homeowners (18% in 2005) but stayed the same for renters. Income profiles showed that renters generally had lower incomes than owners, a finding that remained unchanged between 2005 and 2008.

The study, Housing Affordability Trends for Working Households, also provides analysis by census region and state-by-state and can be found at: http://www.nhc.org/pdf/Housing%20Affordability%20Trends.pdf

Foreclosure Effects on Latino Families Reported–top

Research by the National Council of La Raza and the University of North Carolina’s Center for Community Capital found that foreclosures strained family relationships and impacted children’s school performance. The Foreclosure Generation: The Long-Term Impact of the Housing Crisis on Latino Children and Families is available at http://www.nclr.org/content/publications/detail/61725.

Report Describes New Market Tax Credit Best Practices–top

Congress should consider options to simplify the structure of the new markets tax credit (NMTC), according to a report released January 29th by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The mandated report describes where and how community development entities (CDEs) are using NMTCs; assesses how CDEs use NMTCs to offer favorable financing terms to low-income community businesses and describes options for simplifying the NMTC; describes how NMTC investments support low-income community development; and determines how effective the Internal Revenue Service and the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund have been in monitoring NMTC compliance.

Resources

New Center for Housing Policy Briefs on Housing and Transit–top

Last spring, the Center for Housing Policy (Center) and the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) convened listening sessions in Atlanta and the Twin Cities to explore regional perspectives on the coordination of housing, transportation, and workforce policies. Today, the Center is pleased to release two new policy briefs based on information exchanged during these events:

How Transportation Reform Could Increase the Availability of Housing Affordable to Families with a Mix of Incomes Near Public Transit, Job Centers, and Other Essential Destinations, explains how reauthorization of the federal transportation bill can incent the improved coordination of transportation, housing and land use policy to ensure that families across a range of incomes have access to affordable housing as well as efficient, accessible transportation options.

Regional Coordination in Atlanta Metro and in the Twin Cities: Understanding the Challenges and Opportunities of Coordinating Housing, Transportation and Workforce Policies, draws from the discussions held during the listening sessions and the information you shared about the experience of coordinating land-use, transportation, and workforce policy in the Atlanta and the Twin Cities regions.

These briefs are part of the Center’s growing body of work related to the important connections between housing and transportation. By highlighting these intersections, the Center seeks to expand the base of support for affordable housing and to develop housing policies that more effectively achieve joint transportation and workforce objectives. Explore related Center for Housing Policy materials on this topic here.

Stay tuned for information about an upcoming Live at the Forum event on March 26, 2010, featuring practitioners from Atlanta and the Twin Cities as they link their on-the-ground experiences to the themes outlined in the new policy briefs.

Transit-Oriented Development, New Manufacturing Products–top

From our friends at HUD’s Regulatory Barriers Clearinghouse, two newly-posted Strategy of the Month at http://www.huduser.org/portal/rbc/strategy.

The first highlights a report that describes tools to promote successful transit-oriented developments. (And check it out, they used a picture of the Portland Street Car PSU-Habitrail! It brings a tear to the eye seeing the old Alma Mater looking so spiffy . . )

Some of these strategies include:

Adopting station area plans and transit overlay districts,
Reducing parking requirements, and
Allowing mixed-use zoning and form-based codes.

The second is concerned with a new PD&R-sponsored report on new products and ideas in the housing industry. The report promotes innovation with research-based guidance on how to assess and identify residential market opportunities, avoid common pitfalls, and decide on the appropriate commercialization strategy for a given product.

The information presented in Introducing Innovation into the Home Building Industry: Advice for Innovators and Inventors explores what innovators need to consider when introducing a new product to the housing industry. A companion report, New Product Adoption in Housing: Guide for Manufacturers, covers parallel ground for manufacturers.

SAMHSA Homelessness Resource Center–top

Connect to resources and training through the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA’s) spiffy website, the ‘Homelessness Resource Center’: “We are an interactive community of providers, consumers, policymakers, researchers, and public agencies at federal, state, and local levels. We share state-of-the art knowledge and promising practices to prevent and end homelessness through:

•  Training and technical assistance.
•   Publications and materials.
•   On-line learning opportunities.
•   Networking and collaboration.”

http://homelessness.samhsa.gov/default.aspx

One Fun Thing

San Francisco Residents Install Own Solar Panels, Cut Bills in Half–top

In January, residents of three affordable housing complexes in San Francisco began benefiting from a solar power system installed through California Solar Initiative’s Multi-family Affordable Solar Housing (MASH) program.

Plaza East Apartments and Hayes Valley North and South are part of an 11-site renewable energy project being developed by Sunwheel Energy Partners (Sunwheel), an affiliate of McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS).

Tyrone Mullins, a 25-year-old former gang member and resident of Hayes Valley North, said he appreciated the opportunity to work on the Plaza East system. He planned to install solar panels at San Francisco’s City Hall in February. “Two residents, one who is a tenant, were from opposite gangs. They wouldn’t have been in the same room together,” Sunwheel’s president Jonathan Goldstein said of the locals hired for the projects.

Hayes Valley North >

Residents at each property will receive 50 percent of the energy produced by the solar system free of charge. As an added benefit, Sunwheel’s partner in the project, Real Goods Solar (Real Goods) hired residents to install the solar panels. To celebrate a project that reduced energy costs and provided jobs, Sunwheel, Real Goods, the city of San Francisco, funding partners and residents held a ceremonial ribbon cutting at the Plaza East Apartments on January 25.

Read the whole story.

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