Affordable Housing NOW! is asking supporters to turn out to a public workshop sponsored by the Portland Development Commission (PDC) tonight, Wednesday, January 24, 2007 from 6:00-8:00 p.m.. The purpose of the workshop is to discuss the establishment of income guidelines for the affordable housing set-aside in urban renewal areas (URAs). The information will be used by PDC staff in developing their final report for the PDC Commission and ultimately Portland City Council.

Affordable Housing NOW! and several other community and housing groups are asking PDC and the Portland City Council to adopt income guidelines that would commit 50% of the set aside resources towards housing people at the lowest incomes (below 30%MFI) and 15-20% for home ownership programs serving working families being priced out of Portland (below 80% MFI).  To see the full AHN-HCDC Community Recommendations, click here.

AHN is asking its supporters to speak out in favor of the Community Recommendations, with the overall message that Portland should be used to assist those in the greatest need. The City of Portland has identified priority housing goals for (1) rental housing serving the most vulnerable, lowest income people, (2) more housing options for large families and (3) closing the homeownership gap for people of color. These are great goals, and the Community Recommendations lay out allocation guideliens to reach those goals.

The workshop will be held at the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME) located at 4134 N. Vancouver Avenue.

PDC staff released a preliminary proposal for the income guidelines in the first week of January that very closely reflect the Community Recommendations, but do not achieve the level of committted funding for the homeownership component. To see PDC proposal, click here (income guideline recommendations can be found starting on page 5).

Questions? Contact Michael Anderson via email or at (503) 335-9884.

Affordable Housing NOW! is a coalition of over 40 organizations and hundreds of individuals whose goals are to secure new resources for affordable housing for the Portland Metro area by building a movement large enough to make funding for affordable housing for people with low incomes a political priority in the Metro area. To learn more about Affordable Housing NOW!, go to: http://www.cdnportland.org/ahn.html

Federal Housing Advocacy: Call Your Senator and Rep TODAY!

Congress plans to pass a “Joint Funding Resolution” by February 15 that will set funding levels for HUD programs for FY07 (through September 30, 2007). The Resolution as planned will fund all HUD programs at FY06 levels unless there will be “cataclysmic” consequences. 

Please call your Representative and Senators and explain that funding HUD at FY06 levels will be “cataclysmic” for Oregon seniors, people with disabilities and people working low paying jobs.

The Message:

I am calling to urge Representative/Senator __________ to adequately fund all HUD programs in the FY07 joint funding resolution. HUD programs face severe funding shortfalls if HUD funding is not increased above the FY06 level. Thousands of people will either lose their housing or have no access to housing if HUD programs are left at FY06 levels. 

The Phone Number:

877-322-5742

The Background:

HUD programs face severe funding shortfalls if HUD funding is not increased above the FY06 level. Thousands of people will either lose their housing or have no access to housing if HUD programs are left at FY06 levels.  Here’s what is at stake.

·       Without a $487 million increase for FY07 and language linking PHA voucher costs to recent leasing and cost data, 70,000 vouchers will be cut at local agencies. 

·       Contracts on at least 107,000 Section 8 project-based units will not be able to be renewed in FY07 if Congress does not increase the project-based Section 8 budget by $636 million.

·       Public housing operating subsidies will be underfunded by about 25% of what HUD says is needed in FY07, an historic low compounding the effects of many years of underfunding.  And, public housing capital needs will continue to be neglected if this fund remains at FY06 levels.  Public housing has lost more than $1 billion in funding since FY01.  

·       Unless funding is increased by $185 million, 14,000 homeless people will be consigned to another year of homelessness.

·       Even people served by smaller programs like Housing for Persons with AIDS will be in jeopardy.   If the $14 million requested increase for HOPWA is not enacted in FY07, 3500 fewer people with AIDS (and their families) will receive housing assistance. 

·       If funding for the Census is not increased by $50 million for FY07, the ability of the Census Bureau to accurately determine funding allocations and produce the American Housing Survey will be compromised.

HUD’s programs are currently operating under a continuing resolution until February 15.  House and Senate leadership intend to enact a “joint funding resolution” to carry programs until the end of FY07, September 30, 2007.

Call the DC offices of your Representative this week, and ask to speak to the staff person in each who deals with housing issues.

For more information: Contact Linda Couch at Linda@nlihc.org.

Housing Alliance Needs You: Housing Lobby Day February 6 in Salem

Help make 2007 the Year of Housing Opportunity!

The Housing Alliance 2007 Housing Opportunity Agenda is gaining serious momentum in Salem, and we need your help to secure the support of your Representative and Senator.

Join us for Housing Lobby Day 2007 on February 6 at the State Capital.

The Housing Alliance is also coordinating transportation from Portland, so getting down to Salem will be both easy and fun.  We will also set up appointments so that you can meet with your Representative and Senator. 

No experience necessary: Never been to Salem before?  No problem. When you are talking to your own representative or senator, you are automatically a qualified expert.  The Housing Alliance will provide specific training will be provided on our legislative agenda on February 6 in Salem, but you are interested in talking about the importance of safe, stable, affordable housing for Oregonians, you are already prepared to help us win big in 2007.

If you plan to attend Lobby Day please rsvp to Michael via email (mike@cdnportland.org) or at (503) 335-9884.  Please tell Michael who your senator and representative are (go to http://www.leg.state.or.us/findlegsltr/ to find your legislators) or leave him your address so he can match you with your senator and representative.

Please also let Michael know if you need transportation or if you would be willing to participate in carpool caravan. 

Finally, SPREAD THE WORD!  We want as many people as possible in Salem on Feb 6 and you can help.  Click here to download a flyer for Housing Lobby Day to hang in your lobby or reception area.  Also, please forward this announcement to other interested parties.

Questions?  Contact Michael at (503) 335-9884 or via email.

The Housing Alliance brings together advocates, local governments, housing authorities, community development corporations, environmentalists, service providers, business interests and all others dedicated to increasing the resources available to meet our housing needs to support a common statewide legislative and policy agenda. To find out more about the Housing Alliance, go to: http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/

NHA Celebrates the Grand Opening of Headwaters Community

Please join Northwest Housing Alternatives (NHA) for the grand opening of the new Headwaters community on Monday, January 29, 2007, 12:30 - 2:00 p.m, at 8833 SW 30th Avenue, Portland.

The Headwaters at Tryon Creek is a sustainable development, which integrates sustainable building practices, energy and water conservation, stormwater management, and wildlife habitat restoration.

The development is a 2.88 acre, master-planned, multi-phase, 170-unit, mixed-income, multi-generational, transit-supportive community.  The master developer, Dolph Creek, LLC, an affiliate of Winkler Development Corporation, has been working with the Portland Development Commission since 2000 to plan the Development.  The Development includes three residential projects:

·            Headwaters Apartments -- a 100-unit, environmentally sustainable, rental community, will provide workforce housing affordable to middle-income households.  The Project has been developed for PDC by R&H Construction under a design-build contract and a development services management agreement with Dolph Creek, LLC;

·            The Village at the Headwaters -- a 56-unit affordable rental community for seniors age 55 and older.  The Village features one- and two-bedroom apartments, and a large common room for tenant get-togethers.  The property is owned by nonprofit Northwest Housing Alternatives.

Dolph Creek Townhomes -- 14 for-sale, attached townhomes emphasizing sustainable design and advanced energy management developed by Dolph Creek, LLC.

Clark County Awards ACE Contract to Develop Transitional Housing

Clark County has awarded Affordable Community Environments Community Development Corporation (ACE) a contract to develop up to 40-units of transitional housing, ranging in size from studios to 3-bedrooms, for persons with mental health and substance abuse challenges.  Both site and building design will incorporate cutting-edge sustainability while creating community and complementing the existing neighborhood.

Clark County is currently experiencing major growth.  The County’s population has grown by 46,262 residents – a rate of 13.4% over the past five years.   According to Clark County’s 2005 – 2009 Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan, there is a shortage of almost 6,000 units to adequately serve households living on less than 30% area median income.  The same plan states that the County’s lead mental health provider served almost 8,000 clients in 2001-02 yet there were only 40 housing units or vouchers for transitional or permanent housing available for these clients. This overwhelming shortage adds urgency to this development.

“The challenge is to insure that all members of the community can participate successfully in Clark County’s future,” said Mike Piper, Director, Clark County Community Services.  “Through a competitive process, Clark County selected a team that is experienced at partnering with community members and other public, non-profit and private sector partners to insure that this population achieves a successful transition to affordable, long-term, independent living.  Clark County believes that the project team will not only build transitional housing but will also deliver a product that will invite replication, set new sustainability standards for development projects, and above all provide the springboard that residents need, as they move back to the community.”

The completed facility will provide up to 40-units of affordable, accessible, sustainable transitional housing for individuals at risk of homelessness, who are recovering from mental illness and may also have co-occurring disorders such as substance abuse or dependence.  More importantly, the development will give people a home.  While the proposed development will certainly accommodate the programmatic requirements of treating disabilities and afflictions, as well as providing guidance and mentorship, the project team considers it their responsibility to create a living environment that gives residents a grounding in the sense of sanctuary and support that comes from being “at home”.  As providers of transitional housing, it is ACE’s mission to help develop responsible and healthy living patterns and prepare people for active integration into the larger community.

The development team lead by ACE is uniquely qualified to accomplish the County’s goals and to deliver an innovative, sustainable, and nurturing community-based development. 

“This partnership with Clark County enables ACE to continue to carry out its mission of providing safe, affordable, accessible housing for individuals who have special needs,” said Val Ogden, Board Chair, ACE.  “We see this as a model program that can be replicated in other communities. We are delighted to be part of a team that is involved in an innovative program using “green” building standards and a housing design that builds community.”

Carleton Hart Architecture and Walsh Construction both of Portland, and the finance consultant, Common Ground of Seattle each have extensive experience in developing similar transitional housing projects, and have LEED Accredited Professionals participating as members of the project team.

“The team welcomes the opportunity to move this project beyond LEED Certification towards a truly sustainable living environment,” said Bill Hart, Principal, Carleton Hart Architecture.  “This begins with the decision of site location and program development, through construction and long-term operations of the building, and extends to after-life use of deconstructed building materials.  In each of these phases, the team will focus on the people who live, work in, and maintain the building.” 

Specific systems the project team is eager to explore through the eco-charrette and programming process include:

•        Clean energy sources such as on-site solar, photovoltaic, wind turbine, and geo-thermal

•        Off-site clean energy purchase such as 100% wind through local power company

•        Wastewater recovery, treatment, and reuse on site

•        Rainwater capture for indoor plumbing use (non-potable activities)

•        Reduced flow and no-flow plumbing fixtures, including auto on/off fixtures

•        Stormwater harvesting for landscape irrigation and water feature

•        Natural ventilation and mechanical measures to provide optimum indoor air quality with lowest energy cost

•        Whole-house ventilation system for insured moisture control

•        On-going operations and maintenance considerations, including renting recyclable carpeting, toxic-free pest control, bio-degradable cleaners

Since its founding in 1998, ACE and its team of architects and builders haves developed three accessible, “green”, award winning housing communities that include dozens of units for persons with special needs and their families.  This includes people with developmental, physical, and mental disabilities challenges, coupled with extremely low incomes.  Covington Commons, which opened in January of 2000, provides 40 garden apartments, including eight units especially for persons with developmental disabilities.  The 51-unit Cascadia Village Apartments opened in February of 2003 and 24-unit The Mews at Cascadia Village was completed in July of 2005.  Both of these developments designed by Carleton Hart Architecture, received Community Pride Design Awards from Clark County/City of Vancouver.  ACE’s Director of Housing, Eryn Kelleher was recently honored with a Friend of Housing award presented by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission at the 2005 Housing Washington annual conference.

The USGBC Natural Talent 2007 Design Competition provides an applied learning experience in the
principles of integrated design, sustainability, innovation, and social consciousness; all of which are
components of the LEED Green Building Rating System. 

Participants will compete on the local level in the Cascadia competition, the top winner of which will move on
to compete at Greenbuild LA 2007 for a national award of up to $5,000! Local awards include cash prizes
as well as travel and registration to Greenbuild, the USGBC’s Annual Green Building Conference and Expo,
where finalists’ entries will be displayed and where final judging will occur.  Greenbuild 2007 will be held in 
Los Angeles, CA, November, 2007.

Click here to sign up for the Competition!



Heres a taste of the challenge!

Design a LEED for Homes Silver residence with a focus on innovative technology and integrated design
strategies.  The project will be required to address innovation and integrated design in four key areas. 

EDUCATION: The project will be required to address education by documenting the reasoning and intent of
innovative technologies used on the project to potentially contribute in the development of an educational
homeowner’s manual. This is to ensure that teams reflect on the relevance and accessibility of their design.   



NATURAL RESOURCE USE: This includes negotiating site positioning for the use of solar efficiencies,
storm water runoff, and natural ventilation.  This also includes choosing materials and technologies that
preserve resources off site such as renewable energy and rapidly renewables.

MATERIALS: Material life cycles will need to be considered in terms of their durability, flexibility, VOC
content, recyclability and reusable content.  

REGIONAL RELEVANCE: Teams will also be asked to address the regional cultural conditions of their
site in regards to their choice of materials, cultural precedent, and community connection in developing a
sense of place for the project.

For more information email the following: Chessa Adsit-Morris

Join the Coalition for a Livable Future (CLF) for the third annual brew-Ha-Ha! benefit on February 2^nd from 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm at the Melody Ballroom, 615 SE Alder

Laugh is an evening of sharp-tongued political satire, witty skits and original songs. Between bouts of knee-slapping laughter you’ll enjoy the region’s best beer and wine, hors d‘oeuvres, a silent auction showcasing the region’s local businesses and a raffle featuring an Electra Townie Bike donated by the Bike Gallery

(raffle tickets may be purchased in advance).

Event Tickets $35

Raffle Tickets $5 each or five for $20

Buy your tickets now on CLF’s new secure donation page at: https://secure.tumblehome.com/clfuture/tickets.html

This year’s comic relief crew stars:

- Metro Councilor Robert Liberty: Emcee

- Oregon Action’s Jo Ann Bowman: Deep Thoughts

- Oregonian columnist Jonathan Nicholas: delivering the latest dirt

- Oregon League of Conservation Voters Director Jonathan Poisner: roving reporter

- Rep. Carolyn Tomei: Return to the Legislative Land of Oz

- 1000 Friends’ of Oregon Director Bob Stacey and BTA Director Evan Manvel: Click & Clack the Car Talk guys

...and other surprise guests.

Music by:

- Kentucky songstress Ashleigh Flynn

- Padam Padam featuring KBOO’s Barbara Bernstein

- The Unsustainable Developments — Ashley Henry and Derek Smith

- The Grasping Wastrels featuring Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder and Metro Legislative Affairs Manager Randy Tucker

For more info visit www.clfuture.org or call 503-294-2889

Laugh for Livability 2007 is brought to you through the generous support of: Vernier Software & Technology

HAP to Host Stakeholder Forum on New Initiatives Feb 5

The Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) would like to invite you to participate in a stakeholder discussion focused on the major new initiatives HAP is proposing over the next fiscal year (April 2007 thru March 2008).  HAP has reserved time on Monday, February 5 from 10:00 am to noon in the Columbia Room (at HAP’s downtown office, 135 SW Ash in Portland).

This review of new initiatives corresponds to the ninth year of HAP's Moving to Work (MTW) Plan.  This annual plan is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and provides an opportunity for staff to articulate agency initiatives and plans related to the households we serve, the housing and services we provide, and the funding streams that support these efforts.  In order to make it a more helpful process for HAP’s local community partners, HAP is including additional information this year, such as work that is underway in our affordable housing portfolio (and may not be considered by HUD to be an MTW activity).

Following the February 5 meeting, a full draft of the annual plan will be completed and posted on HAP's website by February 14th.  One week later, the HAP Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the plan at their regularly scheduled evening meeting on Tuesday, February 20 at the Multnomah County Building (501 SE Hawthorne Blvd at the east end of the Hawthorne Bridge.)  The Board will then consider adoption of the plan at their March meeting.

Please RSVP to Ronda Kennedy Clegg if you will be coming to the meeting on February 5th.  Ronda can be reached at (503) 802-8501 or via email. For more information about this review process, please feel free to contact Pamela Kambur at (503) 802-8508 or via email.