Members of Housing Alliance as well as other community members concerned about housing showed up in large numbers on March 4 at a Oregon Senate Revenue Committee meeting held at the Metro Government Offices in Portland. Housing supporters made a case for funding affordable housing, particularly through SB 996, which would increase the (OATHC).

The Chair of the Senate Revenue Committee, Senator Ryan Deckert of Beaverton, said that the members of the Revenue Committee were very impressed by the efficiency of the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit, particularly because low income renters directly receive the financial benefit of the OAHTC’ in rent reduction.  Deckert, who prior to the hearting said “affordable housing is the most un-discussed issue affecting Oregon,” is emerging as a leader on housing issues in Salem.

The high point of the hearing was the moving testimony of a number of individuals who have had affordable housing play a key role in helping them regain stability and hope in their lives. Special thanks to those individuals who shared their stories, including CeCe Van Horn and a number of members of the Recovery Association Project.

The diversity of organizations that represented the Housing Alliance demonstrated the strength of the new coalition.  Members representing the Oregon Food Bank, the Association of Oregon Housing Authorities, NOAH, AOCDO, and CDN testified to the value of the OAHTC, each highlighting from their perspective how the OATHC works to reduce rents for Oregonians in need.

To find out more about the Housing Alliance, go to http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org

Central City Concern and V.A. Partner to Help Homeless Veterans

Central City Concern (CCC) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) have teamed up in a collaborative effort to help homeless veterans transition into permanent self-sufficiency. The project, known as the Veterans Grant and Per Diem Program (VGPDP), uses federal funds to help participants access housing, employment services and intensive case management. The goal is to help veterans impacted by poverty, homelessness and unemployment permanently rejoin the social and economic mainstream. The first seven clients received their keys to housing on Thursday, February 24, ending a cumulative 15 years of homelessness.

“We are pleased to join forces with Central City Concern in helping homeless veterans gain jobs and get off the streets,” said Jim Hoover, social worker with the Department of Veterans Affairs Community Reintegration Service. “When veterans succeed, everybody wins.”

VGPDP has been implemented in over 400 communities nationwide. CCC was identified as the most effective service provider to meet program goals in Portland. The primary objectives of the program are to move participants into permanent housing, increase income through employment and/or development of disability entitlements, and to encourage self-sufficiency. Participants are referred through CCC’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project (HVRP) and at full capacity, the program will serve up to 50 veterans each year.

“Homelessness is a long and difficult journey, especially for Veterans,” said Steven Carreker, CCC’s VGPDP program director. “To witness someone receiving a key to their new ‘single room occupancy’ is a profound and sacred moment. They are leaving behind places of unrest and risk and discomfort to take up residence in a place they can dare begin to call ‘Home’. For that, I say a big thank you to the Department of Veterans Affairs and the agency and staff of Central City Concern.”

After a rigorous assessment and intake process, veterans are moved off the street and into stable housing at the Henry Building, a 153 unit downtown apartment building owned by CCC. Staff from CCC’s West Portland One Stop job resource center will provide individual case management to ensure that participants are making progress. Participating veterans will develop an employment and/or self-sufficiency plan that includes transitioning into permanent housing. The VGPDP team will develop individual action plans that maximize client access to a range of services available through CCC, the local VA and a broad array of community partners. 

Veterans experience homelessness at twice the rate of the general population. The VA estimates that nationally, almost 300,000 vets are homeless on any given night and more than 500,000 will experience homelessness over the course of the year. Locally, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates that there are almost 8,500 homeless vets in Oregon. Due to the concentration of services, a high percentage of those individuals reside in the Portland metro area.

“CCC has a strong commitment to veterans and has helped hundreds to end their homelessness through our special programs for housing and jobs,” said Richard L. Harris, executive director of CCC.

AHN! to Present Strategic Plan, Next Steps at General Meeting March 30

Affordable Housing NOW! is holding a general meeting for AHN Members on March 30 to approve a proposed strategic plan and identify the next steps in AHN’s pursuit of new resources for housing for low income people in the Metro region.  AHN is also introducing several new opportunities for member involvement. The meeting will be held at offices of the Community Alliance of Tenants (2710 NE 14^th Avenue) from 6:30-8:00 pm.

AHN leadership will present the results of stakeholder interviews and a web survey that AHN conducted in the late Fall 04.  Over 700 people were invited to participate in a web-based survey on Affordable Housing NOW!’s advocacy priorities and potential revenue initiatives AHN could pursue over the next 3-4 years. In addition, AHN conducted over a dozen in-person interviews of key AHN stakeholders.

From the information gathered in the survey and interviews, AHN leadership developed a proposed strategic plan, which will be the focus of the first half of the March 30 meeting. The purpose of the strategic plan is to establish advocacy priorities, criteria for evaluating the pursuit of potential revenue initiatives, and recommendations for the next revenue initiatives that AHN should pursue in the immediate future. AHN will present the strategic plan and ask for AHN member approval.

The surveys and interviews confirmed AHN’s focus: Pursue funding for housing for people at 0-30% median family income; funding initiatives should focus on housing but include strategies to address service needs; regional strategy will best address our housing crisis and remains the long-term commitment of AHN members; and over the short term to pursue locally based strategies within the region because AHN has a greater chance of winning. The surveys and interviews also weighed in on the potential of specific revenue initiatives, as well as criteria that AHN can use to determine what revenue initiatives AHN should pursue.

In addition to the presentation of the strategic plan, AHN will launch several new working committees in which members can become involved.  There will be committees on strategy and research for potential revenue initiatives, membership development and recruitment, and media advocacy.

To find out more about Affordable Housing NOW!, go to: http://www.cdnportland.org/ahn.html

The Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP) has set up a moderated Yahoo discussion group to keep you posted on federal budget developments. The purpose of this group is for Janet Bauer, OCPP's Federal Budget Coordinator, to send you updates, information, and alerts related to the federal budget and its impact on Oregonians. The list will also allow activists around the state to share information. Because it is moderated, it won't result in too much mail clogging your in-box.

Oregon Federal Budget Updates will soon only occur on the new list rather than this OCPP Updates list. Sign up for the Federal Budget list now to ensure you continue to keep abreast of this issue.

Two ways to join the new Oregon Federal Budget Updates and Alerts list:

         •          Send an email to  OregonFederalBudget-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

         •           Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/OregonFederalBudget

 Questions?  Contact Janet Bauer at jbauer@ocpp.org

(From the National Low Income Housing Coalition) The President's plan to collapse CDBG and 17 other programs into a new program at the Commerce Department and cut the funding by 35% was a hot topic on the Hill during the week of February 28-March 4.

House Financial Services Committee. HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson took a lot of bipartisan heat from the House Financial Services Committee when he testified on HUD's FY06 budget proposal on March 2. While the Secretary wanted to focus on homeownership, the majority of the members on the Committee wanted to discuss the President's "Strengthening America's Communities" (SAC) proposal, the name given to the consolidation of 18 programs at the Commerce Department.

At the start of the hearing, the Committee Chair Michael Oxley (R-OH) asked Mr. Jackson a very pointed question, "How do you envision the CDBG transfer to Commerce working?" Mr. Jackson said that the "legislation was not worked out" and that he could not provide much detail. This response set the tone for the remainder of the hearing.

Committee Ranking Member Barney Frank (D-MA) asked the Secretary when he would know the details of the SAC proposal and Jackson said that Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez would have more information when he testifies before the Committee in mid-April. Mr. Frank lambasted the Secretary for suggesting that the Committee wait until April to find out the details for a proposal of such magnitude.

Throughout the hearing, Mr. Jackson said that he supported the SAC proposal and believed there needed to be consolidation of programs that "overlap." When asked direct questions over programs that "overlapped," the Secretary conceded that he believed there is very little duplication in community development programs, but a lot of duplication in economic development programs. "There is a difference between community development and economic development, a huge difference. CDBG funds are housing, and that's community development," said Representative Gary Miller (R-CA).

"CDBG is the last standing block grant," said Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA). Representative Christopher Shays (R-CT) said, "This Administration is giving CDBG a bad name...To cut CDBG and CSBG [Community Services Block Grant] is just a big mistake."

House Committee on Government Reform. Meanwhile the first hearing of the new Subcommittee on Federalism and the Census was held on March 1. The hearing, entitled "Strengthening America's Communities - Is it the Right Step Toward Greater Efficiency and Improved Accountability?" was convened to discuss the President's proposal to move CDBG out of HUD and into the Department of Commerce.

In his opening statement, Chair Michael Turner (R-OH) asserted that the Administration had not offered any justification for moving "programs associated with longstanding and complex problems, such as housing" out of HUD. He also asserted that the Department of Commerce does not have "historical successes in urban revitalization." The justification for this proposal, as explained by members of the first panel of witnesses, included consolidating the programs to make federal funds more accessible, installing measures of accountability, and reducing overlap between programs.

The first panel included representatives from HUD, the Commerce Department, and the Office of Management and Budget. HUD Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi recognized the usefulness of CDBG, but said that the program needed to be reformed to allow the CDBG funds to address more needs. Mr. Turner questioned whether CDBG could be reformed without being removed from HUD.

Clay Johnson, Deputy Director for Management at the Office of Management and Budget, defended CDBG's move to Commerce by saying that the mission of that Department is more appropriate "to creating vibrant communities" than HUD. David Sampson, from the Department of Commerce, asserted that wealthier communities were benefiting from the CDBG program, which is why reform is necessary to allow the funds to be redirected to the "neediest" communities.

The second panel included mayors and program administrators. They defended CDBG, citing the flexibility of the program as its primary advantage, and said that the program is performing as intended. There was consensus on the panel that while all CDBG results may not be quantifiable, the projects CDBG funds help create and rehabilitate healthy communities that are a necessary part of economic development.

Akron, Ohio Mayor Don Plusquellic said CDBG invested in communities that the private sector would not consider. "The private sector would prefer to build new housing, which is more expensive than to redevelop existing housing," said Mr. Plusquellic.

Ms. Chandra Weston from the National Community Development Association expressed concern about whether the Commerce Department would be an effective administrator of housing programs. Other concerns included the lack of details about the new Strengthening America's Communities program, the 30% cut in funding to the consolidated programs, the creation of more duplication through this effort, and reservations about the notion that economic criteria is the only sufficient way of measuring the impact of a program.

Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition. Also on March 1 the Northeast-Midwest Senate Coalition that includes Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Jack Reed (D-RI) held a briefing for Senate staff on CDBG. Speakers included mayors, program administrators and bankers. CDBG was called the "anchor, glue, and lifeblood of communities," and one of the best federal resources ever made available to rural and urban communities alike.

Doug Woodruff, Community Development Executive from the Bank of America, pointed out the important role CDBG plays in providing leverage for financing projects. He also explained how CDBG funds make the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) reach more people. Jackson, Mississippi Mayor Harvey Johnson talked about CDBG's impact on such areas as housing, retail, business development, and nonprofit agencies that deliver social services and how the funds benefited rural areas.

Dear Colleague Letters. Fifty-five U.S. Senators, including Norm Coleman (R-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI), Mike DeWine (R-OH), Christopher Bond (R-MO) and Paul Sarbanes (D-MD), submitted a letter last week to Senator Budget Chairman Judd Gregg (R-NH) and Ranking Member Kent Conrad (D-ND), asking them to support the Community Development Block Grant program and provide $4.732 billion in the FY06 budget to retain the program within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Notably, the letter includes the signature of Senator and former HUD Secretary Mel Martinez (R-FL).

Members in the House are circulating a similar letter that will go to Chairman Jim Nussle (R-IA) and Ranking Member John Spratt (D-SC) of the Budget Committee asking them for full funding for the CDBG program and to reject the proposed transfer to the Commerce Department. The deadline for Representatives to sign on to the letter is March 7. Advocates are urged to contact their Representatives to inform them of the letter and to urge them to sign on to the letter, which is being coordinated by Representatives Barney Frank (D-MA) and Christopher Shays (R-CT).

Also, HUD released a report last week that recommends changes in the CDBG formula for distribution. See article under HUD below.

Although CDBG was the major topic of HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson's testimony before the House Financial Services Committee on March 2, other issues did come up. The hearing, entitled "Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development," gave Mr. Jackson the opportunity to testify on the proposed FY06 HUD budget. In his opening statement, the Secretary said that the FY06 budget "seeks to lend a compassionate hand to individuals in need."

Mr. Jackson reminded the Committee of the President's State of the Union declaration to reduce spending and said that HUD wanted to work with Congress to meet the President's goal of cutting the budget deficit in half by 2009. The Secretary emphasized HUD's commitment to supporting the President's vision of an "ownership society" and touted the gains the Administration has made in increasing the number of first time homebuyers, especially minority first time homebuyers. The Secretary outlined the two homeownership initiatives in the FY06 HUD budget - the zero down payment initiative and the single-family homeownership tax credit.

Ranking Member Barney Frank (D-MA) questioned how committed the Secretary was to the zero down payment idea, when the bill had been voted out of committee on a bipartisan basis last year, but the Administration has not pushed the House leadership to bring the bill to the floor.

Mr. Jackson got bipartisan criticism for the proposed cuts to the HUD budget, including housing for the disabled (Section 811), public housing, HOPWA, and CDBG. Mr. Jackson resorted to the HUD mantra, "Section 8 is eating our budget and we had to prioritize." Members criticized the Secretary for proposing to cut key housing programs instead of asking for an increase in the entire HUD budget. "Your budget needs to be larger. But cutting CDBG is wrong," said Representative Christopher Shays (R-CT).

Representative Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) asked Mr. Jackson about the proposed cuts to the public housing operating and capital funds. The Secretary defended the cuts and said that when he managed PHAs he was able to operate within a budget and that is something all PHAs must learn to do.

Representative Bernie Sanders (D-VT) said that there was an affordable housing crisis in the country and asked the Secretary if he would support a National Housing Trust Fund. Mr. Jackson agreed that there was a housing crisis in "certain areas of the country" and said that if "Congress desired to have a National Housing Trust Fund he would be happy to implement it."

Representative Artur Davis (D-GA) questioned the Secretary's effectiveness as a member of the President's cabinet if the President identified HUD to take the biggest budget cut -11.5% - of all federal agencies. "When a federal agency gets the greatest cut from all other agencies it must be [deemed] either the least effective or the least priority [to the Administration]," said Mr. Davis. He also questioned whether Mr. Jackson had the commitment necessary to head HUD.

The Committee Democrats submitted additional views of the HUD FY06 budget on March 3.

HUD Releases Revised FMRs; No Changes for Portland-Vancouver

HUD released revised FY05 Fair Market Rent (FMR) numbers on March 4. Changes were made in response to 283 public comments received during the second comment period and 26 random digit dialing surveys conducted from September to November. There were no changes in the underlying methodology. Despite a petition from the Housing Authority of Portland for a revision of the FY 05 FMR’s for the Portland-Vancouver MSA, there were no revisions to the FY 05 FMR’s for the Portland-Vancouver MSA.

Twenty-eight jurisdictions saw changes to their FMRs, 19 of which were increases. The 14 FMR areas that submitted their own recent survey data considered valid by HUD were all increased; San Jose, California and Stevens County, Minnesota got increases for specific bedroom sizes. HUD did not agree to requests to use the FY04 FMRs where FY05 FMRs show a decline.

There are some other notable changes. The Atlanta, GA 2BR FMR drops from $928 to $834 and Denver's from $973 to $888. Hawaii, Maui, and Kauai Counties in Hawaii and McAllen, TX 2BR FMRs got increases well over $100. Also, though HUD does not mention it in the preamble, a comparison of the data finds that in Westchester County, NY, the three bedroom FMR went up from $1,517 to $1,532.

In the preamble, HUD addresses the methodological concerns raised by the public comments. HUD conducted supplemental RDDs in Boston, Detroit and Washington, DC, to correct for discrepancies resulting from their sudden change in FMR area definitions before publishing the October 1 "Final" FMRs. None of these supplemental surveys resulted in a change in the FMRs. In another nine areas, HUD claimed to have sufficient sample sizes and geographic coverage to continue using its past results. Other than this, HUD did not address the likely impact that changes in the timing of the surveys, usually conducted in the spring and not during an election cycle, might have had, nor did they comment on the other methodological concerns raised about the RDDs. The preamble also addresses the bedroom size controversy, stating that the discrepancies between this and last year's FMRs are due entirely to the use of new Census data and changes in the rental stock between 1990 and 2000.

Puerto Rico's revised FMR is delayed and will be allowed to continue to use its 2004 FMR.

The revised FMRs can be found at http://www.huduser.org/datasets/fmr/fmr2005R/index.html

The Neighborhood Partnership Fund (NPF) is pleased to announce that Janet Byrd has been selected to be the Executive Director following a national search.  Janet brings to the job her strong connections to local and national housing policy, her varied experience in building collaborative efforts, and a proven record in resource development and organizational management. The Board and key stakeholders felt that Janet's skills and expertise would help NPF and the Oregon community development industry reach its full potential.

Ms. Byrd has been the Interim Executive Director for the past five months and has guided NPF through its current Strategic Planning process. That process re-energized board and staff and will provide new momentum and clarity for the work of the organization as the Plan is finalized in the coming months. Central to the Plan is a renewed commitment to nurturing and enhancing the many critical local, regional, and national partnerships that NPF relies upon to do its work.  Also central is a commitment to enhanced communication. As a first step in that process, NPF hoped to have a new web site on-line by mid-April that will begin to tell the story of the work that NPF’s partners do and that NPF does.

Janet Byrd will assume the Executive Director position immediately and can be contacted at telephone number 503 226-3001, ext. 103 or by email at jbyrd@tnpf.org.

The Enterprise Foundation is offering its first Live Online Class in the Green eLearning Track will happen on Thursday, March 24, 2005.

Description   

Over time, Green Communities will transform the way Americans think about, locate, design and build affordable homes.  Green Communities is a five-year, $550 million fund to build more than 8,500 rental and for-sale homes across the country that provide significant health, economic and environmental benefits to low-income families and communities. This groundbreaking effort is a partnership of The Enterprise Foundation and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), along with the American Institute of Architects, the American Planning Association and leading corporate, financial and philanthropic organizations.

Housing projects that qualify under Enterprise Green Communities criteria will be eligible for a package of:

·       Green grant funds

·       Low-interest loans

·       Competitively priced equity

Join this Live Online Class to hear more about the initiative, learn about the eligibility criteria and application process, and ask questions about how the products will work for you.

Expected Outcomes

·       Understand the Green Communities products

·       Become familiar with the green criteria projects must meet to be eligible for grants, loans and equity

Who should attend?

·       Housing Program Managers

·       Project Finance Specialists

·       Acquisition Team Members

·       Housing Design Team Members

Presented by:  

Dana Bourland, Senior Program Director, The Enterprise Foundation

Information for Joining this eLearning Event

Space in this event is limited to 50 connections.  A recording of the event and a copy of the materials will be posted on The Enterprise Foundation website following the event.

60 minutes beginning at 11:03a PT, March 24, 2005

Setup:  We strongly suggest you do the setup process one or more days prior the event.  For fast connections this usually takes just a couple of minutes.  For dial-up connections, this step often takes fifteen minutes and can take longer.   A Windows PC and Internet Explorer are preferred. 

·       PC users, go to http://enterprisefoundation.webex.com  and click on “Setup," then "Meeting Manager."  When prompted, click the Setup button.

·       Mac OS X users, go to http://enterprisefoundation.webex.com and click “Assistance" in the box on the left, then click "Support."  Scroll down to Downloads, and find “Meeting Manager for Mac OS.”  Click on the OS X download and follow the instructions.

Joining the Meeting:

Thursday, March 24, just before 2:00pm ET, go to http://enterprisefoundation.webex.com.  Click the “Join Now” link to the right of "Green Communities Initiative.”  Enter your registration information.  The case-sensitive password is: sustainable.  You will see instructions for participating in the conference call once you are in the meeting.

If you have any questions about the setup process or joining the meeting, please contact Kathy Holmes at 410.772.2411 or kholmes@enterprisefoundation.org

NW Authors Convene to Build a Better Community, Support CPAH April 1

Nearly a dozen authors from around the region will appear, sign their books, and meet with fans to raise funds for safe, healthy affordable housing and skill- and support-building services for residents in need in our community. The event, aptly named, HomeWord Bound: An Event of Literary Proportions, will be held Friday, April 1st, 2005 from 6-10 p.m. at Embassy Suites at Washington Square Mall in Tigard. Proceeds from the event will go to Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH). Washington Mutual is the Presenting Sponsor for this exciting evening.

This year’s HomeWord Bound is set firmly on track to be the best yet! Ann Rule, author of 19 New York Times National bestsellers, will be a featured speaker.  Gert Boyle, founder of Columbia Sportswear and author of One Tough Mother and Marc Acito, author of How I Paid for College (a Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship and Musical Theatre) will also be featured speakers. Serving as Master of Ceremonies will be Kerry Tymchuk, Senator Gordon Smith’s State Director and co-author of several books including Gert Boyle’s memoir. Also in attendance will be special guests; authors Jackie Moyer Fischer, Bart King, Katy King, Matt Love, Deborah DeWit Marchant, Chris Santella, David Michael Slater, and Kaie Wellman.

Reservations are required. Tickets are $50 and include dinner and a silent auction, with a no-host bar available. They are available online at www.cpahinc.org or by calling 503.968.2724. Books by all of the authors in attendance will be available for sale and authors will be signing. Other sponsors of HomeWord Bound: An Event of Literary Proportions include Key Sponsors: Columbia Sportswear, Enterprise Foundation, Oregon Medical Evaluations; Major sponsors: Key Bank, Sunnyside Masonic Lodge; and Community sponsors: Bateman Seidel Miner Blomgren Chellis & Gram P.C., Fullerton & Company, Hagerman Frick O’Brien LLP, Income Property Management, NOAH, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, and willliam wilson architects.

Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) is a non-profit serving the areas of Tigard, Tualatin, and Southwest Portland. CPAH believes hardworking people should be able to afford housing and still have enough money for groceries and other basic necessities. Founded in 1993 by a group of citizens concerned about the lack of affordable housing in the area, CPAH owns three apartment complexes and a five-bedroom single-family home (143 units total). Each site has a library, computer lab, and multi-purpose community center - the cornerstone of empowering education and enrichment programs offered to CPAH residents.

Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation Children's Initiative Grant Deadline April 1

The Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation Children's Initiative provides funding for local programs that strengthen the social, physical, intellectual, and emotional functioning of young children in significant and measurable ways.

The Initiative will consider programs that serve children from the pre-natal stage to six years of age; deliver services to children in non-office or non-traditional settings; and involve parents or guardians in the planning, delivery or evaluation of the program. All proposals must demonstrate that the project meets all three of the above elements. Nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S are eligible to apply. The deadline for submitting letters of intent is April 1, 2005. Visit the Weyerhaeuser Family Foundation website for more information at : http://www.wfamilyfoundation.org/.