The Portland City Council budget team in charge of making recommendations for the Bureau of Housing and Community Development (BHCD) has proposed that the City use a combination of ‘one-time’ funds and ongoing general fund revenues to maintain successful homeless, housing and economic opportunity programs put in jeopardy by Federal cuts in funding and the expiration of limited-term funding from City Council.  The budget team, comprised of Commissioners Dan Saltzman and Sam Adams, and citizen members Mary Edmeads and Ayoob Ramjan, has submitted a package totaling $5.6 million in ‘one-time’ funds and $422,000 in ongoing general funds to support BHCD’s work in the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness, the preservation and development of affordable housing for hardworking families, seniors and people with disabilities, closing the homeownership gap for people of color, and BHCD’s highly successful economic opportunity program. If accepted, these recommendations would preserve current service levels to BHCD's ongoing programs. 

“We are making smart investments in the prosperity of Portland families,” said Commissioner Adams. “Funding housing programs that work means we help our kids succeed in school, we help people succeed in the workforce, and we help seniors and people with disabilities live with independence and dignity.”

BHCD received a 21% funding cut comprised of cuts to federal HOME and Community Block Grant programs, a potentially devastating blow to an array of programs that provide housing and economic opportunity to Portland households relying on low incomes, and a potential gap in programs left by the expiration of one-time funds that the City allocated in the 05-06 budget.

The recommendations of the Saltzman-Adams budget team are now being considered by the Mayor and the rest of Council over the next few weeks as the Mayor develops his budget proposal.  To express your support for the recommendations for the BHCD budget or find out more about the budget team recommendations, attend the Citywide Community Budget Forum this Saturday, April 8, 2006 - 10:00AM-NOON at the St. Andrew's Gym, 806 NE Alberta.

Portland Habitat Expands Eligibility Criteria to Residents of Subsidized Housing

Portland Habitat for Humanity recently changed the current housing need policy to include families living in subsidized housing, instead of limiting participation to families living in substandard housing.  Portland Habitat's eligibility had been limited to select families that currently live in substandard housing.  Portland Habitat provides homeownership opportunities to families that have decent credit history, a steady income, and earn 30% to 60% of the median household income (in the Portland area this means earning between $20,350 and $40,750 per year for a family of four).

Portland Habitat believes that some families have gotten themselves organized well in public subsidized housing but are still unable to afford conventional options.  Portland Habitat believes that taking a family out of subsidized units and graduating them into homeownership will free up a subsidized unit for another low income family thus helping to fulfill Habitat's mission of eliminating poverty housing.

Portland Habitat for Humanity is the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, partnering with the Portland community to build decent, affordable housing.  Volunteers and future homeowners provide most of the labor, with individual and corporate donors providing money and materials.  These homes are then sold at no profit, 0% interest, to those in need.  Mortgage payments go into a revolving Fund for Humanity that is used to build more houses in the Portland area.

CDN Hosts Multnomah County Commissioner Candidates Forum on April 20

Candidates for Multnomah County Commissioner Diane Linn and Ted Wheeler will address resource needs and other issues about affordable housing in our community at a Community Development Network sponsored forum on Thursday, April 20, 2006, Noon – 1:30 PM at New Genesis Community Church.

The April 20 City Council Candidates Forum is part of CDN’s regularly bi-monthly Public Forum series. In continuing the custom of these meetings, feel free to bring a brown bag lunch.  The forum will start promptly at noon.

New Genesis Church is located at 5425 NE 27th Ave, Portland 97211, at the corner of NE 27th Ave and Killingsworth. Enter at the back of the church from the parking lot.

This meeting space is wheelchair accessible by elevator.

Please call Karen Walker at CDN at 503-335-9884 to let us know if you will need to use the elevator, or if you have any other questions.

Join fellow community members and housing advocates on May 25 to rally for housing justice.  Having a stable, safe, affordable place to call home gives people an opportunity to build better lives: Children do better in schools, seniors and people with disabilities can be self-sufficient, and families have a foundation from which to realize their dreams.

The 3^rd Annual Housing Justice Day Rally will focus on the continued Federal cutbacks to proven housing programs and what we can do here locally and across Oregon to open wider the doors of housing opportunity. The rally is being organized by Affordable Housing NOW! and the Housing Advocacy Group. The program will begin at 12:00 noon on May 25^th in the downtown area (stay tuned for the exact location).

Stand in unity against the Federal cuts undermining the housing stability of seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and families with children! Let’s demand real home-land security!

If you or your organization would like to get involved in the planning for Housing Justice Day, please come to the US Bank room in the Portland Central Library on April 24 at 2:00 pm for a meeting.  If your organization would like to be a listed sponsor of Housing Justice Day or if you would like more information, please contact Michael Anderson or Nikolai Ursin via email or by calling (503) 335-9884.

NLIHC Release Report on Growing Rental Housing Gap

The National Low Income Housing Coalition has released The Rental Housing Affordability Gap: Comparison of 2001 and 2003 American Housing Surveys. This report examines the gap between affordable rental housing and its supply in 2001 and 2003.  Information includes the number of housing units needed by: income level, region (West, Northeast, Midwest, South) and the US as a whole. Also included is a definition of the US housing shortage and trends over time between 2001 and 2003.

SELECTED RESOURCES   

* There were 7.7 million extremely low income renter households (those earning less than 30% of their local median income) in 2003. 

* The gap in affordable rental units for extremely low income renter households in the US increased by 206,000 units from 2001 to 2003.

* In 2003, almost half (49%) of very low income households (those earning 30% to 50% of their local median income), spent more than 30% of their income on rent.

* In the West, there were 31 affordable rental units per 100 extremely low income renters in 2003.

* The West had the largest gap of affordable housing for extremely low income renters (almost 557,000 units), compared to 463,000, Northeast; 311,000, Midwest; and 364,000, South in 2003.

* The number of low income households (those earning 50% to 80% of their local median income) renting unaffordable housing did not change from 2001 to 2003.

To download the full report, go to: http://www.nlihc.org/research/rentalgap.pdf

Community Partners for Affordable Housing will host their 8^th Annual HomeWord Bound: An Event of Literary Proportions fundraiser on Friday April 7^th, 2006 from 6-10pm at Embassy Suites Washington Square. Thirteen authors from the Pacific Northwest will gather for a fun evening complete with dinner, a silent auction, authors speaking, books for sale and author signings, all to support the development of safe, healthy affordable housing for low-income families in our community.

The event’s Master of Ceremonies, Karen Karbo (Minerva Clark Gets A Clue), will serve double duty as MC and a featured speaker. Rounding out the evening’s featured speakers will be Seattle authors Gregg Olsen (The Deep Dark) and Jennie Shortridge (eating heaven). Other authors attending will be: David Sarasohn, Chris Santella, Elissa Minor Rust, Maura Conlon-McIvor, Leonard Mees, April Henry, Heather Sharfeddin, Heather Vogel Frederick, Lisa Schroeder and Susan Blackaby.

Reservations are required. Tickets are $50 and include dinner with a no-host bar, and are available online at www.cpahinc.org or by calling 503.968.2724. Books by all authors in attendance will be available for sale and authors will be signing before and after the program. Event sponsors are: Washington Mutual, Oregon Medical Evaluations, Enterprise, Wells Fargo, Key Bank, LMC Inc., Walsh Construction, Alder Geotechnical Services, Bateman Seidel Miner Blomgren Chellis & Gram PC, Hagerman Frick O’Brien LLP, NOAH, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, Seabold Construction Company and willliam wilson architects.

Proceeds benefit Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH). Founded in 1993, CPAH is a nonprofit community development corporation serving Southeast Washington County and Southwest Portland.  CPAH’s mission is to promote a healthy community through the development of permanent affordable housing, sustainable economic growth and community-based partnerships. CPAH currently owns four multi-family apartment communities and one single-family home in the Tigard area (175 units) with rents affordable to families and individuals of modest means. In addition, CPAH provides programs and activities at their properties for residents and their children.

Listen to wonderful music and help Portland Habitat rebuild in hurricane effected Louisiana.

"Gospel Lunch": This Sunday, April 9th, from 1-3PM, enjoy great BBQ while listening to inspiring gospel music from Rae Gordon, LaRhonda Steel, and other special guests. Suggested donation $5 at the door - families welcome!  15% of food sales will also be donated. Beale Street NW BBQ is located at 10721 NE Sandy Blvd. For more info, visit www.pdxhabitat.org or www.bealestreetnw.com.

"An Evening of Jazz":  On Tuesday, April 18th, starting at 8:30pm, come listen to live jazz from "Ramsey's Groove Trio" at The Blue Monk. Suggested donation $5 at the door. The Blue Monk is located at 3341 SE Belmont. For more info, visit www.pdxhabitat.org or www.thebluemonk.com.

Funds raised at both of these benefit concerts will help finish our Portland-sponsored Habitat home in Lafayette, Louisiana, for a family who lost everything to Hurricane Rita.  At both events, volunteers recently back from helping to build this home in Lafayette will share their impressions from the trip.

TACS Training on Cross Cultural Supervision April 19

Join Cliff Jones, TACS' Senior Associate, to learn how to build a multicultural team with the capacity to work effectively across differences with co-workers and clients. The training takes place on April 19 from 8:30-4:00pm at the Portland YWCA (1111 SW 10th Ave., Portland, OR).

Cliff will help you uncover your assumptions about power and authority between supervisors and staff members. You'll learn strategies to surface culturally based differences in expectations between supervisors and staff and increase your ability to communicate across cultural differences. In addition you will learn how to flex your supervision style based on staff members' cultural and individual differences. Don't miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding and learn new skills to increase the effectiveness of your supervision.

Registration is $135.

This interactive workshop will explore an overview of:

* Effective supervision

* Cross cultural communication

* Styles and preferences for giving and receiving positive and negative feedback

* Culturally based performance standards

* Identifying and flexing your management style

* Working in an unfamiliar cultural context

* Cross cultural conflict resolution

* Tools for problem solving cross cultural personnel challenges

Program

Many nonprofits have diversified their staffs in order to serve a broader cross section of the community and to be responsible community citizens. But what about the many surprises that arise in supervising and managing across cultural differences? How should accusations of prejudice and bias be handled? When should we use flexibility with regards to performance standards and expectations and differences in cultural styles? If one size does not fit all, how do we ensure equity in using different approaches with different individuals and groups? These questions and many others come up as we supervise across differences and work in a multicultural environment.

Supervisors that can work in a variety of cultural settings are an important asset for organizational success in our challenging nonprofit market place. Organizations that can retain a multicultural staff are attractive for diverse communities and those who support nonprofits.

To register, go to http://www.tacs.org/training/event.asp?evID=375