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| Portland Housing Center Helps 120 Families of Color Achieve Homeownership In efforts to increase the number of minority homeowners, the Portland Housing Center has helped 120 families of color realize the dream of homeownership in the 2003-2004 fiscal year. In October 2002, President George Bush said "Two-thirds of all Americans own their homes, yet we have a problem here in America because fewer than half of Hispanics and half of African Americans own their own home. That's a homeownership gap." In response to this challenge the Portland Housing Center has created an aggressive public education and media campaign to encourage communities of color in the Portland metropolitan area to own their own homes. "We are committed to working with our local communities. We pride ourselves in providing quality services and offer programs that encourage homeownership opportunities especially among first-time home buyers, low and moderate income people and minorities," says Peg Malloy, Executive Director, Portland Housing Center In addition to launching public education and media campaigns that target minority households, Portland Housing Center is an active partner in the annual African American, Latino and Asian Home buying fairs. Portland Housing Center also works to promote minority homeownership through its collaborations with private sector lenders, real estate agents, homebuilders and insurance companies, government and non profit organizations. All of these efforts coincide with National, State and local efforts and goals to target and bolster minority homeownership. Portland Housing Center specializes in providing comprehensive home buyer education, one-on-one counseling, financial education and gap financing to help first-time home buyers become mortgage ready. As a designated NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center, Portland Housing Center works with people from a variety of income levels to provide access to affordable and stable housing. New Federal Bill on Long-Term Homelessness Raises Questions about HUD Cuts The Services to End Long-Term Homelessness Act (SELHA) was introduced on July 20 by Rep. Richard Burr (R-NC) and 12 co-sponsors. Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH) and Jack Reed (D-RI) are expected to introduce a Senate counterpart shortly after the August recess. The bill would establish a grant program within the Department of Health Human Services for supportive housing services such as health and mental health services, substance abuse treatment and money management. SELHA is the first legislation to emerge from the Ending Long-Term Homelessness Services Initiative, developed by a broad coalition led by The Enterprise Foundation, the Corporation for Supportive Housing, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the National AIDS Housing Coalition. Discussion of the Services to End Long-Term Homelessness Act forced members of Congress to focus on the Section 8 crisis. Witness after witness, including Nan Roman, President of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Barbara Poppe, Executive Director of the Community Shelter Board in Columbus, OH, emphasized the important role Section 8 plays in ending homelessness. Witnesses testified that the Administration’s current and proposed cuts to the program in 2004 and 2005 are causing uncertainty across the country that is hurting efforts to end homelessness. Several committee members also expressed concern over the Administration’s voucher cuts and the negative impact of the cuts on efforts to end homelessness. "The Samaritan Initiative cannot be divorced from the broader issue of affordable housing," Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) said. At the hearing, Subcommittee members received a report compiled by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) listing the effects that HUD’s FY04 voucher cuts have had on housing agencies and the families they serve. The report catalogs the ways that several hundred agencies are coping with the April 22 HUD notice, and includes examples of agencies that are freezing turnover vouchers, withdrawing vouchers from families that are searching for housing, and terminating vouchers, among other actions. In a House Appropriations on the HUD/VA Budget appropriations that same day, committee members, in response to overwhelming grassroots advocacy, provided funding for Section 8 vouchers and project-based housing above what the President asked for in his FY05 budget. However, Section 8 funding came at the expense of all other HUD programs, which generally received 4.3% cuts. Outraged housing advocates flooded House offices with calls between the two markups, but funding levels for all HUD programs remained the same in the full Committee on July 22. IRS Ruling Requires "Good Cause" Eviction for Low Income Housing Tax Credits The Internal Revenue Service issued a Revenue Ruling requiring that "good cause" eviction applies throughout the life of Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Although State Agencies have until the end of 2004 to conduct an audit of extended use agreements, property owners with LIHTC properties must apply the "good cause" evictions standards immediately. The ruling will effect 1.5 million units nationally. To read the ruling, click here: http://www.cdnportland.org/downloads/LIHTC_Rev_Ruling.pdf Nonprofit Quarterly: Proposed Reform to Nonprofit Law Increases Regulation EPA Announces Three Smart Growth Grant RFIPs The United States Environmental Protection Agency has announce three Smart Growth related Request for Initial Proposals: Making Smart Growth Work: Reuse and Revitalization of Vacant and Abandoned Properties; Regional Networks for Smart Growth; and Smart Growth and Brownfield Redevelopment. Making Smart Growth Work: Reuse and Revitalization of Vacant and Abandoned Properties EPA is soliciting initial proposals for a technical assistance program Making Smart Growth Work: Reuse and Revitalization of Vacant and Abandoned Properties. EPA is seeking proposals from eligible organizations to translate local efforts to prevent and redevelop vacant properties to state, regional, and/or national level applications -- to make those lessons available and applicable to a large number of localities, states, trades, and other relevant organizations. EPA expects to award one assistance agreement under this solicitation and expects to have approximately $30,000 available for first-year funding with a ceiling of $90,000 for the life of the agreement. The deadline for proposal submission has been extended. Proposals must be submitted to EPA by October 4, 2004. (HTML | PDF Version, 121KB, 12 pp) EPA seeking proposals for Regional Networks for Smart Growth EPA seeking proposals for Regional Networks for Smart Growth. EPA is seeking proposals for creating or expanding three or more regional networks of diverse groups, including developer interests, environmental groups, business groups, citizen activist groups, public agencies, and other stakeholders, that work together to research, identify, and support smart growth projects and public policies. EPA expects to award one assistance agreement under this solicitation and expects to have approximately $25,000 available for first-year funding with a ceiling of $400,000 for the life of the agreement. Proposals must be submitted to EPA by 5 PM East Coast time on Monday, August 30, 2004. (HTML | PDF Version, 143KB, 11 pp) Click here for Points of clarification regarding the Regional Networks for Smart Growth. Smart Growth and Brownfield Redevelopment EPA is seeking proposals for Smart Growth and Brownfield Redevelopment. Proposals are due by 5:00 PM East Coast time on August 24, 2004. EPA is seeking proposals to support the efforts of communities to integrate smart growth principles and practices into their brownfield redevelopment programs, related planning and/or revitalization activities. This solicitation helps communities encourage redevelopment of brownfield properties and improve environmental quality by offering support to reduce regulatory and market barriers and link redevelopment with open space preservation. EPA expects to award approximately five to eight assistance agreements under this solicitation. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit proposals for first-year activities for approximately $50,000 or less. Proposals are due by 5:00 PM East Coast time on August 24, 2004. (HTML | PDF Version, 161KB, 11 pp) Click here for Points of clarification regarding the Smart Growth and Brownfield Redevelopment RFIP. OHCS Seeks Nominations for Awards of Excellence in Community Service Oregon Housing and Community Services is soliciting nominations for the 2004 Excellence in Community Service Awards. The awards will be presented in three categories: Providing Special Services for Families; Serving Special Needs; and Integration of Services into Housing. All nomination forms must be postmarked by Wednesday, September 15, 2004. For more information visit our Web site at http://www.oregon.gov/OHCS/BSS_ExcellenceAwards.shtml. Leading the Way: Housing for an Aging Society Conference September 9 Continuing Education at Portland State University in conjunction with the Institute of Aging and the Architecture Department will host a four day conference, Leading the Way: Housing for an Aging Society September 9 - 12, 2004. The conference will be held at University Place at Portland State University This regional conference will look at rethinking the design of independent and supportive housing for older adults. National presenters from the West Coast will focus on the Aging Process, Universal Design, Adaptive Technology, Thermal Comfort and much more. This conference is for anyone who is designing, building or remodeling single-family homes, multi-family arrangements, assisted living and nursing homes. The conference will include ten lecture sessions, a site visit to an existing facility, interactive hands-on design workshops, focus group and exhibitors from the field. Please join us as we look to sensitize all concerned to the needs and wants of the aging population. Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) available. To find out more about the conference, go to http://www.ceed.pdx.edu/agedesign or contact Marion Sharp at sharpm@pdx.edu or (503) 725-4876. To register for the conference, call 503-725-4832 or register online at http://www.ceed.pdx.edu/agedesign TechSoup: Printer Not Working? Don’t Smash That #*!@% Quite Yet |
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