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| HAP Section 8 Voucher Holders Speak Out to Preserve Their Housing About 400 people attended the hearings the Housing Authority of Portland(HAP)'s two public hearings about proposed changes to the Section 8 voucher program on Tuesday October 26. Approximately 120 people testified, with the key theme of testimony centering on the importance of the Section 8 program to so many people. The elderly, people with disabilities, low-income single parents, the working poor, expressed fear that the program will be gutted and they will be homeless. HAP notified 18,000 Section 8 recipients, landlords, and people on the wait list that changes to the Section 8 voucher program were likely and invited them to attend these hearings. The purpose of these hearings was to give them an opportunity to voice their opinions about the options HAP has suggested, or to suggest other alternatives that would achieve the desired cost savings. A shift in federal reimbursement policy means that HAP is now losing about $8.00 per month on each voucher and, anticipating further cuts next year, must make cuts equivalent to about $12.00 per month per voucher. HAP has developed a comprehensive menu of options that, singly or in combination, will allow it to meet these financial targets. The options range from terminating households from the program to a variety of methods of increasing tenant payments. Of the options HAP presented, the overwhelming majority of the people who testified and addressed the options at all favored Option 3, an increase of 2% in tenant contributions. However, almost all suggested that the increased be graduated, so that people with incomes of 15% MFI or less were held harmless and had either no increase or a very slight (.5%) increase, and those with higher incomes -- 15-30% MFI and up -- bore a greater share of the increase. No one supported terminating people from the program based on income and returning the vouchers to HUD. An ad-hoc group of advocates is asking that before any cuts are considered that the HAP Board of Commissioners take action to avoid the cuts. Advocates want the HAP Commissioners to lobby Oregon Senators and Representatives to convince HUD to grant a pending appeal that HAP submitted over the summer that would provide funding enough to avoid any cuts for the current fiscal year. HUD had said that they would rule on the appeal, which is HAP’s third, by the end of August. The advocates are also asking the HAP Board of Commissioners to actively support a Senate omnibus bill that would restore funding to Section 8. The Senate bill would be a longer term fix for Section 8, though if the bill includes provisions for block-granting Section 8, it would create a back door to opponents of affordable housing to continue their attacks on the Section 8 program. HAP chair Kandis Brewer Nunn chaired the hearings. HAP staff, including Steve Rudman, Rose Bak, and Judy Pitrie, were joined on the dais by HAP Board members and HCDC's co-chairs Janet Byrd and Roserria Roberts. Representatives from HUD and from the offices of Congressman Blumenauer and Senator Smith were in the audience. HAP will be considering the testimony presented at the hearings, as well as the 126 letters it has received to date on this issue. It will continue to accept written comments through November 2nd. (It has agreed to allow HCDC to comment after its November 3rd public meeting.) The HAP Board will take up the issue in mid-November, and there will be another opportunity to testify at the HAP Board meeting. HAP expects to make its decision about what cuts will be made at its December meeting. When HAP reaches a decision, it will be communicating its decision to all of its stakeholders, including tenants, landlords, folks on the waitlist, and the agencies who work with the program. Implementation of changes is not expected before February, 2005. (Summary report compiled by Beth Kaye, Policy, Planning, & Communications Manager, Bureau of Housing and Community Development) To read an editorial from the New York Times about the HUD policy that has led to the cuts at HAP, click here. HUD’s New FMR Rent Survey Creates Uncertainty, Negatively Impacts Section 8 After the release of the 2005 Final Fair Market Rents (FMRs) on October 1, advocates in cities like Chicago and Boston needed an explanation for how expected increases from the proposed to the Final FMRs failed to materialize. Based on information in the preamble HUD published with the final FMRs, the results of random digit dialing surveys (RDDs) HUD completed after publishing the proposed FMRs appeared to be the culprit. Advocates in other areas such as Providence, RI were also interested in how the RDD results might explain the increases in their FMRs. HUD made the data available to those who asked, but in the areas that saw substantial geographic change, the data advocates saw appeared to raise more questions than it answered. The surveys were of renters in the 2005 Proposed FMR areas, not the FMR areas as they appeared the final data. For example, the RDD for Detroit only included renter households in Wayne County, the area defined as Detroit by the proposed FMR geography. It did not include the five other counties that are included with Detroit in the 2005 Final FMR geography. The initial round of RDDs were in the field when HUD announced its decision to scrap the geography in the 2005 Proposed FMRs in favor of the areas it had used in 2004 and in previous years. Rather than delay implementation until all the problems were worked out, as NLIHC and many advocates requested, HUD "adjusted" the results from the completed RDDs using relationships derived from the 2000 Census. According to HUD sources, HUD is still in the process of completing the RDDs in areas such as Detroit, Boston, Chicago, and Washington. Despite this, there was nothing in the release of the 2005 Final FMRs to indicate that this occurred or that the FMRs and RDD results for affected cities were anything but final. The validity of the adjustments HUD made and their significance remains uncertain at this time. With 29 RDDs officially still to be completed and at least four others (Boston, Chicago, Detroit, and Washington) in limbo, it remains unclear in which cities RDD activity remains underway and what if any steps HUD will take once all the RDD surveys are completed. It will be some time until all the questions are answered. This new revelation, however, simply serves to underline the fact that advocates should consider the 2005 Final FMRs as published by HUD on October 1 as preliminary. HUD has extended the comment period until November 5, 2004. See www.nlihc.org/2005fmrs/index.htm for more information. Enterprise Foundation Commits $172,500 to Community Development Network CDN is pleased to announce that the Enterprise Foundation has committed $172,500 to CDN over the next three years. Siting its growing partnership with CDN, the Enterprise Foundation committed funding for CDN’s communications and industry sustainability programs, policy advocacy efforts and the an Annual Awards Banquet. "Over the past decade, community development in Portland has grown into an industry of sophisticated non-profit developers who improve the lives of low-income people and our communities," said Kate Allen, Director of the Enterprise Foundation’s Oregon office. "Community Development Network is a unique resource to the that provides communication, policy advocacy and industry sustainability programs." Support from Enterprise will bolster CDN’s communications system and policy advocacy, as well as other programs that help nonprofits better build and manage housing. "Enterprise Foundation recognizes that the commitment of volunteers and nonprofit staff alone is not enough," said Sam Chase, CDN’s Executive Director. "Funding is a critical component to assist our member organizations as they create increased opportunity for low-income communities." Paul G. Allen Charitable Foundation Awards Community Development Network $40,000 to Communicate Affordable Housing Need Washington Mutual Grants Community Development Network $35,000 Washington Mutual presented a $35,000 grant to the Community Development Network (CDN) as the key sponsor of CDN’s Annual Awards Banquet, and to promote the health of the nonprofit community development industry. "Washington Mutual applauds the Community Development Network and the important role they play in providing community development assistance," said Tim Otani, Washington Mutual's corporate giving fund manager. "Affordable housing is one of Washington Mutual's key corporate objectives and we are pleased with the positive impact the Community Development Network is making in the lives of many Multnomah County residents." A record 400 attended the 2004 Annual Awards Banquet to recognize a broad range of individuals and organizations committed to improving the lives of low income people and our communities. "Both Washington Mutual and their Foundation have set a high standard for community support," said Sam Chase, CDN’s Executive Director. "Whether it is providing a loan or a grant to create needed affordable housing, or whether volunteers are needed for a community event, Washington Mutual is ready to partner with us to improve Portland neighborhoods." OCPP Report on the State of Working Oregon 2004 Available Online The Oregon Center for Public Policy report "In the Shadows of the Recovery: The State of Working Oregon 2004" is now available on-line. Both the full report and the executive summary are available for downloading. News Release: http://www.ocpp.org/2004/nr040905.htm Full report: http://www.ocpp.org/2004/rpt040905Oct7final.pdf Executive Summary: http://www.ocpp.org/2004/es040905.pdf Bound copies of the report are available for $15 each and will be mailed about October 18th. People and organizations that have financially supported the OCPP over the last year will receive one complementary copy by mail. Live "Radio "Event: K-SPRWL, Provocative Radio for Thoughtful People Nov 18 Tickets On Sale Now! Join your fellow Oregonians from throughout the Portland metropolitan region on November 18 at the Crystal Ballroom for a live broadcast of K-SPRWL, provocative radio for thoughtful people. This will be an evening full of witty entertainment, stimulating conversation and fabulous desserts and drinks. Highlighting what would happen to our region if the Coalition didn’t exist, K-SPRWL is a variety of skits and performances to show how unlivable the region will become in 2040 if we don’t support smart growth and sustainability efforts. The event is a spoof on one of NPR’s most well-known shows – A Prairie Home Companion. David Bragdon, Metro Council President, will reprise his role as Master of Ceremonies for the evening. See Bob Stacey of 1000 Friends of Oregon as one half of our very own ‘Click and Clack the Tappit Brothers’, Jonathan Poisner of Oregon League of Conservation Voters as our rovingnews reporter and many others. Commercials from distinctly unlivable companies, distressing weather reports and never ending traffic reports will round out the evening. In between reports, see musical acts by local officials and community leaders that will include a musical tribute to CLF by Randy Tucker of Metro and Rob Wagner of American Federation of Teachers Oregon, as well as a group of CLF founders starring Tasha Harmon and Allison Handler. Often silly, and definitely tongue in cheek, this event is a chance for us to poke a little good natured fun at ourselves and the livable communities movement. This event will sell out so get your tickets early! The Important Stuff: Thursday, November 18 Doors open at 7:00 pm Show will begin at 7:30 pm Orchestra Section (includes 2 drink coupons) $50 Mezzanine Section $25 Dessert extravaganza included To purchase tickets or for more information, please contact Carrie Wynkoop at carrie@clfuture.org or 503-294-2889. Register TODAY for Financial Tools for Asset Managers Training Nov 30 - Dec 2 Enterprise CHAM Conference in New Orleans December 9-11 |
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