CLPHA Press Room

From Rep. Pete Aguilar's press release:

Yesterday, Rep. Pete Aguilar announced $2.6 million in federal funding for the Arrowhead Grove Community Resource Center, which will provide supportive services focused on health, wellness, housing stability services and economic self-sufficiency for Arrowhead Grove residents.

Following the announcement, Rep. Aguilar co-hosted a roundtable with the Federal Home Loan Bank, National CORE and regional leaders to discuss how supportive services like job training, outpatient health services and child care play a role in addressing the housing crisis.

According to a Point-in-Time Count and Survey conducted last year, homelessness in San Bernardino County increased by over 25 percent in 2023, and 71 percent of the homeless population were unsheltered. Over the past two years, Rep. Aguilar announced over $72 million for Housing, Homelessness and Supportive projects. These investments will result in more than 400 beds and shelter units throughout the Inland Empire.

“With the housing crisis threatening to push the American Dream out of reach, I’m committed to finding solutions to lower housing costs and ensuring that vulnerable communities have the resources they need to get back on their feet,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar. “Having access to vital services, such as counseling, job training, health services and child care can make a substantial difference in helping someone secure housing, and I will continue working to make sure that is accessible to everyone in our region.”

“We are deeply grateful for Representative Aguilar’s continued support,” said Maria Razo, Executive Director of the Housing Authority of the Country of San Bernardino. “The Community Project Funding secured by the Congressman in support of the Community Resource Center shows his commitment to the community, and will help us to bring additional resources to serve Arrowhead Grove and the surrounding neighborhoods.”

“Congressman Aguilar’s round table shines a much-needed light on the significant challenges and opportunities involved in addressing our housing shortage,” National CORE President Michael Ruane said. “We need to take a collective approach to this issue, and no one has been a stronger champion of this than the Congressman.”

Last year, Rep. Aguilar secured $3,000,000 to support the Arrowhead Grove housing community in providing sustainable affordable housing and supportive services in San Bernardino. 

In 2022, Rep. Aguilar introduced the Affordable Housing Resident Services Act. The bill would create a five-year grant program under the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide yearly funding to affordable housing property owners for resident supportive services. These services include after-school programs, education opportunities for youth and adult residents, mental health and substance abuse treatment, elderly care, financial literacy training and more.   

Photos and video from the press conference and roundtable are available here and here.

From Opportunity Home San Antonio's website:

Opportunity Home San Antonio is announcing a new Emergency Rental Assistance Fund, an eviction diversion initiative designed to provide emergency rental assistance to households experiencing an extreme financial hardship, such as the death of a household member, a medical emergency or severe illness, which would prevent rental payments from being made.

Under the Fund, Opportunity Home-owned and operated public housing households earning under 30% of the area median income will qualify for assistance. Eligible households would be eligible for up to three months of rental assistance, including any fees as part of their outstanding balance. Documentation proving the extreme financial hardship would be required. Funds will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis due to limited funding availability.

The Fund will go into effect on August 1.

“This program underscores our commitment to ensuring housing stability and security for our residents facing dire circumstances,” said Michael Reyes, acting president and CEO of Opportunity Home. “By providing timely emergency rental assistance, we aim to prevent homelessness and support vulnerable households during their greatest time of need.” 

The program will be sustained by non-federal funds, including philanthropic contributions and funds generated through new affordable housing fees.

From Lucas Metropolitan Housing's press release:

The Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH) Board of Commissioners announced today the selection of Senghor Manns as LMH’s new president & CEO, effective Aug. 12.

Manns, 55, previously served as the CEO of the Harrisburg Housing Authority (HHA) in Pennsylvania and has successfully worked as an executive-level staffer for a combined total of 18 years with HHA and the Indianapolis Housing Agency.

“Senghor is uniquely qualified to lead LMH to accomplish its goals and objectives based on his impeccable qualifications, experience and background,” said LMH Board Chair Alisha Gant. “We are confident he will provide our Lucas County communities with the highest level of service and guidance."

As the new CEO, Manns will oversee LMH’s current housing portfolio, which consists of 2,633 Public Housing units, 4,657 Housing Choice Vouchers, 322 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit units, 198 Market Rate units and 107 Homeownership Properties. Approximately 17,500 people reside in LMH properties. LMH also provides myriad programs and opportunities designed to improve the total quality of life for its residents, with the ultimate goal of achieving self-sufficiency.

While at the helm of HHA, Manns accomplished several impressive initiatives that helped inform the LMH Board’s decision, Gant said.

His HHA achievements range from the complete rehabilitation of a 159-unit senior citizen-only building built in 1963, to the renovation of family communities built in the 1940s (including renovating 120 units that had been boarded up at a 200-unit property), to gaining a prestigious federal recognition for HHA as a high-performing Housing Choice Voucher program.

In addition, Manns helped HHA earn a coveted Move-to-Work designation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, one of only 29 such distinctions awarded nationally in 2022. Equally noteworthy, HHA was awarded a highly competitive HUD Choice Neighborhoods planning grant, which was one of only nine awarded in the U.S. in 2022.

The Choice Neighborhoods program helps communities transform neighborhoods by revitalizing severely distressed public and/or assisted housing and catalyzing critical improvements in neighborhoods, including vacant property, housing, businesses, services and schools.

During Manns’ tenure, HHA also received Emergency Security and Safety federal grant awards and formed a nonprofit that has built 50 affordable housing units as part of a tax credit project with the aim of developing, acquiring and managing non-public housing properties.

“I truly believe that LMH’s strong reputation and compelling programming, combined with my experience and positive reputation within the affordable housing industry, will catalyze and usher in a new era of programming and progress for LMH,” Manns said.

“I am excited and look forward to enhancing the quality of life for Lucas County families and the individuals that LMH serves,” Manns said. “To be successful, I wholeheartedly believe that our efforts and must go beyond constructing and rebuilding the ‘bricks and mortar’ — we must pursue ways to create opportunities for families to thrive and improve."

Manns received his Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law in 1995 and a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1992. He also earned an Executive Director Education Program Certification from Rutgers University in 2010.

His appointment as LMH CEO comes as LMH leaders have unveiled an ambitious slate of construction projects — totaling more than $92 million over the next two years — in an effort to offer more affordable housing options to Lucas County families, low- and middle-wage-earning workers, people with disabilities, veterans and the elderly who are struggling to make ends meet in the face of rising rental home prices.

The development pipeline is highlighted in LMH’s “Strategic Action Blueprint: Building for the Future 2024-2028” that was introduced earlier this year. The LMH five-year plan is designed to help address Toledo’s urgent and growing need to create more affordable housing opportunities.

The city-commissioned 10-year housing plan report from 2022 found there is a shortage of 12,705 units for people with extremely low incomes. Data from the city’s report shows the average Toledo household earns just $39,000 — about 30% less than the state average and about 40% less than the national average. An estimated 25% of Toledoans live in poverty, roughly twice as high as both the state and national averages.

The problem is most severe for Toledoans earning the least. Approximately one-third of households (38,575) in Toledo are cost-burdened, spending at least 30% of their income on housing. Of those households, half of them (19,350) are considered “severely cost-burdened,” meaning they spend more than 50% of their income on housing.

Combined with nearly 25% of the population living in poverty, the demand for affordable housing in Toledo and Lucas County consistently outpaces the available supply. The result is lengthy LMH waiting lists and a significant percentage of households allocating an unreasonably high proportion of their income to meet rising housing costs.

To improve and grow its portfolio, LMH’s five-year plan identifies a robust series of development initiatives with a strong focus on revitalizing economically distressed communities and bringing more affordable housing options to the marketplace.

Manns replaces former LMH President & CEO Joaquin Cintron Vega, who announced in February that he had accepted an offer to become the new CEO of the Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver.

From the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs' press release:

The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) today announced the award of $6,552,869 in Small Cities Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to non-entitlement municipalities and counties in New Jersey. The 22 grants are going to 17 local government entities in eight counties. DCA’s Division of Housing and Community Resources receives, distributes, and administers these federal grant funds for the State of New Jersey.

Funding for the Small Cities CDBG Program is provided by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Community Development Block Grant Program. This year, the CDBG program celebrates 50 years of supporting communities since its enactment by Congress in 1974.

“At DCA, it is our mission to improve the quality of life for residents of New Jersey,” said DCA Commissioner Jacquelyn A. Suárez. “One of the ways we’re able to do this is through the Small Cities Program. These federal grants, which DCA administers on behalf of the State, help smaller-sized towns improve public facilities, rehabilitate housing, and make much-needed infrastructure improvements. We’re happy to positively impact families of limited financial means by improving their well-being through such projects.”

Awards in this year’s application cycle provide funding for important projects that include improvements at parks, recreation facilities, and municipal buildings to make them more accessible to disabled persons in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA); upgrades to sewer mains and sewer manholes; expansion of public water and sewer utilities; and rehabilitation of housing for low- and moderate-income residents. Also, an additional $1.4 million in American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding was included for several housing rehabilitation projects in this year’s application cycle to address lead-based paint hazards.

Small Cities CDBG grants provide direct assistance to eligible municipalities and counties for housing rehabilitation, public facilities improvements, community revitalization, and economic development. Only non-entitlement local governmental entities that typically serve populations of less than 50,000 and do not receive direct funding from HUD are eligible for the Small Cities CDBG program.  

Read NJ DCA's press release.

From WKRG News Mobile:

Despite rising interest rates and skyrocketing home prices–a community group says home ownership is still within reach for many families.

This weekend the city of Mobile Housing Authority, Mobile County and other groups are partnering for an annual wealth-building day.

This is an event that local brokers have been holding for the past several years, taking it to different spots in Mobile. This year it will be hosted here at the Robert L. Hope Community Center.

A recent home affordability report says more than half of all non-homeowners feel income is the barrier keeping them from buying a home–the federal housing agency says home prices are up 6.6% from last year.

Organizers of this weekend’s Wealth building day say there are programs that may help ease some of those high bars to entry–like down payment assistance or putting closing costs on the seller. They say home ownership is a key to building generational wealth.

Read WKRG News Mobile's article "'Community Wealth Building Day' in Mobile aims for new homeowners."