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David Greer
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Public Housing Authorities Need $8.5 Billion in Emergency COVID-19 Funds Plus Regulatory Relief
CLPHA members are working tirelessly, compassionately, and pragmatically to support low-income households. We urge Congress and HUD to do the same.
WASHINGTON (March 19, 2020) - The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities sent letters to Congressional leaders and U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson today formally requesting $5 billion for the public housing program and $3.5 billion for the housing choice voucher program in emergency supplemental funds and additional regulatory relief for public housing authorities as they work to protect residents and staff during the COVID-19 public health crisis. Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, issued the following statement after submitting the requests to Congress and HUD:
"Low-income households and the elderly who are served by public and affordable housing have the most to lose during the current COVID-19 public health crisis because they are the most vulnerable to unemployment, lost income, and heartbreakingly, the virus itself.
"To ensure the health and safety of residents, and of staff, public housing authorities are taking unprecedented actions to follow public health protocols, while continuing to provide residents with services ranging from food deliveries to regular property repairs.
"The FY20 operating budget for public housing authorities is wholly inadequate to fund the enormous unforeseen cost of COVID-19 emergency expenses combined with estimated losses in tenant rent payments. CLPHA is requesting $8.5 billion from Congress in emergency supplemental funds and urging HUD to provide public housing authorities with the flexibility to respond to the changing situation as needed.
"Without a commitment from the federal government to support public and affordable housing operations during and after the COVID-19 emergency, millions of households could be left unprotected from the virus and face longer-term housing insecurity.
"CLPHA members are working tirelessly, compassionately, and pragmatically to support low-income households. We urge Congress and HUD to do the same."
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s work to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
CLPHA Responds to Trump’s Proposed Cuts to Public Housing Budget
In the face of an estimated capital needs backlog of $70 billion, HUD’s budget zeroes out the public housing capital fund, which is used to address the growing physical needs of aging properties.
WASHINGTON (February 10, 2020) - Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, issued the following statement today in response to President Trump’s FY 2021 Budget proposal, which would slash funding for the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development by more than 15 percent, including a 43 percent cut to public housing funding.
“It is no surprise that this Administration has again proposed to gut funding for our nation’s public housing authorities, which serve more than 3 million low- and very low-income families, the elderly, and people with disabilities through the public housing and voucher programs.
“In the face of an estimated capital needs backlog of $70 billion, HUD’s budget zeroes out the public housing capital fund, which is used to address the growing physical needs of aging properties.
“In his Budget Brief message, Secretary Carson touts the department’s commitment to resident health and safety with a nominal $90 million increase in funding to address certain hazards including lead, radon, and carbon monoxide. These one-off grants, though welcome, are insufficient and do not comprehensively address the needs of public housing residents or properties.
“We also have serious concerns that HUD’s budget underfunds the Housing Choice Voucher Program and Project-Based Rental Assistance so inadequately that as many as 160,000 households could lose voucher funding.
“The proposal additionally attempts to reintroduce rent increases and work requirements, two controversial polices that lack support from advocates and housing leaders.
“Some bright spots in the budget include increases to the Family Self-Sufficiency Program and Jobs-Plus, and a request of $100 million for the RAD program, which enables public housing authorities to convert public housing units to the Section 8 funding platform.
“But these improvements are meaningless if there are not enough resources to operate the public housing properties or to dramatically improve property conditions for residents living there.”
“Congress has previously rejected draconian budgets that shred our safety net, and we call on them to do so again.”
About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA and follow @housing_is for news on CLPHA’s work to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
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CLPHA Statement on PHA Radon and Mitigation Practices
WASHINGTON (November 22, 2019) - The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities issued the following statement in response to news coverage about radon testing and mitigation practices in public housing:
Public housing authorities (PHAs) are committed to providing rental housing that is safe, decent, and affordable for millions of low- and very-low income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. PHAs are regulated and funded by the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which sets health and safety standards for PHA properties.
HUD does not require or fund PHAs to test for or mitigate radon in public housing units. While HUD does have radon testing and remediation requirements for certain multi-family properties, these do not apply to public housing.
Chronic underfunding of public housing has led to a mounting capital needs backlog of an estimated $70 billion, yet HUD’s most recent budget proposal would have slashed funding for public housing by $4.6 billion and zeroed out the Public Housing Capital Fund, which is designed to address capital needs.
PHAs welcome consistent standards with adequate funding to mitigate hazards through grants or other funding opportunities. As an example, CLPHA strongly supports bipartisan legislation in the House and Senate to mandate the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in all public housing units. The Safe Housing for Families Act would provide $300 million over a three-year period to install and maintain the detectors.
CLPHA is supportive of these and other comprehensive efforts to improve conditions in HUD-assisted housing for low and very low-income residents.
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Atlanta Housing welcomed housing leaders from across the country earlier this month for CLPHA’s Summer Meeting. The three-day gathering brought together public housing leaders from across the country to learn from Atlanta Housing’s successes, explore solutions to today’s housing challenges, and share best practices for providing safe, affordable rental assistance to low-income families.
The conference kicked off with a guided bus tour of Atlanta Housing communities. Since committing in 2023 to create or preserve 10,000 affordable units by 2027, Atlanta Housing has already delivered more than 6,700 units.
Atlanta’s historic role in public housing was a central theme of the conference. In 1936, the city was home to the nation’s first federally funded housing project—Techwood Homes—and the first built specifically for Black Americans, University Homes. Decades later, Atlanta helped reshape national housing policy through the HOPE VI program, which replaced distressed housing projects with vibrant, mixed-income communities.
“Atlanta’s leadership in housing dates back nearly a century,” said Terri Lee, Atlanta Housing President & CEO and CLPHA Board Member during her remarks. “Today, we remain committed to that legacy, grounded in progress and driven by innovation.”
Atlanta Housing spotlit their local housing innovations in panels on topics including:
- Case studies of forward-thinking solutions in affordable housing
- Housing as a driver of economic mobility
- The economic impact of affordable housing
- Learnings from Atlanta’s Choice Neighborhoods communities
The winners of CLPHA’s 2025 Innovation in Affordable Housing Student Design and Planning Competition, a team comprised of UC Berkeley graduate students, also presented their first-place design to meeting attendees. Learn more about the Innovation in Affordable Housing competition and the winning design here. The winning team will also discuss their design on a future episode of CLPHA’s To The Point podcast later this summer.
One highlight of the conference was fireside chat between Atlanta celebrities on the importance and impact of the Housing Choice Voucher program from the perspective of a landlord and developer. In conversation with television and radio personality Shamea Morton, Olympic bronze medalist Kristi Castlin shared her journey track star to affordable housing developer, highlighting her experience as an HCV landlord with Atlanta Housing.
For Lee and her team, the conference was an opportunity to both reflect on Atlanta’s legacy and shape the national conversation. “We’re here to advance the dialogue—not just about how public housing affects Atlanta, but how it impacts our nation,” she said. “Bringing together visionary leaders helps us find solutions and continue setting standards.”
CLPHA would like to thank Atlanta Housing for hosting a fun and informative conference. Thank you also to our meeting sponsors for making the meeting possible: Progress Residential, AMA Consulting, Bronner Group, Du & Associates, Nan McKay & Associates, Yardi, Columbia Residential, McCormack Baron Salazar, The Benoit Group, Sophy Companies, Republic, Michaels, Chick-fil-A, and MARTA.
A new one-pager from the Chicago Housing Authority outlines the economic impact of CHA's public housing portfolio on the city's rental market, construction and development, and low-income families and explains how the Trump Administration's FY26 budget proposal would negatively impact the economy. View the one-pager here.
Kenzie Bok, CLPHA board member and Boston Housing Authority administrator, spoke with CommonWealth Beacon reporter Jennifer Smith on The Codcast to discuss the threat of President Trump’s budget on rental assistance spending. Listen now.
From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
After living on San Diego’s streets or in shelters, 161 households—including Jaylen—will have affordable rental apartments of their own at a former extended-stay hotel that has been transformed into housing through extensive collaboration.
“Not having a home is one of the toughest things to deal with,” said Jaylen, one of the new residents of Presidio Palms in Mission Valley. “This is a safe space. It feels good to be in a clean living environment. You don’t realize how important that is until you don’t have it.”
Federally funded rental housing vouchers that the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) committed to Presidio Palms will help Jaylen and all other Presidio Palms residents pay their rent.
“Presidio Palms is a powerful example of what can be accomplished through strong collaboration—between HUD, local government, nonprofit partners, and service providers. By leveraging HUD tools like project-based vouchers and pairing them with local innovation, this development will give hundreds of San Diegans a second chance—and a place to call home,” said William Spencer, the Region IX Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The State of California’s Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) awarded $35 million through the Homekey program toward SDHC’s purchase and rehabilitation of Presidio Palms. Including Presidio Palms, the State has awarded more than $105 million in Homekey funds to SDHC collaborations since 2020 to create more than 600 affordable housing units with supportive services for people experiencing homelessness.
“Permanent supportive housing like Presidio Palms reflects the future of affordable housing in California, as HCD’s new Homekey+ will replicate and build on the successes of Governor Newsom’s Homekey program,” said HCD Director Gustavo Velasquez. “Through communities like this, we are able to first meet housing need and then provide the services that help Californians who are struggling maintain housing stability and connect to opportunity. This is especially critical for people facing behavioral health challenges, and young people exiting foster care without familial support.”
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and the San Diego City Council have strongly advocated and supported efforts to secure State Homekey funds for San Diego, which provide an opportunity to bring much-needed housing online faster and cheaper than traditional new-construction affordable housing. The City also allocated $17.8 million for Presidio Palms.
“With support from the state’s Homekey program and strong local investment, 161 San Diegans now have a safe place to call home—along with the supportive services they need to stay housed,” said San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “Presidio Palms shows what’s possible when we act with urgency and work together to deliver housing that ends homelessness. This is precisely the kind of collaboration we must continue as we keep working toward our goal of a putting a roof over the head of every San Diegan at a price they can afford.”
“The best way to tackle our homelessness crisis is through housing,” said Council President Joe LaCava. “I thank the San Diego Housing Commission, the state’s Housing and Community Development Agency and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for improving the lives of our most vulnerable populations. I look forward to continued local, state, and federal collaboration as we deliver more paths from the streets and shelters and into housing.”
“I am thrilled to see residents move into Presidio Palms in District 3,” said Councilmember Stephen Whitburn, whose Council District includes Presidio Palms and another SDHC-owned, Homekey-funded property, Valley Vista, which consists of 190 affordable housing units. “These residents have experienced homelessness and many live with disabilities. At Presidio Palms these residents will have access to invaluable supportive services on-site. San Diego needs more places like Presidio Palms for residents to thrive. I applaud the San Diego Housing Commission for bringing this Project Homekey housing complex in Mission Valley to fruition.”
“Solving our homelessness and housing affordability crises requires creativity and collaboration. Presidio Palms has transformed an aging hotel into 161 homes that will move over 200 San Diegans out of homelessness and into stability and supportive services,” San Diego City Councilmember Seah Elo-Rivera said. “The rapid reconstruction and opening of Presidio Palms and other Homekey projects prove that San Diego can create new housing quickly and efficiently when we think outside the box and work together. I thank the Governor for his innovative Homekey Program and for everyone at the City, the County of San Diego, the San Diego Housing Commission, and the Regional Task Force on Homelessness.”
The County of San Diego also allocated $17.8 million in capital funds for Presidio Palms and committed $8.3 million over five years toward the necessary behavioral health supportive services for Presidio Palms residents, subject to County Board of Supervisors approval.
“Presidio Palms is a wonderful example of how we as a region are working together to bridge the gap between homelessness and housing by leveraging funding across our agencies to support the creation of affordable homes,” said David Estrella, Director of the County’s Health and Human Services Agency’s Housing and Community Development Services department.
SDHC owns and manages the property and administers the federal rental assistance for Presidio Palms residents.
“Today, Presidio Palms is a home and a source of hope for many of our previously unhoused neighbors,” SDHC President and CEO Lisa Jones said. “Reaching this point is possible because of collaboration among all levels of government as well as local organizations. We appreciate and value all the partners we collaborated with on this project as we work together for everyone in San Diego to have a home they can afford.”
As a leader in many regional initiatives to prevent and resolve homelessness, RTFH also awarded $1.1 million to support the purchase and rehabilitation of Presidio Palms.’
“Homelessness is driven primarily by a lack of affordable housing and our region’s housing crisis has left too many people without a place to live, which is why today is such an important day for San Diego,” said RTFH CEO Tamera Kohler. “Presidio Palms is not just a new community providing homes and wraparound services to people experiencing homelessness. It’s also a guiding light, the latest example highlighting what we can achieve together. RTFH is proud to partner in this effort and looks forward to more collaborative work to create more of the housing our community needs to address this crisis.”
Residents began moving into their new rental homes at Presidio Palms on May 27—less than seven months after construction began. Residents are identified through RTFH’s Coordinated Entry System, which screens individuals experiencing homelessness for the most appropriate housing options based on who is most in need and what housing options are available and then matches them to housing resources available from housing providers.
Presidio Palms includes on-site access to supportive services, provided by Telecare through a contract with the County of San Diego. These services include outreach and engagement; mental health services; healthcare/physical health services; behavioral health services; substance use services; case management; care coordination; life skills training; education and employment services; assistance obtaining benefits; and essential documentation.
Presidio Palms is within a quarter of a mile of Metropolitan Transit System bus stops for route 88, which provides quick connections to major regional transit hubs in Old Town and Fashion Valley.
From the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles' press release:
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) and Kershaw’s Challenge, broke ground on Dodgers Dreamfield 68 at Nickerson Gardens on Friday, June 20. The field is the third Dodgers Dreamfield built at a public housing site. Nickerson Gardens is the largest housing development west of the Mississippi River.
The groundbreaking ceremony included a shovel dedication and a brief program featuring event emcee and Dodgers Spanish Broadcaster José Mota, remarks from LADF Chief Operating Officer Chaitali Gala Mehta, and Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing. Representatives from lead partners HACLA and Kershaw’s Challenge and project sponsors Bank of America, Leo and Carolina Cammilleri Family Foundation, LA84 Foundation, and Security Benefit were in attendance in support of the development.
“Dodgers Dreamfield 68 is more than a field—it’s a promise to the children and families of Watts,” said Nichol Whiteman, Chief Executive Officer, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation. “It represents our belief that every child, no matter where they live, deserves a safe, beautiful space to play, grow, and dream big. We’re proud to stand alongside HACLA and Kershaw’s Challenge to build not only a field, but a foundation for lasting impact in this community.”
“The new Dodgers Dreamfield at Nickerson Gardens celebrates community, partnerships, and possibility,” said Lourdes Castro Ramirez, president and CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles. “We’re proud to join the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation and Kershaw’s Challenge to reimagine this space as a vibrant hub, providing families at Nickerson Gardens with safe, inspiring environments where children and youth can thrive, learn, and chase their dreams. Together, we’re building a foundation for a healthier tomorrow.”
The $1.1 million investment in Dodgers Dreamfield 68 supports revitalizing the historic 1954 housing development in Watts, designed by Paul R. Williams. It builds on community-driven initiatives, led by several Los Angeles sports teams, to improve the quality of life for residents. Watts has become a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood with a significant African American population and remains one of the most impoverished neighborhoods in Los Angeles despite falling crime rates since the 1990s.
Dodgers Dreamfield 68 will help reenergize the community’s baseball and softball programming for youth ages 5-12. Located in one of Los Angeles’ most historically under-resourced neighborhoods, the field eliminates common barriers to access by offering a free, high-quality space to gather and play. Upgrades include irrigation, playing surfaces, fencing, and a solar scoreboard reminiscent of those at Dodger Stadium. The Nickerson Gardens Dodgers Dreamfield further positions LADF to reach its goal of completing 75 Dodgers Dreamfields by 2033 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Dodgers’ move to Los Angeles in 1958.
In 2026, Nickerson Gardens will also become a new Dodgers Dreamteam affiliate partner, bringing free, organized baseball and softball programming directly to the housing development and the new Dodgers Dreamfield. This expansion deepens LADF’s commitment to ensuring every child has access to play, resources, mentorship, and community through the game.
In alignment with one of its strategic priorities of building infrastructure for sustained impact to create lasting impact for Los Angeles, LADF builds and refurbishes baseball and softball fields in underserved communities through the Dodgers Dreamfields program. Since 2003, LADF has invested over $21 million to refurbish 67 Dodgers Dreamfields. Over 1.8 million youth and families have access to these safe havens and points of pride.
To learn more about LADF or contribute by making a designated donation for the project, please visit Dodgers.com/LADF.