Welcome to CLPHA's Press Room
CLPHA experts welcome interview requests from print, radio, television, and online reporters and are happy to provide their insights on issues of public housing and related legislation and policy.
For media inquiries, please contact:
David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or dgreer@clpha.org.
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 (Washington, D.C.) January 11, 2022 – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) is pleased to announce that Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) CEO Jeffery K. Patterson has been named president of CLPHA’s board of directors.
Mr. Patterson was elected at CLPHA’s December 2021 board meeting, and previously served as the board’s vice president. He follows CLPHA’s previous board president, King County Housing Authority (KCHA) Executive Director Stephen Norman, who retired on December 31, 2021. CLPHA is also pleased to announce that La Shelle Dozier, executive director of the Sacramento Housing & Redevelopment Agency, was elected CLPHA vice president and Maria Razo, executive director of the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino, was elected CLPHA secretary at the board’s December 2021 meeting. Ed Lowndes, executive director of the Housing Authority of Kansas City, MO, was re-elected board treasurer.
"I am honored to be elected president of CLPHA’s board and would like to thank Stephen Norman for his service and leadership upon his well-deserved retirement,” said Patterson. “Decades of chronic disinvestment, an aging housing portfolio and racial inequities have long predated the pandemic. Entering the third year of pandemic, these issues have only been magnified.
“We are at a critical juncture,” Patterson added. “Historic housing investments proposed by the White House and passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in the Build Back Better Act have stalled in the Senate. CLPHA will continue robust advocacy to ensure these significant housing investments are available to housing authorities across the country who are serving low-income families every day in their local communities.”
“Congratulations to CMHA CEO Jeffery Patterson on being named president of the Board of Directors of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. I was pleased to join him, residents, and city leaders at the recent groundbreaking of the Buckeye-Woodhill Choice Neighborhoods transformation plan, which will provide high quality affordable housing that is connected to economic, educational, and health opportunities in a vibrant neighborhood. I look forward to continuing to work with CEO Patterson in his new role to bring greater affordable housing opportunities to more people and communities in Ohio and across the country,” said Senator Sherrod Brown, Chair of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
“Jeffery has been an invaluable asset to CLPHA in his seven years on the board,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “He leads in many ways, not only as board vice president, but also more locally through the many boards he serves on in the greater Cleveland area. Jeffery has a deep understanding of national housing issues as well as local challenges and solutions, and his commitment to CLPHA will ensure continuity through this leadership transition. I look forward to working with CLPHA’s new board leadership to advance our goals and policy priorities in these unprecedented times.”
Mr. Patterson has served as CMHA’s CEO for ten years and has over thirty years of dedicated service to the residents of Cuyahoga County. As CEO of one of the largest housing authorities in the country, he is responsible for a $230 million dollar budget, approximately 750 employees, 10,500 units of housing, 15,000 Housing Choice Vouchers, and nearly 55,000 residents and participants of CMHA's low-income Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher Programs. He also serves on the board of directors for the Housing Authority Insurance Group, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (Chairman), Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (Vice-Chairman), St. Luke’s Foundation, United Way of Greater Cleveland, Greater Cleveland Foodbank, Unify Labs Inc., University Circle Inc., the Cleveland Public Library Foundation, and the National Kidney Foundation.
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
April 9, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) April 9, 2021 – The Biden Administration’s recently announced infrastructure proposal, The American Jobs Plan, includes a $40 billion commitment to recapitalize public housing infrastructure. Applying data from a report by Econsult Solutions (ESI), a private data analytics firm, CLPHA estimates that 440,000 jobs will be created and $76 billion in economic impact generated during the time when the $40 billion in funds are spent.
“Investing in public housing infrastructure offers many economic benefits beyond lifting families out of poverty and preventing homelessness,” said Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA). “The American Jobs Plan is the first to provide the size and scale of resources necessary to repair the crumbling infrastructure of public housing. In return local employers, governments, and industries will benefit from an economic activity that outpaces investment and creation of good-paying construction jobs.”
CLPHA commissioned ESI to evaluate the economic impacts of six public housing authorities (PHAs) in diverse markets across the country. Released in late 2018, “The Economic Impact of Public Housing: Ongoing Investment with Wide-Reaching Returns” found that PHAs generate and induce multiple streams of economic activity benefiting public housing residents and their local communities. For every $1 million PHAs spend on capital investments, $1.89 million in economic activity is generated and 11 full-time jobs are supported. CLPHA applied the American Jobs Plan’s $40 billion for recapitalizing public housing infrastructure with ESI’s economic impact numbers and found the American Jobs Plan will generate $76 billion in economic activity and 440,00 jobs — a nearly 2 to 1 ratio for economic impact generated to dollars spent.
“After decades of chronic underfunding and disinvestment in public housing infrastructure, the American Jobs Plan can be game changing. Local communities have an opportunity to experience the benefits of a robust public and affordable housing system,” said Zaterman. “Whether it is improving life outcomes for low-income families, creating positive impacts in surrounding neighborhoods of well-maintained public housing, expanding local and state tax bases, or spurring regional job creation and economic growth, public housing is a benefit. It is clear from the American Jobs Plan that the Biden Administration is committed to advancing public housing.”
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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Grants will help PHA residents with immediate and locally defined needs exacerbated by COVID-19
Washington, D.C. (February 9, 2021) -- The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) is pleased to announce the ten recipients of its COVID Resident Support Grants. The recipients are CLPHA member public housing authorities (PHAs) from across the country that will utilize their grants to meet immediate and locally defined needs exacerbated by COVID-19 for projects such as providing residents with essential household supplies, helping households successfully lease affordable units with their housing vouchers, and supplying technology and devices that will help resident children attend virtual school or connect resident seniors with healthcare resources. The recipients were chosen via a competitive selection process, and the robust response to CLPHA’s call for applications demonstrates the need for additional funds to support COVID-19 relief services and supplies for low-income Americans.
“As housing providers for some of the nation’s most vulnerable children, families, and seniors, our members are uniquely positioned to serve the low-income residents in their communities that are hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic effects,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “We are pleased to provide these ten grants that will support PHAs in their efforts to not only keep residents stably housed, but also to provide crucial supplies and resources that will help residents cope with the new normal created by the pandemic."
The grantees are:
- INLIVIAN (Charlotte, NC)
- Elm City Communities (New Haven, CT)
- Housing Authority of the City of Goldsboro (Goldsboro, NC)
- Jersey City Housing Authority (Jersey City, NJ)
- Lucas Metropolitan Housing (Toledo, OH)
- Oklahoma City Housing Authority (Oklahoma City, OK)
- Home Forward (Portland, OR)
- Housing Authority of the City of San Buenaventura (Ventura, CA)
- Tacoma Housing Authority (Tacoma, WA)
- Wilmington Housing Authority (Wilmington, NC)
Learn more about CLPHA’s grantees and how they will use these funds to help meet the public health, education, employment, and basic urgent needs of their residents profoundly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic here.
These ten sub-grants are made possible through CLPHA’s grant from the Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s (CDP) COVID-19 Response Fund.
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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 .
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative
The Housing Is Initiative, led by the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, helps build a future where sectors work together to improve life outcomes. Housing stability is a critical first step to improve life outcomes for low-income children, families, and seniors; CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative is based on the premise that sectors can better meet needs when they work together. Housing Is establishes, broadens, and deepens efforts to align affordable housing, education, and health systems to produce positive, long-term results. Learn more at housingis.org and on Twitter @housing_is.
About The Center for Disaster Philanthropy
The Center for Disaster Philanthropy’s mission is to leverage the power of philanthropy to mobilize a full range of resources that strengthen the ability of communities to withstand disasters and recover equitably when they occur. CDP manages domestic and international Disaster Funds on behalf of corporations, foundations and individuals through targeted, holistic and localized grantmaking. For more information, visit: disasterphilanthropy.org, call (202) 464-2018 or tweet us @funds4disaster.
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(Washington, D.C.) August 19, 2024 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon the release of Vice President Kamala Harris' and Governor Tim Walz's housing plan at a rallty in North Carolina on Friday: "The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds the Harris-Walz campaign for its historic call for more affordable housing measures in its economic plan released on Friday in North Carolina. By every measure, low-income Americans are experiencing crisis levels of housing instability and homelessness. CLPHA strongly supports the Harris Walz campaign’s call for an expansion of tax incentives for affordable rental housing, an innovation fund for low-income housing, and expansion of the child tax credit, which would contribute to decreasing housing instability and homelessness among American’s most vulnerable families. 'We are hopeful that the tax incentives for affordable rental housing are at a scale that would generate as much affordable housing production or more as the low-income housing tax credit provisions in the bipartisan tax bill. The child tax credit improves a low-income parent’s ability to afford housing, which increases housing stability and improves children’s health outcomes. 'CLPHA will continue to advocate for policies that prioritize the affordability and sustainability of public and affordable housing throughout this campaign which includes fully funding the public housing capital and operating funds, expanding the Housing Choice Voucher program, and prioritizing cross-sector approaches for housing, health and education." |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities |
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(Washington, D.C.) November 17, 2023 — Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon the Biden-Harris administration’s announcement yesterday of the U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health and the CHIP Health-Related Social Needs Framework:: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds the Biden-Harris administration’s publication of the U.S. Playbook to Address Social Determinants of Health and the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Health-Related Social Needs Framework. President Biden and HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge have led the nation in raising awareness of the foundational role that housing plays in improving life outcomes for low-income Americans throughout the President’s term. “CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative has driven the conversation for a decade on how best to bridge the housing and health sectors to improve the life outcomes of residents living in federally assisted housing. CLPHA has long supported public policies cited in the Framework such as evidence-based interventions to support housing and nutrition needs for certain Medicaid enrollees. CLPHA has also advocated for innovative solutions like waivers for Medicaid through its 1115 demonstration that allow for housing-related assistance. “With current programs proving beneficial and innovative programs being developed we know we have the answers. Yet, for these programs to be successful they must be funded at a level that meets the need. Unfortunately, they are not funded at those levels currently. While announcements like these are important in raising the awareness of the foundational role of housing in improving health outcomes, we must continue to advocate for increased resources, including incentivizing PHA/Medicaid partnerships, so they can deliver the benefits they are designed to achieve.” |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
(Washington, DC) November 30, 2022 -- Statement from Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, on the importance of finalizing the FY23 appropriations legislation:
“For the millions of families served by public housing authorities, it is critical for Congress to complete the FY23 appropriations legislation before the start of the 118th Congress in January. The leading public housing advocacy organizations, in one voice, call on Congress to get this legislation passed so that our most vulnerable families are not put at risk.
“The consequences of a government shutdown or a series of continuing resolutions, which lock the previous year’s funding levels in place, create uncertainty for PHAs by not accounting for inflation or current shortfalls that could be severe and would amount to a budget cut. It will tie the hands of housing authorities and impact their abilities to provide their residents with safe, secure, and affordable housing.
“These consequences are preventable if Congress passes the FY23 appropriations legislation at the funding levels requested by the public housing organizations in the letter sent to Congress. We look forward to working with Congress as they finalize the legislation.”
Media Contact:
David Greer, CLPHA
(202) 550-1381
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
In Affordable Housing Finance's article "Turning Point for Public Housing," CLPHA' Executive Director Sunia Zaterman says of the massive capital needs backlog facing public housing authorities that “[t]he handwriting has been on the wall. The funding levels were not sustainable."
Zaterman adds, "We have lost about 10,000 units a year from underfunding," but that "[t]he number of public housing units lost may have slowed to about 8,000 a year, thanks to RAD, in the last couple of years.”
With RAD, says Zaterman, “[w]e have achieved proof of concept,... We could have the portfolio totally recapitalized in 10 years.”
Read Affordable Housing Finance's article here.
Vancouver, WA newspaper The Columbian quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman about the disastrous effect President Trump's budget proposal would have on pubic and affordable housing in their article "Trump’s budget would cut social safety nets:"
"The administration wants us to think beyond investing in bricks and mortar, and instead think about investing in people. This budget does neither of those things. The disinvestment in housing and supportive services is a disinvestment in our nation’s most vulnerable populations, including the 2.2 million low- and very low-income families, children, elderly and persons with disabilities who are served by public housing. Congress has previously rejected draconian budgets that shred our safety net, and we call on them to do so again."
Vancouver Housing Authority (VHA) Executive Director Roy Johnson, who contributed comment for the story, explained how Trump's proposed budget would negatively impact the individuals and families served by VHA. Johnson told the paper that losing public housing funding would result in 114 planned units losing subsidy, including Caples Terrace, an under-construction project in Vancouver for homeless youth and youth aging out of foster care slated to open in July, and two other public housing projects the housing authority hopes to start at the end of 2019.
Read Zaterman's full statement on Trump's proposed 2020 budget
Scotsman Guide, a resource for mortgage originators, quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman about how President Donald Trump's proposed FY 2020 budget will affect affordable housing in their article "2020 budget: How does it affect the mortgage industry?":
“The administration wants us to think beyond investing in bricks and mortar, and instead think about investing in people. This budget does neither of those things,” said Sunia Zaterman..."The disinvestment in housing and supportive services is a disinvestment in our nation’s most vulnerable populations, including the 2.2 million low- and very low-income families, children, elderly and persons with disabilities who are served by public housing."
Read Zaterman's full statement on Trump's proposed 2020 budget
In yesterday's article "Trust in Public Housing at Stake Over Looming Government Shutdown," YES! Magazine quoted CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman and CLPHA members Kurt Wiest, Bremerton Housing Authority Executive Director, and Mark Gillett, Oklahoma City Housing Authority Executive Director, on how another government shutdown could continue to sow mistrust in public housing authorities (PHAs) and HUD.
Zaterman, who noted that landlords could shy away from participating in voucher programs if there is concern that PHAs will not pay them, asked, “Just the prospect of payments not being made will have a very disruptive impact—will the federal government contract be honored?”
Wiest stressed the importance of PHAs maintaining a good rapport with landlords. “We work really, really hard to have good relationships with local landlords. And if there’s the slightest hint that they won’t get their subsidy payments as promised, it erodes trust,” said Wiest. “And this program operates on trust.”
Gillett added that if PHAs cannot pay their landlords, there could be dire consequences for tenants. “There is a provision in the law saying if a housing assistance payment isn’t paid, it shouldn’t be grounds for eviction,” Gillett said. “But it’s never been tested.”
On January 31, HUD, the City of New York, and the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced an agreement to address longstanding issues at the housing authority’s properties. The agreement establishes specific requirements and milestones for property improvements and establishes a federal monitor who will be selected by HUD and the Southern District of New York, with input from the city.
On Tuesday, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio appointed Kathryn Garcia, the city’s sanitation commissioner, to succeed Stanley Brezenoff as interim chair until a permanent head of the authority is selected.
Brezenoff, who also serves on CLPHA’s Board of Directors, called the job as NYCHA’s interim chair and CEO, “one of the toughest and most rewarding jobs in America.” In Tuesday’s press release announcing his successor, Brezenoff said, “I will leave this interim role knowing that we are putting NYCHA in very capable hands. I am confident that Commissioner Garcia is the right person to continue our efforts to improve the quality of lives for residents, and preserve public housing for generations to come.”
From Fresno Housing's press release:
Fresno Housing is celebrating 85 years of service to Fresno County, marking a legacy that began in 1940 and today reaches nearly 50,000 residents through affordable housing, rental assistance and programs that support housing stability and opportunity.
Over eight decades, Fresno Housing has evolved from managing public housing to becoming one of the region’s leading affordable housing providers and developers. During 2024 and 2025 alone, the agency completed $253 million in housing developments, generating an estimated $379.5 million to $506 million in local economic impact. “For 85 years, Fresno Housing has worked to ensure that people in our community have access to safe and affordable places to live,” said Tyrone Roderick Williams, CEO of Fresno Housing. “Behind every front door we build or preserve is a person or family whose future becomes more stable and secure.”
Founded in 1940 amid the housing challenges that followed the Great Depression and Dust Bowl migration, Fresno Housing has continually evolved to meet the needs of the community. Today, its work reaches urban and rural communities throughout Fresno County and includes Housing Choice Vouchers, affordable housing development and preservation, permanent supportive housing, resident services and pathways to homeownership.
Fresno Housing's 85-year timeline reflects that evolution and decades of service, growth and transformation.
85 Years of Service. Impact That Continues Today.
Fresno Housing's 2024–2025 Community Report demonstrates how that legacy continues through investments in housing, residents and neighborhoods across Fresno County:
- 88 properties across Fresno County
- More than 50,000 residents served through Fresno Housing communities and programs
- More than 5,000 affordable housing units owned across the county
- 11,400+ households assisted annually through the Housing Choice Voucher program
- More than $140 million annually in Housing Assistance Payments to local property owners
- $253 million in housing developments completed during 2024–2025
- $379.5 million to $506 million in estimated local economic impact generated by those development investments
- 1,100+ youth supported through educational and enrichment opportunities
- 2,700+ households connected to Resident Empowerment services
“These numbers represent more than programs,” Williams said. “They represent families who have found stability, children who can focus on school, and seniors who can age with dignity in their communities.”
More about the agency's work, investments and resident outcomes is available through Fresno Housing's Community Impact page.
The Housing Choice Voucher program is Fresno Housing’s largest housing program, assisting more than 11,400 households each year. More than $140 million in Housing Assistance Payments flow annually to participating property owners, helping families afford housing throughout Fresno County while supporting the local rental housing market. For participating families, a voucher provides more than rental assistance—it provides housing stability and the ability to choose a home that meets their needs.
Fresno Housing's evolution has also expanded the ways families can pursue long-term housing stability. In addition to affordable rental housing and rental assistance, the agency creates pathways to homeownership through new construction, rehabilitation and resale, the Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program, homebuyer education and financial resources.
Heritage Estates, Fresno Housing's most recent subdivision of single-family homes developed specifically for mixed-income homebuyers, is one example. The Beyond Housing Foundation is also helping address barriers to homeownership through down payment assistance and financial preparation. Fresno Housing's broader work connects residents with education, workforce development, youth programs and other resources that support their goals.
That work is guided by Fresno Housing's Strategic Plan, shaped by resident, staff and community input and focused on housing insecurity, neighborhood investment, Housing Choice Voucher innovation and partnerships that support resident goals.
As Fresno Housing continues its 85th anniversary celebration, the agency will bring community and industry leaders together on September 18, 2026, for the return of the State of Affordable Housing at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District.
The event will convene local, state and federal leaders alongside housing professionals and community partners for a regional conversation about the challenges and opportunities shaping affordable housing. The gathering also reflects a lesson reinforced throughout Fresno Housing's 85-year history: addressing housing needs requires partnership.
“Eighty-five years represents generations of people who have called Fresno Housing communities home, families who have found stability through rental assistance, and partnerships that have helped us serve communities throughout Fresno County,” Williams said. “As we celebrate this milestone, we are grateful to the residents, staff, partners and community members who have been part of that history and continue to make this work possible.”
As Fresno Housing marks 85 years of service, the agency remains grounded in the people at the center of its work and its mission to create and sustain affordable housing and vibrant communities throughout Fresno County—because home is just the beginning.
From the Austin Housing Authority's press release:
The Austin Housing Authority announced today that Pathways at Chalmers Courts has received the 2026 Urban Land Institute (ULI) Austin Impact Award for Best Project Design.
ULI Austin presented the award Aug. 26 at the ULI Austin Impact Awards Ceremony & Celebration, held at Austin PBS on the Austin Community College Highland campus. The annual Impact Awards recognize projects and people helping create better places to live, work and gather across Greater Austin.
Best Project Design goes to a completed project that pairs design excellence with priorities like sustainability, resiliency, healthy places and equitable communities.
"This award is a tremendous honor because it shines a light not only on the architecture of Pathways at Chalmers Courts, but also on the positive impact this community is having in East Austin," said Michael Gerber, president and CEO of the Austin Housing Authority. "Chalmers is modern, sustainable and beautifully designed, but what makes it truly special is that residents were at the center of every decision - from how the community was rebuilt in phases to the design of the buildings and shared spaces. It shows what is possible when affordable housing is created with the same ambition, quality and care as any other community."
Chalmers Courts opened in 1939 as one of the nation's first public housing communities. Its redevelopment unfolded in three carefully sequenced phases and wrapped in October 2024, replacing 158 aging apartments with 398 new, affordable homes. Families didn't have to leave the neighborhood to get there: residents stayed in their existing units until new homes were built directly across the street, then moved into the finished community.
Residents helped design that community. Surveys, workshops and design votes shaped decisions on building orientation, exterior materials, decorative screens and public spaces. The result pairs greater housing density with shaded courtyards, recreational areas and preserved heritage trees, and turns a former street into a Greenway for pedestrians and cyclists connecting Chalmers to the surrounding neighborhood.
Rooftop solar offsets a portion of the development's power needs. Passive solar orientation, natural shading, rain gardens, biofiltration ponds and native landscaping cut energy use and manage stormwater, while durable, low- and no-VOC materials keep homes healthier to live in.
The community also includes a Boys & Girls Club, medical and dental services, classrooms, resident services offices, fitness centers, gathering spaces, a sports court, playgrounds and a splash park. Together, they're designed to support residents and strengthen the surrounding East Austin community.
The Austin Housing Authority developed Pathways at Chalmers Courts with Carleton Development, Nelsen Partners, DWG, Connect Structural, Dunaway and PHA Consulting Engineers.
Learn more about Pathways at Chalmers Courts at austinha.org.
From the Oklahoma City Housing Authority's press release:
This week, the Oklahoma City Housing Authority (OCHA) and the City of Oklahoma City were awarded a $25,115,577 grant from the Choice Neighborhoods program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
The grant will help revitalize the Will Rogers Courts housing development and the Westwood Exchange neighborhood. The neighborhood is bordered between the Oklahoma River and SW 22nd Street to the north and south, the Oklahoma National Stockyards to the west and South Douglas Ave. to the east.
“The residents are the true beneficiaries, because this grant gives them the power to build the Westwood Exchange neighborhood of their dreams,” said Mark Gillett, Executive Director of OCHA. “Over the past several years, OCHA hosted a dozen community meetings, and we will host many more over the next eight years to ensure that the community’s voice remains central to our redevelopment work.”
In partnership with Community Action Agency, Lilyfield, Brinshore Development and dozens of other committed partners, the Choice Neighborhoods grant will support the revitalization of the neighborhood and fully rebuild the housing development following the plan revealed to the community last fall.
The Stockyards City neighborhood, which includes Westwood Exchange, is also participating in the city’s Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, which will provide investment in new homes, sidewalks, signage, trees, parks and public art.
"This $25 million grant from HUD is validation of the work we have been doing to support the housing needs of those in our city who need it most,” Mayor David Holt said. “Through MAPS 4, our 2025 bond issue and other resources, our city has previously committed $33 million to the renewal of the Westwood Exchange area. This HUD grant will bring the total commitment from all sources to $227 million. The capital efforts are amazing on their own, but this grant goes further, supporting education, job connections, and long-term support that will help the people of Westwood Exchange thrive. On behalf of the people of Oklahoma City, I thank HUD for this support, as we look forward to the progress to come.”
In addition to the funding from HUD, financial and in-kind commitments to this project from organizations across Oklahoma City total more than $227 million. These commitments include $77M in federal, state and local government resources, $49M in housing, $35M in neighborhood resources and $66M in people-focused programs are committed to the project.
The 348 units currently at Will Rogers Courts will be replaced with mixed-income housing, and residents can expect neighborhood projects like a new gateway entrance to the neighborhood, increased access to fresh food through an urban farm and a new Head Start space for children in the area.
"This award reflects the hard work by OCHA, our residents, the City and our community partners who came together around a bold, community-driven vision for the future," said Rocky Chavez, Chair of OCHA's Board of Commissioners. "The Board and I are incredibly proud of Mark and the OCHA team for reaching this milestone, and we’re excited for the opportunity to bring that vision to life and deliver meaningful, lasting results for residents and the broader community.”
The eight-year, multi-phase project will start as engagement with current residents. The first new units are expected to be available for occupancy starting in 2029.
Since 2023, OCHA and its partners have worked closely with the community to strategically develop a plan to revitalize Westwood Exchange. The plan was informed by meetings and feedback sessions with residents, community members and local businesses.
Oklahoma City is one of four cities nationwide receiving a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant this year. The other recipients include Gainesville, Florida, Fayetteville, North Carolina and New Bern, North Carolina.