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.
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David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or dgreer@clpha.org.
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April 9, 2021
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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
March 31, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) March 31, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon President Biden’s announcement of the American Jobs Plan:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds President Biden’s transformative American Jobs Plan to reimagine and rebuild the American economy by centering housing as key to accomplishing the administration’s top priorities of economic impact, racial equity, and climate change. The $213 billion to produce, preserve, and retrofit more than one million housing units, with $40 billion targeted at the long-neglected public housing capital needs, is the size and scale that can move the needle on improving public housing infrastructure. CLPHA has called for a 10-year road map to recapitalize the public housing portfolio.
“The centrality of public and affordable housing means its impact reaches beyond shelter. It is also critical to other key elements of the American jobs plan including expanding broadband, improving childcare, and increasing health care opportunities. Public housing authorities are the most efficient delivery mechanism for these critical services because of their understanding of local needs, especially the needs of underserved communities of color. Public housing authorities stand ready to implement the bill when it becomes law.
CLPHA will work closely with Congress to ensure that the housing provisions are fully funded and remain central to the bill.”
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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March 11, 2021
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(Washington, D.C.) March 11, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon President Biden’s signing of the American Rescue Plan Act into law:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds President Biden for signing into law the groundbreaking American Rescue Plan Act. When combined with the $25 billion in emergency rental assistance in the previous relief bill, the total $45 billion in emergency rental assistance and $5 billion to prevent homelessness is scaled to the enormous scope of the rental crisis with more than 11 million renters behind on rent. The law is also historic in nature as it represents the largest federal investment since the creation of the Great Society programs more than 55 years ago, which launched what is now known as the Housing Choice Voucher program. Estimates show that the American Rescue Plan Act’s war on poverty will reduce the projected poverty rate this year by half. This historic investment in alleviating poverty and expanding housing opportunities constitutes one of the most significant steps towards ending racial inequity since the legislation passed during the Civil Rights Era.
"The American Rescue Plan acknowledges that housing stability for all Americans is essential to the economic well-being, racial equity, and public health of the nation. While this legislation directs critical federal investment to pandemic relief, new transformational federal investments will be needed to address the affordable housing crisis that was only exacerbated by the pandemic, including a 10-year roadmap to recapitalize the public housing portfolio and a permanent and significant expansion of the Housing Choice Voucher program.
"CLPHA looks forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to make stable housing a reality for all Americans."
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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Of the complex’s 68 units, 34 are funded by Section 8 project-based vouchers, and 15 of those apartments are set aside for individuals with disabilities. The construction of Key’s Pointe Residences is part of HABC’s massive revitalization plan for Baltimore’s O’Donnell Heights neighborhood.
At the CLPHA Fall Meeting earlier this month, Bruce Katz, former Centennial Scholar at the Brookings Institution and founding Director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program,discussed how housing authorities, cities, and other stakeholders can seize the opportunity of the new Opportunity Zone tax incentives. Below is additional information and resources for CLPHA members on Opportunity Zones, including a CLPHA analysis of public housing developments in Opportunity Zones for members and a policy prospectus from Katz on how to best leverage these new tax incentives.
Background
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 established the new tax incentive, which will
“Allow any taxpayer to defer paying tax on capital gains from the sale of property if those gains are timely invested in Qualified Opportunity Funds, which in turn must invest 90% of its assets in businesses located or property used in a low-income community. If investors invest for ten years, they also pay no capital gains tax on the appreciation on that investment.”
Following the establishment of the tax incentives, U.S. governors designated more than 8,700 “Opportunity Zones” in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico; many overlap with locations where CLPHA members have public housing communities. Opportunity Zone incentives are unique because they rely on individual investment decisions instead of government distributions, can be utilized for all manner of projects (residential, commercial, industrial, or infrastructure), are not contingent upon pre-specified outcomes or metrics for success, and there is no cap to the amount of benefits investors can receive.
Current Status
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has released a notice of proposed rulemaking and notice of a public hearing on Investing in Qualified Opportunity Zones. There are two provisions related to housing in the proposed rule: a working capital safe harbor for the acquisition, construction, and rehabilitation of property for up to 31 months and also a provision stating that the basis attributable to land will not be taken into account when determining whether the building has been substantially improved. According to the rule, excluding the basis of land will help facilitate the repurposing of vacant buildings in Qualified Opportunity Zones.
CLPHA will be reviewing the proposed rule to understand how PHAs can take advantage of Opportunity Zones to further local housing goals. Comments on the notice are due December 28 and the public hearing will be held on January 10, 2019.
Resources for Members
CLPHA Analysis of Members in Opportunity Zones: Using the list of designated Qualified Opportunity Zones and HUD data on public housing buildings, CLPHA performed a comparison analysis to determine which public housing buildings are located in designated Opportunity Zones. We found that 57 CLPHA members had at least one public housing building in a qualified Opportunity Zone. In the attached spreadsheet, you can find a full list of properties, including census tract and geographic data, located in Opportunity Zones, as well as a quick-glance table that lists the housing authority and property development name. Click here to download CLPHA’s Analysis from our Dropbox.
Policy Brief – From Transactions to Transformation: How Cities Can Maximize Opportunities –Bruce Katz and Evan Weiss: This brief details a vision for the potential economic and social outcomes of the Opportunity Zone tax incentives and offers ten steps for cities to leverage local resources in order to take advantage of them. Download the brief from Drexel’s website.
Additional Resources:
Opportunity Fund Directory: The National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA) has released this new online resource that provides descriptions and contact information for publicly-announced Opportunity Funds. View the Directory on NCSHA’s website.
Opportunity Zone Explorer: Enterprise Community Partners has created this mapping tool to help those interested in opportunity zones determine which tracts in their regions have been designated and how they related to other federal programs. Use the Opportunity Zone Explorer on the Enterprise website.
The Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) and Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) were recognized for their work in addressing homelessness among community college students and other barriers to higher education in a recent article for Inside Higher Ed. THA’s College Housing Assistance Program began in 2014 in response to rising rents in Tacoma and Pierce Counties. High rates of homelessness among Tacoma Community College students created opportunities for partnership between the College and THA, which now serves 150 students — many of whom have children of their own — who are homeless and near homeless. With the help of a housing voucher and additional financial aid, students are able to continue pursuing their degrees.
CHA is taking a slightly different approach to a similar problem. In working with City Colleges of Chicago through a program known as Partners in Education, the housing authority covers tuition and other fees for residents. Over 600 CHA residents are currently enrolled in Chicago’s community colleges, and while many receive federal and state financial aid, additional assistance from the housing authority ensures continued enrollment. As Moving to Work (MTW) agencies, both THA and CHA are able to engage in postsecondary partnerships as a result of program flexibility.
THA and CHA will further discuss these partnerships with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, and Louisville Metro Housing Authority at a postsecondary convening co-sponsored by CLPHA, Housing Is, and Kresge next month. CLPHA looks forward to discussing how initiatives like these can be replicated and brought to scale across the country.
Hunt Capital Partners has provided $4.2 million in capital federal LIHTC equity financing for Rhododendron Place, a future 30-unit Vancouver, WA housing community funded in part by the Vancouver Housing Authority. Rhododendron Place will house individuals experiencing homelessness with behavioral health disorders or mental disabilities and offer related supportive services.
The San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and partners held a groundbreaking ceremony for Pacifica at Playa Del Sol, a future community of 42 affordable rental apartments, 12 of which will be set aside for individuals and families with developmental disabilities. SDHC contributed $10.8 million in tax-exempt Multifamily Housing Revenue Bonds towards the project, which is expected to cost $17.3 million.
From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
Located about two miles from the beach and a mile from a transit center in one of San Diego’s high-opportunity communities, the Rose Creek Village development celebrated its groundbreaking today, commemorating the start of construction that will produce 59 new studio apartments with rents affordable to households with low income.
“Projects this extraordinary only happen when we come together as a community and work together to get this done,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said. “I think this is really exciting, and it’s a template for what we ought to be doing more of in our community.”
The City of San Diego awarded a $4 million loan to Rose Creek Village through the City’s Bridge to Home program. Additionally, permits were processed through the City’s Affordable Housing Permit Now program, which Mayor Gloria said averages eight days to review projects like Rose Creek Village, and the development received a density bonus from the City.
“Every community in San Diego deserves to have housing that is affordable for residents to live in,” said City Council President Pro Tem Kent Lee, Chair of the Council’s Land Use and Housing Committee. “We’re going to continue to fight for that to ensure that we continue to place housing next to the great jobs, the great schools, and the good transit that we have in our region.”
San Diego Community Housing Corporation (SDCHC) and National Community Renaissance of California (National CORE) are developing Rose Creek Village in collaboration with the City of San Diego, the County of San Diego, the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) and additional partners.
“It takes a lot of work just to get to this point in the development process and a lot more work will be done in the coming months as Rose Creek Village takes shape,” SDHC Senior Vice President of Real Estate Development Colin Miller said. “We know that breaking ground today brings us that much closer to at least 59 more people in our community, including 18 veterans, having a place to call home that they can afford.”
SDHC awarded a $2 million loan to support the development. SDHC’s loan consists of funds SDHC administers, including HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awards to the City of San Diego and the City of San Diego’s Affordable Housing Fund.
SDHC also awarded 47 housing vouchers to help Rose Creek Village residents pay rent. Of those, 18 are Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers for veterans experiencing homelessness. These vouchers are tied directly to this development, so when a household moves on, the voucher remains to help another household with low income.
“This development will remain affordable for 55 years and it'll be situated in the community designated as a high-resource area by the State of California,” said David Estrella, Director of the County of San Diego's Health and Human Services Agency's Housing and Community Development Services department. “By assisting with the creation of affordable housing and pairing that with much-needed services, we're improving the health of future residents, creating a safe and livable environment for them and cultivating opportunities for these future residents to thrive.”
The County awarded a loan of more than $4 million to Rose Creek Village through the No Place Like Home program.
Veterans residing at Rose Creek Village with VASH vouchers will be identified through the Regional Task Force on Homelessness’ Coordinated Entry System. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) San Diego Healthcare System will provide supportive services for these residents.
“When we look at last year's Point-in-Time Count, we dropped overall the total number of sheltered and unsheltered veterans by 26 percent,” said Dr. Frank Pearson, Director of the VA San Diego Healthcare System. “I want to acknowledge how that's all happened, and it's teamwork. It's this collaboration that we talk about.”
Rose Creek Village will remain affordable for 55 years for households with incomes up to 60 percent of San Diego’s Area Median Income (AMI), currently $69,480 per year for a one-person household. There will be one unrestricted manager’s unit in addition to the 59 affordable apartments.
“We believe it’s the right project here—at the right time, in the right place. It addresses the housing, the infrastructure, and the revitalization needs of Garnet (Avenue) and does so in a way that at least the developers and many of the community people living here today believe is in character and is in scale with the surrounding neighborhood,” said John Seymour, National CORE’s Vice President of Acquisitions and Forward Planning for San Diego.
“We felt strongly that this was a community that needed housing,” said John Wurster, SDCHC’s Senior Vice President of Development. “I think when this is built, not just the people in this room who are real believers and easy to convince, but the public is going to see what a community good and benefit that this project is going to be.”
The Hope Through Housing Foundation, a nonprofit affiliate of National CORE, will be the property’s lead service provider, offering a variety of services to residents, such as financial literacy, computer training, home-buyer education, GED classes, resume building classes, ESL, nutrition class, exercise class, health information/awareness, art class, parenting class, on-site food cultivation and preparation classes, and smoking cessation classes.
“I have no doubt Rose Creek will change lives,” said AJ Galka, Assistant Vice President of Operations and Supportive Housing for the Hope Through Housing Foundation. “It's going to give people more than just a roof. It will give them roots, established roots, and from those roots, incredible things will grow.”
Rose Creek Village is being constructed west of Interstate 5 and north of Mission Bay, in San Diego’s Pacific Beach neighborhood. Three San Diego Metropolitan Transit System bus stops are within a mile of the property, and it is approximately one mile from the Balboa Avenue Transit Station where trolley service is available on the Blue Line.
The site is adjacent to the Rose Creek walking and biking trail. It is also within walking distance of grocery stores, schools, restaurants and parks. The property will be entirely powered by electricity, and will use rooftop and façade solar panels.
From Opportunity Home San Antonio's website:
Katherine Valentine is leading a life of transformation — overcoming significant challenges beginning in foster care from age 5 to 18 combined with periods of homelessness.
After aging out of the foster care system, her housing situation was unstable, aggravated during the COVID pandemic forcing Valentine to face homelessness again after losing her job.
“Without the support of the organization during my hardship, I don’t know how I would have made it in life,” Valentine said. She was referred to the BCFS Health and Human Services’ Preparation for Adult Living program. Through the program, a BCFS initiative for young adults aging out of foster care, she was referred to Opportunity Home and received a Housing Choice Voucher.
Achieving stability went from impossible to possible when she was able to secure a new apartment that she could decorate, cook and call home.
Securing permanent housing has allowed Valentine to prioritize her education as a business administration major at Central Texas College, where she is maintaining a 3.4 GPA. Her academic success helped her secure an Opportunity Home Resident Scholarship — one of 29 housing participants selected Aug. 22. “They did not just give me a scholarship, but also a place to live. Having support and resources makes the biggest difference,” she said.
The scholarships give Public Housing and Housing Choice Voucher participants an affordable path toward college and pursuing their dreams. For Valentine, Opportunity Home’s Resident Scholarship provides hope, growth and a fighting chance for stability.
Valentine was the only recipient of additional scholarship funds through the Joshua Longoria “Passion for Life” Memorial Scholarship — awarded to individuals who are committed to creating life-changing outcomes for their communities.
She dreams to start up a non-profit organization that provides supportive programs (job training, mental health resources, etc.) for individuals wrestling with similar circumstances as she did. Through her work, Valentine is also determined to continue building a healthy, comfortable life that was non-existent for the majority of her life.
“I want to help people of all ages, not just foster youth up until the age of 24,” she said. “I want to provide them with the proper resources they need to create their own life of stability.”
Because of the experiences she has endured and conquered, she advises individuals facing similar struggles as hers to embrace challenges that come with achieving success.
“The easy way is not the way to go. You have to get excited by challenges and figure out how to be consistent. Life is never going to get easier, only harder, and that’s where you will have to figure out how to be ok.”
From the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority's website:
For the past two years, MPHA and Twin Cities R!SE (TCR) have partnered to support MPHA family housing residents on their journey toward meaningful careers. The partnership provides personal development, career training, and ongoing support that help residents not only secure employment but also build lasting skills for long-term success. MPHA residents Intisar Hassan, Chelsea Amber, and Louis McKinley have completed the first step of the program—an eight-week career readiness course—gaining confidence and momentum toward their goals.
MPHA and TCR have made it easy for residents to learn about and sign up for the program. After a family has lived in an MPHA family home for a month, MPHA staff introduce them to the voluntary TCR program and explain the opportunities available. When residents express interest, MPHA staff connect residents with TCR staff to begin their journey. Residents begin with an eight-week course combining career skills training and personal empowerment. From there, residents receive one-on-one support with applications and interviews as they search for jobs, along with lifelong access to TCR’s Career Club for continued coaching and resources.
From Lucas Metropolitan Housing's press release:
Toledo community leaders today proudly proclaimed “mission accomplished” with the grand opening of the new, first-of-its-kind Park Apartments, a $15 million, 45-unit affordable housing apartment building that represents a historic investment toward ending the homelessness crisis among people with disabilities and young adults that affects approximately 4,000 youths in Northwest Ohio.
“Providing safe, permanent housing where young people with disabilities can write new chapters of their lives is an epic achievement for Toledo,” Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH) President and CEO Senghor Manns said during a press conference and ribbon-cutting ceremony in front of the new building, located on a half-acre site at 201 Knapp St., south of downtown in the Middlegrounds neighborhood.
“This truly is a mission accomplished moment for which all Ohioans can be proud,” said Manns.
“Park Apartments will serve as a model for the nation on how to bring affordable housing stability to the lives of young people ages 18-24 who have a disability and are currently homeless, or who are struggling to survive by living in shelters or sleeping in cars.”
Today’s grand opening completes the transformation of one of Toledo’s former landmarks into a beautiful new structure that will offer a comprehensive list of social service programs to help young adults as they enter an important next phase of their lives and that proponents say will have a major and meaningful impact on the youths’ long-term future.
Many of the dignitaries who spoke at this morning’s ceremony have been staunch advocates for Park Apartments from the start of its development, including LMH Board Chair Alisha Gant, Toledo-Lucas County Homelessness Board Executive Director Julie Embree, Beacon 360 Management CEO Celia Kendall, Toledo Housing and Community Development Deputy Director Coleena Ali, Lucas County Commissioners Lisa A. Sobecki, Pete Gerken, and Anita Lopez, Toledo City Council Member Theresa Gadus, District 3, and Ohio Housing Finance Agency Senior Director of Housing Programs Matt Sutter.
“The new Park Apartments will stand as a cornerstone for Toledo’s most vulnerable young adults,” Embree said. “This is more than just housing — it’s a chance to build stability, hope, and a brighter future for young people who deserve every opportunity to thrive.”
From the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles' press release:
Today, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) was joined by Congresswoman Luz Rivas (CA-29) to announce and tour new climate-resilient, and energy efficient upgrades installed at the San Fernando Gardens public housing community.
Thanks in part to a $3.5M federal investment from Rep Tony Cardenas in 2023, HACLA is bringing a community of nearly 1,500 residents more sustainable and resilient living conditions; including the installation of 448 energy-efficient air conditioning units donated by the Mayor's Office and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, as well as new ceiling fans and cooling roofs.
The San Fernando Gardens Community Center has also been upgraded to serve as a resiliency center with a backup solar power energy system, established by GRID Alternatives. It will support residents during a power outage to prevent heat related emergencies, to store life-saving medication, and charge electrical devices to stay connected.
“Crucial to our efforts to build a more climate resilient Los Angeles is investing in communities that are facing the impacts of our changing climate firsthand,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “Every family deserves relief from increasing heat and today marks another significant step towards making that a reality. I am grateful to be part of this collaboration with HACLA and our regional partners to help ensure residents of San Fernando Gardens can live comfortably and safely.”
Built in 1955, the San Fernando Gardens in Pacoima was not constructed to withstand the heatwaves and rising temperatures intensified by climate change. This has placed a significant strain on residents' daily lives and the electrical grid.
“With extreme weather conditions adversely impacting the San Fernando Valley, we are prioritizing the installation of these air conditioning units, cool roofs and other enhancements to improve the quality of life for our public housing residents,” said HACLA President & CEO Lourdes Castro Ramirez. “Today, we are proud to be completing the installation of upgrades at San Fernando Gardens and express appreciation to the Congresswoman, Mayor’s Office, LADWP, and our partners for investing in communities like San Fernando Gardens. We will continue working together so that families in Los Angeles have a safe, comfortable and affordable place to call home.”
“We need to take meaningful actions to protect San Fernando Valley residents from longer, hotter, and more dangerous periods of extreme heat – and that includes making sure residents can stay safe and cool during heat waves,” said Congresswoman Luz Rivas. “Thank you to HACLA, the City of Los Angeles, and former Congressman Tony Cárdenas for helping secure the necessary improvements to modernize the San Fernando Gardens Community Center to be more resilient to increasingly warmer temperatures. I will continue advocating for federal funding to safeguard gathering places across the San Fernando Valley, like the San Fernando Gardens, from extreme heat and championing legislation that protects our most vulnerable from the harmful effects of climate change.”
“Climate change has created unique challenges for all of us, but especially for those living in underserved communities,” said Janisse Quiñones, LADWP Chief Executive Officer and Chief Engineer. “Through this partnership with HACLA, we are delivering on our commitment to protect our most vulnerable customers and provide them with the resources they need to stay cool and beat the heat, while keeping their costs down and their bills manageable.”
“The YMCA is excited to be partnering with HACLA by providing programs and services to the residents of San Fernando Gardens,” said David Hartmire, Senior Executive Director, North Valley Family YMCA at Porter Ranch.
“I want to thank HACLA and all the parties involved for all that you've done for me and my neighbors,” said San Fernando Gardens Resident Advisory Council President Clara Osorio. “This AC unit has brought real relief — not just from the heat, but from the stress that comes with it. It’s easier to sleep, easier to breathe, and I finally feel comfortable in my home.”
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