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David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or dgreer@clpha.org.
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New Funds Will Develop and Sustain Public Housing Authority Initiatives to Improve Postsecondary Achievement for Low-Income Households
WASHINGTON (November 25, 2019) – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, a housing advocacy organization and leader in efforts to improve life outcomes for low-income individuals and families, announced today that it has been awarded $300,000 from The Kresge Foundation to deepen connections between public housing authorities and their postsecondary education partners.
The three-year grant enables CLPHA to build on work that began last year, in partnership with The Kresge Foundation, to convene cross-sector housing and education partners who are collaborating to improve postsecondary achievement for students served by public housing authorities, including residents and housing insecure college students.
“Last year we showcased how these two sectors are working together to improve educational outcomes for low-income households. With generous funding from The Kresge Foundation, we will help more cross-sector partners develop and sustain their work,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “As a national organization representing 70 of the largest public housing authorities in the country, CLPHA is well-positioned to identify promising innovations and facilitate peer-learning among those doing the work with the goal to scale successful initiatives that can be replicated nationally. We are very grateful to The Kresge Foundation for its multi-year support of our work.”
With the funds, CLPHA, through its Housing Is Initiative, will establish a leadership institute for a cohort of public housing authority staff and their partners who demonstrate the experience and capacity for postsecondary collaboration. In addition to virtual meetings aimed at institutionalizing their cross-sector work, members of the cohort will travel for in-person site visits to learn about the different projects in the field.
“By supporting stronger partnerships between housing authorities and postsecondary stakeholders, CLPHA’s leadership institute will help increase college access and success for both public housing residents who have postsecondary aspirations but need support to realize their dreams, and current college students, whose housing insecurity threatens to derail their educational progress," said Bethany Miller, program officer with the Kresge Education Program.
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 Kresge Foundation
The Kresge Foundation was founded in 1924 to promote human progress. Today, Kresge fulfills that mission by building and strengthening pathways to opportunity for low-income people in America’s cities, seeking to dismantle structural and systemic barriers to equality and justice. Using a full array of grant, loan, and other investment tools, Kresge invests more than $160 million annually to foster economic and social change. For more information visit kresge.org.
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CLPHA Submits Public Comments Opposing HUD’s Dangerous Non-Citizen Proposal
HUD’s cruel proposal would force mixed-status families to decide between a roof for some, or homelessness for all.
WASHINGTON (July 9, 2019) – The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) today submitted public comments strongly opposing a proposal from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that seeks to eliminate mixed-status immigrant families from HUD-assisted housing, including 55,000 children who are either U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible for HUD assistance.
HUD’s proposal, published in the Federal Register on May 10 for a 60-day comment period, would reinterpret Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act to disallow anyone who cannot verify their immigration status from living in public housing or living in a market-rate apartment with a federal rental subsidy, even if their child or other family members are eligible for assistance. Under current law, rental assistance to these households is prorated and those ineligible for a subsidy pay their portion of the rent unassisted, often at market rates.
“HUD’s cruel proposal would force mixed-status families to decide between a roof for some, or homelessness for all,” said CLPHA Executive Director Sunia Zaterman. “This reversal of long-standing policy is antithetical to the mission of public housing, which is to provide safe, affordable housing to very low-income families.”
“We know that stable housing is a platform for improving life outcomes and a foundation for healthy communities. Yet, this proposal instills fear and distrust, and would divert scarce resources, exacerbate the already crisis levels of homelessness, and, in the end, would do nothing to make our communities safer or better off,” said Zaterman.
“HUD’s proposal is contrary to our mission. Our members feel strongly that this re-interpreted regulation is bad public policy and our comments on the proposed rule reflect this,” said Zaterman.
Read CLPHA’s public comments and previous statements on HUD’s non-citizen rule on the CLPHA website, clpha.org.
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 Housing Is Initiative to better intersect the housing field and other areas of critical importance such as health and education.
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For Immediate Release: July 2, 2019
CLPHA, Housing Experts Discuss Potential Dangers of HUD’s Proposed Housing Assistance Family Rule
A recording of the call is available HERE.
Washington, DC - Earlier today, immigration and housing experts gathered to address concerns regarding a recently proposed rule by the Trump administration that cruelly targets immigrant families to prevent them from receiving federal housing assistance. Experts discussed how the rule, which would affect about 25,000 households, would cruelly impact families of mixed-status.
The rule, the experts noted, would force families apart as they struggled to keep their current housing threatening many with homelessness, including the 55,000 children who are either U.S. citizens or otherwise eligible for housing benefits and who would be separated from their families
Below are quotes from today’s speakers.
Doug Guthrie, President and CEO, Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles, said, “If this proposed rule change were to go through it would be devastating for Los Angeles families with mixed immigration status. It would impact as many as 11,600 individuals in assisted housing the majority of whom are young children who are American citizens and it would cost the housing authority millions of dollars. This would likely result in thousands of people becoming homeless at a time when homelessness is already a crisis in Los Angeles.”
Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, noted, “HUD’s proposal would force mixed status families to decide between a roof for some, or homelessness for all. This is antithetical to the mission of public housing, which is to provide safe, affordable housing to very low-income families. Instead, this proposal would exacerbate crisis levels of homelessness, divert scarce resources from already underfunded public housing authorities, and instill fear and distrust while doing nothing to make our communities safer or better off.”
Diane Yentel, President and CEO, National Low Income Housing Coalition, added, “The cruelty of Secretary Carson’s proposal is breathtaking, and the harm it would inflict on children, families and communities is severe,” said National Low Income Housing Coalition President and CEO Diane Yentel. “Tens of thousands of deeply poor kids, mostly US citizens, could be evicted and made homeless by this proposal, and – by HUD’s own admission – there would be zero benefit to families on waiting lists. This proposal is another in a long line of attempts by the administration to instill fear in immigrants throughout the country. We will not stand for it.”
Arianna Cook-Thajudeen, Bank of America Legal Fellow, National Housing Law Project, said, “The National Housing Law Project opposes this proposed rule because it would have a detrimental impact on the housing stability of millions of families. The federal housing programs in particular serve as a lifeline for many families who are one step away from homelessness. What the Administration is doing is through this proposal is ruthless and reckless. We urge everyone to submit comments to HUD to oppose this rule by July 9th.”
Tory Gunsolley, President and CEO, Houston Housing Authority, remarked, “The current system works. Undocumented occupants are not receiving federal subsidies. The proposed regulations, on the other hand, would cause a needless increase in homelessness and cost the federal government more money. The proposed regulation would force HHA to be an extension of immigration enforcement, a role that does align with our mission to provide safe, affordable housing. It simply doesn't make sense to implement.”
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The Immigration Hub is a national organization dedicated to advancing fair and just immigration policies through strategic leadership, innovative communications strategies, legislative advocacy and collaborative partnerships.
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.
(Washington, D.C.) October 28, 2021 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement applauding President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better announcement this morning: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds President Biden’s announcement of a $1.85 trillion reconciliation framework with $150 billion targeted to affordable housing, the single largest investment in public housing ever. “For decades, millions of public housing residents have suffered from chronic disinvestment in their neighborhoods, exacerbating health, safety, climate risks, and racial inequities. The Build Back Better Act is historic and transformational in its comprehensive long-term approach by making public housing safe and sustainable for generations to come and significantly expanding rental and homeownership assistance. Stable, affordable housing is foundational to the health and economic well-being of all Americans and to our nation as a whole. This unprecedented and long overdue investment in the preservation and expansion of affordable housing, coupled with the Build Back Better Act’s other investments such as universal prekindergarten, the child tax credit, and climate change remediation, will have an historic impact on reducing poverty and improving the climate. “The Biden administration is delivering on a promise that has been decades in the making. CLPHA strongly supports the Building Back Better Act as a history-making investment in public housing and expanding housing opportunities.”
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
October 28, 2021 |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(Washington, D.C.) October 1, 2021 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement urging Congress not to cut proposed funding for public housing and rental assistance in the Build Back Better reconciliation bill:
“The transformational Build Back Better Act, proposed by President Biden and currently moving through Congress, will significantly expand the nation’s social safety net by providing safe, quality, and affordable housing to millions of low-income and marginalized families. The $90 billion in expanded rental assistance, $80 billion to preserve public housing, and $37 billion investment in the national Housing Trust Fund that passed the House Financial Services Committee in mid-September represents a significant step forward in federal funding for public and affordable housing. These funding levels are appropriate and justified as they finally make up for generations of chronic neglect and underfunding. For this reason, as negotiations about the size of the reconciliation bill move forward, CLPHA urges Congress to retain the funding levels for expanding rental assistance, preserving public housing, and investing in the nation’s Housing Trust Fund.
“Public and affordable housing has suffered under persistent disinvestment for decades. This has left public housing authorities unable to complete capital improvements, which has helped contribute to the loss of 400,000 affordable homes since 1990. Currently only 1 out of every 4 families who are eligible to receive a Housing Choice Voucher are able to access the program because of a lack of funding. This inadequacy of federal resources not only perpetuates the cycle of poverty, but also costs the American economy about $2 trillion every year in lower wages and productivity because of a shortage of affordable housing in major metropolitan areas.
“CLPHA thanks Speaker Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Schumer, House Financial Services Chairwoman Maxine Waters, and Senate Housing, Banking, and Urban Chair Sherrod Brown for championing housing throughout their careers and during the negotiations over the Build Back Better reconciliation process. Now Congress must commit to fully funding public and affordable housing at the levels in the House Financial Services Committee bill.”
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(202) 550-1381
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(Washington, D.C.) September 14, 2021 -- Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) Executive Director Sunia Zaterman released the following statement supporting President Biden’s nomination of Arthur Jemison to be Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) congratulates Arthur Jemison on his nomination to be Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing at the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Mr. Jemison brings deep experience to the assistant secretary position in community development and public housing, including experience with the Boston Housing Authority, a CLPHA member.
We look forward to working with Mr. Jemison to ensure that the vision of President Biden and Secretary Fudge for improving public housing through recapitalizing the public housing portfolio, expanding the Housing Choice Voucher program, addressing systemic racism, and empowering cross-sector partnerships to improve the outcomes for low-income families becomes a reality. CLPHA will strongly support Mr. Jemison throughout the confirmation process.”
Media Contact: David Greer, CLPHA; dgreer@clpha.org, (202) 550-1381 |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
On May 21, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Ben Carson, testified before the House Financial Services Committee at a hearing entitled “Housing in America: Oversight of the U.S. Department of Housing and Development” where he received pointed questions from the committee Democrats on recent HUD proposals such as rent reform, the non-citizen rule, and HUD’s FY20 budget request which would slash funding for public housing.
In her opening remarks, Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) expressed her disappointment in the Secretary’s leadership at HUD, referring to his rent reform proposal as an “outrageous plan” that would “triple rent for the lowest income households and put 1.7 million Americans at risk of eviction and homelessness at a time when we are in the midst of a national homelessness and housing affordability crisis.”
Waters also admonished the Secretary for the Department’s budget proposal that would cut its budget by 18 percent and eliminate new funding for the capital fund and housing trust fund, halt the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule implementation, and delay disaster recovery funding for Puerto Rico. Referring to the proposed non-citizen rule as “cruel” and one that, “puts mixed immigration status families at risk of being evicted, separated, and left homeless,” Waters concluded that these actions are inconsistent with the Department’s mission.
Continuing the focus on recent HUD proposals, several Democrats expressed their outrage to Carson over the rent reform and non-citizen proposals. Reps. Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), were among those who challenged the Department’s assertion that removing mixed-status families from HUD-assisted housing would reduce waiting lists and help address the lack of affordable housing.
Carson defended the proposed rule by stating that the current interpretation of the statute unfairly allows undocumented immigrants to live in federally assisted housing at the expense of U.S. citizens. “It’s not that we’re cruel or mean-hearted, it’s that we’re logical,” he said. “This is common sense. You take care of your own first.”
Velazquez also reproved Carson for acknowledging the affordable housing crisis while at the same time eliminating the capital fund, referring to HUD’s budget proposal as “shameful and immoral.”
In contrast to the frustrated tone of their colleagues, Republican committee members generally expressed support for Carson’s proposals and asked about issues such as impediments to affordable housing construction, opportunity zones, recent changes to FHA loan program rules, and disaster recovery.
When discussing options for increasing affordable housing production, Secretary Carson touted LIHTC, RAD, and the potential for combining those programs with opportunity zone tax incentives to engage in unprecedented opportunities to build affordable housing and create economic opportunities. Calling RAD one of the most spectacular HUD programs, he said that lifting the RAD cap would be tremendously helpful.
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO) and Rep. Al Green (D-TX) both raised concerns with the cumbersome CDBG-DR disbursement process and asked the Secretary what could be done to provide, or codify, a framework that would speed delivery of aid to areas impacted by natural disasters. In his response, the Secretary expressed concerns with the duplicative requirements across HUD and FEMA and said that there are ways to streamline the process that can, and should, be codified to ensure grant dollars can be disbursed more expediently.
Several committee members focused their questions on Housing Choice Vouchers and landlords’ unwillingness to consider applicants who use them. Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC) asked the Secretary whether a federal law prohibiting source of income discrimination is needed to increase lease-up rates and ensure that families can put their voucher to use. Carson responded that the Department is looking at impediments to people accepting vouchers, and if after going through that evaluation process the problem continues, then a federal source of income discrimination law may be needed.
When asked about his legacy at HUD, Secretary Carson said that he hoped the Department would be known for putting people on a positive trajectory. And, if given a magic wand to implement any policy possible, Carson said he would “make this country stop hating each other. We’d get a whole lot done.”
In Affordable Housing Finance's (AHF) article discussing Rep. Maxine Waters' (D-CA) draft legislation of her Housing is Infrastructure bill, CLPHA's Sunia Zaterman told reporter Donna Kimura that Waters' bill, which would allocate $70 billion for the public housing capital fund, is attempting to get the public housing industry "on an even keel."
Zaterman told Kimura, “We do have challenges moving forward in the appropriations process on the annual funding levels for public housing operating and capital funds, but what Ms. Waters is saying in this bill is that we can no longer stand by idly and watch this public investment start to crumble when we need it the most.”
Zaterman added that Congress must also consider expanding additional tools that PHAs can employ in their public housing development and renovation efforts, such as the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTCs).
AHF also quoted Zaterman's April 30 press statement on Waters' draft legislation and the House Committee on Financial Services April 30 hearing “Housing in America: Assessing the Infrastructure Needs of America’s Housing Stock":
“Public housing is as a much a part of the national infrastructure as Route 66, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the Hoover Dam,” said Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. “Public housing helps communities and families thrive by providing more than 1 million low- and very low-income families, children, elderly, and persons with disabilities with a stable place to live, connecting low-income workers to economic opportunities, and spurring regional job creation and economic growth.”
“But, years of chronic underfunding have led to the deterioration of the public housing stock, and, since 1990, at least 300,000 units have been lost because of the lack of adequate resources to maintain them. The federal disinvestment in public housing has contributed to an untenable shortage of stable housing for low-income households,” Zaterman added.
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
From KATU 2 Vancouver:
The City of Vancouver was awarded a million-dollar grant for affordable housing upgrades this week.
According to the city, the grant is from the Washington State Department of Commerce for energy efficiency upgrades in affordable housing.
The grant will be used to focus on high-efficiency appliance upgrades, siding repair, window replacement for increased insulation, air sealing and heat pump installations.
Legislators say the goal of this project is to implement energy efficiency retrofits at six affordable housing locations managed by the Vancouver Housing Authority (VHA).
The City of Vancouver says the program will advance Washington's goal of reducing carbon pollution.
Read KATU Vancouver's article "Vancouver Gets Million-dollar Grant for Energy Efficiency Upgrades in Affordable Housing."
From the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh's press release:
Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh (HACP) residents will soon be able to lay the foundation for a stronger future thanks to a new, innovative partnership with the Master Builders’ Association of Western Pennsylvania (MBA) and an addition to the HACP’s resident programming set to roll into Pittsburgh in 2025 – the Workforce on Wheels CyberBus 2.0 – a mobile one-stop shop for HACP residents seeking to enter the workforce.
The partnership is aimed at bringing current workforce development opportunities among the 16 building trades unions in the Greater Pittsburgh Region, directly to HACP residents ages 18 and older and leading to well-paying union positions in trades such as plumbing, bricklaying, roofing and much more.
“At MBA we have identified workforce development as a key priority for our association. In 2023, we launched BuildWPA.org to help our members attract and retain skilled talent,” says Lance Harrell, Director of Workforce Development, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Master Builders’ Association of Western PA. “Partnering with HACP on this mobile workforce development initiative dovetails perfectly with our goals to support our members, help expand the region’s economy and connect HACP residents with a great career in the trades.”
The HACP plays a vital role in providing affordable housing for low-income individuals and families in our city. With a mission rooted in the United States Housing Act of 1937, HACP manages more than 2,200 public housing units and provides oversight of additional mixed-finance units, providing housing and supportive services to more than 20,000 Pittsburghers.
“Workforce development is paramount to what we do as a Housing Authority,” says HACP Executive Direct Caster D. Binion. “We’re committed to removing any and every potential hurdle for our residents during their efforts to achieve self-sufficiency. And, as a developer and manager of affordable housing on a large scale, we are reliant upon the services provided by those in the skilled trades. Connecting our residents with these opportunities is a win-win.”
The HACP and MBA are committed to highlighting pathways to family-sustaining wages and benefits, along with life-changing careers, for residents of the City of Pittsburgh.
“Our overall goal with this partnership is to make sure we are connecting those who want the opportunity to get into a trade and complete their certification with the right program so that they have the opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency,” Lloyd C. Wilson Jr., HACP’s Resident Employment Program/Section 3 Coordinator, says. “It’s breaking ground to help them create a foundation for the future.”
Harrell agrees.
“We are giving residents access to a path that will help them earn life-sustaining wages in the construction industry and change the trajectory of their households,” Harrell adds. “This is a first-time, ground-breaking collaboration that we hope will not only help residents gain skills and employment, but maybe also inspire some to become architects, developers, or engineers.”
Wilson and Harrell feel this initiative will continue to open the door for future partnerships with area organizations and businesses that believe in the program’s mission and goals.
Rich Paganie Jr., Training Director, Eastern Atlantic States Regional Council of Carpenters, says the partnership will help the Carpenters’ Union diversify its ranks.
“It’s better when you have different people from different places working together,” he says. “I think it’s important when people are building their own neighborhoods; there’s a lot of value there. I told Lloyd and Lance I will do whatever I can do to help with the efforts.”
One outcome Wilson and Harrell hope to see from the partnership is the emergence of a large Black-owned general contractor firm in the Pittsburgh area that builds from the ground up, something similar to Waller Corporation in Washington, PA.
In conjunction with the partnership, the HACP is anxiously awaiting the addition of its Workforce on Wheels (W.O.W.) CyberBus 2.0 in mid-2025. Through this initiative, HACP’s Resident Employment Program will provide mobile support services to its 2,200 public housing units located throughout the City of Pittsburgh, offering residents access to a variety of employment-related supports.
Services will include access and assistance with job searches; resume building, interview prep, access to telehealth services, and support through the pre-employment process.
The HACP Resident Employment Program will utilize the mobile workforce development initiative as a platform to introduce residents to careers within the 16 building trades unions, offering exposure to a wide range of opportunities for professional growth and development. The mobile program will provide routine service to communities within HACP’s Low-Income Public Housing portfolio, while also making programming accessible to the roughly 5,500-plus families that utilize HACP Housing Choice Vouchers throughout the City of Pittsburgh.
Paganie adds the CyberBus 2.0 will help get the word out to people who may not know about the unions, as well as get them the necessary training needed to become certified in a trade. In the Pittsburgh region, there are about 5,000 Carpenters’ Union members in a seven-county area.
“Ultimately, the more people trained, the more people are making more money, which will contribute to the tax base. That’s a big win in creating generational wealth by flipping the dynamics of your income status. It can lift people up to have a positive, rewarding career,” he says.
“HACP has taken a great step to enhance opportunities for our city’s public housing residents seeking good-paying jobs in our trades,” adds Mayor Ed Gainey. “This new addition will provide access to residents on-site to learn skills that will positively impact both them and their families, as well as the communities they live in.”
HACP and MBA believe the partnership between the two organizations has the potential to make a significant impact on the lives of Pittsburgh residents, providing access to resources, training, and opportunities for upward mobility; while simultaneously helping to bolster hiring workforce development efforts within the regional construction industry and creating new pathways to careers within the building trades unions. Together, we are committed to empowering individuals and families in Western PA to build brighter futures and stronger communities.
The 16 building trades unions include: Boilermakers Local 154; Bricklayers Allied Craftworkers (BAC) Local 9 PA; Operative Plasterers’ & Cement Masons International Association (OPCMIA) Local Union 526; International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local Union 5; International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC); International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers; Ironworkers Local Union #3; Operating Engineers Local 66; International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) DC 57; Pittsburgh Plumbers Local #27; Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 354; The United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers, and Allied Workers Local #37; Sheet Metal Workers Local Union 12; Sprinkler Fitters Local 542; Steamfitters Local Union 449; and United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America Local #432.
Master Builders’ of Western Pennsylvania, Inc., is a trade association whose membership includes more than 265 of the top general contractors, construction managers, specialty contractors, and service and supplier companies supporting our region’s commercial construction industry. Collectively, MBA membership accounts for more than 80 percent of the commercial construction in the Pittsburgh area. Since 1886, MBA has been a strong, influential, and single voice for the industry. MBA has awarded more than $800,000 in scholarship support to students interested in careers in the construction industry. MBA is affiliated with Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), representing more than 32,000 members nationwide. This affiliation affords MBA membership with an even stronger industry voice and broader access to services, resources, and activities available on a national level.
From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:
In just a few months, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) has made significant progress on its Restore Home initiative, fully restoring and leasing several multi-family buildings and single-family homes that were previously vacant due to extensive repair needs.
Announced in late 2023, Restore Home is a major capital effort to renovate and rehabilitate vacant buildings in the small and medium-sized apartments portfolio (commonly known as “scattered sites.”) Approximately three dozen small and medium-sized vacant apartment buildings around the city have been targeted for renovation, with more than 175 units brought back into leasable condition by mid-2025. An additional 40 single family homes are being renovated and made available for leasing or affordable homeownership opportunities.
CHA has pledged to invest up to $50 million under Restore Home.
As of April 30, 2024:
- Two multi-unit buildings are complete and fully occupied (five units total). Three single family homes are complete and pending occupancy.
- One seven-unit building is nearing completion and expected to be ready by mid-May.
- Fourteen buildings have been assigned to contractors and eight buildings are in the design phase and have architects assigned.
Shavon Nowell was one of the first residents to occupy one of the renovated scattered site units under Restore Home. She previously lived with her grandmother, who provided the financial support for housing. But when her grandmother died in November, Nowell and her three children were suddenly desperate for housing. Because of Restore Home, her name came up on the CHA wait list and she was housed by April.
“It was a weight lifted off my shoulders, because I was worried about where we were going to go,” Nowell said. “I thought we were going to be homeless.”
“This is what we do. This is what we are focused on at all times - providing quality living environments in strong communities that help families move forward. This is just an example but we do it every single day and will continue to do so,” CHA CEO Tracey Scott said.
Nowell said the program is definitely working and is thankful for her new housing. “CHA, you are doing what you said you were going to do,” she said.
Click here to see video of Shavon’s story.
From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:
The Chicago Housing Authority is announcing the launch of “Cabrini Now,” a community-driven planning and design process to accelerate new mixed-income housing and economic development in the Near North neighborhood.
Cabrini Now builds on previous planning efforts, including the 2015 Development Zone Plan, to update and further the community’s vision for the neighborhood, and respond to current affordable housing needs in the area and across Chicago.
This effort is the first in a series of updated community planning initiatives that CHA will undertake to inform its long-term development strategy. A planning initiative around the State Street Corridor is scheduled to begin later this year.
CHA will host a Cabrini Now kickoff celebration from 5:30-7:30p.m., May 8 at Ogden-Jenner Elementary School on 1119 N. Cleveland Ave. The whole community is welcome to share their voice at this interactive event. The kickoff celebration will not only provide information about the planning process but will also invite community members to express their vision and priorities and share what they love most about living in Cabrini.
“Cabrini, like Chicago as a whole, has continued changing since 2015. How the neighborhood looks and feels is fundamentally shifting with rising housing costs and significant new developments like the Bally’s casino, Lincoln Yards and North Union,” said CHA CEO Tracey Scott. “CHA recognizes that it’s critically important for us to hear from community residents throughout this process. That’s why we’re taking an inclusive approach to amplify diverse voices and aspirations and ensure that the resulting vision and plan is a true reflection of the entire community’s wants and needs.”
“By proactively updating our plans for our large sites, we are laying the groundwork for more affordable housing construction,” Scott said.
The Cabrini Now kickoff celebration is the first of multiple public engagement meetings that will take place during the planning process. CHA has already begun to consult with key stakeholders in addition to CHA residents. The engagement process is designed to be equitable and family-friendly with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds encouraged to participate. The kickoff celebration and future engagement meetings will include specific opportunities for children and youth to contribute their views too.
Cabrini Now will create development concepts for specific sites and for the remaining CHA land in the Cabrini neighborhood and development concepts for specific sites, including the vacant Cabrini Row Homes. The plan is expected to be released by the end of 2024.
Cabrini Now goals include:
- Update and build on the existing 2015 community plans and vision in a changing neighborhood context.
- Respond to the current and future affordable housing needs of the neighborhood and Chicago.
- Embrace all voices in the neighborhood and co-create a shared vision for Cabrini’s future.
CHA has retained planning and architecture firm Solomon Cordwell Buenz to lead this process. The project team will recommend an updated plan for Cabrini using the latest principles for building complete communities such as the 15-minute city concept popularized in Paris, as well as lessons learned in recent decades of community planning in Chicago.
Since 2005, CHA’s investments have resulted in more than 3,500 new homes in Cabrini, including almost 1,000 CHA-subsidized apartments. In addition to the Cabrini Now planning efforts, CHA also has three active development initiatives in the area:
- Oak & Larrabee (78 total homes, including 37 public housing units and 17 affordable rental units)
- Parkside 5 (99 total homes, including 37 public housing units and 28 affordable rental units)
- Clybourn & Larrabee (first phase under detailed design and development)
More information about Cabrini Now is available at thecha.org/cabrininow.
From the San Diego Housing Commission's press release:
A newly opened affordable rental housing development for seniors, built in collaboration with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC), provides Marian a home she can afford after years of housing instability, including most recently living in a homelessness shelter despite having a job.
“I paid into Social Security since the time I was 18 years old,” said Marian, one of the first residents of Puesta del Sol in Linda Vista and a former Department of Defense and retail employee. “I thought I had it made, then inflation happened. As it turns out, I didn’t have enough money to rent an apartment on fixed income.”
Now, Marian is confident she’ll be able to stay in San Diego at Puesta del Sol.
Developed by Community HousingWorks in collaboration with SDHC and additional partners, Puesta del Sol consists of 59 one-bedroom apartments for seniors ages 55 and older with low- and very-low incomes, including six units set aside for seniors who previously experienced homelessness, like Marian.
“We’re working on every facet of this challenge to try and make sure that folks who are willing to work hard, who want to be a part of the community, can live in this community, and that’s not currently a given, but we’re going to keep working until that is a given,” San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria said at Puesta del Sol’s grand opening today.
The opening of Puesta del Sol, which means “sunset” in Spanish, marks the culmination of a larger intergenerational infill development, together with Amanecer (or “sunrise”), an adjacent development in collaboration with SDHC that opened last year with 95 rental apartments for families with low income, transition-age youth and veterans who experienced homelessness.
“It’s great to see projects like this. It was an intentional thing that was done by Community HousingWorks, to say: Let’s have families there, and then let’s have seniors right here on this block. And that is really, really important,” said San Diego City Councilmember Raul Campillo, whose Council District 7 includes the Linda Vista site where Puesta del Sol was built.
SDHC awarded 59 federal rental housing vouchers to Puesta del Sol that will help the residents pay rent. When a tenant moves out, the housing voucher remains with Puesta del Sol to help to assist a new resident.
“It is fantastic to see a project that is specifically designed to serve seniors and has made space for formerly homeless seniors,” SDHC Vice Chair of the Board Ryan Clumpner said. “For 59 senior households, Puesta del Sol provides a peace of mind and stability of having rental home that they can afford in their golden years.”
In addition, SDHC awarded a loan of more than $4 million toward the development. The loan consisted of resources from the City of San Diego’s Affordable Housing Fund, which SDHC administers.
The apartments at Puesta del Sol will serve seniors earning 30 percent to 60 percent of San Diego’s Area Median Income, currently $36,400 to $72,720 per year for a two-person household. It also includes one manager’s unit.
“We pride ourselves on making quality, affordable places for people to call home, not just to live but truly to prosper,” Community HousingWorks President & CEO Sean Spear said. “Much of that is really focused on our efforts around providing the right types of housing that are needed in our communities.”
Puesta del Sol consists of a three-story, L-shaped building with a courtyard that includes a community garden, outdoor fitness equipment, a swing and a barbecue/picnic area. The development also includes a trail along the perimeter of the site to encourage residents to walk.
Amenities at Puesta del Sol include a multipurpose community room with kitchen, computer lab, roof top terrace, centralized laundry room, management leasing office and conference room. A resident reading room and n upper-level terrace provide additional common areas for residents.
Puesta del Sol is conveniently located near well-served transit stops, employment, shopping centers, Linda Vista Community Park, a recreation center, library, schools and a full-service grocery store.