------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Stock for $4 and no minimums. FREE Money 2002. http://us.click.yahoo.com/orkH0C/n97DAA/Ey.GAA/tOsolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: CPPH_Info-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com ------------------------------------------------------------------------ There are 4 messages in this issue. Topics in this digest: 1. Letter from Seattle architect re Seattle HOPE VI From: Grant 2. Chicago - Suntimes Report from CPPH April Briefing From: Grant 3. Housing agencies in Miami are failing to build From: Grant 4. Boston Mayor Menino, USCM and housing From: Grant ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 1 Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 07:14:52 -0700 (PDT) From: Grant Subject: Letter from Seattle architect re Seattle HOPE VI --- Wayne Sherwood wrote: > > The following is a letter sent by Seattle architect John > McLaren to the > "Real Change" paper, a Seattle alternative newspaper > dealing with issues of > poverty and homelessness. He says that this letter was > published recently > in slightly modified form. He authorized me to > distribute the following > original version to this list. Wayne Sherwood > > ================================================ > > March 19, 2002 > > To the Editor, Real Change: > > In her recent letter to Real Change (Rainier Vista > Replacements, March > 7-20), Virginia Felton doesn't tell the whole story about > the Seattle > Housing Authority's "replacement plan" for the Rainier > Vista Redevelopment. > While it's true that SHA says it intends to build more > low-income units > than are there now, it's also true that SHA intends to > reduce by about > 40-50% the number of Public Housing units serving > very-low-income families > at Rainer Vista. > > Ms. Felton, SHA's Director of Communications, knows very > well the details > of the public debate over these so-called "replacement > plans". When she > says the plan calls for "replacement of 100 percent of > the units serving > those with very low incomes", Ms. Felton knows that she's > omitting this > part: Only 60% of the 481 units of "replacement housing" > will consist of > Public Housing units. The other 40% is essentially a > "name game", using > funding that would have been allocated anyway, or using > Section 8 subsidies > to buy down the affordability of higher income units that > also would have > been built anyway. In other words, it's not a true > replacement plan. It's > more of a sleight-of-hand, public relations gimmick, > albeit a very > effective one. > > It's true, as Ms. Felton says, that the City Council in > the end approved > the "replacement plan". But the Council did so only > after realizing that > that was the best they could wring out of each other and > SHA, which entered > the negotiations wanting to cut its replacement > obligation down to nearly > nothing. Three or four of our nine council members would > have preferred a > true one-for-one replacement plan, but it's a five to > four vote world. > > At the local level, the true big picture is that between > 1994 and 2006, our > Seattle Housing Authority wants to spend around $150 > million in HUD partial > matching grants, not to mention an additional $200 > million or more in > scarce local housing funds, "redeveloping" Holly Park, > Rainier Vista, > Roxbury Village and High Point, and that SHA's intent is > for these > redevelopments to generate a net loss of nearly 1,000 > units of Public > Housing. This is a large part of what Public Housing > Authorities mean when > they talk about "Asset-Based Management." > > At the national level, 110,000 units of Public Housing > are planned for > demolition, to be replaced by at most about 40,000 PH > units. Where are all > the displaced families going? Even HUD admits that it > doesn't know and > hasn't really been keeping much of a record. Many former > residents just > take Section 8 vouchers that they can't use or that send > them to housing in > much worse shape and/or in more distressed neighborhoods > than the Public > Housing they are forced to leave. Not to mention the > thousands more on the > waiting lists that don't have any say, many of whom have > yet to learn that > they will have to spend many more years on the waiting > lists as a result of > HOPE VI. > > Right now, HOPE VI - HUD's controversial housing-removal > program being used > to fund these Public Housing redevelopments - is up for > reauthorization in > DC. One of the most important subjects of discussion > will be the massive > displacement caused by HOPE VI. There's a window of > opportunity to reform > the program, maybe to bring back the one-for-one > replacement requirement > that was removed in the mid 90's by a conservative > Congress. Those of us > concerned about these issues are writing our > congressional representatives > to ask for significant reforms. It doesn't help our > efforts - which > parallel those of the National Housing Law Project and > the Public Housing > Residents National Organizing Campaign - nor does it help > local Public > Housing residents, for SHA's Communications Director to > paint such an > unrealistically rosy picture, however partially truthful, > of a program that > has such a negative impact on the poorest of the poor, > especially in these > times. > > > Sincerely, > > > John McLaren > > 2712 Franklin Ave. E. #5 > Seattle, WA 98102 > > 206-325-9890 > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Mother's Day is May 12th! http://shopping.yahoo.com ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 2 Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 07:20:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Grant Subject: Chicago - Suntimes Report from CPPH April Briefing Sorry it took me so long to forward this. G. > http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-cha24.html > > CHA's plan falls short, new analysis warns > > Chicago Sun-Times > April 24, 2002 > > BY KATE N. GROSSMAN STAFF REPORTER > > The CHA's plan to transform 25,000 public housing units > seems to be short > about a thousand apartments, according to an analysis of > the agency's > 10-year plan by the University of Illinois at Chicago. > > And thousands of families in the largest projects may not > be able to return > to their neighborhoods after redevelopment because the > number of public > housing units will drop dramatically to ensure a mix of > incomes, UIC's > Janet Smith said. > > Ida B. Wells/Madden Park, for example, once housed 2,900 > families. After > redevelopment, there will be room for about 750 families. > Other families > may have to take housing elsewhere, perhaps as far away > as the Far South > Side, or use a voucher to rent a private apartment, a > process that leaves > some families in equally poor neighborhoods. > > Smith analyzed the CHA's 10-year, $1.6 billion plan for > the Coalition to > Protect Public Housing, a group that wants the CHA to > build more > replacement housing before demolishing any more > buildings. > > CHA officials balked at the analysis, saying the plan is > only a blueprint. > Kathryn Greenberg, a top aide to CHA chief Terry > Peterson, said they may > have to tweak it along the way to ensure any holes are > filled, but the > CHA's pledge to build or rehab 25,000 apartments is > unwavering. > > That's enough units for everyone who lived in public > housing in October > 1999, when work on the 10-year plan began. > > Greenberg said lease-compliant residents have a > guaranteed right to return > to public housing, something unique to the CHA. But, she > added, the agency > never promised residents they could return to their > original communities. > "While someone might not be able to come back to Robert > Taylor, they'll > have an opportunity to return to some unit of public > housing and it will be > a much better unit than what they are in now," Greenberg > said. > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Mother's Day is May 12th! http://shopping.yahoo.com ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 3 Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 07:16:15 -0700 (PDT) From: Grant Subject: Housing agencies in Miami are failing to build In Miami,same as in Chicago --- Wayne Sherwood wrote: > > HOUSING AGENCIES ARE FAILING TO BUILD > Miami Herald , Sunday, April 21, 2002 > > OSCAR CORRAL, ocorral@herald.com > Edition: Final , Section: Local , Page: 1B > > In the past three years, most of the agencies in charge > of developing > affordable housing for low-income families in Miami have > not built any new > homes, despite collecting millions of public dollars for > administrative > costs and tying up millions more in construction money, > city records show. > > City officials have responded by cutting off funding to > six of the 13 > homeownership programs. And the city's Community > Development Department is > calling for a massive overhaul of the system for funding > the agencies. > > The agencies say the proposed changes could put them out > of business. They > contend their problems are caused by city red tape and > the complicated > process of working with multiple funding sources. > > Since 1999, Miami has given the agencies close to $3 > million in federal > funds to pay salaries to employees and pay rent for > offices. The city has > also allocated $8 million more for project construction. > > In that time, three of the agencies have completed a > total of 14 units, > which are either individual apartments or houses. Ten > others have not > completed any units. > > From 1995 to 1998, the number of units produced was > higher, with several > agencies completing large apartment buildings for > homeownership. But > community development says the agencies have been in a > slump since then. > > ``The method we're using to advance housing development > funds in the city > is not working,'' said Community Development Department > Director Gwendolyn > Warren. ``There are some serious concerns. We're too poor > to be giving up > $12 million for 14 houses.'' > > The money comes from the city's share of funding from the > U.S. Department > of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development > Block Grants and > other HUD programs. > > Community development administrators say the city is in > danger of losing > millions of dollars in federal grant money, in part, > because agencies > aren't spending money allocated for projects. > > Today, the city has about $22 million sitting in its > accounts. If it > doesn't get that down to $19 million by August, as > required by federal > regulations, it could lose the funds and face penalties > of millions more > dollars. > > SYSTEM PITFALLS > > All sides agree that the system in place for developing > affordable homes to > sell to low-income families is laden with pitfalls and > must be changed. > > City commissioners this month instructed community > development to organize > a ``summit'' to find solutions. They hope to have > concrete ideas for an > overhaul by the time they vote on the allocation of HUD > funds this summer. > > Warren suggests eliminating HUD funds for the agencies' > administrative > costs, and linking the allocation of construction funds > to each project's > progress. > > She says the agencies could survive on developers' fees, > which are surplus > funds or profits left over after construction is > completed. > > The agencies say the changes would be devastating. > > ``It shows a lack of understanding,'' said Anita > Rodriguez-Tejera, > executive director of the East Little Havana Community > Development Corp., > one of the largest. > > Rodriguez-Tejera said her company is one of the most > productive housing > agencies in the city and should not be penalized. She > cites the completion > of the 82-unit Casagrande Towers near Brickell Avenue in > 1999, and the > rapid construction pace of Latin Quarter - an affordable > condominium-retail > mix - on Southwest Eighth Street and 15th Avenue. > > NO UNITS > > But city records show East Little Havana has not > completed a single unit > since 1999, and Latin Quarter, which began receiving > funds from the city in > 1995, won't be ready for another year. Miami Commissioner > Joe Sanchez said > the agency began Latin Quarter only after he threatened > to pull its > funding. Rodriguez-Tejera said the project started > because it was ready. > > The agency has had influential allies. Until December, > Ram n Sa l S nchez, > the head of the Democracy Movement, a Cuban exile > organization, was paid > more than $30,000 a year to manage properties for the > agency. He says he > left that job to be full-time manager of one of its > properties. > > And former Miami Commissioner Wifredo ``Willy'' Gort has > sat on their board > of directors for almost a decade. He served as > commissioner from 1993 to > 2001, when he ran unsuccessfully for mayor. > > City Attorney Alejandro Vilarello advised Gort about two > years ago that he > did not have a conflict of interest because he did not > collect a salary, so > Gort never abstained from voting on agency funding. > > Gort said he joined East Little Havana's board because he > considered the > housing agency a key to revitalizing the area. He said he > never benefited > financially from being on the board and touts the agency > as one of the most > productive. > > Angel Gonzalez, who replaced Gort on the commission, > recently resigned as > executive director of the Allapattah Business Development > Authority, one of > the agencies under scrutiny, to avoid a conflict. > > Gonzalez takes a hard stand against Warren's proposal: > ``Knowing the > difficulties and the problems these people have to go > through, I request > that we be very, very careful on how we address this > issue.'' > > Agency heads say getting funding is the most complicated > part of the > process. > > For example, East Little Havana's Casagrande project, > which created 82 > apartments priced between $68,000 and $95,000 in 1998, > had 11 different > sources of funding, Rodriguez-Tejera said. Between > projects, employees work > with low-income families to secure subsidized mortgages. > > But some commissioners have already taken action against > agencies. > Commissioners Johnny Winton and Tom s Regalado have > persuaded the > commission to stop giving money to six agencies in the > past two years. > > Winton last year recommended that the commission > eliminate funds to Coconut > Grove LDC, Edgewater Economic Development Corp. and > Rafael Hernandez > Housing & Economic Development, Winton and community > development > administrators said. > > The city had given those three agencies $959,000 in > administrative funding > since 1995, and they produced only three houses, > according to city records. > > ``Those particular agencies simply don't have the skill > sets to do > development,'' Winton said. > > Juan Jan , executive director of Edgewater, said the city > stopped funding > the corporation because it didn't have any other projects > lined up. > > Yvonne McDonald, president of Coconut Grove LDC, said her > agency partnered > with a private developer to do houses, instead of running > the construction > itself, and focused on finding financing for the families > that wanted to > buy. City records did not reflect the agency's > accomplishments, she said. > > Yanitza Torres-Kaplan, executive director of Rafael > Hernandez, said that > agency was not able to complete planned housing because > the city took more > than 18 months to deliver a deed on a lot it had donated > for development. > > Winton and community development administrators said that > the agency was > ``badly managed.'' Torres-Kaplan said it has changed its > management since > then. > > ``I don't want to sound like I'm angry at the city, but > in this project, I > feel it was grossly mismanaged on a city level, and they > were penalizing > the agencies for it,'' Torres-Kaplan said. > > Three other agencies lost funding last year on the > recommendation of > Regalado and Commissioner Arthur Teele Jr.: Florida > Housing, St. John > Community Development Corp. and Word of Life Community > Development Corp. > Together, they spent $989,720 in public funds on > administration since 1995. > > ``They had many complications and they had problems > obtaining other sources > of funding,'' Regalado said, referring to Florida > Housing. > > DELINQUENT LOANS > > Only Word of Life produced anything: two houses. But its > executive > director, Ralph Packingham, also owes the city $57,000 in > delinquent loans, > according to city records. Packingham said he is > negotiating loan payments > with the city and is not upset at the loss of funding > because he said Word > of Life is now focusing on economic development. > > David Days, president of St. John, said his agency never > broke ground on > its Lyric Village apartments because the city never > deeded the property to > it, making it almost impossible for the agency to find > financing. So the > project languished. > > Representatives of Florida Housing could not be reached > for comment. > > City officials have also raised questions about the > salaries of some > executive directors whose agencies are considered > unproductive. They are > paid between $50,000 and $98,000 a year. > > William Mauzy, executive director of BAME Development > Corp. of South > Florida, makes $63,500 a year. Since 1995, the city has > given him $393,577 > in administrative funds to pay his salary while he tries > to build a 40-unit > apartment building called New Hope Overtown. The > homeownership project has > yet to break ground. > > Mauzy said New Hope has been plagued by delays, and the > agency has focused > on site preparation and rezoning. > > Mauzy also received $100,000 in developer's fees - money > left over from a > project - for a different project he completed last year, > but failed to > report it to the city until this month, Warren said. > > City officials say federal law requires nonprofit housing > agencies to > report extra income to the city. > > ``I sleep at night,'' Mauzy said when asked what he did > with the > developer's fee. ``It ain't none of your business or > [Warren's] business. > You don't ask AT&T what they do with their money.'' > > > HOUSING COSTS AND RESULTS > Below is a breakdown of how much money Miami has given > agencies for > administrative costs in homeownership programs since > 1999, and what housing > they have completed since then. The list also notes those > agencies defunded > by the city. > * Allapattah Business > Development Authority > $150,000 since 1999 > 51 units proposed > 0 completed > * BAME Development Corp. > of South Florida Inc. > $181,077 since 1999 > 40 units proposed > 0 completed > * Coconut Grove LDC > $42,194 since 1999 > 10 units proposed > 0 completed > Defunded > * East Little Havana CDC > $972,340 since 1999 > 125 units proposed > 0 completed > * Edgewater EDC > $93,671 since 1999 > Two units proposed > Two completed > Defunded > * Florida Housing > $49,804 since 1999 > 32 units planned > 0 completed > Defunded > * Habitat for Humanity > of Greater Miami Inc. > $266,475 since 1999 > 20 units planned > 10 completed > * Jubilee CDC > $244,089 since 1999 > 131 units proposed > 0 completed > * Little Haiti Housing Association > $216,409 since 1999 > 35 units planned > 0 completed > * Model Housing Cooperative > $170,555 since 1999 > 32 units planned > 0 completed > * Rafael Hernandez > Housing & Economic Development > $98,229 since 1999 > Five units planned > 0 completed > Defunded > * St. John CDC > $250,000 since 1999 > 15 units planned > 0 completed > Defunded > * Word of Life > Community Development Corp. > $144,916 since 1999 > Five units planned > Two completed > Defunded > Source: Miami city records > > photo: Gwendolyn Warren (a), Wifredo Gort (Ran in FL > edition) (a), Angel > Gonzalez (Ran in FL edition) (a), Johnny Winton (Ran in > FL edition) (a), > Tom s Regalado (Ran in FL edition) (a) > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Mother's Day is May 12th! http://shopping.yahoo.com ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Message: 4 Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 07:13:04 -0700 (PDT) From: Grant Subject: Boston Mayor Menino, USCM and housing this article is pertinent -- Menino, as President of US Coference of Mayors, vows to make housing a central issue. (read below) --- Wayne Sherwood wrote: > > Boston Mayor Menino Named U.S. Conf. of Mayors President > > 7 May 13:10 > > Boston Mayor Menino Is New President of U.S. Conference > of Mayors; > Promotes Agenda for Working Families, Will Lead National > Housing Forum > > To: National Desk > > Contact: Andy Solomon of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, > 202-861-6766 > > BOSTON, May 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Thomas M. Menino, the > popular > third-term mayor of Boston, became President of the U.S. > Conference > of Mayors today. Menino said he will use his 13-month > tenure as > spokesman for the nation's 1139 mayors to promote the > needs of > America's working families. As a first step in this > effort, he > called for a National Housing Forum later this month to > build an > effective coalition and comprehensive set of policy > recommendations > to address the nation's affordable housing crisis. > > "When asked how I want to be remembered, I've always said > that I > want my legacy to be about people not skylines," said > Menino. > "That's why I have made education, housing, health care, > and > neighborhood revitalization my top priorities; that's > what matters > most to working families. As someone who always wants a > return on > his investment, I have found that investing in people > yields the > greatest results." > > The National Housing Forum will be held in Washington, > D.C. on May > 21-22. Participants will include former U.S. Secretary of > Housing and > Urban Development Henry Cisneros, current U.S. Secretary > of Housing > and Urban Development Mel Martinez (invited), mayors, > members of > Congress, housing policy advocates, and representatives > of the public > health, public education, labor, and business > communities. The forum > will assemble a diverse national coalition to help > address the > nation's affordable housing crisis. Mayors will discuss > and draft a > detailed set of policy recommendations to promote > production and > preservation of affordable workforce housing and > homeownership. > > Specific housing priorities to be addressed at the forum > include: > > -- Homeownership -- the highest homeownership rate in > history has > left minorities behind and purchasing a first home is an > impossible > financial challenge for many; > > -- Rental housing -- a critical problem for low- and > moderate-income individuals and families, with many > paying more than > 50 percent of their household income for rent; > > -- Public housing -- much of this housing stock is in > need of > rehabilitation, and its importance and effectiveness is > widely > misunderstood; and > > -- Preservation of low-income housing -- low-income > housing is > threatened by market forces. > > "Strong cities make a strong nation," said Menino. "It's > important > for mayors to be able to meet to share ideas and > experiences and to > plan for the future. And, in order to protect the future > of working > families, we need to create and maintain housing that's > affordable. > Cities can't do it alone. Everyone needs to do their part > to bring > relief to families who are being priced out." > > At a City Hall ceremony today, Menino was officially > handed the > gavel to signify his new leadership role by Boise Mayor > Brent Coles, > Conference President from 2000-2001. > > "Tom Menino has been an exceptional Mayor and he will be > an > exceptional President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors," > said Coles. > "We are fortunate to be able to call upon him and his > leadership > skills during this critical period for cities -- and the > entire > nation. I look forward to working with him." > > Founded in 1933, the U.S. Conference of Mayors is the > official > nonpartisan organization of cities with population of > 30,000 or more. > The primary roles of the Conference of Mayors are to: > > -- Promote the development of effective national > urban/suburban > policy; > -- Strengthen federal-city relationships; > -- Ensure that federal policy meets urban needs; > -- Provide mayors with leadership and management tools; > and > -- Create a forum in which mayors can share ideas and > information. > > Mayor Menino is the Conference's 60th President, > following three > other Boston mayors who have held the position -- Raymond > L. Flynn, > John B. Hynes, and James M. Curley. As President, Menino > will > preside at the Conference's 70th annual meeting in > Madison this June > and the 71st annual meeting in Denver in June, 2003. > > Also in attendance at today's event were Governor Jane > Swift; > Congressman Michael Capuano; Hempstead (NY) Mayor James > A. Garner, a > Republican who will serve as Vice President of the > Conference, > effective next month; Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, a > Trustee of the > Conference; North Little Rock Mayor Patrick Henry Hays, > also a > Trustee of the Conference; and Somerville Mayor Dorothy > Kelly Gay. > Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce Chairman Thomas > Hollister, Joe > Nigro, President of Greater Boston Building Trades, and > Reverend Ray > Hammond were among Mayor Menino's invited guests. > > Menino has earned a national reputation for getting > things done. > His priorities in Boston have included providing every > child a > quality education, creating affordable housing, lowering > the crime > rate, revitalizing Boston's neighborhoods, and promoting > a healthy > lifestyle for all city residents. In November, he was > recognized as > Public Official of the Year by Governing magazine, which > called him > "a champion of neighborhood commerce." > > "Mayors across the nation, Republicans and Democrats, > regularly > look to Boston to learn how Mayor Menino is successfully > applying > creative solutions and best practices to the most > difficult > challenges facing cities," said J. Thomas Cochran, > executive director > of the Conference. "His leadership is recognized and > valued across > the country." > > More information about the Conference is available online > at > http://www.usmayors.org. > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Shopping - Mother's Day is May 12th! http://shopping.yahoo.com ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/