HumanGood’s Post

Affordable housing is hard to achieve, which is why we need people like Gregory Heller to help lead the way. Learn about Heller, his career, and where we can go from here: https://ow.ly/ZCwP50QwpkW #AffordableHousing #CommunityDevelopment

Doing the BEST we can to get this HOUSING BUILT - Many times, by Wednesday, we are EXHAUSTED! Making sure that we are Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (should have been done since 1968, but wasn't) making sure that REDLINING does NOT continue (I work diligently at this!) and housing that is being built is NOT placed in POVERTY concentrated areas OR areas of Environmental hazards - AND we make SURE that each of the 539 cities/towns and 58 counties within the STATE OF CALIFORNIA integrate AFFORDABLE housing and HOUSING MADE MORE AFFORDABLE (YES, those are TWO (2) SEPARATE THINGS) into their HOUSING DNA- . The goal of the State is to build 2,000,000 NEW HOUSING UNITS by 2030 which means....WE'RE WORKING HARD, ALL OF US HERE AT HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT (STATE OF CALIFORNIA). Since 2021, almost 200,000 new housing units have been built with many more to come! The REST is UP TO YOU and YOUR INDIVIDUAL CITY OR TOWN.... YOU MUST HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE! You can check what your City/Town is building by going to https://www.hcd.ca.gov - go to Housing Elements, pull up your city/town and it will tell you all you need to know. This is PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. :)

Terwilliger Center Advisory Committee members Henry Cisneros and Steve Stivers recently penned an excellent op-ed for Newsweek. The piece explores the unique opportunity before Congress and the administration to leverage previously appropriated funds to create a demonstration program aimed at streamlining the construction of affordable housing. The pressing need for such initiatives cannot be overstated. While estimates vary, the United States has underbuilt housing by millions of units over the past 15 years. This shortage has led to a significant rise in housing costs.    The proposed demonstration program prioritizes responsible deregulation, fostering public-private partnerships, and increasing access to affordable housing in opportunity-rich neighborhoods. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eztVd3WH  

I like this opinion piece, especially this suggestion, “Such a demonstration program would be launched in eight to 10 geographically diverse communities, selected through a multi-agency "notice of funding availability." When choosing communities, agencies would prioritize those demonstrating a significant need for more affordable homes and anticipating both job and population growth from recent federal investments. Communities that receive funding would commit to removing local regulatory barriers—such as exclusionary land use and zoning regulations, environmental impact reviews, and parking minimums—that can add to construction timelines and project costs. In turn, the federal agencies involved would streamline federal regulations that impair the swift construction of affordable housing, while maintaining those needed to ensure safety, fair housing, and accountability.” It can work. We had this opportunity as part of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development when the City of Rockford Illinois was a SC2 community, but we squandered it and got too mired down in working to kill a project, vs recognizing the need to change the systems of housing. #BeTheChange #DataMatters #ResearchBased

The Town of Los Gatos announces the 6th Cycle (2023-2031) Draft Housing Element meets all statutory requirements for State Certification per the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) letter received May 3, 2024. The document can be viewed at https://lnkd.in/g4DNy8dn. As required by AB 215, the preliminary review revisions to the Draft Revised Housing Element will be made available to the public for a seven-day review period prior to a formal resubmittal to HCD. The seven-day public review period will run concurrently with the public noticing for the Planning Commission’s consideration of the Housing Element.  On May 22, 2024, the Planning Commission will consider the Draft Revised Housing Element, and will make a recommendation to the Town Council.  On June 4, 2024, the Town Council will consider the Planning Commission’s recommendation and take action on the Draft Revised Housing Element. Once adopted by Town Council, the Housing Element will then be submitted to HCD. Public comments can be sent to heupdate@losgatosca.gov.

Henry Cisneros and Steve Stivers take notice! Veteran Housing Corp applauds all efforts to build affordable housing but would challenge the US Congress and every local, state, and federal housing agency or affordable housing developer to do better in 2024 and beyond. Veteran Housing Corp demands permanent affordability for all projects receiving government funding, subsidies, tax credits, or other incentives! Veteran Housing Corp demands transparency and every local, state, and federal government agency and other stakeholders MUST provide answers to questions about the housing projects that are built with government funding, subsidies, tax credits, or incentives, including the following: 1. How much funding, federal tax credits, or government benefits or incentives from all government sources did the projects receive? 2. What is the affordability period for each project? 3. What guarantees exist that tenants will not be displaced after the "affordability period expires? Every local, state, and federal housing authority and affordable or workforce housing stakeholder should adopt the State of Vermont's "permanent affordability" policy as a model for all future government funded or subsidized housing projects or developments, no exceptions!  https://lnkd.in/eFEUC8c8 Additionally, local, state and federal housing agencies should look to the Helsinki, FINLAND MODEL of ending homelessness by providing affordable housing for all 'It’s a miracle': Helsinki's radical solution to homelessness https://lnkd.in/er9HZSQU U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development AGREES THAT adopting FINLAND'S MODEL OF ERADICATING HOMELESSNESS may be of great value to resolving the affordable housing and homelessness crises in America https://lnkd.in/gkSZWYRU

A new Utah Foundation survey, sponsored by Call to Action Foundation, shows that municipal officials and staff are generally in favor of fostering affordable housing in their communities. However, they see the most substantial barrier to affordable housing is community opposition. “Decisions on which affordable projects get approved and which don’t often come down to city officials with varying levels of knowledge,” said Drew Maggelet, Director of Housing for Call to Action Foundation. “By surveying city officials on affordable housing, we learn more about where most decision-makers are on the topic and how developers and other stakeholders can educate and dispel common misconceptions. The more that all Utahns understand, the more likely they will be to embrace the benefits of building affordable housing in their backyard.” Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/gShCZne4

Critical real estate assets held by faith-based organizations could soon transform New York City's housing landscape. Mayor Eric Adams' innovative plan to help these organizations build affordable housing opens up new possibilities for incorporating social good into the city’s urban fabric. By updating zoning laws, the plan facilitates the conversion of existing properties, like old convents and school buildings, into much-needed housing. It offers a potential resolution to the mounting housing crisis while simultaneously providing a sustainable revenue source for faith-based organizations. Discover more about this initiative and consider what such cross-sector collaborations could mean for the future of city development. Read more --> https://lnkd.in/gHJJJ3yx #UrbanDevelopment #AffordableHousing #SocialGood #FaithFacts

Here is the Newsday TV coverage of the Town of Hempstead's decision to scale back the Inwood and Lawrence TOD zoning. Vision's Director was quoted but only a portion of what he said was included so in essence the message is: We see the pushback to multifamily and TOD zoning due to heavy pressure from NYC and NYS interests to overrule local zoning. This pushback is not only in the Town of Hempstead but in a number of places since mandates were proposed over the last 4 years. Essentially a top down regional strategy employed over these last 4 years to push housing is not successful and we need to get back to Planning Locally which produced over 17,000 units of mostly rental housing approved in nearly 50 communities across Long Island. Before the NYS and regional mandates were proposed 4 out of 5 (80%) project hearings for TOD's had more community supporters than opponents . During and after the mandates that number is now 50%. What is needed is investment in very hyper local planning, community outreach, and real trust building. NYS can stay out of zoning but assist in other ways by getting us our fair share of infrastructure dollars, planning and subsidies for affordable housing. The good news is that even with the repeal the Town of Hempstead still has an opportunity to allow for growth project by project in Inwood and Lawrence. https://lnkd.in/eSHZUe7r

A comprehensive, authoritative essay by David Burney, former chief architect for the New York City Housing Authority, on what ails NYC's vast system of public housing: "So there appear to be two main problems facing NYCHA: how to stimulate (i.e., subsidize) production of housing at a level affordable for the thousands of families on its waiting list, and how to sustain the current public housing program and steer it out of its current fiscal crisis." From Housing the Nation, edited by Alexander Gorlin and Victoria Newhouse. https://lnkd.in/erNe-Pxh