March Newsletter

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

Do you see the 2015 PNRC Annual Conference as an opportunity to learn from your peers? Are there local, state or federal policies that are affecting how you provide services to your community? Are there affordable housing providers, outside the United States, which can provide lessons helpful to your issues? I encourage you to consider the opportunities available at this year's conference. Sign up today to take advantage of the early bird discount on conference and seminar fees!

There will be several opportunities to network with your peers, beginning with the welcome reception Sunday evening. In addition, PNRC is championing a national initiative to raise the 20 percent cap

on project basing of vouchers, as a result of your feedback. Finally, there will be a contingent from South Africa who will be presenting some affordable housing lessons they have learned. I look forward to networking with each of you at this year's conference.

Thank you for reading and I look forward to your feedback,

Lowel Krueger, President

Join us in Seattle May 18th & 19th

People, Purpose & Passion

2015 PNRC Annual Conference

We have returned to a two-day conference with a scholarship fundraising golf tournament, service project and welcome reception the day before the conference and professional development seminars for two days after the conference.

We hope our low conference fee of $250 ($275 non-members) will encourage you to participate. Your conference fee includes Welcome Reception on Sunday, all sessions, breakfast, breaks and lunch on Monday and Tuesday and Exhibitors' Reception on Tuesday.

To encourage maximum participation from your organization

we are offering Buy 5 Get 1 FREE.

TRACKS & WORKSHOPS

Commissioners & Executives

Board Meeting Procedures and Best Policies
HR Management Dos and Don'ts
PHA's Role in Ending Veteran Homelessness
Using GIS to Address Fair Housing
Risk Management
Using Technology to Strengthen Your Message

Family Self Sufficiency

FSS in the Move to Work Environment
FSS Roundtable
FSS 101
FSS Case Management Best Practices
Strengthening FSS Program Performance
HUD Talks FSS

Maintenance

Integrated Pest Control Best Practices
Customer Service
Hazards Materials: Safety and Certifications
Preparation for REAC
Inventory Control and Management
Preventive Maintenance

Move to Work

Roundtable on Education Program and Affordable Housing
What Data Really Tells the Story?
Lessons Learned from non-MTW Agencies
Targeting and Implementing Programs for Special Populations
Families, Housing and Health
Successfully Implementing Rent Reform

Occupancy and Asset Management

Voucher Program Case Management
PHAS Overview
SEMAP Overview
Landlord Relations
VASH Program
Financial Overview for Non-Financial Staff

POST CONFERENCE SEMINARS

Ethics and the Housing and Community Development Commissioner - $250/$275

Excellence in Customer Service - $325/$360

Casterline Financial Management Update - $430/$475

CONFERENCE HOTEL

DoubleTree at Seattle Tacoma International Airport

Rooms at $139 per night
Self parking $10 per night

For room reservations CLICK HERE

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Sunday, May 17th

Scholarship Fundraising Golf Tournament at Riverbend Golf Complex

Local Service Project (location to be determined)

Welcome Reception

Monday, May 18th

Breakfast and visit with exhibitors

Opening General Session Sponsored by HARRP with Motivational Humorist Sharon Lacey

Break and visit with exhibitors

Concurrent Sessions - Tracks include: Commissioners & Executives, Family Self Sufficiency, Maintenance, Move to Work and Occupancy and Asset Management

Lunch with Washington Update by NAHRO CEO Saul Ramirez

Break and visit with exhibitors

Concurrent Sessions

Exhibitors' Reception Sponsored by Yardi Systems

Scholarship Fundraising Movie - "Brick by Brick", a civil rights story

Tuesday, May 19th

Breakfast and visit with exhibitors

Concurrent Sessions

Break and visit with exhibitors

Concurrent Sessions

Lunch with Annual Meeting and 50/50 Raffle Drawing

Break and visit with exhibitors
Concurrent Sessions

BECOME A SPONSOR!

Sponsorship of our conference is an excellent way to support our mission of "Building Communities Together" and your financial support ensures that we can continue to provide education and advocacy to the public housing leadership in the our region.

Our conference provides a significant amount of training and skill-building to our members even during these very difficult fiscal times and want to be able to continue providing the best trainings possible.

Although many of our conference costs will be covered by seminar registrations, the overall success of the conference and PNRC is dependent on contributions from PNRC's supporters.

Click here for Sponsorship Opportunities

BE AN EXHIBITOR

Showcase your business to Affordable Housing Industry Leaders by being an Exhibitor at our conference.

Click here for the Exhibitor Prospectus

CLICK HERE to register!

Thank you to HARRP for being a

2015 Conference Platinum Sponsor

REGIONAL NEWS

Affordable Housing for Close-in Southeast Portland

An area adjacent to workforce jobs that has very limited housing opportunities for those workers will benefit from a collaborative effort by St. Francis of Assisi Church, Catholic Charities, and Home Forward.

The new apartment community, St. Francis Park, will be located in a close-in Southeast Portland neighborhood on open space adjacent to the church. The $20 million development will result in 102 affordable apartments, 25 of which will be reserved for domestic violence victims and women experiencing homelessness. Home Forward, which is contributing $1.1 million in equity, is a co-sponsor on the development project and a limited partner in the ownership of the community. Construction is slated to begin in fall 2015.

Learn more about St. Francis Park.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Pocatello Finds Home for Homeless Vets

Pocatello Housing Authority

Mayors across the country accepted a challenge to end veterans homelessness.Last week, Pocatello Mayor Brian Blad announced the city has now housed all identified homeless veterans in the area, thanks to the efforts of a local task force.

When Blad took on the challenge back in June, he felt it was the human thing to do.

"We've been able to actually put them in hard-walled buildings and we've been able to get them all off the streets," said Blad.

The task force is composed of several local agencies and organizations that deal with housing, veterans, or both. Together, they worked closely with landlords, encouraging them to rent to veterans and making them aware of the problem. They also created a newsletter and an emergency services informational card.

Sunny Shaw, Pocatello Housing Authority
Executive Director

Thanks to the collaboration, Sunny Shaw, executive director of the Housing Authority of the city of Pocatello, said the agencies and organizations are more aware of each others' services.

"If we aren't able to assist when we get a phone call, we actually know who to refer that veteran to so they can get assistance," Shaw said.

Click here for full story and video

Click here for other coverage

________________________________________________________________________________________

Nampa Housing Authority gets $183,540

Andy Rodriguez, Nampa Housing Authority Executive Director

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development last week awarded $183,540 to the Nampa Housing Authority to help public housing residents find job opportunities. It was one of 110 organizations - housing authorities, tribal organizations and non-profits - awarded a part of the $35.7 million total distributed.

The grant will allow the Nampa Authority to hire or retain service coordinators to help residents achieve economic and housing independence. It is provided through HUD's Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency-Service Coordinators Program, which helps residents assess their needs and connect them with education, job training and placement programs. For an elderly or disabled resident, the service coordinator arranges supportive services that allow them to maintain independence.

________________________________________________________________________________________

WSHFC Approves Funding for 613 Units

By Affordable Housing Finance Staff

The Washington State Housing Finance Commission has approved $110 million in financing to three developments that will provide more than 600 affordable apartments.

The developments will be built in King and Snohomish counties, and the approved financing, which includes tax-exempt mortgage-backed revenue bonds and low-income housing tax credits (LIHTCs), ensures that the housing will remain affordable for 30 to 40 years.

The three projects are:

* University Commons in Seattle- A partnership between the Low Income Housing Institute and YouthCare, this new building will feature 48 apartments targeted to homeless youth and others. The apartments will be above a new facility for the U-District Food Bank and a caf�, both of which will provide job-readiness and job-skill training for the building's young adults. The approved financing will provide $8.7 million in estimated LIHTC equity This is the first allocation from the 2015 tax credit competition.

* Scriber Creek Apartments in Snohomish County near Lynnwood-This complex will create 276 units for families earning up to 60% of the area median income, while protecting nearby wetlands that buffer Scriber Creek. Developer DevCo will incorporate units set aside for people with disabilities or large households. The development will receive about $44.4 million in bonds and $12.9 million in estimated LIHTC equity.

* The Reserve at SeaTac-Just three blocks from a new light-rail station currently being built south of Sea-Tac Airport, this senior-living apartment complex will add 289 affordable units for seniors. The affordable housing complements a 2-million-square-foot office, retail, and conference hotel project also planned near the station in the transit-oriented development zone. Developer AVS Communities will receive about $33 million in bonds and $11.2 million in estimated LIHTC equity.

_______________________________________________________________________________________