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The Latest News
October 2016
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Hello housers,
Welcome to Housing America Month! October is the month that has been designated for Housing Authorities across the country to bring attention to the good work they do. As the Housing America Campaign nears its tenth anniversary, more and more agencies are participating in Housing America Month activities.
These activities have been as diverse and unique as the communities and PHAs are. Two years ago, our agency worked with our Mayor and city council to have October declared Housing America Month. This is a great starting point for those unsure where to begin with a Housing America Month activity! Other activities, across the country, have included beautification projects, ribbon cuttings, and tenant activities facilitated by the PHA. This year, our agency plans to open tiny libraries (a National Commissioners' Committee initiative) at two of our properties. These libraries will make books available, onsite, to the children we serve at each of these locations.
I hope you will consider planning a Housing America Month activity. Let us know what you did so we can share it with the region. In fact, PNRC has an exciting contest planned to increase participation this year! Look for details in the newsletter.
Best,
Sunny
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Regional News
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October is Housing America Month!
Housing America Month is a celebration of affordable housing each October where housing and community development agencies in the U.S. host events to highlight their work.
PNRC-NAHRO encourages all PHAs and community development organizations to host events that showcase the important work that you do. In October, tweet your events and stories about the impact that affordable housing has for Americans across the country to #WHAAT and #HousingAmericaMonth, please include @pnrc_nahro.
PNRC-NAHRO wants to raise awareness of any activity that you and your agencies are doing during the month of October. If you have any Groundbreaking Ceremonies, Property Openings, Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies, Beautification Projects, Resident Activities, Proclamations or other celebrations, please let us know so that we can make sure to acknowledge your efforts on behalf of Housing America. These events will be highlighted regionally and nationally as examples of the amazing work that we do-and how these activities strengthen families and communities.
PNRC-NAHRO is known for leading the way. Let's show the rest of the country all of the great things happening in our region. Please let us know about any activities (big or small) that you are doing that represents our mission of "building communities together". PNRC's goal is to have at least one activity to showcase every single day. We know that you are all a bit competitive so we will share your activity with the region in an effort to inspire others to have an activity and share it with the region.
If your agency has an event and you let PNRC know about it by contacting Regional Service Officer, Kristen Damazio at [email protected], your agency will be entered into a drawing to receive ONE FREE registration to the PNRC Annual Conference in Portland April 23-25, 2017 ($260 value).
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Washington Secures Federal Support
to Transform Health System
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Better health. Better care.
Lower costs.
October 3, 2016 -
Today Gov. Jay Inslee announced
Washington State has reached a preliminary agreement in principle with
the federal government on a Medicaid Transformation demonstration
waiver.
The Medicaid Transformation demonstration is intended to improve the
health of Washingtonians by focusing on prevention and proactive
management for health conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular
disease, obesity, and mental illness. This five-year, $1.5 billion
demonstration will also accelerate reforms that pay providers for
better health outcomes.
Click here for more information.
Pam Thompson Ce
leb
rates 30 Years
at Northeast Oregon Housing Authority
PNRC would like to congratulate Pam Thompson for 30 years at the Northeast Oregon Housing Authority.
We asked her to provide a few thoughts about this
amazing milestone.
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| Pam Thompson and Dale Inslee |
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The last 30 years have gone by so fast. I have grown up at the Housing Authority.
I started as a Part-Time Secreta
ry in 1986 and then promoted to Full-Time Accountant 4 months later.
I have been a member of NAHRO for as long as I have been employed. I have been on the Cascade Chapter Board for 20 years and PNRC Executive Board for 15 years. I have held many positions, and been on so many committees, it is hard for me to count. You see, I am a person that can't say "No", when it comes to helping and contributing to our cause.
Every day, I am so humbled to know and work
with the people I do. I knew when I started here, that this was going to be a career. I have an overwhelming passion for helping children and families through working at the Housing Authority and as Co-Local Program Coordinator for Special Olympics Oregon. It is so rewarding to know that what I do does make a difference in our community and our state.
Thank You to the Northeast Oregon Housing Authority Executive Director; Dale Inslee and our wonderful staff for the recognition on my 30th Anniversary.
Leanne Trappen Appointed as Executive Director
of Twin Falls Housing Authority
As the Director over family stability programs with South Central Community Action Partnersh
ip in Twin Falls, Leanne has achieved over twenty-three years' experience working with programs that
help people with limited income improve their lives. Those programs focused on homeless
prevention and rapid re-housing to reduce the cost of homelessness and provide opportunity for families and individuals to reach their goal. Through intensive case management, debt reduction and basic budgeting was essential for families and individuals to maintain housing stability. As a grant-writer for over twenty years she was responsible for the development, implementation, evaluation and outcome reporting of programs targeting the needs of the community concerning the population we served. Through this effort, she was able to secure the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) contract, one of the two SSVF Programs based in Idaho.
She represents the eight counties of south central Idaho as a voting Board member with the Idaho Homeless Coordination Council and as the Chair for the South Central Idaho Housing Council for over 16 years. She is currently serving on the IHCC Coordinated Entry Committee, served previously on the Strategic Planning and Continuum of Care Committees. She is a Board member for The Salvation Army in Twin Falls and appointed to their Strategic Planning committee. Over the years she has represented the needs of the economically challenged on many platforms, from city planning meetings, business and civic groups, college students, health care providers, financial institutions and faith-based organizations in an effort to educate and collaborate for healthier communities.
She is excited to put her energy and experience to use promoting Twin Falls & Jerome Housing Authority's role in the community by providing safe, affordable permanent housing for many who may not have the ability to obtain or maintain housing independently. Leanne looks forward to continuing to provide housing opportunities and educate the community regarding the need for additional safe, affordable housing in Idaho.
Janus is gearing up to expand its current Yellow Brick Road street outreach program operating in the Vancouver/Clark County area. Thanks to funding through Cowlitz County and a Washington State Department of Commerce grant (Office of Homeless Youth Street Youth Services), we will open our first homeless youth outreach program in Cowlitz County this fall in partnership with the Housing Opportunities of Southwest Washington (HOSWWA). Services will be located in Longview and target youth under age 18.
A growing homeless youth population in the cities of Longview and Kelso has raised concerns from local residents and county officials about the lack of services to support these youth. Recognizing this service gap, HOSWWA reached out to Janus for help. Eager to partner with HOSWWA, Janus will deliver services similar to those offered in Vancouver-a Mobile Street Outreach program designed to find homeless youth and help them connect to local resources. Plans are also underway to create an outreach center like The Perch which Janus operates in Vancouver, where youth can access meals, showers, laundry services, internet and phone services. Once the program is staffed, outreach workers will begin by identifying youth in Cowlitz County who are homeless and assess their needs. Emergency housing will initially be provided through Janus' Oak Bridge Youth Shelter in Vancouver. Long term, plans will be developed to implement more targeted services for youth in Cowlitz County.
HACSA's Hope Loop Project Recognized at the Oregon Opportunity Network Industry Gala
On September 12th, in Portland the Oregon Opportunity Network hosted their annual Gala event. HACSA's Hope Loop project was awarded in the Golden Key recognition, this award is presented to honor a home ownership project that best demonstrates innovation and the ideals of affordability and quality of design.
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Sean Hubert (Board Chair Oregon ON), Spencer McCoy(HACSA), Steve Ochs (HACSA), Jerome Brooks (Executive Director Oregon On)
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In this project, HACSA has partnered with a design-build program at the University of Oregon, Oregon BILDS. The project is a collaborative enterprise with a purpose to produce seven single-family units of affordable housing. To initiate the partnership, HACSA and OregonBILDS subdivided a parcel into nine lots. The partners then entered into an agreement that HACSA would donate up to seven lots upon successful completion and sale of each single-family home on a lot. Upon completion, the home is sold to qualified low-income families. While HACSA provides initial development funds and assistance and Oregon BILDS fulfills the role of the design and construction team through their design-build curriculum.
Earlier this year, the Oregon State Legislature lifted a 20-year ban on the ability for local jurisdictions to implement mandatory inclusionary zoning for multifamily rental and for-sale development. Since then, the Portland Housing Bureau has developing an inclusionary housing program for the city of Portland. While Portland City Council will take up the question of enactment in December, City Commissioner Dan Saltzman, who oversees the Portland Housing Bureau, released his program recommendations in September. These draft recommendations would require any building with 20 or more housing units to make at least 20% of its units affordable to those making 80% of the Area Median Income, with a deeper affordability option of 10% of the housing units at 60% AMI. The City is proposing incentives to offset the cost of the affordable units which differ based on the property's zoning and base floor area ratio. These incentives include density and height bonuses, reductions in parking requirements, 10-year residential property tax exemptions, impact fee waivers, and other tax and fee exemptions. The proposal is currently making its way through the City's Planning and Sustainability Commission before heading to City Council in December.
In addition, the bureau celebrated the grand openings of two new affordable housing developments last month-the Abigail and Miracles Central-representing a total of 202 new housing units.
 The Abigail:
The six-story Abigail apartments opened in the Pearl District this September, adding 155 new homes for families and individuals in one of Portland, Oregon's most vibrant and amenity-rich neighborhoods. The mixed-use, mixed-income development combines a range of unit sizes, from studios to three-bedrooms, including 128 apartments affordable for families earning 30 - 60% of the Area Median Income.
Amenities include two landscaped courtyards, a children's play area, laundry rooms on each floor, and underground parking. Ankrom Moisan Architects designed the building to achieve a rigorous Gold-level "LEED for Homes" certification. Among the building's extensive sustainability features are air shafts lined with sheet metal to reduce leakage, saving up to 20% of energy needed to heat and cool hallways.
Resident services provided by local nonprofit Impact NW include financial literacy, community meetings, an after-school homework club, as well as connections to employment services, food banks, and other resources.
The Abigail is the first Oregon project developed by California-based BRIDGE Housing, a nationally reco
gnized nonprofit developer, owner, and manager of affordable housing.
Miracles Central:
This new
six-story apartment building in NE Portland's Lloyd District is the
result of a collaboration between Central City Concern-
a
nonprofit serving people impacted by homelessness, poverty, and addictions-and Miracles Club, a recovery-based organization focused on Portland's African-American community. In addition to 47 units of affordable housing ranging from studios to two-bedrooms, Miracles Central will also provide on-site supportive services for residents, including recovery support.
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Looking for a new job or just want to see what's out there?
Bookmark the Job Openings page on our website to see.
Positions are updated regularly.
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Wednesday, October 26 to Friday, October 28, 2016 - Boise, ID
Now, as never before, it is imperative that Housing Authorities accurately determine income and calculate rent accurately. HUD, by PIH Notice 2007-27 (HA) Disallowed Costs and Sanctions from On-site Monitoring Reviews, is monitoring agencies and enforcing penalties for errors. The training will cover the issues of: factors of eligibility, denial of assistance, screening, determination of unit size, non-discrimination/equal opportunity, annual income, income form assets, income exclusions, adjusted income, verification of factors affecting eligibility and rent, TTP, maximum initial rent burden, maximum subsidy, rents and payments, prorated assistance, minimum rent, imputed welfare income, and earned income disallowance.
Uniform Physical Condition Standards (UPCS) Training
w/ Certification Exam
Monday, November 7 to Wednesday, November 9, 2016 - Renton, WA
Provides participants with the knowledge and skills needed to properly inspect Public Housing Agency (PHA) Program units. This interactive and comprehensive training, which discusses specifications of the Public Housing Assessment System (PHAS) and the inspector's roles and responsibilities, enhances participants' knowledge of and abilities to meet new challenges and procedures related to using Uniform Physical Condition Standards. This training now incorporates NAHRO's Ethics for Specialist module, making it more convenient than ever to meet the requirements for the CSI-UPCS certification
Nan McKay FSS Certification Training
McMinnville, OR November 8-10
Bring NAHRO Training to Your Agency - Including e-Learning!
Did you know that you can bring almost any NAHRO seminar and certification product to your agency? If multiple members of your agency's staff require professional education, contracting with NAHRO for an on-site training can be a smart - and affordable - investment. The on-site approach allows instructors to devote more time to issues that are specific to your organization. The on-site approach also reduces or eliminates travel time along with lodging and transportation costs for your staff. And, depending upon the number of staff members that participate in the training, the per-person cost for the training product can be significantly lower than our regular registration fee. New for 2016, we can also make many of our e-Learning sessions available to your agency through our on-site model.
Whatever your training needs, NAHRO will work with you to design an on-site program that meets your budget and is scheduled with your agency's calendar in mind. For more information, please contact Kristen Damazio, Regional Service Officer at [email protected] or call 202-580-7203.
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