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Weekly Update
May 26, 2017

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In this Issue:

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SHA News
Action Alert: Contact City Council and Board of Supervisors to Support Housing FundingBoomerang

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In the midst of the worst housing crisis in the history of the City and the County of Sacramento, we urgently need  to continue the momentum to address Sacramento's housing crisis by dedicating all Residual Redevelopment Property Tax Revenue (former redevelopment money known as "Boomerang" funds) to the development of affordable homes on an ongoing basis. Boomerang funds represent a rare opportunity for Sacramento: a funding stream available now, which can be bonded against; used to leverage other funding; and will grow over time, lessening any  new housing program's impact on the General Fund. Redevelopment is gone, and with it the low and moderate income housing fund that was once Sacramento's largest and most significant source of local funding for affordable homes. These funds were once allocated to affordable housing by law; we now urge the City and County to dedicate these funds by choice, as dozens of cities and counties in California have already done.

Action Alert:
Email your City Councilmember and/or Supervisor to encourage them to use Boomerang funds to help end our regional housing crisis.  Sacramento Housing Alliance has drafted letter templates for both City Council and the Board of Supervisors; we encourage you to use these in emailing your local electeds. Please copy Veronica Beaty, SHA's Land Use & Policy Director, at veronica@sachousingalliance.org, when sending your letter to your City Councilmember and/or Supervisor.

To find your City Councilmember, click here. To find your Supervisor, click here. For the City Council letter template, click here. For the Board of Supervisors letter template, click here.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact Veronica at (916)455-4900 x 306 or veronica@sachousingalliance.org.
SHA Presents to County Board of Supervisors to Preserve SHRA Joint Powers Authority SHRA

May 24, 2017 - Recently, as reported by The Sacramento Bee, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors considered the future of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency which included potentially dissolving a critical piece of our local housing infrastructure. If the Board continued on this path, SHA believed this move could prove to be disastrous to the number of initiatives and activities addressing the homelessness and affordability crises. All of this collaborative work is being carried out in the context of dwindling federal funds and great uncertainty at the state level.

On Wednesday evening, SHA staff and board members spoke to the importance of the Agency but also provided recommendations on ways they could improve on their services (read our letter here). Given our unique position in the community to assess and speak to the broad regional needs for housing, we advocated for the structure of the Agency to remain as is and that the elected bodies should address issues of accountability and transparency. In the end, the Board directed County staff to evaluate the merits of having a limited number of JPA members with an equitable distribution of elected officials from both the County and City of Sacramento. They also directed staff to explore the Agency's workplan and make recommendations for improving on the delivery of their mission through the services and programs they provide. SHA was pleased to see the County take the direction of mending, not ending SHRA. Now is the time for more collaboration, not less, as we all work together to bring an end to these crises.
77 New Affordable Homes Coming Del Paso HeightsDelPaso


May 23, 2017 - City Council, at the urging of Sacramento Housing Alliance and allies  voted to allow the sale of 4 parcels of city land to Volunteers of America, who will develop 77 critically needed affordable units in the space. SHA celebrates the news, in the midst of our regional housing crisis, of additional affordable housing development

For further reading from coverage by Capital Public Radio, click here.
AB71 Passes Committee: SHA Joins Residents United Network Led Lobby Effort AB71

Housing California-A priority bill to address housing affordability this legislative session, the Bring California Home Act (AB 71, Chiu), passed 7-3 in the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee on May 15, with all democrats voting in favor. AB 71 will provide an additional $300 million to the state Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program to be paid for by eliminating the state mortgage interest deduction on vacation homes.

The Residents United Network (RUN), a project of Housing California and the Center for Community Change, brought more than a dozen residents and advocates to the hearing to testify in support of the bill, helping to secure difficult votes. RUN simultaneously led a Twitter Storm, #shelterfromtherain, to continue to amplify the need for state reinvestment in affordable homes.

Action!
We still need your support to make sure the bill gets out of Appropriations and off the Assembly floor! Take Action to send online support letters for AB 71 to your district in seconds. Urge your legislators to support a housing package!
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Upcoming Events
"Essentials of Fair Housing" Course for Rental Owners and Managers     
RHAfair
   

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This free course provides an overview of both federal and state fair housing laws, and it identifies the most common forms of housing discrimination. Its purpose is to help prevent discrimination in rental housing. The information is ideally suited for anyone unfamiliar with the fair housing laws and the serious consequences of fair housing violations. The course is being offered nine times as a public service of local governments, fair housing organizations, and the Rental Housing Association. 

For the convenience of rental owners and managers, this course is being offered on several dates and at locations throughout the Sacramento area
  • Wednesday, May 31
  • Monday, June 5
  • Thursday, June 8
  • Monday, June 19
  • Friday, June 23 & Friday, June 30 (two-part webinar)  
For more information and registration details, contact John Foley of Sacramento Self-Help Housing at jfoley@sacselfhelp.org .
World Relief: Employment Program KickoffworldRelief


Register Now! SHA Summer Mixer, June 15th, 5-7PMNews1    
  

Join us Thursday, June 15th from 5-7PM for a no host happy hour at the Porch to meet with fellow Sacramento housing professionals, volunteers, and tenants, including new Sacramento Housing Alliance staff. This event provides a unique, can't miss opportunity to network with the Sacramento housing community. 20% of any tabs from our group will be donated to SHA. Just remember to tell your server you are participating in the GroupRaise SHA Event! 

While this event is free, please register here ahead of time as space will be limited.*

If you have any questions, please contact Aileen Joy, Sacramento Housing Alliance's Communications & Events Director, at aileen@sachousingalliance.org.

*Link not working? Paste this address into your browser:
http://www.sachousingalliance.webconnex.com/summermixer.
Building Up Tour: Lemon Hilllemonhill

Thursday, June 15. 11AM-12PM. This one-hour tour will showcase Mutual Housing at Lemon Hill. located in South Sacramento, near Highway 99 and Stockton Boulevard. Opened in 2005, this property offers on-site amenities to its residents, such as a large community room for classes, meetings and social events, a computer learning lab, a children's play area and newly expanded community gardens.

To register, click here.
Save the Date: Rural Housing Summit 2017 Events.RuralHous   
  

Save the date for the 2017 Rural Housing Summit.  November 8th-10th at Asilomar  Retreat Center, in Pacific Grove, CA.  For a sample of the structure and content of this event, please refer to the 2016 brochure.
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Jobs
Housing and Community Development Hiring Deputy Director HCD

Career Executive Assignment: Final Filing Date: 6/8/2017

Job description:This is a full-time position. Under the direction of the Director and Chief Deputy Director (Exempt), the Deputy Director of the Administration and Management Division plans, organizes and directs all Departmental, administrative and support functions, and management initiatives.

Please click on the link to view the announcement for  Deputy Director, Administration and Management Division.
Mutual Housing California Job ListingsPropertyManager


Mutual Housing California was created in 1988 to catalyze revitalization of low income communities by strengthening neighborhood assets-both through housing and resident involvement. The organization formed as a partnership of neighborhood residents, business representatives, housing advocates, and local government.

To support these exciting efforts, Mutual Housing California and Mutual Housing Management are seeking passionate individuals for the following positions:
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News and Further Reading

Seeking Shelter Solutions: Marin Co. Convent Houses Homeless FamiliesMarin


The San Francisco Chronicle, May 15, 2017 : As Sacramento investigates creative solutions to our local housing crisis, statewide nonprofits, faith communities, and elected officials are seeking the same. In Marin County, an order of Dominican Sisters is challenging local zoning and a few irate neighbors in order to house two mothers and their children for a period of two years as they transition from homelessness. In January of 2017, the Dominican Sisters of San Rafael received a permit for their shelter project.

For the full article, click here

CDBG Block Grants Under Threat In Trump Budget: Lawmakers Object CDBG


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The New York Times, May 22, 2017: " Trump's 2018 budget blueprint calls for abolishing the 4-decade-old program, saying it's not well targeted to poor areas and hasn't demonstrated results. It was among billions of dollars in proposed cuts to domestic and foreign aid programs aimed at offsetting more spending for the military and border security.

But a number of Republican lawmakers who oversee government spending told The Associated Press they oppose eliminating the block grants, which fund programs in their districts."

For the full article, click here.

West Dallas Landlord Sells 130 Homes to Tenants Facing Eviction Dallas

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The Dallas Observer, May 22, 2017: "The deal announced Monday means the current tenants, mostly poor and working African-American and Hispanic families, will remain in their homes in an area where land values are soaring and gentrification is rampant."
 
For the full article, click here .

President's FY18 Housing Budget at a Glancebudget

Prepared by National Low Income Housing Coalition, this useful  chart compares the FY15, FY16, FY17, and proposed FY18 housing budgets.
ARE YOU AN SHA MEMBER? LET US SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT YOUR WORK. 
 
One of the benefits of 2017 membership with the Sacramento Housing Alliance is a commitment from us to share inspiring, informative announcements about your work making our community a better place. If you are a current member, please send us event invitations, news articles and job postings to  aileen@sachousingalliance.org .
 
JOIN THE SACRAMENTO HOUSING ALLIANCE
 

 
Our mission is to work for safe, decent, accessible, affordable housing and healthy communities for homeless and low-income people through advocacy, education, leadership development and civic engagement.
 
Sacramento Housing Alliance
909 12th Street, Suite 114, Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 455-4900