From housingminnesota at mhponline.org Tue Feb 3 13:58:00 2004 From: housingminnesota at mhponline.org (HousingMN Communications ) Date: Tue Feb 3 14:02:34 2004 Subject: [HousingMinnesota Bulletin] Urgent request on behalf of the National Low Income Housing Coalition Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A160600A6AA2@mhpserver.mhponline.org> Dear HousingMinnesota Supporter: My apologies for the very short notice - but action is needed by 10:00 AM EST tomorrow, February 4, to protect nonprofit organizations' rights to advocate for change. Please review the information below and respond as quickly as possible. Thanks for your consideration! Chip Halbach Executive Director Minnesota Housing Partnership and HousingMinnesota URGENT! ACTION NEEDED TODAY TO: NLIHC Board of Directors, State Housing Coalitions and all NLIHC members FROM: Sheila Crowley DATE: February 3, 2004 RE: Potential restrictions on advocacy speech I have just returned from a briefing on a pending action by the Federal Election Commission that could severely restrict the ability of 501(c)(3) and 501 (c)(4) organizations to engage in federal policy advocacy that could be considered to "promote, support, attack, or oppose" any candidate for federal office, including people currently in office. This means that a 501(c)(3) and 501 (c)(4) organization could not issue a press release, a report, a fundraising letter, post something on a website, or engage in any other form of public communication that was critical or supportive of the policy positions of President Bush, any other candidate for President, or anyone running for Congress or the Senate unless it was using funds specifically raised from individuals who would be limited to contributions of $5,000 or less. This would have a severe chilling effect on all federal public policy advocacy speech. For example, NLIHC's press release yesterday on President Bush's plans for the housing voucher program would not be allowable. A group of public interest attorneys, including NLIHC's attorney Gail Harmon, have drafted a comment letter to the FEC that is attached. They are seeking as many as organizations as possible to sign on to this letter by no later than 10:00 am Wednesday, February 4. Yes, that is tomorrow. (The implications of the FEC action have just come to light apparently and the deadline for comments is tomorrow at noon.) This is simply the first legal move. An extensive public relations campaign is also planned. I have added the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the National Low Income Housing Policy Center (our 501(c)(4)) to the signatories and urge you to do the same. To sign on to the letter (text below), email Elliot Mincberg at People for the American Way at emincberg@pfaw.org > with the full name of your organization and the name of the person authorizing the sign-on. The Alliance for Justice will be posting details of what the FEC is doing in the next few days at www.afj.org >. Thank you for your prompt response. Sheila Crowley President National Low Income Housing Coalition 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 610 Washington, DC 20005 202-662-1530 fax-202-393-1973 Draft (2/3/04) By Electronic and Hand Delivery Commission Secretary Federal Election Commission 999 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20463 Re: Draft Advisory Opinion 2003-37 Dear Commission Secretary: The [insert final number] undersigned environmental, civil rights, civil liberties, women's rights, and ________________organizations submit these comments on the General Counsel's draft of Advisory Opinion 2003-37 prepared in response to a request by Americans for a Better Country ("ABC"). For the reasons set forth below, we wish to express our profound concern over the broad scope of the draft opinion, both as it applies to federal political committees and as it appears to reach the educational, advocacy and voter participation activities of nonfederal political organizations and other nonprofit corporations. There is no authority under the Commission's regulations, the Federal Election Campaign Act ("FECA") or the Supreme Court's recent opinion in McConnell v. FEC to regulate these activities in the manner suggested in the draft opinion. The organizations signing this letter are organized as nonprofit corporations under state law and are exempt from federal income taxation under sections 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code ("Code"). Several organizations operate as qualified nonprofit corporations under 11 C.F.R. ? 114.10. A number of the signatories have established separate segregated funds that are registered with the Commission as political committees; many also maintain nonfederal political organizations established under IRC section 527(e)(3) that are not registered with the Commission. The common interest among all of these organizations is that we regularly seek to educate the public and to advocate positions on progressive legislative and policy issues, including the positions taken by federal officeholders with respect to these issues. If the draft opinion is adopted as proposed by the General Counsel, the result may be that we could no longer conduct these activities unless we raise and spend funds in accordance with the source and contribution limitations of the FECA. For most of our organizations, raising funds under these restrictions would be impossible. For those organizations represented here that are exclusively organized under IRC section 501(c)(3), we are not permitted under federal tax law to establish or maintain a separate segregated fund to engage in political activity. Therefore, this opinion would entirely shut down many of the advocacy activities of our organizations. As 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) organizations, we are funded by large and small donors. Most of the undersigned organizations could not exist without the large grants and contributions from foundations, corporations and individuals that are prohibited under FECA. See 2 U.S.C. ? 441a and 441b. Even those of us that operate federal political committees are able to raise relatively small amounts from our members for these purposes - amounts that could never support the extensive educational and advocacy programs we have conducted for many years. In any event these limited contributions are desperately needed to support our [SL1] political programs as required by law. We therefore urge the Commission, with the greatest sense of urgency and in the strongest terms possible, not to issue the draft opinion in its present form. Discussion Although numerous aspects of the draft opinion are extremely troublesome, we are most concerned by the opinion's proposed reworking and expansion of the definition of "expenditures" in FECA ? 431(9) to include any communication that "promotes, supports, attacks, or opposes" a candidate for federal office. While the facts of the current request concern a nonconnected political committee, by adopting this analysis the opinion can be read to extend to independent issue groups as well. As nonprofit corporations, the vast majority of us are flatly prohibited by FECA ? 441b from making any "contribution or expenditure in connection with any election to any political office." Because we frequently refer to federal officeholders and candidates in our communications with the general public, and do so in a manner that may be highly critical of the officeholders' positions on issues, the proposed redefinition of "expenditures" would cause many of our currently lawful communications to become unlawful corporate expenditures. Just in the past few months, for example, the organizations represented here have criticized Congress' and the Administration's policies and actions concerning such issues as tax cuts for the rich, Medicare and prescription drugs, oil exploration in the Arctic, nominations to the federal judiciary, abuses of civil liberties in connection with the war on terror, and numerous other issues. There is little doubt, we fear, that these communications would be perceived both by our opponents, who are constantly looking for ways to handcuff our efforts on behalf of our causes, and, based on the reasoning of this draft, by the Commission itself, as "opposing", or even "attacking," President Bush and other federal officeholders. This is the case even though these communications have not identified Mr. Bush or any other officeholder as a candidate for re-election, referred to the November 2004 election, or otherwise urged or implied opposition to the President's or any other individual's candidacy. These communications have been aimed, not at these individuals as candidates, but as current officeholders in an attempt to influence legislation and public policy. Making it unlawful to criticize the policies and actions of a sitting President or Members of Congress except under the auspices of a registered political committee is one of the most fundamental attacks on the freedom of speech and freedom of association of American citizens ever contemplated by a governmental agency. The proposed definition of "expenditures" is nowhere to be found in section 441b, even though it is the only provision of federal election law governing contributions and expenditures by nonprofit corporations such as those represented here. Under the Supreme Court's decisions in Buckley v. Valeo and Massachusetts Citizens For Life v. FEC, section 441b was authoritatively construed to prohibit corporate communications that expressly advocate the election or defeat of clearly identified candidates. We have relied on this long-standing interpretation and have fully complied with it in all of our educational and advocacy programs. In passing the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 (BCRA), Congress restricted certain limited broadcast communications, but it did nothing to modify the express advocacy test as applied to communications in other forms of media or even to broadcast communications disseminated outside of BCRA's 30/60 day black-out periods. In redefining "expenditures," the draft opinion relies on the Supreme Court's recent decision in McConnell v. FEC, that upheld the constitutionality of BCRA's provisions limiting, and in some case prohibiting, political party committees from using nonfederal funds to support communications that "promote, support, attack or oppose" federal candidates. But, these restrictions are contained in a separate provision of BCRA, 2 U.S.C. ? 441i, that applies exclusively to political parties and no other organization or entity. Most importantly, Congress did not amend the provisions applicable to corporations in a similar manner, nor did it revise the statutory definition of "expenditures" as proposed in the draft opinion.[1] The Commission has no authority to enact a new standard for corporate communications when Congress itself chose not to do so.[2] The extent to which the draft advisory opinion reaches far beyond Congress' intent is also demonstrated by recent legislation governing so-called "527" or "soft-money" political organizations. Even prior to BCRA, Congress considered the operation of these organizations and concluded that, in the interest of greater public disclosure, they should register and file reports with the Internal Revenue Service. See Pub.L. 106-230, 114 Stat. 477 (July 1, 2000), codified at I.R.C. ?? 527(i)-(j). In 2002, shortly after it enacted BCRA, Congress again considered the disclosure obligations for these organizations and amended the registration and reporting requirements to ease the burden on some of the organizations covered by the 2000 amendments. See Pub.L. 107-276, 116 Stat. 1929 (Nov. 2, 2002). In neither instance, however, did Congress outlaw 527 political organizations or even authorize the IRS to curtail their activities. Furthermore, in ruling on the constitutionality of BCRA, the Supreme Court expressly noted that despite the Act's limitations on the fundraising abilities of political parties, "interest groups, however, remain free to raise soft money to fund voter registration, GOTV activities, mailings, and broadcast advertising." McConnell v. FEC, 540 U.S. ________ at _________ [slip op. at 80]. This plain reading of the statute is inconsistent with the approach of the proposed advisory opinion. If the Commission adopts the ABC opinion as drafted, it would be to appropriate to itself authority which Congress has twice refused to provide. The draft opinion is also inconsistent with the Commission's own rulemaking excluding section 501(c)(3) organizations from the ban on electioneering communications. Several months ago, the Commission recognized the need to limit the scope of BCRA's prohibition on 501(c)(3) organizations to protect advocacy communications by these groups: The Commission believes the purpose of BCRA is not served by discouraging such charitable organizations from participating in what the public considers highly desirable and beneficial activity, simply to foreclose a theoretical threat from organizations that has not been manifested, and which such organizations, by their nature, do not do. Final Rules and Explanation and Justification, "Electioneering Communications," 67 Fed. Reg. 65190, 65200 (Oct. 23, 2002) Based on this draft opinion, it appears the Commission is prepared to consider denying all 501(c) organizations the ability to engage in this "highly desirable and beneficial activity." Even if this conclusion is not mandated by the terms of the opinion itself, it is the logical conclusion based on the reasoning set forth here. Recent IRS guidance, in stark contrast to the position set forth in the draft opinion, confirms that 501(c) organizations are permitted to continue their advocacy activities, including attempts to influence legislative and administrative actions, throughout an election year. See Rev. Rul. 2004-6. These communications may in some cases oppose the position of an officeholder, who is also a candidate, in a manner that could be deemed, under the broad language of the General Counsel's draft, to "support" or "attack" a candidate for federal office. Nevertheless, the IRS ruled that such communications, under the circumstances described in the ruling, are consistent with the exempt purposes of a 501(c) organization and would not subject them to tax or jeopardize their exempt status. While we have focused on the impact of the draft opinion on nonprofit organizations' educational and advocacy activities, we are also concerned about how the opinion would handcuff our ability to undertake voter participation activities such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote, especially among minority and other under-represented communities. In response to question 8 of the opinion, the draft proposes that voter registration and GOTV public communications that do not expressly advocate, but "promote, support, attack or oppose" a federal candidate, must be paid entirely with federally permissible funds. Therefore, a nonprofit organization that informs the public that President Bush and his Administration has permitted corporations to increase harmful mercury emissions and encourages individuals to register to vote would be required to pay for this activity with federal funds. The regulations at section 114.4 state only that voter registration conducted by a corporation must not contain express advocacy or be coordinated with a candidate or political party. The Commission has no authority to broaden the restriction placed on these voter participation activities. We would like to address two other aspects of the draft opinion, which cause equally deep concerns. First, the draft opinion states that any fundraising communications that "support, promote, attack or oppose" a federal candidate must be paid for with federally permissible funds and may only raise funds subject to the federal source and contribution limits. Unlike other portions of the opinion, this language is not even arguably limited to the nonconnected PAC making this request but applies to any solicitation. Thus, it appears that a fundraising letter from our organizations that appeals for contributions to "fight against President Bush's budget cuts that threaten to undermine effective international family planning" would be subject to this requirement. The effect of such a conclusion is staggering. In addition to soliciting contributions, fundraising communications provide another critical avenue for reinforcing and generating public support for our advocacy messages. We, and other nonprofit organizations like us, would be required to choose to forgo either the messages that inform our supporters about the public policy debate or the funds that are vital to our existence. There is no legal basis for imposing this restraint on the broader nonprofit community. Finally, the draft opinion proposes to extend the prohibition on foreign national contributions to any organizations that engage in voter registration, get-out-the-vote and other activities in connection with a federal, state or local election for public office as well as ballot measures. Many of our 501(c) organizations conduct these activities. For some of us, these activities comprise a major part of our program; others engage in these activities only as the need arises related to a specific policy objective or program. Our ability to continue to engage in these activities would be threatened if we were required to screen all of our contributions to determine whether or not they were made by a foreign national as defined under the FECA. The Commission, even in its own rulemakings on foreign national contributions, has never suggested that there is a need to extend the coverage of this provision to all nonprofit organizations that conduct voter participation activities. Such an intrusion would have a severe impact on these nonpartisan activities that are vital to fostering civic participation. Conclusion This draft opinion poses an unprecedented threat to the advocacy and educational activities of the undersigned organizations as well as many organizations that are not represented. We respectfully urge the Commission to reject this draft in its current form. Respectfully submitted, _____ [1] The proponents of BCRA created the new restrictions on "electioneering communications" at least in part due to a recognition of the limits of the express advocacy test. Faced with numerous court decisions limiting express advocacy to the so-called "magic words," Congress attempted to regulate a narrow set of broadcast communications through the bright-line test created in the definition of "electioneering communications." In doing so, Congress clearly understood the constitutional difficulty faced in its task, demonstrated by the back-up definition in the event that Supreme Court rejected the bright-line test. It seems unlikely that Congress would have thought the electioneering communications provisions necessary if the Commission had the authority to unilaterally expand the express advocacy test. [2] Furthermore, even if the Commission had such authority, it is prohibited from adopting a new substantive rule of election law in an advisory opinion. See 2 U.S.C. ? 437f(b). Instead, the FECA provides that the Commission may only adopt rules through the administrative process, including notice and an opportunity for public comment and Congressional review. See 2 U.S.C. ? 438(d). Should the Commission undertake such a rule-making to address the issue of nonprofit corporate communications in the future, we are confident that we could demonstrate that educational and advocacy activities of nonprofit corporations do not present the risk of corruption or appearance of corruption as the Supreme Court found with regard to political parties. Unlike the parties, we operate entirely independently of federal officeholders and candidates, which, under BCRA, are even severely limited in the manner in which they may raise funds for nonprofit organizations. See 2 U.S.C. ? 441i(d). _____ [SL1] NARAL Pro-Choice America is a non-partisan organization. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mapnp.Geeks.ORG/pipermail/mhp-bulletin/attachments/20040203/4e20135c/attachment.html From housingminnesota at mhponline.org Wed Feb 11 11:58:08 2004 From: housingminnesota at mhponline.org (HousingMN Communications ) Date: Wed Feb 11 12:02:42 2004 Subject: [HousingMinnesota Bulletin] Volume 3, Issue 3 2-11-4 Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A160600A6370@mhpserver.mhponline.org> HousingMinnesota Homes for All by 2012! The Bulletin February 11, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 3 Distributed bi-weekly, this bulletin contains news, announcements, legislative updates, publications, and upcoming events. We hope you'll find it helpful in keeping you abreast of important developments. Please don't hesitate to contact us with items you'd like included in future issues. The Bulletin is also available online at http://www.mhponline.org/Bulletin/Bulletin.htm . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * News/Announcements Endorse the governor's $20 million bonding initiative for supportive housing! HousingMinnesota invites you to join us in signing on as an official endorser of the governor's $20 million bonding proposal for supportive housing. This is an important first step toward ending long-term homelessness in Minnesota by 2010. Sponsored by the Corporation for Supportive Housing and the Minnesota Supportive Housing Consortium, a position paper and list of supporting organizations will be distributed during legislative visits and testimony currently being scheduled. Please take a moment today to read the position paper and take whatever steps are necessary within your organization to sign-on as an organizational endorsee. To read the position paper developed by CSH and MSHC, and to add your organization to the official list of endorsers, please contact Andy McMahon, CSH, at andy.mcmahon@csh.org (phone 612-721-3700 x120) or Jonathan Farmer, MSHC, at jonathan@mshc.org (phone 612.722.6899 x104). Building Minnesota One Home at a Time: Lobby and Rally Day February 17th Join HousingMinnesota and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless at the Capitol this coming Tuesday for our annual Lobby and Rally Day. Hundreds of Minnesotans have already registered, but to be effective we need YOU as well! Please register at http://www.housingminnesota.org/event_registration.cfm?EventID=19 and we will add your name to legislative meetings that have been set up around the 1:00 PM Rally. Rally speakers include Alan Arthur of the Central Community Housing Trust, Larry Lucio and Brenda Johnson of the Minneapolis Public Schools, Tony Looking Elk of the Urban Coalition and a keynote presentation from Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Commissioner Tim Marx. Please plan to be there for a visible show of support for Homes for All in Minnesota! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reading/Resources NEWLY UPDATED! HousingMinnesota County Profiles of Affordable Housing! One of our most popular resources, the county profiles provide information for the state and all 87 Minnesota counties, including: current and projected affordable housing needs through 2010, rental and ownership costs, percentage of renters versus owners, population change, homelessness, poverty, family budget needed to afford the basic cost of living, and much more. Check them out on our Web site: www.housingminnesota.org VISTA Sponsor Organizations Needed! The Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP), in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), is requesting applications from organizations interested in sponsoring an AmeriCorps*VISTA member for the 2004-05 service year. The MHP VISTA Program will provide placements and support for up to 25 AmeriCorps* VISTA members in Minnesota . Interested organizations can find more information at http://www.mhpvista.org/SupervisorResources.htm Sponsor Organization Applications are due February 27, 2004 , no later than 5 p.m. , and should be submitted to: Carrie Monroe , VISTA Programs Officer, Minnesota Housing Partnership. Examining Evictions A new report, "Evictions: the Hidden Housing Problem," put out by Fannie Mae and the Poverty and Race Research Action Council (PRRAC), looks at issues surrounding residential evictions. Evictions can be traumatizing and humiliating to the millions of those evicted every year and are also disrupting to the larger community. This report looks at and critiques available eviction data, reviews legal and advocacy efforts, and proposes improvements in how eviction data is compiled and how evictions are handled. The report proposes a few methods for counteracting this growing epidemic. These include increasing awareness of tenants rights, regulation of case proceedings process for evictions, legal services for those in need, and, most importantly, a national system to keep statistics on evictions. For more information, the report can currently be downloaded at: http://content.knowledgeplex.org/kp2/cache/kp/10950.pdf . (Source: NLIHC Memo to Members) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Upcoming Events February 16 Red Wing Area Community Forum on Housing and Homelessness Prevention Monday, February 16, 2004 at 7:30 PM. Please join HousingMinnesota and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless as we discuss state legislative issues and local housing issues in Senate District 28 (Goodhue and parts of Wabasha and Winona Counties). The meeting will be held at Saint Joseph's church, 426 8th Street, Red Wing. Full details and registration are available at http://www.housingminnesota.org/event_registration.cfm?EventID=28 . Senator Steve Murphy will attend, as will representatives from local government, nonprofits and community members. We hope to see you there! February 17 Building Minnesota One Home at a Time! 2004 Lobby Day and Rally Join HousingMinnesota and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless in making housing and homeless prevention top issues for the upcoming legislative session. Help us to stop the trend of reducing resources in the state and to ensure that all Minnesota 's workforce and those thousands with fixed incomes are adequately housed. When you register for Lobby Day, a meeting with your legislators will be scheduled for you. Don't worry! Training will be provided and a Team Captain will make sure the meetings go smoothly. To register online, visit http://www.housingminnesota.org/event_registration.cfm?EventID=19 . February 24-26 Building HOME: Community Planning and Development Training Hotel Washington, 515 15th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004, Phone: 202-628-9761 Building HOME provides an overview of the HOME Investment Partnership Program. Participants will become familiar with all program activities, including homeowner and homebuyer, rental housing, tenant-based rental assistance, and CHDO activities. Click here to download a brochure and registration form. February 27 (meeting moved from Feb. 11th) Working Group on Supportive Housing 9:30-11:30am , Metropolitan Council Chambers 230 East Fifth Street, St. Paul. Agenda: Review Draft Report March 2 & 3 Free Grant Writing Training 8:30am-4:30pm, Lutheran Social Services, 2414 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis , MN 55404. Learn how to prepare a successful grant application from HUD Staff!! You will receive personal instruction from key HUD staff on how to become more competitive for federal grant funds, securing a 501c3, and the organizational structure necessary to secure government funds. Not only will the information prepare you to apply for public funds but also corporate and foundation sources! Workshop topics will include: Grant Proposal Writing Techniques ,How to Access Government Funds, HUD Programs Available to Nonprofits, HUD Common Factors for Award, the Ten Commandments of Grant Writing, Working with Local Governments, Organizational Capacity Building, and Coalition Building . Participants will review a successful HUD Grant Application. SPACE IS LIMITED-REGISTER TODAY. Call MN HUD Faith-based Liaison L. Peter Bast @ (612) 370-3000 x2207 or email L._Peter_Bast@HUD.GOV . March 3 Housing Preservation Workshop: Keeping Affordable Multifamily Housing Affordable 8:30am-4:30pm, Radisson Hotel Roseville, 2540 N. Cleveland Avenue, Roseville, MN 55113. Many affordable multifamily housing projects built in the 1970s and 80s are reaching the end of compliance periods for affordability. These valuable assets can legally be converted to market rate housing, placing them out of reach for many families of limited means. This workshop will provide attendees with an understanding of the issues surrounding the preservation of affordable multifamily housing projects and what can be done to save these units from conversion into market rate units. Click here to download a brochure and registration materials. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Looking for something from the last Bulletin?? Archived issues are available online at: http://www.mhponline.org/Bulletin/Bulletin.htm For more information on affordable housing, the content of this document, or if you have news or events you would like included in future issues, please contact Rachel Callanan , Policy Director, (651) 649-1710 x107, email rcallanan@mhponline.org or see HousingMinnesota's website at www.housingminnesota.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mapnp.Geeks.ORG/pipermail/mhp-bulletin/attachments/20040211/081f97ae/attachment.html From rcallanan at mhponline.org Fri Feb 20 17:47:48 2004 From: rcallanan at mhponline.org (Rachel Callanan) Date: Fri Feb 20 17:57:22 2004 Subject: [HousingMinnesota Bulletin] Urgent HousingMinnesota Action Alert! Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A160602290DA@mhpserver.mhponline.org> Help restore $2.7 million in funding for homeless shelters and transitional housing! Attend the House hearing on HF 1997! HousingMinnesota and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless have introduced a bill (HF 1997/SF 1772 ) to restore the 29% reduction in funding to shelters and transitional housing made by the legislature last year. On a given night in 2002, approximately 1,000 people were turned away from shelters. There are likely hundreds more people turned away from shelters today due to state budget cuts made last year and Minnesota's sluggish economy. We need your support to reinstate the funding-no Minnesotan should have to sleep outside in the cold. Minnesota can do better than that! Please attend the hearing on HF 1997-this will be our one chance in the House of Representatives to demonstrate that Minnesota can help those of us who struggle to find a place to sleep each night. TUESDAY, February 24, 2004 8:15 AM Jobs & Economic Development Finance Room: Basement Hearing Room, State Office Building Chair: Rep. Bob Gunther Agenda: HF1997 (Clark) Emergency assistance and transitional housing funding provided, and money appropriated. For directions to the Capitol and parking information visit: http://ww3.house.leg.state.mn.us/leg/faqtoc.asp?subject=14 Thank you for your commitment to securing Homes for All by 2012! Rachel Callanan Policy Director Minnesota Housing Partnership/HousingMinnesota 651.649.1710 x107 rcallanan@mhponline.org www.housingminnesota.org Here are some of the reported impacts of the budget reductions made to homeless shelters and transitional housing: >From the Star Tribune, 16 February 2004 "Minneapolis city officials and friends will gather this evening to remember Robin Sam, 37, a homeless man who burned to death last week. His death in an unprotected camp across the street from a Salvation Army Thrift store in Minneapolis comes just months before an expected April 15 closing of about 150 shelter beds because of a lack of money." >From the Minnesota Association of Runaway Youth Services, Rich Wayman "All Minnesotans are aware of the budget cuts enacted in 2003 to help balance the state's budget. The impact on youth services has been severe. A combination of federal, state, and local county reductions in grants has resulted in the loss of 8 shelter beds, 123 supportive and transitional housing units for youth, and 38 youth workers. Our programs have taken a disproportionate loss in 2004 which has curtailed our ability to provide crisis intervention and support. " AEOA, Kim Hustad (Rural St. Louis County Service Provider) In a recent 3 month period, this homeless service turned away 160 people-25% were children. In a similar time period last year, the agency turned away 10-12 people. Saint Paul Area Council of Churches Because of the tough economy and drastic cuts to human service programs, this programs that serves women and men (generally with children), has seen a forty percent (40%) increase in shelter bed usage over the past six months. Heartland Community Action Agency, Inc., Deb Brandt of Wilmar This agency witnessed a nearly $16,000 cut in state funding. As a result, it can no longer provide direct support service funding to families with crisis housing needs. (Compiled by the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mapnp.Geeks.ORG/pipermail/mhp-bulletin/attachments/20040220/bd99f13b/attachment.html From housingminnesota at mhponline.org Thu Feb 26 13:01:23 2004 From: housingminnesota at mhponline.org (HousingMN Communications ) Date: Thu Feb 26 13:10:32 2004 Subject: [HousingMinnesota Bulletin] Volume 3, Issue 4 2-26-4 Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A160600A6377@mhpserver.mhponline.org> HousingMinnesota Homes for All by 2012! The Bulletin February 26, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 4 Distributed bi-weekly, this bulletin contains news, announcements, legislative updates, publications, and upcoming events. We hope you'll find it helpful in keeping you abreast of important developments. Please don't hesitate to contact us with items you'd like included in future issues. The Bulletin is also available online at http://www.mhponline.org/Bulletin/Bulletin.htm . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * News/Announcements 2004 Housing Lobby Day and Rally were a HUGE SUCCESS! Supporters of Homes for All by 2012 converged on the Capitol by the hundreds on February 17 to meet with legislators and hear from leaders in the housing and homelessness prevention movements. The day-long event was sponsored by HousingMinnesota and the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless. More than three hundred and fifty Minnesotans from across the state registered for the event, which included constituent meetings with 112 of our 201 Minnesota Legislators, making this our most successful Lobby and Rally effort to date. The challenge for our citizen lobbyists was to get support for the items on our legislative agenda , including support for the Governor's proposal for $20 million in new bonding authority for permanent supportive housing. Thanks to all who made this day a success! For the full report, visit our web site at www.housingminnesota.org . Released: Draft Report and Business Plan of the Working Group on Supportive Housing to End Long-Term Homelessness "At the request of the Pawlenty Administration, the 2003 legislature directed the MHFA along with the Department of Human Services (DHS), Department of Corrections (DOC), and the Department of Trade and Economic Development (DTED--now named DEED--) to establish a working group on long-term homelessness and supportive housing. The goal of the Working Group is to develop a plan to: 1) reduce long-term homelessness; 2) reduce the inappropriate use of crisis services; and 3) improve the outcomes for the families and individuals. The plan will help efforts to increase the availability of supportive housing by addressing barriers to the provision of coordinated services in supportive housing and by facilitating the coordination between funders and providers of services and housing developers. The focus will be on better utilizing already available funding streams for services." (MHFA) The draft plan is available on MHFA's web site at: http://www.mhfa.state.mn.us/about/homeless_draft%20report_022304.pdf MHFA, DHS, and DOC are asking for comments on the draft report and requesting that organizations that support the plan sign on to join the report by March 5th, 2004. The next meeting of the Working Group is scheduled for Friday, February 27, 2004 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the offices of the Metropolitan Council (230 East Fifth Street, St. Paul). For more information about the Working Group, to submit comments on the draft report and/or join the report by Friday, March 5, please contact Cherie Shoquist at MHFA at 651-297-3120 or cherie.shoquist@state.mn.us . Action Alert! Attend Your Precinct Caucus March 2nd and Show Your Support for Affordable Housing HousingMinnesota asks that everyone concerned about housing take the time to attend one of their local party caucuses on March 2nd at 7 p.m., and introduce the "Homes for All" resolutions which can be downloaded from our Web site: http://www.housingminnesota.org/event_detail.cfm?EventID=30&PageID=6 It is essential that affordable housing remains in the public eye this year, and you can help ensure that it happens. No matter what your party affiliation, please help us make housing a key issue. To find the location for the caucus of your choice, contact your county auditor's office, or call the state party offices in St. Paul. Then on March 2nd, bring a copy of the resolutions with you, read them to the caucus, and get them passed. Once this happens, please take one minute more to contact HousingMinnesota, and let us know which caucus adopted the resolutions. (Contact Steve Boland, Lead Organizer at 651-649-1710 x122.) Please forward this to others concerned about housing issues in Minnesota. TO FIND YOUR LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT AND LOCAL CAUCUS CONTACT: Precinct Caucus Information: * Republican Party of Minnesota (651) 222-0022, or search for caucus locations using the Precinct Finder at: http://www.gop-mn.org * Democratic-Farm-Labor Party of Minnesota (651) 293-1200, or call toll-free (800) 999-7457, or search for caucus locations using the Precinct Finder at: http://www.dfl.org . * Independence Party of Minnesota (651) 487-9700. For a complete list of caucus meeting locations, you can visit the web at: http://www.mnip.org * Green Party of Minnesota (612) 871-4585. For a complete list of caucus meeting locations, you can visit the web at: http://www.mngreens.org Action Alert Update: FEC Advisory Opinion Will Not Apply to 501(c) Groups HousingMinnesota issued an action alert last week seeking your support to ensure nonprofits would not be restricted in their ability to engage in advocacy by a proposed FEC advisory opinion. The effort was successful! "Responding to opposition from hundreds of organizations, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) scrapped a pending advisory opinion that threatened to restrict the advocacy rights of 501(c)(3)s and other nonprofit organizations and instead issued an opinion that imposed restrictions only on organizations that are registered with the FEC as federal political committees. Even as it approved the more limited opinion, however, the FEC suggested that an imminent rulemaking will revisit the issue of whether 501(c)s and other organizations that promote, support, attack, or oppose federal candidates will face restrictions on their fundraising or spending." (Alliance for Justice) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reading/Resources Updated "Working Doesn't Always Pay for a Home" Fact Sheet An updated version of Family Housing Fund's most popular fact sheet that compares workers wages to housing costs. http://www.fhfund.org/_dnld/working_d.pdf . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Upcoming Events February 27 CURA Housing Forum: Subprime Lending and Foreclosure in the Twin Cities 12:00-1:30pm, University of Minnesota, West Bank, Carlson School of Management, Room 1-143. Jeff Crump, Associate Professor in the Housing Studies Program at the University of Minnesota will present an empirical analysis of homeownership in underserved populations. For more information call David Bael at 612-625-2086. www.cura.umn.edu . February 27 (meeting moved from Feb. 11th) Working Group on Supportive Housing 9:30-11:30am, Metropolitan Council Chambers 230 East Fifth Street, St. Paul. Agenda: Review Draft Report March 2 & 3 Free Grant Writing Training 8:30am-4:30pm, Lutheran Social Services, 2414 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis , MN. Learn how to prepare a successful grant application from HUD Staff!! You will receive personal instruction from key HUD staff on how to become more competitive for federal grant funds, securing a 501c3, and the organizational structure necessary to secure government funds. Workshop topics will include: Grant Proposal Writing Techniques, How to Access Government Funds, HUD Programs Available to Nonprofits, HUD Common Factors for Award, the Ten Commandments of Grant Writing, Working with Local Governments, Organizational Capacity Building, and Coalition Building . Participants will review a successful HUD Grant Application. SPACE IS LIMITED-REGISTER TODAY. Call MN HUD Faith-based Liaison L. Peter Bast @ (612) 370-3000 x2207 or email L._Peter_Bast@HUD.GOV . March 2 Community Development Conversations 7:45-9:30am, 2910 East Franklin Avenue, Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Consortium of Community Developers sponsors this forum for community development practitioners and their partners with guest speaker Commissioner Tim Marx of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Register by calling 612/789-7337 ext. 14 or email inathanson@mccdmn.org . March 3 Housing Preservation Workshop: Keeping Affordable Multifamily Housing Affordable 8:30am-4:30pm, Radisson Hotel Roseville, 2540 N. Cleveland Avenue, Roseville, MN. Many affordable multifamily housing projects built in the 1970s and 80s are reaching the end of compliance periods for affordability. These valuable assets can legally be converted to market rate housing, placing them out of reach for many families of limited means. This workshop will provide attendees with an understanding of the issues surrounding the preservation of affordable multifamily housing projects and what can be done to save these units from conversion into market rate units. Click here to download a brochure and registration materials. March 22 GREATER MINNESOTA HOUSING NEED FORUM: The Next Decade of Housing in Minnesota Study: Implications for Affordable Housing Development in Greater Minnesota 10:00am-1:30pm, Best Western Kelly Inn, 100 4th Avenue South, Downtown St. Cloud, 320-253-0606. Co-sponsored by Greater Minnesota Housing Fund and the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. The forum will include a presentation and in-depth discussion on the recently-completed Next Decade of Housing in Minnesota study findings pertaining to Greater Minnesota. Learn about affordable housing needs and demographic trends in each region from 2000 to 2010 and how this Housing Need Study may affect your plans, proposals and funding decisions. There is a $25.00 fee per person. Register by March 16. Contact Linda Kozak, GMHF, 651-221-1997, ext. 108; 800-277-2258, ext. 108; or lkozak@gmhf.com . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Looking for something from the last Bulletin?? Archived issues are available online at: http://www.mhponline.org/Bulletin/Bulletin.htm For more information on affordable housing, the content of this document, or if you have news or events you would like included in future issues, please contact Rachel Callanan , Policy Director, (651) 649-1710 x107, email rcallanan@mhponline.org or see HousingMinnesota's website at www.housingminnesota.org . -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mapnp.Geeks.ORG/pipermail/mhp-bulletin/attachments/20040226/152b113b/attachment.html From SBoland at mhponline.org Fri Feb 27 16:39:39 2004 From: SBoland at mhponline.org (Stephen Boland) Date: Fri Feb 27 16:44:33 2004 Subject: [HousingMinnesota Bulletin] Action Alert - National Housing Voucher Call In Days March 1&2 Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A1606031ED73@mhpserver.mhponline.org> National Housing Voucher CALL-IN DAYS: MARCH 1 & 2 Tell Congress the President?s voucher proposal is WRONG The President?s FY05 budget was released in early February. The changes he proposes to the housing voucher (Section 8) program are the most radical and threatening to residents in the history of the program: * For FY05, President Bush allocates $1.6 billion too little to fund all housing vouchers currently in use. * President Bush?s proposal would cut funding even more drastically in years to come. By 2009, funding cuts would reach 40%?a loss of 800,000 vouchers. * The President would also remove important resident protections. Public housing authorities would no longer be required to serve people with the lowest incomes, and they would not be required to keep rent at 30% of a resident?s income. Further, current voucher holders would not be protected under the proposal. Indeed, given that PHAs would be under pressure to serve the same number of families with fewer dollars, families with extremely low incomes could be at risk of losing their vouchers to families with higher incomes. As Congress puts together its budget proposal, Members must hear that the President?s proposal is wrong. On Monday, March 1 and Tuesday, March 2, housing and homelessness advocates from around the country will call Congress to urge Members to protect the voucher program and the 2 million families it currently serves. Mark your calendar now and plan to call! In addition, to help educate Members of Congress, DC-based advocates will hold a briefing on the President?s voucher proposal on Friday, March 5. When you speak to your Congressional offices, urge the staff person to attend this briefing to learn more. Please join in! On March 1st or 2nd, call 1-888-818-6641 (toll free) and ask to be transferred to your Representative?s office. Ask to speak to the staff person who deals with housing issues (Find out who your members are by entering your zip code at www.nlihc.org .) Give the person you speak with the following message: ?President Bush?s proposal for the housing voucher program in the FY05 budget is wrong and unacceptable. It would cut funds to the program and remove important resident protections, putting thousands of people at risk of losing their housing. As you work on the budget, it is crucial that you protect the voucher program and the people it serves. (If appropriate, include a story of the importance of housing vouchers in your community.) You can learn more at a briefing on Friday, March 5, from 11 am to noon in room 2220 of the Rayburn Office Building. Will someone from your office commit to attending?" Repeat with calls to your Senators? offices. Please report the results of your calls and any RSVPs for the March 5 briefing to katie@nlihc.org or to 202-662-1530 x222. Pass this call to action to others you work with?especially to people who are voucher holders or who are on a waiting list. More information is available at www.nlihc.org or www.cbpp.org . Thank you! From rcallanan at mhponline.org Fri Feb 27 16:51:16 2004 From: rcallanan at mhponline.org (Rachel Callanan) Date: Fri Feb 27 16:55:14 2004 Subject: [HousingMinnesota Bulletin] FW: Join in Housing Voucher Call-in Days: March 1 and 2 Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A160604452CE@mhpserver.mhponline.org> Please support our efforts to ensure federal resources for affordable housing by calling in on March 1st and 2nd! The National Low Income Housing Coalition has issued the action alert below. Set aside a few minutes next week to make your calls! Thanks for your support! (I apologize for the formatting problem in the previous email that went out on this earlier today.) Rachel Callanan Policy Director Minnesota Housing Partnership/HousingMinnesota 651.649.1710 x107 rcallanan@mhponline.org www.housingminnesota.org National Housing Voucher CALL-IN DAYS: MARCH 1 & 2 Tell Congress the President's voucher proposal is WRONG The President's FY05 budget was released in early February. The changes he proposes to the housing voucher (Section 8) program are the most radical and threatening to residents in the history of the program: * For FY05, President Bush allocates $1.6 billion too little to fund all housing vouchers currently in use. * President Bush's proposal would cut funding even more drastically in years to come. By 2009, funding cuts would reach 40%-a loss of 800,000 vouchers. * The President would also remove important resident protections. Public housing authorities would no longer be required to serve people with the lowest incomes, and they would not be required to keep rent at 30% of a resident's income. Further, current voucher holders would not be protected under the proposal. Indeed, given that PHAs would be under pressure to serve the same number of families with fewer dollars, families with extremely low incomes could be at risk of losing their vouchers to families with higher incomes. As Congress puts together its budget proposal, Members must hear that the President's proposal is wrong. On Monday, March 1 and Tuesday, March 2, housing and homelessness advocates from around the country will call Congress to urge Members to protect the voucher program and the 2 million families it currently serves. Mark your calendar now and plan to call! In addition, to help educate Members of Congress, DC-based advocates will hold a briefing on the President's voucher proposal on Friday, March 5. When you speak to your Congressional offices, urge the staff person to attend this briefing to learn more. Please join in! On March 1st or 2nd, call 1-888-818-6641 (toll free) and ask to be transferred to your Representative's office. Ask to speak to the staff person who deals with housing issues (Find out who your members are by entering your zip code at www.nlihc.org .) Give the person you speak with the following message: "President Bush's proposal for the housing voucher program in the FY05 budget is wrong and unacceptable. It would cut funds to the program and remove important resident protections, putting thousands of people at risk of losing their housing. As you work on the budget, it is crucial that you protect the voucher program and the people it serves. (If appropriate, include a story of the importance of housing vouchers in your community.) You can learn more at a briefing on Friday, March 5, from 11 am to noon in room 2220 of the Rayburn Office Building. Will someone from your office commit to attending?" Repeat with calls to your Senators' offices. Please report the results of your calls and any RSVPs for the March 5 briefing to katie@nlihc.org or to 202-662-1530 x222. Pass this call to action to others you work with-especially to people who are voucher holders or who are on a waiting list. More information is available at www.nlihc.org or www.cbpp.org . Thank you! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mapnp.Geeks.ORG/pipermail/mhp-bulletin/attachments/20040227/207ec2b5/attachment.html