From housingminnesota at mhponline.org Fri Oct 8 09:19:02 2004 From: housingminnesota at mhponline.org (HousingMN Communications ) Date: Fri Oct 8 10:19:28 2004 Subject: HousingMinnesota Bulletin - Volume 3, Issue 19 10-08-04 Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A1606063EC3A@mhpserver.mhponline.org> HousingMinnesota Homes for All by 2012! The Bulletin October 8, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 19 Distributed bi-weekly, this bulletin contains news, announcements, 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 on MHP's website at http://www.mhponline.org/Bulletin/Bulletin.htm. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * News/Announcements HUD's 2005 Final Fair Market Rents Released "On September 28, 2004 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced its "final" Fair Market Rents (FMRs), released officially on October 1, 2004 in the Federal Register. The 2005 Proposed FMRs differed radically from the previous year's FMRs and led to significant public protest and over 370 public comments being submitted in opposition to the proposed FMRs. In the 2005 Final FMRs, HUD reverted to its old FMR area geography, partially addressing one area of public concern. While the 2005 Final FMRs have been released on schedule, extreme delay and confusion at HUD in publishing the 2005 Proposed FMRs has meant HUD did not have adequate time to consider the public comments or open up a public dialogue on proposed changes. As a result, the 2005 Final FMRs remain flawed and are anything but "final" as HUD is still accepting public comments and has yet to finish its own assessment in many cities." (Source: NLIHC) What are FMRs? "[HUD sets] Fair Market Rents (FMRs) [to] determine the eligibility of rental housing units for the Section 8 Housing Assistance Payments program. Section 8 Rental Certificate program participants cannot rent units whose rents exceed the FMRs. FMRs also serve as the payment standard used to calculate subsidies under the Rental Voucher program. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) annually estimates FMRs for 354 metropolitan areas and 2,350 nonmetropolitan county FMR areas." (Source: HUD) To view the final FMRs, go to http://www.nlihc.org/2005fmrs/nationwide.xls (Warning! This is a large document so may take some time to download.) To learn more about the issue, visit the National Low Income Housing Coalition web site at http://www.nlihc.org/2005fmrs/index.htm. MHFA Accepting Nominations for its Partners in Affordable Housing Awards "The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency celebrates the exceptional contributions of organizations and individuals that advance affordable housing in the state. Nominate yourself or someone you know who builds communities and bridges gaps between dreams and reality. The MHFA will honor the winners and present awards to our outstanding lender partners at its Partners in Affordable Housing Awards luncheon ceremony on Friday, November 19, 2004. Nominations will be accepted via United States mail or electronic mail until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 20, 2004." For more information go to MHFA's web site. www.mhfa.state.mn.us/about/partners_award_2004.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reading/Resources Rethinking Local Affordable Housing Strategies In this presentation at the Housing Washington 2004 conference, Bruce Katz of the Brookings Institution focuses on the housing challenges facing Washington state and then outlines a "winning affordable-housing playbook" applicable anywhere. http://www.brookings.edu/metro/speeches/20040921_affordablehousing.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Upcoming Events October 9 Minnesota Association of HUD Tenants 1st Annual Tenant Empowerment Workshop 12:30-4:00pm, Plymouth Public Library 15700 36th Ave. N. Plymouth. Featuring HOME Line housing attorneys discuss tenant rights, protections, and responsibilities, tenant leaders discuss current issues with housing programs and share their stories, voter registration information, and opportunities to join MnAHT's advocacy efforts. To register contact Darielle at HOME Line 612.728.5770 x119. October 13, 15, 19 MHFA Emerging Markets Homeownership Initiative Listening Sessions The listening sessions are designed to provide a forum to solicit public involvement in the Emerging Markets Homeownership Initiative as the business plan to increase homeownership opportunities for emerging market populations in Minnesota is being developed. * Duluth: Oct. 13 10:00am-12:00pm Holiday Inn Waterfront 200 W. 1st St. Speaker-Mike Haley, Assistant Commissioner, MHFA * Twin Cites: Oct. 15 9:00-11:00am Open Book Meeting Rooms 1011 Washington Ave. S., Mpls. Speaker-Missy Thompson, Director, Fannie Mae Minnesota Partnership Office * Rochester: Oct. 19 10:00am-12:00pm Rochester Marriot 101 First Ave. S. W. Speaker-Jacqueline Nicholas, Assistant Vice President, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. To register contact Jackie Gausvik at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, 612.204.5591 or jacqueline.gausvik@mpls.frb.org. For more information contact John Schaus at the Federal Reserve Bank, 612.204.5169 or john.schaus@mpls.frb.org. October 14-15 Minnesota Council of Nonprofits' 18th Annual Conference "Participation! Creating and Sustaining Engaged Communities" RiverCentre, 175 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul. "The theme, "Participation! Creating and Sustaining Engaged Communities" highlights how nonprofits must continually bring people into their organizations to serve in multiple roles --volunteers, board and staff members, donors, advocates, and voters -- to be successful and effective." For more information go to www.mncn.org or contact MCN at (651) 642-1904 / (800) 289-1904 or info@mncn.org . October 16-19 National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth 16th Annual Conference Radisson Riverfront Hotel, St. Paul, Minnesota. NAEHCY, a national grassroots membership association, serves as the voice and the social conscience for the education of children and youth in homeless situations. The conference theme this year is "Moving Every Child Ahead". To register visit NAEHCY's web site at www.naehcy.org . November 2 Election Day! Get out and vote! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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/20041008/98d7a5a4/attachment.html From housingminnesota at mhponline.org Wed Oct 20 08:06:55 2004 From: housingminnesota at mhponline.org (HousingMN Communications ) Date: Wed Oct 20 09:07:52 2004 Subject: HousingMinnesota Bulletin - Volume 3, Issue 20 10-20-04 Message-ID: <91CE81A8B5C57940AA99ECF1E2A1606063EC3C@mhpserver.mhponline.org> HousingMinnesota Homes for All by 2012! The Bulletin October 20, 2004 Volume 3, Issue 20 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 on MHP's website at http://www.mhponline.org/Bulletin/Bulletin.htm . * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * News/Announcements. Presidential Candidates George Bush and John Kerry Answer Housing Questions Housing is an important issue this election year, but one that has been largely ignored by the candidates and the media. In an effort to get the presidential candidates on the record about important housing issues, the Campaign for Housing and Community Development Funding drafted eight questions to gauge Bush and Kerry's support for vital housing programs and initiatives. To read their unedited responses go to http://www.housingminnesota.org/downloads/candidates04.pdf. New York Times Publishes Editorial About Affordable Housing The New York Times published Sunday an editorial critical of the Bush administrations dismantling of the Section 8 program over the last six months. "That's the only way to explain the destructive policies emanating from the Housing and Urban Development Department, which has been hammering at Section 8 all year. The conflicting signals and general aura of hostility have convinced housing authorities around the country that they need to defend themselves by avoiding new commitments and cutting back on their old ones." The New York Times editorial staff hold up former HUD secretaries Henry Cisneros and Jack Kemp's new book "Opportunity and Progress" (see below) as a good recommendation to restore funding for Section 8 - a historically successful bipartisan effort. To read the entire editorial, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/16/opinion/16sat1.html. (This link will expire October 30.) (Source: The New York Times) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Reading Metropolitan Neighborhoods with Sheltered Homeless Populations: Evidence from the 1990 and 2000 Censuses This report by Barrett Lee and Chad Farrell of the Brookings Institute analyzes census data for metropolitan neighborhoods with emergency and transitional shelters. The report reveals: * "Critical mass neighborhoods-defined as census tracts with sheltered homeless populations of 100 or more-are disproportionately located in large metropolitan areas. * Sheltered homeless people constitute a visible but rarely dominant group in critical mass neighborhoods. * The vast majority (86 percent) of critical mass neighborhoods in large metro areas are located within central cities and they tend to be highly transitory in nature. * Although the sheltered homeless account for only a small share of critical mass neighborhood populations, these neighborhoods tend to exhibit high levels of disadvantage generally." To read the full report go to: http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20041011_homeless.htm . (Source: The Brookings Institute) Tenant Screening Report (2004) According to the recently released HousingLink report, tenant screening is common in the Twin Cities - 72 percent of property managers who have listed a vacancy with HousingLink use tenant screening agencies. The Fair Housing Implementation Council commissioned HousingLink to complete a study of tenant screening in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The 45-page report looks at how tenant screening agencies work, the accuracy of the reports, concerns about the information provided, and makes some recommendations. To view the complete report go to http://www.housinglink.org/Reports.htm . (Source: HousingLink HousingNews) Bipartisan Housing Platform Proposed. Former HUD secretaries Jack Kemp and Henry Cisneros, along with Kent Colton, former chief executive of the National Association of Home Builders, and Nicolas Retsinas of Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies, call on President Bush and Congress to have a thoughtful discussion about the housing needs of the nation. They joined forces to make 12 recommendations "to preserve and expand programs that support individual access to opportunity. Where simple program reforms will not suffice, we propose new tools." A preview version of "Opportunity and Progress: A Bipartisan Platform for National Housing Policy" is at http://www.endhomelessness.org/news/platformpreview.pdf . The final version will be available at http://www.jchs.harvard.edu or from Elizabeth England, elizabeth_england@harvard.edu, (617) 495-7640. (Source: National Alliance to End Homelessness) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Upcoming Events October 29 The CURA Housing Forum Housing 2004 - The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The Changing Landscape of Housing Policies and its impact on low-income housing. 12:30-2 p.m., University of Minnesota, West Bank, Carlson School of Management, Room 2-215. "What are the longer term prospects to provide housing for very low income households in light of shifting federal and state policies and priorities? How policy shifts could impact both Public Housing Authorities and the availability of Section 8 vouchers is a key issue impacting the housing prospects for this population. Susan Kimberly, St. Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development director, and Jon Gutzmann, St. Paul Public Housing Agency executive director, will address this not only as it affects St. Paul's Housing Authority and overall housing goals, but the potential impacts across the nation as well." Please RSVP by Wednesday, October 27th at 612-625-1551. For more information call David Bael at 612-625-2086. (Source: University of Minnesota Center for Urban and Regional Affairs) November 2 Election Day! Get out and vote! December 16 20th Annual Homeless Memorial March and Service 5 p.m., March, Location To Be Determined. 6:30 p.m., Service of Remembrance, Simpson United Methodist Church, 2740 First Avenue South, Minneapolis, 7:30 p.m. Community Meal, Simpson Shelter. "On February 10, 2004, Robin Sam died when the tent he called home went up in flames. Robin's death drew the public's attention and heartfelt sympathy, but the memory fades, and with it, the conviction that homelessness is a scandal. It is time to remember Robin and the scores of other people who died while homeless in Minnesota in 2004." Please invite co-workers, clients, shelter guests, friends and especially your public officials to attend this event. For more information, to report deaths of people who were homeless from your community, or if you would like to help with preparations, contact Jim Smith at Simpson Housing Services at (612) 874-8683 or jsmith@simpsonhousing.org. (Source: Simpson Housing Services) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 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/20041020/9fb3bb5a/attachment.html