HDC MidAtlantic’s Post

NEWS RELEASE📰 Following the announcement by New Jersey Senate President Nick Scutari (LD-22), Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin (D-19), Senate Community and Urban Affairs Chair Senator Troy Singleton (D-7) and Assembly Housing Committee Chair Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez (D-19) regarding proposed changes to the municipal fair share process, the Housing and Community Development Network of NJ (the Network) and its members welcome the opportunity to provide careful feedback and to weigh in as the legislation advances. On the proposal, Network President and CEO Staci Berger issued the following statement: “Through the Mount Laurel doctrine, New Jersey has the strongest commitment to ensuring that all of NJ’s residents have the opportunity to live in safe, affordable homes in the community of their choice. The principles in the Mount Laurel doctrine must be preserved, and used to overcome hundreds of years of systemic and institutional racism that has resulted in one of the largest racial wealth gaps, driven by housing inequities, in our nation. We are hopeful that this proposal builds on our state’s strong foundation of ensuring and enforcing Mount Laurel and makes permanent the best elements of the current process, when state courts declared the Council on Affordable Housing ‘moribund’ and took over the process itself. “The current court process is delivering on the promise of affordability in communities around the state. We applaud efforts to codify the fair share housing obligation methodologies based on the Jacobson decision, and to institute an affordable housing framework that includes all parties, including non-profit developers who have been at the forefront of this mission-driven work, in NJ for years to come. “Our member organizations, partners and allies look forward to reviewing the legislation being introduced in both houses and respectfully request that Legislative leadership and sponsors allow all stakeholders an opportunity to provide feedback and ideas. We are deeply concerned about considering this initiative during the holiday season, when many of our members are already extremely busy providing services to their communities, and during the waning days of the lame duck legislative session. We urge the Legislature and Governor Phil Murphy to move carefully and deliberately and to collect feedback from the folks who are building affordable homes to #HouseNJ.” https://lnkd.in/egsvUvjk

Westchester Communities Apply for Pro-Housing Certification to Unlock Up to $650M in Funds Twelve municipalities in Westchester County are among the 335 statewide that have launched applications to be certified as Pro-Housing Communities, 162 of which have already been certified, including major cities in every region of the state. “The BCW’s Smart Development Working Group, which has 17 leaders in the real estate development sector, will continue to give helpful suggestions to the governor and the state legislature on ways to eliminate obstacles so that we can build more housing in the county,” said BCW Executive Vice President and COO John Ravitz. The following are the municipalities in Westchester County that have sent Letters of Intent to the state: TOWN OF CORTLANDT, VILLAGE OF CROTON-ON-HUDSON, Town of Greenburgh, NY, Town Of Mamaroneck, VILLAGE OF MAMARONECK, City of New Rochelle, Village of Ossining, City of Peekskill, Village of Port Chester, Village of Sleepy Hollow, City of White Plains, New York and City of Yonkers. The following municipalities have already been certified: VILLAGE OF CROTON-ON-HUDSON, City of New Rochelle, City of Peekskill, City of White Plains, New York and City of Yonkers. Applications close on Friday, Oct. 18 at 4:00 p.m. Municipalities must be certified by HCR as a Pro-Housing Community in order to receive a grant award through these programs. Submit a letter of intent from an authorized official to HCR at [email protected]. Once HCR receives the letter of intent, the team will send the municipality the link to submit the documentation. Read the entire article on our website: https://lnkd.in/eZEvCuav #westchesterbiz #businessadvocacy #housing

Have you connected with your federal elected officials recently about the need for affordable homes? Today, Habitat is on the Hill – Capitol Hill, that is – and you can amplify important calls to action with your members of Congress. Call on your elected leaders to invest in housing affordability today. Advocacy is about power in numbers. More than 400 advocates from across the country are meeting with congressional offices to speak about the affordability crisis in the U.S. and also about Habitat’s global work. Please join us and consider forwarding this to your colleagues, board members, supporters or friends to have them send messages too. Nationwide, housing costs are skyrocketing as more families lack access to a safe, affordable and decent place to call home. Congress must help address the historic low supply of affordable homes for sale and Habitat is asking legislators to do so immediately by supporting: Robust funding for vital housing and community development programs at the Housing and Urban Development and U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies in the fiscal year 2025 budget. The passage of the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act, bipartisan legislation that would revitalize distressed neighborhoods by using federal tax credits to mobilize private investment in building and substantially rehabilitating homes for low- and moderate-income homeowners. Habitat is also encouraging federal elected officials to learn more about housing issues around the world given the more than 1.1 billion people living in informal settlements. Together, by leveraging our national reach and strong reputation, we can build stronger support in Congress for adequate, affordable housing.

🌟 Profiles in Power: Thomas Kurek, Colorado P3 Official 🌟 This week, Government Market News highlights Tom Kurek, director of public-private partnerships (P3) in the Colorado Department of Personnel & Administration. Thomas is dedicated to improving access to affordable housing, broadband, childcare, and mental health services for Coloradans. Public Career Highlights: - Managed multi-million dollar grants and led data strategy for the Economic Development Administration. - Led the Superstorm Sandy recovery effort, coordinating the reconstruction of over 8,000 homes in New Jersey. What I Like Best About Public Service: "The ability to improve people’s lives through actions. Each time we improve access to essential services, we enhance the life of a Coloradan. That’s a really cool feeling." Best Advice Received: "Anthony Bourdain once said, 'The journey is part of the experience.' It’s a wisdom that applies to life and work." Fun Fact: Thomas loves traveling and experiencing other cultures, which keeps him invigorated and happy. About the P3 Office: "Our department oversees P3 projects that address Colorado’s foundational needs. Public-Private Partnerships are an effective solution to complex issues, providing essential services demanded by taxpayers. #PublicService #ProfilesInPower #P3 #Colorado #Housing #Broadband #CommunityDevelopment #GovernmentNews

While the 2024 New Orleans budget has considerable funds for affordable housing, it notably underfunds vital after- school, mental health, and workforce development initiatives. In collaboration with the Big Easy Budget Coalition, we advocated for approximately $15 million to bolster youth programs. Regrettably, the budget only allocates a mere $600,000 for these essential services. For New Orleans to build thriving communities, it is imperative to fund evidence-based strategies that encompass not just affordable housing, but also violence prevention, youth development, and community equity. We will continue our advocacy for the critical support and resources needed to enrich youth programs, which is foundational to building a stronger, safer, and more equitable New Orleans. https://lnkd.in/eEEvHRiR

Lots of folks are stuck in a tough spot where the money they make just doesn't match up with how much housing costs. In Cincinnati, there's a shortage of over 28,000 affordable housing units, and it's hitting hard. What's even more surprising is that at least 54% of households earning less than $30,000 a year are shelling out more than half of their income for housing. Affordable housing is the foundation of a thriving community. In Cincinnati access to affordable homes ensures that everyone has a fair shot at a brighter future. Let's advocate for affordable housing to foster a community where everyone can live, work, and grow together. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/g3PkJH_4

The General Election is on and we're calling all CLTs to lobby their Prospective Parliamentary Candidates! Our 10-point Manifesto for Community Land Trusts shows how the next government could wire community agency and ownership into the systems in England and Wales – whether it's for building affordable homes, codesigning and stewarding large-scale developments, regenerating our high streets, or restoring land for nature. See more about the manifesto and its launch here: https://lnkd.in/dKpJYEiN So we're calling on our members to contact their PPCs, showcasing what they plan to do in their communities and sharing our manifesto to show what policy change we need to see to support all kinds of CLTs. They can find templates here: https://lnkd.in/eXnPsdZa We know that our member lobbying can make a real impact. Over the past 5 years, our members' local lobbying has seen us make some real gains: - Over £240m of public money pledged for community led housing - Planning policies to encourage and incentivise land for community led development, including Community Led Exception Sites - Legislation to protect the ability of CLTs to charge ground rents, and – almost! – to exempt them from leasehold enfranchisement* Our vision and advocacy for CLTs will be at the heart of all sessions at our upcoming Building with Communities Conference on Friday 21 June - with speakers including our Pooja Agrawal (CEO of PUBLIC PRACTICE, Nicholas Boys Smith (Chair of CREATE STREETS and Office for Place) and our keynote speaker Charlie Luxton (Founder of Charlie Luxton Design, Channel 4 presenter and Hook Norton Community Land Trust Secretary). Find out more here bit.ly/BWCom2024 *we'll be keeping an eye on proceedings with the Leasehold Reform Bill to make sure the CLT exemption is not dropped #BWCom2024 #CLTs #CommunityLandTrust #CommunityLedHousing #Placemaking

Follow the link below for an easy template letter 📩 👏 🏡 👏

Prosperity Indiana #INLegis wrap-up: 2024 Indiana General Assembly session short on focus on Community Economic Development; sets up ‘monumental’ budget session in 2025 A shorter-than-usual 2024 session of the Indiana General Assembly yielded too little progress to grade the legislature a success in delivering for the community economic development sector and the most vulnerable Hoosiers they serve. However, clues from this session will help Prosperity Indiana members and partners prepare for what legislative leaders are already calling a “monumental” budget session in 2025. The bottom line: The potential for tax system changes is just part of what legislative leaders are already calling a “monumental” budget session in 2025, with major implications for affordable housing, community development resources, and asset-building and consumer protection policies. And of course, between them is a set of state and federal elections that will determine which policymakers will be in office and making these decisions. So, in the remainder of this year, how can community economic development stakeholders make their voices heard and be prepared for a momentous 2025? First, every stakeholder should be sure their Prosperity Indiana membership is current so that our network has a united voice to remove barriers, bridge gaps, and create positive change for Hoosier communities. Second, be sure to join and share events and information from our coalitions the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition, the Indiana Assets & Opportunity Network, and Hoosiers for Responsible Lending to amplify advocacy on these critical issues. And third, be sure every member of your network is registered to vote following the latest requirements, because stronger Indiana communities are built with ballots every bit as much as they are with bricks and drywall. Read the full wrap-up: https://lnkd.in/ghjhSGE9

Where is the funding for affordable homeownership for low income families? How can you talk about affordable housing and not talk about home preservation? The increasing homeless population can be attributed to many sources, one of which is the fact that low-income homeowners have no one to help them, with little to no protections. We need to do better California! Yes, we need rapid, permanent and supportive housing for low-low and poverty level households, but we also need to provide financing for low-income homeownership. California Housing Partnership