HUDLines Region IX News
Serving (California, Nevada, Arizona, Hawaii and Pacific)

View the published version of the Newsletter with photos

Notes from the Regional Administrator
Ophelia B. Basgal

Well, HUD finally has a budget where we do not have to manage the sequester, government shut downs or furloughs. That is definitely a good thing!

The 2014 Omnibus budget funds most HUD programs at pre-sequester levels. The budget is a compromise between the Senate and the House of Representatives and provides needed budget stability to HUD and other federal agencies.

• National Low Income Housing Coalition: HUD Fiscal Year 2014 Omnibus Spending Package (http://nlihc.org/article/summary-fy14-hud-and-usda-omnibus)
• National Council of State Housing Agencies: Fiscal Year 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill (https://www.ncsha.org/blog/appropriators-unveil-fiscal-year-2014-omnibus-appropriations-bill)

Villa Santa Fe in Santa Barbara is Rental Assistance Demonstration First

In the last issue of HUDLines we highlighted Al Landsman Gardens in Las Vegas as Region IX's first RAD project, but Villa Santa Fe preceded it and will be completed by October 2014. Al Landsman Gardens will be completed in December 2014. We're pleased to set the record straight.

The first RAD deal closed in Region IX was Villa Santa Fe in Santa Barbara. This project not only was the first RAD project closed in the Region, but we understand that it was the first in the nation. It was accomplished with an FHA Insured Loan and under the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Pilot program. Villa Santa Fe consists of two separate projects in two different Santa Barbara locations: SHIFCO (named after its original developer, the Senior Housing Inter-Faith Corporation) and Villa L Cumbre. The Housing Authority of the City of Santa Barbara combined them to form Villa Santa Fe.

All about the Santa Barbara project: Villa Santa Fe

Hawaii's Lowell Kalapa Made a Big Difference and Will be Missed

A powerful and influential voice, Lowell Kalapa, passed away on December 31, 2013. Mr. Kalapa was viewed by many as a voice of reason, advocating for transparent, fair and sensible tax laws and administration.

The community immediately responded with tributes to Mr. Kalapa for his steadfast stewardship of The Tax Foundation of Hawaii. He was president of the nonprofit since the 1970s.

The HUD Point-in-Time Counts

HUD gives priority every odd numbered year to the Point in Time (PIT) Count of homeless people around the nation for the last 10 days of January. HUD requires that Continuums of Care (CoC) count the number of people experiencing homelessness in the geographic area that they serve. CoCs are responsible for counting people who are unsheltered, mobilizing staff and volunteers who canvas the streets and other settings to identify and enumerate people experiencing homelessness. HUD requires that for every even numbered year CoCs perform a count of homeless individuals and families who are staying in homeless shelters. Some communities opt to perform a full PIT count every year. Data collected during the PIT count is critical to effective planning and performance management toward the goal of ending homelessness for each community and for the nation as a whole.

U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness: PIT Count (http://usich.gov/member_agency/department_of_housing_and_urban_development/more-than-a-number-how-the-point-in-time-count-helps-end-homelessness/)

Phoenix, Arizona, Ends Chronic Veterans' Homelessness

The mayors of Phoenix and Salt Lake City used friendly competition to successfully end chronic veterans' homelessness in both cities.

In December, HUD recognized Phoenix for having reached an effective level of zero veterans who were homeless for at least one year or had experienced four episodes of homelessness in the past year. Salt Lake City achieved the zero level in January 2014.

• Ending veteran homelessness: Governing the States and Localities (www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/gov-minnesota-mayor-announces-competition-to-end-veteran-homelessness.html)
• Phoenix Mayor Stanton: blog post (http://usich.gov/blog/proving-its-possible)

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