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

June 2014

View the published version of the Newsletter with photos

Jump to:

Note from the Regional Administrator
Ophelia B. Bascal
June was Homeownership Month and a time to reaffirm the important role that "home" plays for families. For those ready to own, homeownership has historically served as a vehicle for Americans to build equity, start businesses, put kids through college and retire with comfort and dignity.

This year is the 80th anniversary for the Federal Housing Administration, known as FHA. It is the largest government insurer of mortgages in the world, insuring over 39 million home mortgages and insurance on single-family, multifamily, manufactured homes and also insures healthcare loans throughout the United States and its territories. FHA continues to fill the void in the market by insuring single- and multi-family loans to qualified buyers who might not otherwise be able to secure a loan at a reasonable cost.

Also, in May, the HUD Office of Housing Counseling announced the creation of a four-year housing counseling pilot called, "Homeowners Armed with Knowledge" (HAWK). HAWK will qualify eligible first time homebuyers for reductions in their mortgage insurance premiums as long as they participate in a comprehensive housing counseling process.

  1. National Homeownership Month: HUD Website
  2. Federal Housing Administration: FHA Website
  3. Homeowners Armed with Knowledge: Housing Counseling Website

Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness

First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an event at the White House on June 4 where she welcomed mayors and local officials who are among dozens around the country participating in a Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness. The Obama Administration in 2010 set a goal of ending chronic veteran homelessness by the end of 2015. The ongoing effort of the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness is to obtain commitments from mayors from across the nation to take measures in their local communities to reduce veteran homelessness. The program uses local and federal resources to remove unnecessary barriers for vets to have permanent and affordable housing. As the First Lady said, the Obama Administration's programs and intensified local efforts have already reduced the homeless veteran population by 24 percent. The Mayors Challenge to End Veterans Homelessness hopes to reach function zero by the end of 2015.

To date the mayors in HUD Region IX are:

California: Mayor Matt Hall - Carlsbad; Mayor Kristin Gaspar - Encinitas; Mayor Ashley Swearengin - Fresno; Mayor John Marchand - Livermore; Mayor Jean Quan - Oakland; Mayor Kevin Johnson - Sacramento; Mayor Chuck Reed - San Jose; Mayor Kevin Faulconer - San Diego; Mayor John D'Amico - West Hollywood; Mayor Eric Garcetti - Los Angeles, Mayor Ed Lee - San Francisco, Lemon Grove - Mayor Mary Sessom.

Arizona: Mayor Greg Stanton - Phoenix; Mayor Jonathan Rothschild - Tucson.

Nevada: Mayor Andy A. Hafen - Henderson; Mayor Carolyn Goodman - Las Vegas; Mayor John J. Lee - North Las Vegas.

  • VA Scandal Michelle Obama Offers Reminder that Vet Homelessness is Down 24%: Huffington Post (www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/06/michelle-obama-veteran-homelessness_n_5461432.html)
  • Joining Forces With Michelle Obama and National Leaders to End Veteran Homelessness: Huff Post Blog (www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-cuomo-cole/joining-forces-with-miche_b_5460737.html)
  • Kevin Faulconer Named to the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness: San Diego Biz Journal (www.sdbj.com/news/2014/jun/08/kevin-faulconer-named-mayors-challenge-end-veteran/)
  • San Diego Mayor [CA] joins White House initiative to end homelessness among veterans: XETV San Diego (TV-6) (www.sandiego6.com/news/local/San-Diego-Mayor-joins-white-house-initiative-to-end-homelessness-among-veterans-261882401.html)
  • Obama Administration, Mayors Team to End Veterans Homelessness: Housing Finance (www.housingfinance.com/homeless-housing/obama-administration-mayors-team-to-end-veterans-homelessness_o.aspx?dfpzone=home)
  • AZ mayors join national effort to end vet homelessness: KPHO-TV 5 (www.kpho.com/story/25694891/az-mayors-join-national-effort-to-end-vet-homelessness)
  • First Lady, VA Challenge US Mayors to End Vet Homelessness: Civil Beat (Honolulu) (www.civilbeat.com/2014/06/michelle-obama-hud-va-challenges-mayors-end-vet-homelessness/)

Additional Funding for Homeless Assistance Programs in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii and Guam

On June 19, HUD announced a second round of grants totaling $140 million to nearly 900 local homeless assistance programs across the country. Provided through HUD's Continuum of Care Program, the funding will ensure additional permanent and transitional housing renewal projects are able to continue operating in the coming year, providing critically needed housing and support services to those persons and families experiencing homelessness.

The grant announcement includes 436 new local projects aimed at providing permanent supportive housing for persons experiencing chronic homelessness through a Housing First approach and to "rapidly re-house" families with children that are living on the street or in emergency shelters. View a complete list of all the state and local homeless projects awarded funding (https://www.onecpd.info/onecpd/assets/File/2013-all-coc-grants-final-announcement.pdf).

  • 8 homeless programs in NV get $1.6M in funding: News 3 (www.mynews3.com/content/news/local/story/8-homeless-programs-in-NV-get-1-6M-in-funding/W9SC8Yyqb0Ge6VWagCOnhg.cspx); KLAS-TV (www.8newsnow.com/story/25823382/8-homeless-programs-in-nv-get-16m-in-funding); Las Vegas Sun (www.lasvegassun.com/news/2014/jun/19/8-homeless-programs-in-nv-get-16m-in-funding/)
  • Arizona homeless aid programs earn $4 million in federal grants: KTAR Radio (www.ktar.com/22/1743134/Arizona-homeless-aid-programs-earn-4-million-in-federal-grants)
  • Nevada gets $7.4 million in grants to fight homelessness Las Vegas Sun (www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/apr/01/nv-homelessness-grants-nevada/)
  • Federal grant to help Hawaii's homeless: Hawaii Reporter (www.hawaiireporter.com/federal-grant-to-help-hawaiis-homeless/123)
  • GHURA gets $129K grant: GuamPDN (www.guampdn.com/article/20140623/NEWS01/306230006/GHURA-gets-129K-grant)
  • Santa Cruz homeless shelter secures $300k in state grants: San Jose Mercury News (www.mercurynews.com/ci_26026613/santa-cruz-homeless-shelter-secures-300k-state-grants)

Public Housing Authorities Across the Nation Celebrate Father's Day

For the fourth consecutive year, Father's Day attracted hundreds of communities across the country to participate in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Reconnecting Families and Dad's Program, hosting free events to support dads living in public housing to stay connected with their children. This year, over 400 local public housing agencies are hosting events this Saturday and throughout the month to celebrate fatherhood and family. See which housing authorities hosted events in your area.

  • Father's Day Event: Southern Nevada Housing Authority(https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=689169237804239&set=
    a.639477186106778.1073741833.232934396761061&type=1&theater)
  • Nation's Public Housing Authorities Join HUD's Father's Day Initiative: HUD website

California State Budget for 2015 Addresses Need for Affordable Housing

Not since 2006 have a Senate and Assembly leader in California teamed up to secure significant state investment in homes affordable to people priced out of the rental market. The final budget negotiations resulted in a deal that saw $200 million of 2015 General Fund revenues committed to the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) and MHP-Supportive Housing. The proposal also identifies $100 million for development under these programs, with half of the total allocation going to MHP and the other half to MHP-Supportive Housing.

  • Californians Lacking Affordable Homes Win in 2014-15 Budget: Capitol Reporter (http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=e67fb2ba-3af3-4e44-931b-1505a7fa5451&c=61f4e360-1c05-11e3-879c-d4ae52a459cd&ch=61f817b0-1c05-11e3-879c-d4ae52a459cd)

Follow us on Twitter @HUDPacific
www.hud.gov

####
 
Content Archived: March 1, 2016