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Northwest NotesOffice of Public Housing Region X - Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington The Director's Corner June-July: All of this information is provided to assist prospective applicants in planning successful applications, and is available on the HUD Website and on the Grants.gov Website (http://www.grants.gov/search/). Be prepared for these and other opportunities for which your PHA may qualify. On behalf of Office of Public Housing team members in the Seattle, Portland & Anchorage offices, we hope this newsletter is helpful to you. Let me know if there are items you would like to see in future newsletters. Harlan Stewart Grand Opening of HAP's Martha Washington
The property contains 108 units of affordable housing with both studio and one-bedroom apartments, several of which were designed as ADA units. The Martha Washington will receive operating subsidies including 45 Project-Based Section 8 vouchers, as well as 25 public housing units. Of these, 50 units will be operated as Permanent Supportive Housing that will serve the needs of the homeless and chronically mentally ill populations. Central City Concern will also be providing the supportive services at the building.
The renovations aimed to preserve the original, distinctive architecture of this 1923 constructed building, while also providing new, modern amenities for the residents. Receiving various sustainability grants, the energy-efficient fixtures and appliances, as well as sustainable and weatherized construction material has also earned the Martha Washington a Silver LEED Certification. Housing Commissioner Nick Fish touted the Martha Washington as a crucial milestone in Portland's 10-year-plan to end homelessness. Residents will be able to move into this new affordable housing development at the beginning of July.
Recovery Act in Action: Getting to Work By October, the King County Housing Authority, which is responsible for day-to-day management of the Sedro Woolley authority's units, had completed plans for and broke ground on the renovation of Hillsview, a 60-unit complex for the elderly and people with disabilities. The work was finished in April. And it was not a small project. Improvements included the installation of energy-efficient lighting; upgrades to interior hallways, lobby areas, and the elevator; and corrections to uneven floors by installing new plywood and carpeting to assist mobility-impaired residents. All fire and apartment entry doors were replaced. Environmentally-responsible products, including low-VOC paints and carpet made from recycled material, were used. In compliance with the requirements of the ARRA legislation, all fixtures and other purchased items were manufactured in the United States. The residents are very pleased with the changes. "I love absolutely everything that they have done," said resident Joan Mason. "I'm just so grateful that we had this done for us. I feel like it's a gift to us. It's a pleasure to live here."
The larger Sedro Woolley community is also happy. With some 14 workers from a variety of trades being put to work, the renovation "helped to spur our local community and economy," said Sedro Woolley Housing Authority Commission Chair Kacy Johnson. "This project was a boon to our business," noted Michael Strom, owner of Old World Construction which served as the general contractor. "Not only did I not have to lay off any workers between October 2009 and January 2010, I ended up hiring six new crew members from the Skagit County area for the duration of the project." The improvements, secretary to the Sedro Woolley Housing Authority Stephen Norman said, "ensure the longevity of this much-needed public resource" and addressed all of Hillsview's capital needs at once. Had it not been for ARRA funds and the speed with which the Sedro Woolley Authority put them to work, added Norman, "these upgrades would have had to be tackled as three or four separate projects over the course of many years." Maximize Leverage! The IRS allocates LIHTCs to State Housing Credit Agencies (HCAs). HCAs award those LIHTC to for-profit and non-profit affordable housing developers, including PHAs. Developers use the equity capital generated from the sale of LIHTC to lower the debt burden on tax credit properties, making it easier to offer more affordable housing. Many states also offer LIHTC which can be combined with federal LIHTC to foster even more affordable housing. LIHTC developments set aside either 40 percent of units for residents earning no more than 60 percent of the area's median income, or 20 percent of the units for residents earning 50 percent or less of the area's median income. Units are subject to rent restrictions regarding the maximum gross rent that can be charged, including an allowance for utilities. Units must be restricted to occupancy by income-eligible households for at least 30 years. CFFP + LIHTC = LEVERAGE Capital Funding - Environmental Reviews Upcoming Environmental Review Training Environmental responsibilities under NEPA and other authorities have been delegated by 24 CFR 58 to local governments for many HUD programs, such as CDBG, HOME, NSP, TCAP, subsidized and public housing. The assessment process offers an opportunity to promote sustainability in project design and implementation. This course uses interactive exercises with extensive Q & A to provide participants with the hands-on experience needed to fully understand and perform in the environmental assessment area. View agenda & register online (http://publichealthlearning.com/Modules/Conference/Public/) . To register by phone call 312-996-6904. Changes in Unit Tenant Status in PIC and Notice PIH 2010-6 Notice PIH 2010-6, dated March 8, 2010 and entitled "Changes to Unit Reporting in Public Housing Information Center (PIC)," discusses the programmatic changes. Attachment A defines the unit status categories and sub-categories. These categories are used in determining unit months for calculating the Operating Subsidy, so it is important to correctly identify all units not occupied by assisted tenants. Begin by accessing the Job Aid explaining the process in PIC. Start at the PIC home page. Go to Technical Support, and then pick: The changes now initiated by the PHA are broken into ones requiring no HUD approval and those requiring HUD approval. Units can now be designated as occupied by a non-assisted employee, a police officer, non-assisted over-income tenant, or unauthorized occupied. Proposed changes in status for actions requiring HUD approval can also be initiated in PIC. These include vacant HUD-approved units for casualty loss, for natural disaster, and for undergoing modernization. Changes to non-dwelling, administrative uses, resident amenities, and other non-dwelling uses can also be initiated. Be sure to review the definitions for each category in the Notice 2010-6. Pages 4 through 6 of the Job Aid have step-by-step instructions for making these changes in PIC. Pages 8 through 10 are screen shots showing the steps. The steps taken by a HUD user to approve the unit changes requiring HUD approval may also be reviewed. Page 15, Attachment A of the Job Aid, has information about unassisted over-income tenants. Remember that some of the changes do require HUD approval, and may also require additional documentation. PHAs are recommended to contact their PHRS or PIC coach to discuss the changes. PIC coaches will receive an automatic email notification of any submissions This new option will be especially valuable when there are several units being vacated for modernization work, or when resident manager units have changed. To discuss the changes to the new release or to walk through the process, please call the field office PIC coaches: Seattle Office - Suzanne Manville at (206) 220-6231 Portland Office - Alice Ford at (971) 222-2662 or Betsy Marsh at (971) 222-2664 Lead Based Paint Reporting See complete details for compliance with the Lead Safe Housing Rule, and take advantage of the Housing Choice Voucher Lead Compliance Toolkit. Online training is available. Energy Performance Contracting Learn more today. This helpful website includes case studies, success stories, training materials and contacts. FSS Coordinator Conferences CFP & ARRA Deadlines Fast Approaching! 2010 CFP + RHF grant executed amendments due to the FO by 7/12/2010. The 60% expenditure deadline for Formula ARRA grants is 03/18/2011. Be an Energy Star! Subscribe to this Newsletter
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