December 25, 2008

What's New in Region IX December 25, 2008

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL�The coming year will provide many opportunities for us to work together, and our wish is that we can help communities, families and those vulnerable in our midst to gather strength and determination leading to better outcomes ahead.

But first�we're on vacation. Just a short break, with federal holidays for Thursday, December 25 and Friday, December 26. We re-open on Monday, December 29.

Now to the updates�Las Vegas Field Office Director Ken LoBene participated in the December 16 Congressional Oversight Committee on the use of TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program) funds, and conducted a tour of several seriously impacted neighborhoods where one in every five houses was either foreclosed or in foreclosure. Members attending were Ms. Elizabeth Warren, Chair, Mr. Damon Silvers, Associate General counsel for the AFL-CIO and Mr. Barry Nieman, Superintendent of Banking for the State of New York.

Phoenix Field Office Director Rebecca Flanagan and Jan Bontrager, Regional Manager of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, hosted a December 18 follow-up Neighborhood Stabilization Program meeting for grantees and stakeholders�earlier a similar briefing took place for Maricopa County communities and the State of Arizona.

Sacramento's Field Office Director met up with community groups at a Chase Mortgage reception that included newly elected Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson. The reception introduced the National Multi-Cultural and Affordable Housing program.

Los Angeles Field Office staff joined a December 17 Riverside Collaborative Meeting. The intent of the meeting was to allow a presentation to solicit involvement in a program and joint partnership between community partners, the lending community, as well as the state, local and federal government. The design is based on a very successful program currently underway in the City of San Diego.

The San Francisco Regional Director's office reports that well-known and longtime HUD representative Lillie Zinnerman will retire January 3. Lillie most recently has served as the region's Faith and Community Based Initiative liaison, as well as being the congressional relations liaison in the Regional Office. She has our best wishes.

Emancipated Foster and Homeless Youth were the focus of the 11th annual roundtable on December 17, with HUD's Community Planning and Development staff and Homebase facilitating. The meeting was held at the new Kroc Center in San Francisco, opened with funding help from the CDBG program.

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingel opened two new centers serving the homeless this month.

Cutbacks for the San Francisco Housing Authority resulted in more than 60 members of its workforce being laid off. About 20 were in administrative positions and 40 were craftspersons. Avondale, Arizona's mayor invited Phoenix Field Office Director Rebecca Flanagan to a foreclosure forum on Maricopa County's West Valley.

For further information regarding any of these articles, please contact the Region IX Supervisory Public Affairs Officer, Larry Bush.