News from the California Housing Consortium

California Housing Consortium

The United Voice for Affordable Housing

February 2012, Volume 7 - Issue 1

In this issue...

CA Without Redevelopment

Welcome 2012 Board

CHC Advocacy Days

Policy Forum & Hall of Fame Awards

2012 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Geoff Brown

Chair-

President, USA Properties Fund, Inc

Linda Mandolini

Vice Chair/Co-Policy Chair Executive Director, Eden Housing

Jack Gardner

Secretary-

President/CEO, The John Stewart Company

Ken Sauder

Treasurer-

President/CEO, Wakeland Housing & Community Development

Jeanne Peterson Co-Policy Chair -

Principal, Reznick Group

Mary Kaiser

Membership Chair-

Executive Director, California Community Reinvestment Corp

Terry Freeman

Immediate Past Chair-

Principal, Terry Freeman & Associates

Laura Archuleta

President, Jamboree Housing

Orlando Cabrera

Nixon Peabody

Rebecca Clark

Executive Vice President, BRIDGE Housing

Leslye Corsiglia

Director, City of San Jose Housing Department

Matt Franklin

President, MidPen Housing

Lynn Hutchins

Goldfarb & Lipman LLP

Jim Kroger

Partner, Novogradac & Company LLP

Mary Ellen Shay

President, ME Shay Co.

Doug Shoemaker

President, Mercy Housing California

Jim Silverwood

President, Affirmed Housing

Dianne Spaulding

Executive Director, Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California

Ronne Thielen

Executive Vice President, R4 Capital Inc.

Percival Vaz

President/CEO, AMCAL Multi-Housing Inc.

Bill Witte

President, Related California

EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS

Cathy Creswell

Acting Director, California Department of

Housing and Community Development

Sean Spear

Executive Director, California Debt Limit Allocation Committee

Claudia Cappio

Executive Director, California Housing Finance Agency

William Pavao

Executive Director, California Tax Credit Allocation Committee

STAFF

Ray Pearl

Executive Director

Nancy Martin

Program Manager

A California Without Redevelopment

As the new month starts, California awakes to a world in which redevelopment no longer exists. The impacts on affordable housing and the people served are real and they are significant. As we begin to look to the future, however, we should be thankful for the past. Our world now involves a discussion about AB26x, technical clean-up, successor agencies and enforceable obligations but our past shows a decades long string of successful affordable housing developments built with redevelopment dollars throughout the state. Our job now is to try to protect existing money and then come up with the new source of funding for affordable housing.

In the near term, SB 654 (Steinberg) provides a source of hope. This bill seeks to protect nearly $2 billion in existing Low Mod funds by ensuring those balances are transferred to Successor Agencies. While the bill did not get the necessary 2/3 vote for the urgency clause to be included, it did pass the Senate on a 34-1 vote without the urgency clause. It now moves onto the Assembly. There is definitely work to be done to see this bill pass the Assembly and move on to the governor but the first important step was achieved.

In the long-term, a new source of funding for affordable housing needs to be identified and a new system needs to be put in place. We are looking to legislative leaders to continue to fight for affordable housing and see that a permanent source is finally identified. That fight will not be won easily or quickly. Working with our allies in Sacramento and with your continued support, however, the task is not impossible.

Welcome the 2012 BOD & BOG

We first wish to thank Terry Freeman for her leadership the last two years as our Chair. We also thank Jim Kroger for his role as Membership Chair and Treasurer in the past three years. While Jim is leaving the Executive Committee, we are so pleased to have him extending his term on the Board of Directors. Thank you to both Terry and Jim for all their hard work!

We now welcome our 2012 Executive Committee:

Geoff Brown, Chair, USA Properties Fund Inc.
Linda Mandolini, Vice Chair/Co-Policy Chair, Eden Housing
Jack Gardner, Secretary, The John Stewart Co.
Ken Sauder, Treasurer, Wakeland Housing
Jeanne Peterson, Co-Policy Chair, Reznick Group
Mary Kaiser, Membership Chair, California Community Reinvestment Corporation
Terry Freeman, Immediate Past Chair, Terry Freeman & Associates

2012 also brings us two new boardmembers:

Lynn Hutchins, Goldfarb & Lipman LLP
Doug Shoemaker, Mercy Housing California

We are thrilled to have them join our ranks at CHC.

Our Board of Governors welcomes four new members, each bringing their own diverse point of view and accomplishments:

Janice Jensen, Habitat of Humanity East Bay
Justin Cooper, Orrick Herrington
Beth Southorn, LifeSTEPS
Douglas Guthrie, Los Angeles Housing Department

Welcome All!

CHC 2012 Advocacy Days - Save the Date!

Please join the California Housing Consortium in Sacramento for our annual advocacy trip on March 13 & 14.

March 13: Participants will gather to discuss current issues and lobbying strategies, followed by a group dinner.

March 14: Participants will have the opportunity to speak with key legislators and staff working in small lobbying groups with fellow CHC members.

Registration information to come...

CHC 2012 Policy Forum & Housing Hall of Fame Awards - Save the Date!

This year's Policy Forum & Housing Hall of Fame Awards will be on

May 24th, 2012 at the Loews Hotel in Santa Monica.

Please mark it on your calendar today!

More information to come...

Membership Renewal

Don't forget to renew your CHC membership for 2012!
Applications are available online at: www.calhsng.org or
contact us at 818.735.9551 or info@calhsng.org

___________________________________________

California Housing Consortium

30141 Agoura Road, Suite 205
Agoura Hills, CA 91301
Phone: 818.735.9551
Fax: 818.735.7348
www.calhsng.org