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Greetings!
This month, I visited Washington, DC on behalf of IACED members to share member successes, learn new ideas, and advocate for the issues which are important to you. The trip was made possible because of IACED's involvement with two outstanding national community development advocates--the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC). These national relationships add value for IACED members.
From March 16-19, 2013 I attended the NLIHC State Partner meeting and Policy Conference. State partners are housing and homeless advocacy organiza
tions, which can provide a local focus to national advocacy. Conversely, through the state partner relationship, IACED's national policy advocacy is strengthened for affordable housing.
NLIHC officially launched the campaign to fund the National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) through a modernization of the mortgage interest deduction on March 18 at its 2013 Housing Policy conference in Washington, DC. The campaign, "United for Homes," supports Representative Keith Ellison's (D-MN) bill, H.R. 1213, the Common Sense Housing Investment Act. The bill would lower the cap on the size of a mortgage for which the interest can be deducted from $1 million plus $100,000 in home equity loans to $500,000. The measure would also convert the deduction to a 15% nonrefundable tax credit. These two modifications would save approximately $197 billion over ten years. The bill would direct the majority of these savings to the NHTF. Released at the Summit was the NLIHC's 2013 Advocates Guide describing federal housing and community development programs and strategies for informing policy makers.
From March 20-23, 2013, I attended the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) conference with IACED board member Jean Ishmon, Executive Director of the Northwest Indiana Reinvestment Alliance. Jean also serves on the board of NCRC and was elected vice chairperson of the board. Congratulations.
The NCRC sessions were informative focusing on homeownership development, small business development, and new tools for advocacy. I hope you tracked the valuable insights from both conferences via the IACED Twitter feed.
On Thursday during the NCRC conference, Jean and I spent the day on Capitol Hill in support of policies benefiting IACED members. We had meetings with staff from all Congressional offices. Thank you to all the staff who met with us and Representatives Rokita and Messer who talked with us personally.
Key topics for the visits were sequestration, appropriations, tax reform, and runaway and homeless youth.
As you read in this recent IACED blog post, according to US Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Donovan, Indiana can expect reductions totaling $12 million compared to FY12 in programs including rental housing support through the tenant based rental assistance (TBRA) program, homeless assistance, affordable housing, community development, and special needs support. We urged Members of Congress to replace these cuts with a package of balance reductions which protect vulnerable Hoosier families.
As the House and Senate move from the budgeting to the appropriations process we asked they make these investments.
- US Department of Housing and Urban Development
- CBDG - $3.5B
- HOME -$1.2B
- Housing Counseling - $88M
- Homeless Assistance - $2.2B,
- Section 8 vouchers - $20B
- US Department of Agriculture
- 502 Direct - $900M
- 515 Direct - $50M
- Rural Community Development Initiative - $8M
In tax reform discussions, we urged members to protect the benefits of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit because it has been highly successful in Indiana. IACED believes Indiana currently has 643 LIHTC properties consisting of 45,531 apartment units, with 89,457 bedrooms and an estimated 133,820 tenants. Indiana allocated approximately $140 million ($14M per year received over 10 years) of LIHTC in 2012 resulting in nearly $125 million in equity investment into Indiana's economy.
During visits we discussed the goals of the National Low Income Housing Coalition's "United for Homes" campaign and the National Community Reinvestment Coalition's Blueprint for economic justice.
Lastly, we discussed the The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) programs which provide youth with a stable foundation from which they can connect with services, reunify with their families or develop the skills needed to live independently. The authorization for the act lapses on 9/30/2013. We asked members to increase the capacity of RHYA programs through reauthorization and appropriations.
In other news, the board of directors approved a slate of new directors at the March board meeting. Read the slate here and watch for a ballot in the mail.
Regards,
Andy Fraizer
Executive Director
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IACED is now on Twitter using the handle @INCommDev. Click the image below to follow us. Check out our latest tweets below!
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Trainings, Events, and
Technical Assistance |
IACED Trainings
2013 Trainings Kick Off With Real Estate Finance
IACED is excited to announce its 2013 training calendar, beginning with Real Estate Finance training April 24-25, at the American Red Cross of Greater Indianapolis. This year's Real Estate Finance training is updated to reflect the most recent information you need to know as you develop your community development real estate projects.
Coming up on May 15-17 is your chance to get a certification from the Indiana Builder's Association as a Certified Aging in Place Specialist. This will be a fantastic value for those who register - we have a limited number of slots available this year, so please sign up early when you see the announcement.
Midsummer will see IACED offering our newest original training, Basic Organizational Development for Human Services. Do you find yourself wearing more and more hats these days within your organization? Then this training could help you sort out how to keep your ship afloat, while growing your core services.
If you have any questions about IACED trainings, please contact Chris Collins. I look forward to hearing from you.
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IACED Offers Quality Technical Assistance
Whether you are running an organization or trying to design a new program or project, it can feel like a considerable weight. Our job is to help share the load! IACED provides members with a wide range of direct technical assistance. For more information, contact IACED Senior Program Manager Jessica Love.
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Homeward Bound Season Now in Full Swing!
Homeward Bound, a series of annual walks that take place in communities throughout Indiana to raise funding for and awareness about affordable housing and homeless needs is entering the peak Spring season with five walks around the state in April. Homeward Bound is facilitated by IACED to support our non-profit members that provide affordable housing or serve our homeless neighbors. Each Homeward Bound event is organized and governed by a local steering committee made up of dedicated community leaders.
All funds raised stay in the communities in which they are raised. Already this year, IACED is proud to have helped host walks in Elkhart and Central Indiana. The Central Indiana walk took place on March 23 and the event included this moving speech from LuAnna Jennings, who shared her experience of being homeless for over 10 years, working with Horizon House to end her homelessness, and eventually graduating with her Masters Degree. For more details about the walk nearest you or to make a donation, please visit the official Homeward Bound website.
Transit Initiative Moves Forward in Indiana Legislature
On March 21, the Indiana Senate Local Government Committee approved HB 1011, a bill to give central Indiana residents a chance to vote on a referendum to expand the region's bus system and add a high-speed rail line. Legislators then sent the measure to the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee to consider where the bill faces another big hurdle as lawmakers have already been vocal about their reservations regarding the .3 percentage point tax increase identified to pay for additional buses, added routes and over time, a new light-rail system. For more information, read our blog post by clicking here and check out Indiana Citizens' Alliance for Transit (IACT) for talking points and updates.
Indiana Hardest Hit Fund: State Program Struggles to Aid Homeowners, Program Improvements on the Horizon
President Obama established the Hardest Hit Funding February 2010 to provide targeted aid to families in states hit hard by the economic and housing market downturn. This $7.6 billion initiative encompasses 18 states and the District of Columbia. State housing finance agencies have until the end of 2017 to use their Hardest Hit Funds. In Indiana, the program is administered by the
Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA)
. IHCDA has worked with former Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman, the Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) and the Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network (IFPN) partners to develop a comprehensive, statewide strategy. Indiana's Hardest Hit Fund provides an Unemployment Bridge Program (UBP) to assist eligible homeowners throughout the state to avoid foreclosure resulting from loss of income due to layoff, reduction in force, or other job loss through no fault or neglect of their own. You can read about the Indiana program parameters at http://www.877gethope.org/faq/.
Despite good intentions, IACED members have reported during the last year that the program was too restrictive to aid homeowners in need. Data bears out these challenges. Recently, the Home Defense Program of the Atlanta Legal Aid Society, Inc. compiled a chart comparing states' progress in getting Hardest Hit Fund money to families struggling to pay the mortgage. The chart is based on data from reports each state must submit to the Department of Treasury and available on their website. According to this research only 5.3 percent of available Indiana Hardest Hit Funds have been provided to borrowers since the program's inception. The range of funds provided has a high mark with Rhode Island's 37.7 percent and low bound in Arizona at 3.7 percent.
Community Development Impacts of Sequestration...Updated Information and a Call to Action
Sequestration, automatic across-the-board cuts to defense and non-defense discretionary spending that started on March 1, was required
by the Budget Control Act (BCA) of 2011. IACED has continuouisly updated members and supporters on the estimated impacts of the sequestration for their work in a variety of community development, human service, workforce development, and other areas on our blog.
Now, as this process continues, more information is emerging as the Administration communicates budget reductions and impacts of the reduced federal spending. Please contact your member of Congress today (see the previous blog post) and tell them continuing the sequester will decimate affordable housing and community development programs and harm Hoosier families reliant on these programs. On our blog post, found here, you can find details on sequestration's impact from several federal agencies.
IACED asks that our members stay in touch with us by emailing Andy Fraizer or Kathleen Taylor to share your stories about sequestration impacts in Hoosier communities.
HUD Announces Tier 1 CoC funding for FY12
On March 13, the Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced renewal funding for 7,000 programs nationwide designated as Tier 1 for FY2012. Those grants represent $1.5 billion in funding that was the result of a revised competitive grant process that, according to HUD's press release, "challenged local communities to reexamine thir response to homelessness and give greater weight to proven strategies, from providing 'rapid re-housing' for homeless families to permanent supportive housing for those experiencing chronic homelessness."
Many IACED members were recipients of the state total allocation of $10.8 million in total funding for renewals this round through the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program. These programs support homeless individuals and families by providing transitional and supportive housing, but also critical supportive services such as job training, street outreach, health care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care. There was no mention of when grant awards for Tier II recipients would be announced.
Consumer Protection Agency Releases Thousands of Searchable Complaints on Financial Products
On March 28, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) released the nation's largest public database of federal consumer financial complaints regarding financial products and services. According the Bureau's press release, this new expansion the to the current Consumer Complaint Database allows consumers to access information on more than 90,000 individual complaints and allows for greater transparency and accountability.
Previously, the database contained information on just 19,000 complaints pertaining strictly to credit cards, but with this expansion, consumers can browse complaints on mortgages, student loans, bank accounts and services, other consumer loans, and credit cards. The public will also be able to see what consumers complained about, why they complained and how and when the company in question responds. The data includes fields that help consumers search by the type of complaint, the date of submission, the consumer's ZIP code, and the company that the complaint concerns.
The expanded Consumer Complaint Database can be found at:
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IACED Member Converts Vacant Lots to Vibrant Parks in Marion
The Affordable Housing & Community Development Corporation based in Marion, Indiana announced that three park projects in Grant County received funding and plans for development will move forward this summer. The three projects represent a collaborative effort between the Community Foundation of Grant County, Indiana, Vectren Foundation, AHC, Project Leadership, and the Grace House and were funded in part by the Community Foundation of Grant County.
The first project is called Passport Park was inspired by the Grant County Community's 2012 Passport book creation. The Passport is a colorful and user-friendly booklet that lists 1,000 experiences that youth should have before they graduate from high school. The experiences are diverse and interactive, meant to build on relationships with mentors, parents, neighbors, and other family members. The Passport Park will become Marion's first official outdoor destination for checking activities off of students' lists.
The Second Project, The Gathering Place, will be based in a part of town the Affordable Housing Corporation has recently focused much of its attention on with the addition of a community garden in 2011 and the recently completed EverGreen Homes development that provides affordable housing for 10 families and revitalizing the appearance of the area. The Gathering Place will be the newest addition to further the growth in this area with four grills, communal lemonade stand and picnic tables.
The third park project announced is the Giving Grace Fitness Park. The new park will sit on lots that are currently vacant in the M7 neighborhood in Marion. These lots are adjacent to Grace House for Recovery, a home for recovering addicts. The men at Grace House complete a 12-step program to overcome addictions and develop a healthy lifestyle. The Affordable Housing Corporation noted that it only made sense to develop something the Grace House men would utilize in their announcement. Giving Grace Fitness Park is a 9-station fitness course with a running/walking path connecting the stations.
With more parks plans on the horizon, this non-profit IACED member along with the support of IACED Associate partners have made big strides in Marion, IN to encourage neighbor interaction and a commitment to community revitalization. For more information about these projects, check out Affordable Housing & Community Development Corporation's website by clicking here.
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