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Engaging Housing Providers & Funders : PHAs and City Governments

Gerry McCafferty Deputy Director, Office of Housing Springfield, MA February 2008. Engaging Housing Providers & Funders : PHAs and City Governments. A little background . . . . Springfield released plan in January 2007 Mayor and business community

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Engaging Housing Providers & Funders : PHAs and City Governments

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  1. Gerry McCafferty Deputy Director, Office of Housing Springfield, MA February 2008 Engaging Housing Providers & Funders:PHAs and City Governments

  2. A little background . . . • Springfield released plan in January 2007 • Mayor and business community • Hired June 2006 to write plan & oversee implementation • Background: legal services housing attorney • 28-member community implementation committee • Regional plan to be released this month

  3. Initial Goal • Make housing opportunities available quickly (get results to build support) • Existing units and subsidies first • Production later • Time lag • Need to develop capacity

  4. Finding the housing • Springfield Housing Authority • 17-unit federally-subsidized public housing building • Scattered-site state-subsidized public housing units, rolling model • 100 Project-based vouchers, with private landlords

  5. Finding the housing, cont. • City of Springfield HOME • Tenant-Based Rental Assistance • Rapid ReHouse (First month’s rent & security deposit) • CDBG/Community Development Block Grant (mod rehab)

  6. Regional Sources of Housing • Public housing authorities • Regional housing authority • HOME Consortium

  7. ENGAGING HOUSING PROVIDERS/FUNDERS • Self-interest • Political pressure • The power of a plan • The power of success

  8. SELF-INTEREST:Marble Street Apartments • Under-utilized units • Problem property • Homeless Families + on-site services • 90% decrease in arrests • 61% decrease in “reportable incidents”

  9. POLITICAL PRESSURE:Project-Based Voucher Program • Executive Director said yes; Board of Commissioners skittish • Mayor influence on Board of Commissioners • Agency role is more than just a landlord

  10. THE POWER OF A PLAN:HOME & CDBG funds 1. Rapid ReHouse • 10-Year Plan called for Rapid ReHouse; no funding source identified in plan • Rapid ReHouse an allowable HOME expense 2. Youth Aging Out • Public Hearing proposal conformed with plan goals • Immediate interest in funding

  11. THE POWER OF SUCCESS:Regional REACH • REACH = City/State model for supportive housing • City provides HOME funds for vouchers; state funds services • Proven success makes argument for regional expansion

  12. Where to start? • Know what’s in the plans • 10-year plan • Action plan • Influence what’s in the plans • Be at the table • Hearings & comment periods • Specific requests: sources & uses • How can local resources be used?

  13. Meet the players:city housing staff & phas • Informational at first • Emphasize common goals/issues • Where are they going? • Understand their problems • What can you bring to the table?

  14. Pilot Programs • Strong design, research-driven • Collaboration • Start small, collect data • Show results • Justify increases • Take to scale

  15. What’s the role of advocacy organizations? • Find a solution • Be specific • Show expected results (research!) • Partner with entities that provide the solution

  16. If at first you don’t succeed… Use your power: • Plan • Research • Political Pressure • Whose problem is this?

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