CLPHA
Public Housing Authorities: Local Challenges. Innovative Solutions.
Table of Contents 1
Introduction
2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Neighborhood Revitalization
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Sustainability and Health
14 15 16 17 18
Franklin Hill Benedict Park Place Jordan Downs Convent Hill High Point
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Preserving and Creating Affordable Housing
22 23 24 26 27
John F. Kennedy Cambridge, Massachusetts Heritage Commons Minneapolis, Minnesota NYCHA’s Federalization Program New York, New York Lion Creek Crossing Oakland, California Resource Action Center Portland, Oregon
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About Public Housing
Edgewood Village First Ward Roosevelt Square Tremont Pointe Wheeler Creek Greenbridge Salishan
Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) 1
Akron, Ohio Charlotte, North Carolina Chicago, Illinois Cuyahoga County, Ohio Washington, D.C. King County, Washington Tacoma, Washington
Boston, Massachusetts Denver, Colorado Los Angeles, California Milwaukee, Wisconsin Seattle, Washington
The Promise of Public Housing Public housing occupies a unique and essential place on the affordable housing spectrum. It is home to about 2.2 million working families, seniors, and people with disabilities. A multibillion dollar asset, its urban footprint gives it a central role in creating thriving urban centers. Over the last two decades, there has been a sea change in public housing policy, with the HOPE VI program at its heart. The single largest source of public capital for urban redevelopment, Hope VI has provided $6.5 billion in federal funds since 1993, and generated billions more in private financing. HOPE VI represented a fundamental policy shift, an acknowledgement that the archaic and underfunded public housing system was too often producing and perpetuating isolated communities of poverty. Hope VI was designed to repair the fabric of these neighborhoods, to reduce the concentration of poverty, and to improve residents’ lives. The policies and tools used to meet these challenging goals have now become standard practice throughout the industry, and a model for community redevelopment. Research confirms just how successful this place-based approach has been. The latest report, sponsored by CLPHA and funded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, is an in-depth review of the neighborhood-wide economic effect of specific HOPE VI developments. The findings are significant. In virtually all cases, serious crime dropped sharply. In many sites, property values rose. Revenue to local and state governments increased. New partnerships connect residents to education, employment, and health resources. Affordable housing developers have used HOPE VI and other tools to assemble a proven recipe for creating communities of opportunity. They are revitalizing neighborhoods, preserving affordable housing, and building healthy, service-enriched environments. The following pages highlight a few of the many examples of how public housing authorities and their communities have developed innovative solutions to local challenges.
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Neighborhood Revitalization
Neighborhood Revitalization The history of public housing has been rocky at times. By the early 1990’s, the combination of aging buildings and years of disinvestment had left thousands of units physically deteriorated and often uninhabitable. In some cities, like Tacoma, stock being used as public housing had originally been built to be temporary. The changes in the following seven neighborhoods are nothing short of transformative. Accompanying the striking physical improvements are new community spaces and services and an end to isolation. The property values of surrounding homes have increased, and new businesses are locating nearby. Two of the neighborhoods featured here were part of a recent study assessing the economic impact of HOPE VI. In Charlotte’s First Ward, violent crime was cut in half by redevelopment, and redevelopment generated more than $14 million in total economic activity from increases in residents’ income. Homes around D.C.’s Wheeler Creek saw significant increases in property values. These examples demonstrate the power of place-based development strategies to improve neighborhoods and change peoples’ lives.
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To the right: Roosevelt Square, Chicago
Neighborhood Revitalization
CLPHA Public Housing Authorities 1 CLPHA Public Housing Authorities 15
Neighborhood Revitalization
Edgewood Village Akron, Ohio
Edgewood Village, located in Akron, Ohio, represents a new vision for public housing. Through a HOPE VI grant and other public and private funds, isolated row houses built in the 1940s to serve low-income households have been replaced with new market-rate quality units targeted to a mixed-income population. The property was designed as part of a larger revitalization plan, linking the new housing to the surrounding community.
“This development has served as a magnet, pulling all these investments and improvements together,” said Anthony O’Leary, Executive Director, AMHA. “The result is a larger, dynamic, and successful neighborhood.”
Edgewood Village sits directly across the street from a new Akron Public Schools K-8 Learning Center and the new headquarters for The Urban League of Akron. The Akron Zoo, adjacent to the Edgewood Village site, has already invested more than $19 million in new exhibits and facility upgrades and is planning additional investments of over $20 million. “Edgewood Village is more than a place to live,” says Anthony O’Leary, Executive Director, Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority (AMHA). “It offers opportunities for family growth, neighborhood support and community partnerships. It is the beginning of a bright future, rich with possibilities.” The City of Akron has invested heavily in the surrounding neighborhood, spending almost $40 million on other new housing and public infrastructure. The city has also pledged an additional $4.9 million to the HOPE VI project. More than thirty local service providers have pledged their support.
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Neighborhood Revitalization
“In less than one month I have set a budget and have begun to set aside money for a down payment to help me purchase my own home when I complete the Charlotte Housing Authority Family Self-Sufficiency Program. I am so blessed to have guidance from my case manager. Every major city in the United States should have a program like this.” – Quindetta Logan, CHA Client “Our goal is to revitalize neighborhoods and rebuild lives.” – Charles Woodyard, Executive Director, CHA
First Ward Charlotte, North Carolina Before its redevelopment into First Ward, Earle Village was one of Charlotte’s most distressed areas. Located on almost 36 acres on the edge of the central business district, it was an island of concentrated poverty socially disconnected from its surroundings, beset by high crime rates. The Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA) partnered with then-NationsBank CDC, the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Charlotte Center City Partners to devise and fund a redevelopment plan for the area. Essential to the program was a $19 million HOPE VI grant. First Ward is now a vibrant residential community that has raised surrounding property values, reduced crime, and increased sales and property tax revenue. It has attracted private capital and development, including a 100-million-square-foot office building, a children’s theater and learning center, a new private elementary/middle school, and a new NBA arena. The development includes rental and home ownership opportunities for a range of incomes. But the story for affordable housing residents in Charlotte is about much more than physical change. ”It’s not enough to just provide a place to live,” said Charles Woodyard, Executive Director, CHA. “We want to provide all our residents the opportunity to rebuild their lives, to reach their highest potential.”
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Neighborhood Revitalization
Roosevelt Square Chicago, Illinois “Where there were once isolated high rises, we have new developments designed to seamlessly integrate into the surrounding neighborhoods,” said Lewis Jordan, Chief Executive Officer, CHA. “Housing is central to people’s ability to soar, and we want our properties and services to help people do just that.”
The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is the city’s largest owner of rental housing. CHA is currently undergoing the Plan for Transformation, the largest and most ambitious redevelopment effort of public housing in the history of the United States. Once home to some of the most notorious public housing, the authority’s Transformation Plan will rehabilitate or redevelop the authority’s entire portfolio—some 25,000 units. One such neighborhood is Roosevelt Square. Situated on about 120 acres, the mixed income neighborhood has a range of amenities. Those include the Fosco Park Community Center, which opened in 2005 complete with an indoor pool, gym, day care and multi purpose rooms. A new $10 million fire station was completed in 2008, and a 12th District Police Station is being built. The Plan goes well beyond the physical buildings. It is also about supporting families as they strive for self-sufficiency. The authority funds a range of services—employment training, case management, scholarships —to make public housing and its leaseholders part of the city’s larger social, economic, and physical fabric.
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Neighborhood Revitalization
Tremont Pointe Cuyahoga, Ohio
Built in 1939, Valleyview Homes Estate was some of the oldest public housing in the country. By 2004, it had become the worst property in the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority’s (CMHA) portfolio. Its World War II barrack-style buildings were small, with no contemporary amenities, and residents were isolated from the larger community. Funded by a HOPE VI grant and a range of additional private and public partners, Tremont Pointe was designed as an environmentally friendly, mixed-income neighborhood fully integrated into the city’s economic mainstream.
“This is another example of our commitment to reinventing public housing,” said George Phillips-Olivier, Chief Executive Officer, CMHA. “Affordable housing is a cornerstone of strong cities and we’re proud to play a key role in providing that.”
Tremont Pointe has transformed an area previously known as “the forgotten triangle.” Nearby housing prices rose from $36,000 to $150,000 between 2000 and 2009. Retail and entertainment is thriving. Residents have access to a wide range of services, including transportation. As part of the project, CMHA is working with Cleveland State University and the Intermuseum Conservation Association to restore and return the wealth of Works Progress Administration (WPA) artwork built in and around the original site. Those WPA murals, mosaics, and statues are being reintroduced to the community. Tremont Pointe is truly green. Units have energy-efficient appliances, lighting, and heating systems. Formaldehyde-free carpets and low-VOC paints make the units healthier and easier to maintain. 7
Neighborhood Revitalization
Wheeler Creek Estates Washington, D.C.
Wheeler Creek Estates has the largest percentage of home ownership units in any completed HOPE VI site.
Wheeler Creek Estates sits in an area previously occupied by two vacant and virtually uninhabitable properties. The distressed buildings had more than 400 units. Not only was it lost affordable housing, it was a barrier to nearby housing or retail development. Today, the D.C. Housing Authority’s (DCHA) development is credited with raising the values of surrounding properties and encouraging additional housing. It has won a range of awards, including the Innovations in Government Award, sponsored by the Ford Foundation and Harvard University.
“This community is a living example of what can be achieved through true partnerships,” said Adrianne Todman, Executive Director, D.C. Housing Authority. “We took isolated and deteriorated properties providing virtually no housing and transformed them into a real neighborhood.”
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It also changed the lives of residents. The housing authority started a family self-sufficiency program through the resident-created and managed Wheeler Creek Community Development Corporation (CDC). The CDC has evolved, now offering an on-site business employment agency, a home buyers club, business training, and family development—funded from non-HOPE VI resources.
Neighborhood Revitalization
Greenbridge King County, Washington White Center, just south of Seattle, is the poorest neighborhood in the region, with a poverty rate twice the county average. This gateway community, providing housing to a diverse mix of ethnic groups, was home to two large public housing complexes, housing almost 10 percent of the area’s residents. Over the past decade, the King County Housing Authority (KCHA) has been transforming it into a vibrant, mixed-income community through the redevelopment of aging public housing, acquisition and rehabilitation of distressed multifamily properties, repair and weatherization assistance for low-income homeowners, and the development of neighborhood facilities, retail space, parks and trails. At the center of this effort is Greenbridge. This approximately 100-acre project is replacing 569 dilapidated public housing units hastily constructed during WWII with up to 1,000 new sustainable units of rental and for-sale housing. To reduce the overconcentration of subsidized units in White Center, 269 units of assisted housing were replaced one-for-one out of the White Center area in affluent suburbs near jobs and high performing schools.
“The impact of these initiatives has been tremendous,” said Stephen Norman, Executive Director, KCHA. “We are seeing new businesses coming into the community, private investment leveraged by public capital. Most importantly, we’re developing a vision for the future, with rising academic success for the children and expanded economic selfsufficiency for all of White Center.”
The site also includes a new elementary school, the neighborhood’s first library, an adult learning center built by the YWCA, and a youth recreation and after-school facility. Most recently, a 44,000 square-foot Early Learning Center funded by the Gates Foundation and Washington State opened. It will serve as the hub of an ambitious community-wide effort to assure quality early learning experiences for every child in White Center.
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Neighborhood Revitalization
New Salishan Tacoma, Washington “This project is ambitious in its development and design goals, and its goals of social justice,” said Michael Mirra, THA’s Executive Director.
Salishan began when the United States entered World War II. The federal government built it as temporary housing for war workers. After the war, the government gave Salishan to the Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) as public housing. By 2000, the housing and its infrastructure were worn out. In that year, THA received a HOPE VI grant that sparked a complete redevelopment of Salishan. The $300 million project will demolish 855 old public housing units and completely rebuild 188 urban acres into a brand new neighborhood. New Salishan will have about 1,270 units, including 350 homes for sale and 920 affordable and market-rate rental units. New Salishan has a medical/dental clinic, an Education, Training and Retail center, a public library, a credit union, and a greengrocer. There are new parks, notable green spaces, and new schools. Its brand new infrastructure is architecturally distinctive, and environmentally innovative. For example, in a model for low-impact design, 91 percent of the storm water will be filtrated on-site, keeping it out of the city’s storm water system.
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THA has also built in ways that strengthen the community. One goal was to have Salishan and other low-income Tacoma residents fill 50 percent of the new jobs created by development. To date, they have filled 89 percent of those jobs. THA sought to have 22 percent of the contracting dollars go to small, historically disadvantaged firms. To date, these firms have received 35 percent of those dollars. Executive Director Mirra said the housing authority “counts these employment and contracting outcomes as significant community achievements.”
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Neighborhood Revitalization
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sustainability and Health
Sustainability and Health Public housing is home to some of our most vulnerable populations. More than 30 percent of residents are elderly, and one-third of those are over the age of 80. People with disabilities make up 27 percent of residents. More than 40 percent are families with children. Health is a constant struggle for people with low incomes. Asthma can be a particularly devastating problem, caused or exacerbated by poor living conditions. Housing authorities have taken leading roles in finding ways to improve residents’ health, adopting environmentally-friendly pest management services, and removing mold and dust. The same policies that drive improvement of indoor air quality are part of the larger move toward green practices. From solar panels and geothermal heat, to eco-friendly carpets and cleaning supplies and better ventilation systems, public housing is in the vanguard of green affordable housing.
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To the right: Franklin Hill, Boston
sustainability and Health
CLPHA Public Housing Authorities 15 CLPHA Public Housing Authorities 1
sustainability and Health
Franklin Hill Boston, Massachusetts
“The transformation of the Franklin Hill community is nothing short of remarkable,” said Mayor Thomas Menino. “The residents, BHA, and developers, have transformed a very distressed community into a cleaner, greener, and safer place in which to live.”
BHA is partnering with Ameresco in the largest public housing energy efficiency project in the nation’s history—$63 million in water and energy conservation measures in approximately 4,300 units. The project will save more than $56 million in energy costs over the next 20 years, create about 600 jobs, and reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by 13,000 tons. “This puts the agency on the cutting edge of energy conservation and healthy housing measures,” said Bill McGonagle, BHA Administrator. “We set the bar higher with every new redevelopment and energy contract we embark upon and our current goal is to create a net-zero community at our Old Colony development in South Boston.”
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Residents and community representatives played a crucial role in planning and building the new Franklin Hill. During the course of more than 25 public meetings and workshops, they worked with the housing authority to identify shared goals. Those included ending the development’s isolation, incorporating green technology, and providing jobs for residents. The project achieved all that, and more. During construction, 219 residents were employed at 18 trades on the construction site. The general contractor worked with YouthBuild founder and graduate Kurt Engelson to establish a construction company, and get its first contract. BHA used a HUD grant to work with residents on incorporating healthy homes best practices, including ventilation systems upgrades, lowVOC paint, and availability of carpet-free units. A partnership including the Boston Public Health Commission and Franklin Hill Tenant Task Force is piloting 14 smoke-free public housing units in two townhouse clusters. Residents who opt into the program agree to prohibit smoking by household members and guests in their unit, in the common areas, and on the grounds immediately adjacent. The changes at Franklin Hill reach well beyond the physical transformation. Partnerships with a range of groups will ensure residents access to necessary resources. For example, the Boys and Girls Club will run after-school and summer programs. The same building now hosts a food pantry program from the Greater Boston Food Bank, as well as office space for a resident services coordinator.
sustainability and Health
Benedict Park Place Denver, Colorado In the late 1980s and early 1990s Denver’s Five Points neighborhood ranked in the top five high-crime neighborhoods in Denver, particularly the privately-owned East Village area. Originally developed as housing for the 1976 Olympics that never came, it was converted to low-income family housing. By 1999, because of poor construction, management, maintenance and site design, many units were abandoned. Most had serious safety issues, and several were beyond repair. The Denver Housing Authority (DHA) acquired the site in 2000 and immediately began planning for the comprehensive redevelopment of the site. In partnership with the City of Denver, DHA was awarded a 2002 HOPE VI grant. The master plan, developed in collaboration with residents and neighbors, called for a well integrated, mixed-income community that came to be known as Benedict Park Place. The mixed-income development includes rental and ownership condominiums, townhouses, and apartments. It also boasts retail and community space, new urbanist design principles, easy access public transit and sustainability principles. Located minutes from downtown Denver, it is walking distance to the Light Rail RTD system.
“It is amazing to see old, blighted housing replaced with new, diverse and smartly designed housing” said Ismael Guerrero, Executive Director, DHA. “What’s more amazing is to see how the new housing has energized the neighborhood with new activities like community gardens, a bike share program, and new employment opportunities. Residents have a pride of place that energizes the entire neighborhood.”
Extensive green building design and energy efficiency measures are incorporated throughout, earning it a range of certifications and awards, including LEED-Neighborhood Development, a joint project of the U.S. Green Building Council, Congress for the New Urbanism and the Natural Resources Defense Council.
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sustainability and Health
Jordan Downs Los Angeles, California “Our goal is to improve the quality of life for every resident,” says Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. “We are revitalizing an entire community and building a sustainable neighborhood by encompassing transit-oriented development, job training and career opportunities, and measures to ensure the safety of our residents.”
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) revitalization of Jordan Downs public housing community is a cornerstone of the city’s five-year, $5 billion “Housing that Works” plan. The existing 700 units, which sit on about 50 acres, will be replaced, along with an additional 900-1,100 affordable and market-rate units. There will be nine acres of open space, including a seven-acre Central Park. The area encompasses the Watts neighborhood, once a thriving community that was damaged by the mass exodus of jobs after World War II, and the 1965 Watts riots. The redevelopment plan includes a comprehensive Human Capital Plan, an ambitious vision to help residents increase their economic selfsufficiency and live successfully in a new mixed income community. Jordan Downs will also be a “model of sustainability,” said Rudolf Montiel, Executive Director, HACLA. The mixed-use community design incorporates the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED-Neighborhood Development rating system. “We are committed to sustainability strategies that will create a livable community. We intend for this to be a thriving community for generations to come.”
Rep. Maxine Waters, Mayor Antonio Villagairosa, and Rudolf Montiel at a Jordan Downs community planning meeting. 16
sustainability and Health
Convent Hill Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The new building (l) was built next to the old one (r), allowing the mostly-elderly residents to move with less disruption.
The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee (HACM) is the largest builder of green homes in the city. One development is Convent Hill, a 10-story accessible apartment complex offering 120 units of senior housing. The green practices began even before demolition of the old building started by recycling 26 tons of metal and glass. By the time the final debris had been cleared, 95 percent of the old structure was recycled or reused. The complex has six green roofs, including a 1,400-square-foot accessible green terrace. The roofs not only save the authority on cooling costs, they filter out noise and reduce stormwater runoff. The units have Energy Star refrigerators, washers, and dryers. Flooring products are made from natural and recycled materials.
“We strive to act as good stewards of the environment while continuing to provide innovative housing solutions,” said Tony Pérez, SecretaryExecutive Director, HACM. “We do not see a contradiction in this. Convent Hill provides a vibrant home and resource-filled surrounding for lowincome seniors while also helping to restore and preserve the environment for future generations.”
Designed in close consultation with the community, the building exceeds federal accessibility standards. Units have extra-wide doorways, low-pile carpeting, and other features to meet residents’ day-to-day needs. An extensive array of supportive services are available on-site, including wellness and health programs and case management. Some programs, like the computer center, are open to non-residents, making Convent Hill a true neighborhood gathering place. HACM has applied successfully for federal grants to provide computer training, adult educational programming, and job and health care information. All residents receive three years of free wireless internet through a partnership with One Economy and AT&T.
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sustainability and Health
High Point Seattle, Washington
“The documented results from the Breathe Easy program are very encouraging,” said Tom Tierney, Executive Director, SHA. “There has been a 60 percent reduction in emergency room visits by families participating in this program.” Breathe Easy Home Features: • Air filtration system in the homes’ attics to filter and remove stale air. • A hydronic heating system reduces airborne particles and organisms. • Linoleum flooring and window blinds diminish dust. • Low-VOC (volatile organic chemicals) paints and cabinetry • Airtight wall construction, insulated windows and insulated foundations that minimize dust, pollen and other contaminants from outside. • A HEPA filter vacuum cleaner.
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The Seattle Housing Authority’s (SHA) High Point neighborhood contains a model of how changes in construction and design can have a dramatic impact on health outcomes. Its Breathe Easy program is a collaboration developed in partnership with the University of Washington School of Public Health, Public Health Seattle, the American Lung Association, and others, to reduce asthma attacks in children. Residents also agree to ban smoking, pets, and certain cleaning materials. The health emphasis extends beyond this program to the larger High Point community. A one-stop medical and dental clinic takes a holistic approach to treatment. The redeveloped clinic—originally housed in scattered public housing units—now serves an additional 2,000 patients. Its services range from prenatal and newborn care to emergency dentistry. Staff speak more than a dozen languages, reflecting the community itself. Mr. Tierney noted that for residents, this kind of change can have a tremendous impact that goes well beyond the immediate benefit, since health affects so many other aspects of life.
sustainability and Health
After
Before
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preserving and creating affordable housing
Preserving and Creating Affordable Housing There is a tremendous disparity between the availability of affordable housing and the need. Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income for housing are considered cost burdened, yet an estimated 12 million households now pay more then 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing. Families with one full-time worker earning the minimum wage cannot afford the local fair-market rent for a twobedroom apartment anywhere in the United States. It is a particular problem in urban areas, where soaring costs can deny access to jobs, transportation, and other services. Estimates are that only one in four families eligible for federal housing assistance receive it. At the same time, years of disinvestment in public housing have resulted in the loss of 150,000 units in the last 15 years. Housing authorities are facing a capital backlog of more than $30 billion. In the face of this challenge, authorities are finding innovative ways to preserve and even create new units of affordable housing. Their success has led U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan to praise housing authorities as the most entrepreneurial and creative affordable housing developers in the country. The mixed-finance approaches they have pioneered are now standard practice for virtually all affordable housing development.
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To the right: New York City Housing Authority Properties
preserving and creating affordable housing
CLPHA Public Housing Authorities 15 CLPHA Public Housing Authorities 1
preserving and creating affordable housing
John F. Kennedy “The redevelopment of JFK is in many ways a window into to the issues we face today, with senior buildings presenting the twin demands of housing an older and frail population and the need for significant capital reinvestment,” said Greg Russ, Executive Director, Cambridge Housing Authority. “JFK is an example of how much we can accomplish with the right resources. It worked because we had a HOPE VI grant. It is clear that to move forward we need a national policy that supports substantial capital grants so we can continue to achieve the same results.”
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Cambridge, Massachusetts
Before its redevelopment, the John F. Kennedy building was the oldest of the Cambridge Housing Authority’s (CHA) elderly housing developments, and the most in need of major renovations. The redesign included sorely needed building restoration, upgrading of all building systems, and modernized kitchens and baths. CHA also wanted to address the needs of its growing elderly population, which in 2002, made up 55 percent of all residents. In addition, more than 80 percent of its over-80 population and 40 percent of its over-62 population were being prematurely institutionalized because of difficulties living independently. A range of services allow residents to age in place, including 24-hour assistance from on-site staff, two daily meals, medication reminders, and assistance coordinating medical and rehabilitation services. Since the demise of rent control in Cambridge has had a particularly devastating impact on younger disabled households, the authority took the opportunity to replace 14 units lost in the redevelopment with units scattered throughout the city for that population, who also have access to supportive services.
preserving and creating affordable housing
Heritage Commons Minneapolis, Minnesota
When they were demolished in 1997, the Bryant Highrises were obsolete. In severe physical distress, they were located in a heavily segregated, poverty-concentrated neighborhood. After HUD approved demolition and provided relocation vouchers, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) made a commitment to replace the lost units. Heritage Commons is the result. This 102-unit elderly public housing building is a state-of-the-art development, providing a range of amenities and services including assisted living, congregate meals, medical screenings, home health care services, and recreational activities. This development also accommodates disabled elderly, who make up a large proportion of residents. This development uses universal design principles that make it adaptable for elders who need more accommodation for their needs. MPHA also designed the first-ever “slot based” assisted living program, allowing residents to receive that support without moving to a new assisted living wing or facility. The Commons has a mini-grocery store, beauty and barbershop, and library. It sits on a bus line only blocks from the Minneapolis Farmers’ Market.
“The senior campus at Heritage Park will be the realization of a strategy envisioned by our authority that creates a community of wellbeing and security for our senior and most vulnerable residents,” said Cora McCorvey, Executive Director, MPHA.
The Commons is the first leg in a soon to be developed senior campus in Heritage Park, a newly developed mixed-financed, mixed-income community. The campus will include a Senior Health and Wellness Center that will house a YMCA, medical clinic, therapy pool, adult day program and more. It will also be the site of the nation’s first development dedicated to seniors with Alzheimer’s Disease and other forms of dementia, funded partly by a competitive grant awarded through the 2009 Recovery Act.
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preserving and creating affordable housing
“I hope every New Yorker sees this and understands just how important it is to everyone that people at all income levels should have the opportunities to be near jobs and family,” said Michael Kelly, NYCHA General Manager.
Historic Preservation Development New York City Housing Authority
The announcement that New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and its partners had solved the funding problem for 21 public housing buildings was potentially one of the most important transactions ever in preserving public housing, according to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. For the better part of a decade, NYCHA had been running these buildings—home to more than 46,000 people—by diverting funds from its already-strained operating fund. Because the properties were initially built and maintained by the city and state, they were not eligible for federal funds. In the 1990s, the city and state began to eliminate its subsidies. The landmark deal federalized the buildings, bringing them inside the fold. “Our residents are the real beneficiaries of this deal,” said NYCHA Commissioner John Rhea. “New York’s commitment to maintaining quality affordable housing is at the foundation of everything we do, and it’s what drove all the partners who made this a reality.” NYCHA is the nation’s largest public housing authority, home to one in every 13 city dwellers. Its ability to bring the deal together began with a provision in the 2009 Recovery Act. It required state legislation, several financial partners, and a staggering amount of work, all of which had to be done within a very tight window.
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preserving and creating affordable housing
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preserving and creating affordable housing
Lion Creek Crossing Oakland, California
Before it was renovated, Coliseum Gardens was a dilapidated 178-unit family public housing development. The 14-building community, located in the shadows of the Oakland Coliseum, where professional sports franchises won titles and athletes made millions, was isolated from that success. The community, facing high crime rates, disinvestment, and the effects of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, became physically and spiritually distressed.
“Lion Creek Crossing is about transforming a community,” said Phil Neville, Deputy Executive Director, OHA. “This project will more than triple the number of affordable units while expanding services and opportunities for the entire neighborhood.”
With $34.5 million in Hope VI funds, the Oakland Housing Authority (OHA) will have leveraged an additional $219 million in public and private investment when the new development, renamed Lion Creek Crossings, is complete. The 178 units of public housing will be the city’s largest affordable housing development, with 367 units of affordable rental housing constructed as of 2008, and another 200 rental units in development. In 2005, the first residents moved into the renamed community. Lion Creek Crossing is a mixed-income, mixed-use, transit-oriented development. A catalyst in the city’s redevelopment plans for the area around the Coliseum/ Oakland Airport BART Station, it includes several hundred more housing units than before and social service space in a “smart growth” transit village that also includes an Amtrak stop and a major bus hub. The new development also incorporates nearby under-utilized industrial properties, and surrounds a large, new park and restored creek. Included in the development are supportive social services, child care, and recreational facilities. It has 15,000 square feet of social service space with an additional 3,000 square feet planned, including community meeting spaces and a computer learning center funded by a $200,000 HUD Neighborhood Networks grant. 26
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preserving and creating affordable housing
“This ‘coalition of the willing’ is a clear example of how urban neighborhoods can draw on their many resources to solve seemingly intractable problems,” said Steve Rudman, Executive Director, Housing Authority of Portland, the project’s developer and owner.
Resource Action Center Portland, Oregon Portland’s Resource Access Center (RAC) is a unique project. A cornerstone of the Oregon city’s 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness, it will also play a key role in revitalizing a downtown area ripe for renewal. Designed to focus on the most chronically homeless populations and streamline access to existing services, it is designed and developed to enhance neighborhood livability. Its landmark urban infill design includes an interior courtyard and an internal waiting area missing from the current service locations. It is a green building built to LEED Platinum standards that will produce 60 percent fewer emissions than a traditional structure. The RAC will be home to a wide range of services. In addition to 90 shelter beds, there will be permanent supportive housing and affordable housing. It will have showers, locker rooms, a mailroom, computers with internet access, and community rooms for day use by people who are homeless. Construction jobs are targeted to low income members of the community. Central to the project’s success has been the active participation of groups with differing perspectives on homelessness. The Portland Business Alliance, homeless advocates, the city police, business, and neighbors came together to create a building that meets multiple community goals. “The RAC will provide a front door to services that transition hundreds of people out of tents, doorways, and cars into safe and decent homes,” said Nick Fish, Portland City Commissioner responsible for housing. “It will be an open, welcoming door.”
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Public Housing The Value and Economic Benefits of Public Housing
Public housing is home to about 2.2 million seniors, people with disabilities, and low-income families.
• The total replacement cost for the 1.2 million units of existing public housing would approach $145 billion, excluding land.
Seniors
• Direct spending by public housing authorities on capital improvements, maintenance, and operations is approximately $8.1 billion a year.
• More than 320,000 seniors rely on public housing and supportive services. • Elderly households represent 31 percent of all public housing households. Of those, 13 percent include someone 85 years of age or older.
• This direct spending generates an additional $8.2 billion in indirect economic activity in these communities.
People with Disabilities
• PHAs received $4 billion in 2009 Recovery Act funds. One year after the first $3 billion was awarded, authorities had created close to 9,000 jobs and rehabbed 150,000 units—50,000 more than HUD anticipated.
Families with Children
• About 426,375 residents are living with a disability, and 34 percent of all public housing households are headed by people with disabilities.
• Two out of every five residents are children. Public housing provides them with not only a home, but a host of services aimed at creating stability and increasing their future opportunities.
Household Characteristics • The average household income is $13,500. • On average, their household income is only 25 percent of the area’s median income. • The average household size is 2.2 people.
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Neighborhood Revitalization
CLPHA The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national nonprofit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis, and public education. As a multi-billion dollar asset, public housing is the cornerstone of affordable housing and community development. In support of the critical role of public housing, CLPHA: • Advocates for adequate public housing funding and policies that support local management and accountability. • Develops and analyzes policies impacting the public housing community. • Educates policymakers and the public about the critical role public housing plays in meeting affordable housing needs.
Materials cited: www.huduser.org/portal/periodicals/cityscpe/vol12num1/ch4.pdf www.clpha.org/public_housing_an_economic_engine www.clpha.org/housing_authorities_move_quickly_to_put_recovery_act_funds_to_work www.huduser.org/portal/elist/2010-Feb8.html www.hud.gov/offices/pih/systems/pic/50058/rcr/
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Council of Large Public Housing Authorities 455 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Suite 425 Washington, DC 20001 202.638.1300 www.CLPHA.org