Homelessness

The House Financial Services Committee (HFSC) passed the Ending Homelessness Act (H.R. 1856) with a 32-26 vote. The legislation provides $13.27 billion in new funding over five years to federal programs and initiatives to prevent homelessness. It includes funding for new units of affordable housing, new vouchers, case management and technical assistance.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) announced awards totaling $302 million from the No Place Like Home program. HCD also announced awards totaling $11 million from the federal Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) program.

In Mayor Muriel Bower’s State of the District Address, she announced an additional $55 in spending in programs to create or preserve affordable housing. “We are very focused on housing,” Bowser told the council during a budget presentation. “What we heard from residents across the city is that is the most significant pinch point.” The […]

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced more than $26 million in new funding for housing from the Department of Neighborhood Development, the Neighborhood Housing Trust and the Community Preservation Fund. The funding will impact a total of 515 units, 459 new housing units will be created and 56 units will be preserved.

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccarddo announced that the city will devote nearly $100 million to 11 projects across the city over the next several years. The 11 projects are expected to provide 1,144 apartments to formerly homeless residents, low-income seniors and other vulnerable groups.

Governor Kate Brown and Oregon Housing and Community Services released the statewide 5-year housing plan, Breaking New Ground. The plan focuses on six priorities and includes measurable goals to work towards by 2023:

In London Breed’s first State of the City address as San Francisco’s mayor she announced plans for a charter amendment to make affordable and teacher housing development as-of-right in San Francisco. The charter amendment proposed for the November 2019 election, would allow 100 percent affordable and teacher housing proposals that comply with existing zoning laws to bypass the usual bureaucratic and appeals process that can result in long and costly delays.

In a Microsoft Corporate Blog, president Brad Smith and CFO Amy Hood committed $500 million in loans and grants to accelerate the construction of more affordable housing across the Seattle region across the next three years.

The Florida Housing Finance Corporation (FHFC) issued a Request for Applications (RFA) 2019-106 – Housing Credit and State Apartment Incentive Loan (SAIL) Financing to Develop Housing for Homeless Persons.  An estimated $3,620,000 of Housing Credits and an estimated $10,300,000 of SAIL funds are available to proposed developments under this RFA.

Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) published his 2019-2020 proposed budget summary. In total, the Budget includes $7.7 billion across multiple departments and programs to address housing and homelessness throughout the state.

The California Department of Housing and Community Development announced $53.3 million in awards for the first round of the California Emergency Solutions and Housing Program (CESH). CESH is a state program providing funds for a variety of activities to assist people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

The Minneapolis City Council voted 12-1 to endorse Minneapolis 2040 – The City’s Comprehensive Plan, with 22 policy recommendations, each with action steps, that are specific to housing.