Senate Passes VAWA

Last Thursday, April 26, the full Senate voted on and passed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This version of VAWA has stronger language to help protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT), tribal, and immigrant survivors and would provide particular protections for survivors in a variety of HUD programs. 

Read more on the NAEH blog.

News from HUD: Innovative Housing Solutions for Philadelphia's LGBT Seniors

April 16, 2012

Public-Private Partnerships, Ingenuity and $11M Tax Credit Provides Innovative Housing Solutions for Philadelphia’s LGBT Seniors

Written by: Charmion Kinder

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is proud to spotlight a new Philadelphia housing development recognized as a pioneering innovation in U.S. housing solutions for low-income LGBT seniors.

A new public-private housing initiative, co-developed by the dmhFund and Pennrose Properties and spearheaded by dmhFund President Mark Segal, has secured $11 million in tax credit financing from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) – making it possible to break ground on a six-story, 56 bedroom, $19 million project, intended to house LGBT seniors aged 62 and over who earn less than 60 percent of the Philadelphia median income.

Continue to the entire news story.

Senate Marks Up HUD Funding Bill

From the National Alliance to End Homelessness:

Last Thursday, April 19, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a fiscal year (FY) 2013 funding bill for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The legislation included proposed funding levels for key affordable housing and homelessness programs, including:

• $2.15 billion for HUD's McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants, an increase of $245 million over the FY 2012 level, but approximately $80 million below the amount requested by the President;
• $19.4 billion for Section 8 Tenant-Based Rental Assistance, an increase of $482 million over FY 2012, including $75 million for approximately 10,000 new HUD-VA Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers;
• $4.6 billion for the Public Housing Operating Fund, an increase of $629 million from FY 2012;
• $9.8 billion for Project-Based Rental Assistance, which is $536 million above the FY 2012 level and includes renewal of all project-based contracts for 12 months;
• $1 billion for HOME, which represents flat funding from FY 2012; and
• $3.1 billion for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG),an increase of $152 million from FY 2012.

To view a summary of the bill, please click here. The full Senate is expected to vote on the bill in the coming weeks. The House Appropriations Committee has not yet announced when it will release and vote on its own HUD funding bill.

ACTION ALERT: WIPA & PABSS Programs in Danger of Being Eliminated Contact Your Members of Congress Today!

The Work Incentive Planning and Assistance (WIPA) and Protection and Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) programs, funded by the Social Security Administration, provide vital information to individuals with disabilities regarding their public benefits, along with advocacy and information that allow them to go to work and increase their self-sufficiency. Without these programs, many people will have no place to turn for benefits counseling and employment advocacy services.

The Congressional authorization for the WIPA (formerly known as Benefits Planning Assistance and Outreach – BPAO) and PABSS programs has expired, and unless Congress acts immediately, these programs will no longer exist. Many WIPA and PABSS programs will disappear at the end of this coming June, and all of these crucial programs will be gone by the end of September 2012 if Congress does not act. The benefits counseling and employment information and advocacy infrastructure that has been built over the past decade has become a critical component in assisting individuals to become part of the general workforce, and it must be preserved.

Read the rest of the action alert to find out how you can help.

New projects in the Texas Balance of State awarded $3.2 million from HUD

March 15, 2012 – (Austin, TX) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced $3.2 million in funding awards for the Continuum of Care grant to new projects in the Texas Balance of State Continuum of Care. The awards will fund seven organizations providing or furthering housing and supportive services for homeless families and individuals. These funds will be used to create supportive housing projects that will allow individuals and families transition out of homelessness in our Texas communities. Supportive services include case management, life-skills training, substance addiction treatment, mental health treatment, educational opportunities, and other programs that foster self-sufficiency.

“The funding of these seven new projects will not only provide the housing and supportive services necessary to make a real difference in people’s lives, but in turn strengthen the communities affected,” said Ken Martin, Executive Director of Texas Homeless Network. “Working in collaboration, we will prevent and end homelessness.”

Download the full press release.