UHHP Housing Policy Meeting
January 9, 2014
Inner City Law Center
Meeting Summary
Participants: Joey Maria Brown (PATH), Gary Izumi (Dept of Public Health), Molly Rysman (CSH), Jaime Garcia (HASC), Neil Richman (WCIL), Fernando Gaytan (LAFLA), Jasmina Zuljevic (DWC), Greg Spiegel (ICLC)
Publc Housing Authority $
Greg Spiegel described the difference between HACoLA and HACLA. HACoLA (Housing Authority County of Los Angeles) is the county authority that distributes Section 8 vouchers from the federal government. HACLA (Housing Authority City of Los Angeles) is City of LA’s entity that distributes Section 8 vouchers. Greg then reported that because Congress had lifted the sequestration, at least for 18 months, the anticipated loss of Section 8 vouchers or cuts in rental subsidies will not happen this year. The vouchers should be stable during that time at least at HACLA. Because HACoLA has less stable financial footing, it is not clear what is happening with County Section 8 vouchers. However, the situation is better than it would have been under the sequester.
HACoLA and Eligibility Rules
Last year, HUD (the entity that distributes Section 8 vouchers) mandated that there could not be different Section 8 eligibility standards for different populations. This puts at risk UHHP’s successful advocacy that got the housing authorities to lower eligibility standards for homeless people. The HUD mandate says there cannot be different standards for homeless people than for others. Both HACLA and HACoLA have to make the standards the same for everyone. HACLA decided to lower standards for everyone to its standards for homeless people in most areas. For example, HACLA lowered its criminal lookback period ban for everyone to 2 years, its standard for its homeless programs. In contrast, HACoLA is proposing to raise its standards for homeless people up to 3 years, like it currently has for non-homeless programs. In addition, it plans to restore the ban on homeless people on probation and parole, as it has for its non-homeless programs.
Key Point: HaCOLA is looking to make requirements more difficult to obtain vouchers for Section 8.
Tasks:
· Set meetings with Peter Lynn at HACLA about priorities for more Vouchers
· Submit written comments to HACoLA’s proposed changes to its Section eligibility rules that would make it harder for homeless people to get Section 8 vouchers.
CCFO (Coordinated Care Facilities Ordinance)
An Ad Hoc meeting has been set on January 15 at City Hall 1010 for the CCFO. Mitch Englander still wants the CCFO to pass. Other committee members seem less interested.
Key Point: Make sure the CCFO bill dies in committee or only something positive comes out of commitee.
Tasks:
· Attend Ad Hoc meeting to better understand Englander’s intentions.
Boomerang Funds
These are the funds that are collected from property taxes that were initially allocated for Redevelopment Agencies . During redevelopmennt, 25% went to affordable housing including supportive housing. Since redevelopment was ended two years ago, , the funds are heading back to the taxing entities (County, City, School Districts, etc) that would have received the funding had they not been going to redevelopment agencies.. The amount in the boomerang funds will continue to grow due to the increase in property taxes and as the redevelopment bonded debt that is still remaining gets paid off. Both the city and county receive these boomerang funds. What should UHHP advocate for in the allocation of these funds and what are the strategies involved?
City: Since 2012, City of LA has received $107 million in boomerang funds, $16 million this month. All of the boomerang funding has gone to the City’s general fund. None has been set aside for affordable housing. The City is expecting $30-40 million dollars yearly. UHHP wants to advocate that some of that be set-aside for supportive housing. Of that amount, how much should be allocated between supportive/affordable? With supportive housing, how much should be spent between capital projects and subsidizing vouchers. For the City, the answers depend upon whether HACLA will continue to commit Section 8 project-based vouchers to any new supportive housing projects. Traditionally, in its redevelopment projects and affordable housing trust fund, the City has spent 50% on regular affordable housing and 50% on supportive housing.
City Tasks:
· Talk with Jan Perry and Kathy Godfrey at the Economics Development Department (Greg)
· Get a meeting with Deputy Mayor Kelly Bernard @ LA Mayor’s office (Neal)
· After meeting with the Mayor’s office, talk with Herb Wesson as Council President and possibly Gil Cedillo as chair of Housing Committee at LA City Council.
· Possible persuasive evidence – what city resources are saved through developing affordable and supportive housing. Savings realized via less recividism, less ambulance and emergency room services, police services etc.
County: The amount of Boomerang funding is between $100-400 million a year. Currently, only $15 million dollars is going to housing. Of its boomerang funds spent on housing, County of Los Angeles spends 100% on supportive housing. Rationale behind this is that frequent users spend more of the county’s money at DHS, DMH etc. It’s in the county’s benefit to save money through providing supportive services in housing so they lessen the burden on county services.
County Tasks:
· Meeting with Karley @ Mark Ridley Thomas’s office
· Meet with Mark Trotz at DHS to discuss various DHS Housing projects
· Ask the CEO’s office for accurate amount of boomerang money that the county receives.
Other entities: Lots of discussion on various coalitions looking at obtaining boomerang funds. It is also important to consider current organizations that may also be interested in how the money may be spent.
· Southern California Association of Non Profit Housing- Molly is becoming the board of the policy committee and has made boomerang funds a priority.
· Home for Good/Chamber of Commerce- United Way already working on coordinated entry. Business Leaders Task Force may also be great partners in advocacy.
· Housing for a Stronger LA- Group is going to advocate around boomerang funds for private development.
· DHS- Dept of Health Services is looking to create a flexible housing subsidy. $13 million dollar contract through Westbay Housing. Rental assistance to those who are high service users. This program would be more flexible for landlords and serve people section 8 does not serve.
Key Points
· What’s the ask?
o How much to City or County?
o How do we think it should be spent?
o What’s the best strategy in order to not duplicate programs that may already receive funding and support?
· Who are the other organizations or coalitions that are interested in this issue?
o Who will support us?
o Who will support their own cause?
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· Mitch O’ Farrell & Felipe Fuentes
· Molly mentioned a bill proposed by Mitch O’Farrell and Felipe Fuentes that aim to make more affordable housing around transit areas. This item was introduced in December and will go to the Housing Committee of City Council. Blumenfeld has proposed a competing motion to this one.
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· Key Point: City Council are proposing various projects centered around affordable housing. This could be vying for some of the Redevelopment Boomerang funds.
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· Tasks: Molly will get both motions proposed by Blumenfeld and O’Farrell/Fuentes so the policy committee can be informed. Attend the meeting if possible.
Final Meeting Follow Up Summary
· Meet with Peter Lynn at HACLA- Greg will ask him for a meeting and develop key questions
· Meet with Karley @ MRT Office- Molly to set up
· Ask CDC to come brief us- Molly will coordinate this
· Ask Mark Trotz to brief us on DHS projects- Leslie will follow up
· Talk to Housing Department about boomerang funds
· Sit down with Jan Perry and Kathy Godfrey @ Economic Development office. Greg has a meeting with Kathy.
· Meeting with Kelly Bernard @ Mayor’s office. Neil will try to set it up.
· Meet with Herb Wesson, President of City Council- Work with CSH and hold until we have a better idea of that’s going on.
· Meet with Gil Cedillo- Head of Housing Department at LA City Council.
· Ask United Way to brief the Committee on Coordinated Entry- by David Howden or Chris Ko.
· Turn out to Fuentes meeting on affordable housing towards transit. Molly will provide information on meeting.
· Develop one page summary of issues- CSH will draft with. Molly and Sieglinde.
· Get figures on city benefit on supporting housing initiatives.
Next Meeting
· February 6, 2014 at CSH with parking validated. CSH is located on Figueroa and 8th, parking is on Flower and 8th.
· Frequency of housing policy meeting is every month, UHHP health and housing policy groups convene quarterly (next quarterly joint-policy meeting is March on the first Thursday at 10AM).