CLPHA Press Room

From Home Forward's press release:

Home Forward has acquired the Cesar Apartments, located near SE Hawthorne Blvd. and Cesar Chavez Blvd, to convert to Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) for individuals exiting chronic homelessness. Purchasing the two-year-old building, which can be converted into supportive housing with minimal changes to the structure and layout, was part of an innovative strategy to capitalize on favorable market conditions to acquire market-rate buildings for affordable housing—a quick and cost-effective approach to bring more affordable housing on-line.

The Cesar offers 47 units ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments. Built in 2022, the modern design, transit-accessible location, and community amenities make it an ideal site to support Multnomah County’s most vulnerable residents. With minimal structural changes required, the property will quickly transition into housing that fosters stability and dignity.

“Addressing our region’s affordable housing crisis requires a diverse set of tools and strategies. By leveraging new opportunities in the real estate market to supplement our existing efforts, and working across jurisdictions, we can rapidly expand the supply of permanent supportive housing at a fraction of the cost, maximizing public investment and delivering immediate solutions for those in need,” said Ivory Mathews, Chief Executive Officer of Home Forward. “This acquisition exemplifies the power of collaborative governance and bold, equitable action in addressing homelessness.”

The acquisition and conversion of the Cesar is possible thanks to $9 million from the Portland Housing Bureau (PHB), including $6.7 million in Metro Affordable Housing Bond funds designated for PSH pilot projects, and $2.3 million from Multnomah County, as well as Regional Long Term Rent Assistance and Supportive Housing Services funds from the Joint Office of Homeless Services to support wrap-around services for all Cesar residents.

“Last year, PHB began exploring whether we could bring much needed Permanent Supportive Housing online faster and at a lower cost than we usually achieve with new development,” said PHB Director Helmi A. Hisserich, “So we were very excited when Home Forward, Metro, and Multnomah County stepped up as partners on the Cesar Apartments acquisition. We look forward to announcing more acquisitions in the new year.”

The project aligns with the Portland Housing Bureau’s Local Implementation Strategy for Metro Bond funds, which aims to advance racial equity while producing 300 units of Permanent Supportive Housing, as well as 737 units with two or more bedrooms for families, and 605 units for households earning less than 30% of the area median income (or less than $28,320 a year for a family of two in 2024). The Cesar advances all three of these goals, which PHB is now exceeding across the board.

“This is a smart project to bring more affordable housing online and I’m proud of the creative approach used to increase our supply of supportive housing,” said Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. “With housing supply at crisis levels, this will create 47 residences specifically for people experiencing chronic homelessness with the support our neighbors need to stay housed long-term. This is aligned with our Homelessness Response System’s focus on tangible solutions to our region’s chronically low inventory of available housing.”

The building is nearly half vacant and remaining residents will have the option to continue living at the Cesar or receive relocation assistance from Home Forward. New residents will begin moving in this June through referrals from Coordinated Access. The Cesar will feature on-site services tailored to residents’ needs, including behavioral health resources, tenancy education, and eviction prevention support. These critical services, provided through partnerships with the Joint Office of Homeless Services and local service providers, will ensure long-term housing stability for residents.

“Changes in the housing market have made it possible to create affordable homes at a lower cost to taxpayers with the purchase of pre-existing buildings,” said Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang. “It’s great to see Portland using this opportunity to increase supportive housing for our region’s most vulnerable population.”

Home Forward will continue to work with the Joint Office of Homeless Services to select a service provider that aligns with its equity-driven mission. Together, they aim to create a supportive housing model that uplifts individuals while addressing systemic inequities in access to stable housing.

“Ending unsheltered homelessness is going to take innovative ideas and bold leadership. Home Forward’s acquisition of the Cesar Apartments and PHB’s work to bring more Permanent Supportive Housing to Portland is just that,” said Donnie Oliveira, Deputy City Administrator for Community and Economic Development. “The City will continue this work to address our housing crisis and bring critical resources to our most vulnerable populations, and we are proud of our partnerships with Home Forward, Multnomah County, Metro, and others to get it done.” 

The Houston Housing Authority has named Jamie Bryant its new President & CEO. 

Bryant brings nearly 25 years of experience in real estate development, organizational management, public-private partnerships and nonprofit governance to HHA. His career highlights include leading transformative projects throughout Houston that balance innovative development with community impact.

As CEO, Bryant guides HHA in advancing its mission to provide quality, affordable housing options and promote education and economic self-sufficiency.

Before joining HHA, Bryant served as the co-CEO of Parkway. Prior to Parkway, he was president and chief operating officer at Midway. During his tenure, he worked on transformative mixed-use projects such as the redevelopment of the Town & Country Mall site into CityCentre. This and other projects contributed to billions of dollars invested into Houston in mixed-use developments, leveraging partnerships with governmental and civic organizations to benefit all stakeholders. 

Bryant has served on the boards of directors for nonprofit organizations at the forefront of affordable housing in Greater Houston, including Avenue and the Fifth Ward Redevelopment Authority. He has also served on advisory boards for the University of Houston, Cadence Bank and the management committee for Urban Land Institute Houston. His board service demonstrates an ongoing commitment to advancing affordable housing, infrastructure improvements and community development initiatives that benefit the region.

Outside his role as CEO, Bryant is an educator. He has shared his expertise by teaching graduate real estate and finance courses at the University of Houston’s Bauer School of Business and speaking on topics such as leadership and organizational culture. Bryant and his family also dedicate personal time to non-profit, educational and faith-based organizations they support in their community. 

Bryant earned a Bachelor of Science in Management, Finance from Tulane University and a Master of Economics and Real Estate from Texas A&M University. 

CLPHA welcomes Jamie Bryant to our membership!

From the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society:

The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) owns and operates affordable housing locations for qualifying low-income families and individuals in the Cleveland, Ohio, metro area. CMHA was the first chartered public housing authority in the United States, and it has a mission “to create safe, quality, affordable housing opportunities and improve the quality of life for the communities [we] serve.” The organization houses more than 55,000 low-income residents living in Cuyahoga County. One part of fulfilling that mission happens through the CMHA digital inclusion programs, which provides digital navigation services to residents in several key areas: affordable internet connection options, computing devices, tech support, and digital literacy classes. CMHA is a ConnectHomeUSA (CHUSA) community, receiving funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to support digital inclusion programs and services.

The information technology (IT) division at CMHA runs its digital inclusion programs and services, which start with ensuring that residents in every location have options for free or affordable internet access. CMHA makes bulk service agreements with ISPs like Spectrum and assists residents interested in subscribing. By making bulk agreements with ISPs, CMHA caps the monthly cost for any service at $20 and requires ISPs to provide a minimum download speed of 200 Mbps and a minimum upload speed of 20 Mbps. CMHA recognizes that internet service and the ability to use it to complete regular life tasks are not luxuries but necessities. For example, each year, residents are required to recertify their income to maintain their eligibility for affordable housing—a process that will soon be 100 percent online, so CMHA digital navigators assist residents who need help recertifying.

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Partnerships with other organizations in the community are paramount to the CMHA Digital Inclusion Program’s success. For example, the Olivet Housing and Community Development Corporation leads many digital literacy courses at CMHA locations. By partnering with community organizations like Olivet, CMHA is able to simultaneously support more residents and support partners with overlapping missions to close the digital divide. Most courses take place over an eight-week period, and residents who successfully complete a course receive a device. Additional partner organizations provide training to digital navigators and staff, and others are internet service providers serving residents with low-cost home internet plans. The CMHA Digital Inclusion Program is also periodically able to distribute refurbished desktop and laptop computers that would otherwise be recycled to residents.

Read the Benton Institute's article.

We are pleased to announce that the Newark Housing Authority has become a member of CLPHA!

The Newark Housing Authority provides rental assistance to over 15,000 households in Newark, NJ. Leonard Spicer serves as the agency's Executive Director. Learn more at newarkha.org.

Please join us in welcoming NHA to CLPHA – we look forward to working together to improve life outcomes for families served by PHAs! 

From the Indianapolis Housing Agency's press release:

Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the City of Indianapolis announced the appointment of Yvonda A. Bean (pronounced E-vonda) as Indianapolis Housing Agency’s new Chief Executive Officer, effective Monday, February 17, 2025.

"In HUD’s role overseeing the Indianapolis Housing Agency, we are encouraged by the appointment of Yvonda A. Bean as its new CEO,” said Felicia Gaither, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Field Operations, Office of Public and Indian Housing at HUD. “Ms. Bean’s proven ability to lead agencies through challenges and achieve operational excellence will be vital as we work to recover this agency. We are confident her leadership will strengthen the agency’s mission to provide safe, quality, and affordable housing for Indianapolis residents.”

Ms. Bean brings a wealth of experience and proven leadership to IHA. She joins from Columbia, SC, where she currently serves as CEO of Columbia Housing and Cayce Housing, as well as president of nonprofit affiliates SC Affordable Housing Initiatives (SCAHI) and Columbia Housing & Development (CHAD).

“I am pleased that Yvonda A. Bean will be serving as Indianapolis Housing Agency’s CEO,” said Mayor Joe Hogsett. “I look forward to seeing the ways in which her expertise from serving more than two decades in public housing, including the recovery of two troubled housing agencies, will now be utilized to support the residents of IHA.”

With 25 years of progressive experience in executive leadership within the affordable housing industry, Ms. Bean has built a distinguished career marked by a resident-focused, HUD-compliant approach and a strong record of operational excellence.

During her tenure at Columbia Housing, Ms. Bean spearheaded transformational change, including:

• Realizing over $100 million in new construction development projects.
• Earning a high performer designation for the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
• Completing the agency’s first Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion.
• Establishing an employee apprenticeship program to foster career advancement.
• Partnering with a local community college to provide public housing residents with free tuition and scholarship opportunities.

Before leading Columbia Housing, Ms. Bean served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette, Louisiana. Under her guidance, the agency overcame HUD supervision and achieved significant growth, operational stability, and financial health.

Ms. Bean is also deeply involved in advancing the affordable housing sector through her extensive board and committee work. She serves on the Board of Governors for the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) and is the Vice Chair of NAHRO’s Legislative Network Advisory Committee. She also chairs the Legislative Committee for the Southeastern Regional Council of NAHRO and holds leadership roles on multiple other housing and community development boards. Ms. Bean’s contributions to the industry have been recognized with prestigious honors, including NAHRO’s 2023 Professional of the Year award and the 2024 Advocate of the Year award.

Ms. Bean holds a Master’s degree in Counseling & Psychology from Troy State University, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Augusta State University, and several nationally recognized certifications in affordable housing.

Reflecting on her appointment, Ms. Bean shared:

“I am incredibly honored to have been selected to serve as IHA’s new CEO. The organization’s mission aligns deeply with my values and passion for creating equitable housing and economic opportunities for marginalized communities. My work has been rooted in the belief that housing is a right and not a privilege—EVERYONE deserves access to safe, affordable housing. I am thrilled to join IHA and look forward to collaborating with HUD, the City, the Board, the IHA team, residents, and community partners to contribute to IHA’s impactful work.”