CLPHA Press Room

From KOCO 5 News Oklahoma City:

klahoma City addressed the affordable housing crisis with a new approach: converting a motel into supportive housing.

The Oklahoma City Housing Authority is using MAPS dollars to do it. It is the first time the city has transformed a motel space into housing for the homeless.

The city's Housing Authority said it's faster and less costly than building from the ground up.

"It’s the first one like it, so if it’s successful, it makes the next one much easier," Kassy Malone, the director of real estate and planning with the Oklahoma City Housing Authority, said.

The Motel 6 near Bricktown will convert into supportive housing, helping Oklahomans get off the street and into a warm home. It's a first-of-its-kind project for OKC.

"The property also has a large space on the eastern portion of the building that has a commercial kitchen, so we hope to create a workforce incubator in that space," Malone said.

Read KOCO 5 News' article "Oklahoma City addresses affordable housing crisis with new approach."

From the New York City Housing Authority's press release:

Today, the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) announced the completion of more than $24.1 million in safety and security upgrades, including new CCTV cameras, layered access control installations, entrance renovations, and/or lighting improvements at 23 campuses over the past year to improve the quality of life for over 46,000 NYCHA residents.

Developments that received large-scale security improvements include Bailey Avenue-West 193rd Street, Marble Hill, Melrose, Mill Brook, Monroe, and Sedgwick in the Bronx; Farragut, Hughes, Kingsborough, and Pink in Brooklyn; Dyckman, Elliott, Fulton, Grant, King Towers, LaGuardia, LaGuardia Addition, and Rangel in Manhattan; Pomonok in Queens, and Berry in Staten Island.

Additionally, the Authority has also completed construction at three developments as part of the Entryways pilot program, which comprehensively renovates building entrances and enhances overall security.

These improvements were guided by resident involvement and completed thanks to funding from several current and former City Council members, federal, State, and City funding. Safety and security improvements made at a majority of these NYCHA developments over the last year further Mayor Eric Adams’ Blueprint for Community Safety plan by investing in the rehabilitation of safety and security systems infrastructure at developments within Gun Violence Prevention Task Force priority precincts.

“We appreciate the investment from our partners at the federal, State, and local level who contributed to improving safety and security systems across NYCHA campuses,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development and Workforce Maria Torres-Springer. “Feeling safe at home is core to well-being, and these improvements demonstrate this administration’s commitment to enhancing living conditions and bolstering that feeling of safety for NYCHA residents.”

“The Authority has made significant improvements to the security infrastructure of NYCHA developments,” said NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “These investments in cameras, doors, lighting, and other areas were made possible through support across all levels of government and we would like to thank the legislators and agencies who marshalled the resources needed to help keep our residents safe. We will continue to prioritize those quality-of-life upgrades that strengthen NYCHA buildings.”

Read NYCHA's full press release.

From the New Haven Independent:

The city has officially purchased a Foxon Boulevard hotel for $6.9 million, and is now busy converting it into a non-congregate homeless shelter that the Elicker administration said it hopes to open before Christmas. 

And the housing authority has closed on its $21 million acquisition of more than eight acres of Union Station-facing vacant land that used to house the Church Street South apartment complex, and is about to embark on a year-long planning process to determine how best to transform that empty expanse.

Those two private-to-public property deals were recently recorded on the city’s land records database, marking major milestones for two government agency initiatives to put more roofs — both temporary and long-term — over more New Haveners’ heads. 

...

Asked about the difference between the purchase price and tax appraisal for the ex-Church Street South site, housing authority Executive Director Karen DuBois-Walton said, ​“In determining our price, we considered the appraisal, the location, the potential for redevelopment and the importance of the asset as a transit oriented location prime for redevelopment and adjacent to our existing parcel at Robert T. Wolfe. Additionally, we were in negotiations with Northland and competing with at least one other interested purchaser.”

Now that the housing authority has officially acquired the former Church Street South site, DuBois-Walton said that the next step is to develop a ​“Union Square Transformation Plan.”

That will likely be a year-long project itself, DuBois-Walton said, funded by a $500,000 federal Choice Neighborhoods planning grant the authority secured prior to closing the cash deal with Northland. 

The first public meeting to inform such a plan is slated to take place on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at High School in the Community at 175 Water St. 

The idea is to identify not only what kind of housing can be established on the property, but what sort of community and residential amenities — anywhere from education, workforce development, job training, healthcare services, and/or entrepreneurial support — can be bundled into a broader affordable neighborhood development that would transform eight acres into what DuBois-Walton said will ultimately be known as ​“Union Square.”

Creating that particular blueprint is also a prerequisite for applying for a larger Choice Neighborhood Implementation (CNI) grant, which could award anywhere from $30 to $50 million to the development, according to DuBois-Walton.

That program is an extension of the federal government’s HOPE VI funding. While the latter provides grants to help rehab distressed buildings, CNI focuses, as the name suggests, on revitalizing entire neighborhoods. 

DuBois-Walton said that she’s particularly optimistic about acquiring funding for the project through CNI because of the housing authority’s previous successes securing HOPE VI grants. Both Monterey Place, the 339-unit public-housing complex in Dixwell, and Quinnipiac Terrace, the stretch of two- and three-story homes full of affordable apartments along the river, were funded by HOPE VI, DuBois-Walton recalled. 

“We have experience working with these big HUD grants,” she said. ​“There’s no guarantee that the planning grant leads to that,” she noted, but the planning process itself should catalyze ​“lots of conversations with partners so that we can go after the kind of funding we need.” 

Read the New Haven Independent's article "It’s Official: City Buys Ex-Hotel For $6.9M; Housing Authority Buys Ex-Church Street South For $21M," featuring Elm City Communities.

From the Housing Authority of Washington County, OR's press release: 

On Nov. 9, 2023, from 10-11:30 a.m., local representatives such as Congresswoman Andrea Salinas’s spokesperson, Metro Councilor Gerritt Rosenthal, Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington and Tigard Council President Yi-Kang Hu, will celebrate the grand opening of Alongside Senior Apartments. Situated on City of Tigard land next to Tigard Senior Center and Fanno Creek natural area, Alongside is a state-of-the-art housing community that will provide 57 affordable homes to seniors. It dedicates 40% of its units to serving extremely low-income residents, income at 30% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) with federal project based rental assistance. The remaining 60% will serve very low-income residents, earning less than 60% of AMI, with an additional rent buydown by using a state tax credit.

The project, developed by Northwest Housing Alternatives (NHA) and designed by SERA Architects, was constructed by Walsh Construction with a sustainable Earth Advantage Multifamily Certification. Built with a focus on walkability and public transportation, it is located within walking distance of TriMet, Tigard Public Library and Universal Plaza. The development includes amenities such as fully equipped kitchens, walk-in closets, air conditioning, and community features like outdoor spaces, meeting rooms and laundry facilities. Financial contributors include Washington County through their allocation of the voter-approved Metro Affordable Housing Bond, City of Tigard, Metro’s Transit-Oriented Development program, Oregon Housing and Community Services, Enterprise Community Partners, and Umpqua Bank.

In anticipation of the grand opening event, Vitoria Rae, an NHA Board Member and resident, shared that “As an older adult, having safe and affordable housing is critical to my overall well-being. Seniors face many challenges as they age, including finding affordable places to live on a fixed income. Alongside Senior Apartments not only takes away the burden of expensive housing for seniors, but also breaks down barriers to isolation that many seniors face through being located next to the Tigard Senior Center, which offers an entire array of community services for elders."

County Chair Harrington meanwhile stated that, “Everyone deserves a place to call home, especially seniors, who are particularly affected by the regional housing crisis. That is why I am proud to be part of such a diverse collective coming together, in honor of “The Oregon Way”, to build affordable homes like Alongside. With its many amenities and services, we are making housing more affordable, while also building a stronger community that will help our seniors live their golden years gracefully.”

From the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority's press release:

Today, a bipartisan group of elected officials joined representatives from CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS), Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), Beacon 360 Management, and community leaders to announce the opening of Harriet’s Hope – a 52-unit, multifamily supportive housing community – empowering survivors of human trafficking. Named in honor of abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who helped many escape slavery, Harriet’s Hope is a first-of-its-kind development for Columbus and among the nation’s first service-enriched housing communities exclusive to human trafficking survivors. Residents will live in a community with access to robust onsite case management and social services that address the unique needs of human trafficking survivors, while also encouraging rehabilitation and self-sufficiency. With construction now complete, residents will begin moving in December.

Harriet’s Hope was made possible through expansive public-private partnerships on the state and local level. Building the $15.6 million property was made possible through CVS Health’s $10.6 million investment, facilitated through the Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (OCCH). Additional funders include Affordable Housing Trust of Columbus and Franklin County, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, City of Columbus, Park National Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati, the Ohio Legislature, Ohio Capital Impact Corporation and Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing.

Joining forces for survivors

Vulnerable individuals of all ages and backgrounds are exploited and forced into labor and involuntary sex work, and Ohio is no exception. In recent years, Ohio has bolstered its response to combat human trafficking through infrastructure development and multisystem approaches, such as the state’s Human Trafficking Initiative led by Attorney General Yost. Now open, Harriet’s Hope will help the state carryout its mission to “end labor and sex trafficking statewide,” by providing survivors a safe space for their healing and recovery journey.

“I’m grateful for the synergy between the public and private entities we have working on this project,” Attorney General Dave Yost said. “Without such partnerships, this kind of vital assistance would not be available. Collectively, our duty is to establish the groundwork for resources like Harriet’s Hope to serve as the on-ramp to the highway to hope."

Supporting vulnerable Ohioans

Recognizing housing’s impact on community health outcomes, CVS Health invested $10.6 million to build Harriet’s Hope as the initiative’s sole equity funder. Harriet’s Hope is a further demonstration of the company’s commitment to address housing insecurities – and support Ohio human trafficking survivors.

“Whether forced into labor or sex work, human trafficking is detrimental to the health of an individual and larger community – making this both a health care and public health issue,” explains Latasha Brown, MPA, CVS Health’s anti-human trafficking administrator. “Between the supportive services we provide our Aetna-OhioRISE members who survived human trafficking to my work on Attorney General Yost’s Human Trafficking Commission, every day I see the myriad of physical and mental health challenges survivors endure. A survivor cannot improve their overall health and wellbeing without stable access to quality housing. For Harriet’s Hope residents, this haven will allow them to focus on their healing journey and position them for a bright next chapter.”

Health and healing

Complex challenges often arise when servicing the multifaceted needs of this vulnerable population. Columbus-based co-developer and nonprofit Beacon 360º Management initiated the program design and will be responsible for the management and coordination of supportive services provided at Harriet’s Hope.

“We’re grateful for the overwhelming support Harriet’s Hope has received by our local leaders, the business community, and CMHA alike,” shared Celia Kendall, CEO of Beacon 360° Management. “In alignment with Beacon 360° Management’s commitment to provide innovative ‘People First’ solutions to housing challenges, we collaborated with survivors to develop our supportive housing model and it was clear that housing and affordability were not enough to position survivors of such complex traumas for success. How fitting that Harriet’s Hope was constructed on the very site where human trafficking once took place will now be an instrumental solution to this issue."

“Harriet’s Hope is just the latest example of CMHA being laser-focused on providing housing and meeting the specific needs of our neighbors in Columbus and throughout Franklin County,” said CMHA Board Commissioner, Stephen Daley. “Our goal is to ensure CMHA remains an innovative agent for change and continues to evolve to meet the region’s housing and service needs. We're proud to be part of this collaborative effort with Beacon 360° Management to address the complicated challenges faced by survivors and vulnerable populations. Harriet’s Hope is a testament to our commitment to holistic solutions that make a meaningful impact on the lives of our community members."

Services will be tailored to the unique needs of trafficking survivors, and supports each resident’s immediate and long-term goals – in addition to job-skills training and employment opportunities. This includes comprehensive, trauma-informed case management services provided by The Salvation Army, where professionals collaborate with residents to create crisis stabilization and safety plans.

Illicit drugs are often used on vulnerable individuals in the human trafficking recruitment process, to induce compliance, create dependency, punish and incapacitate an unwilling victim, or used to cope with the trauma of being trafficked. Additionally, nonprofit human services agency Alvis, Inc. will be administering recovery-specific services as needed, including recovery counseling and planning, alcohol and drug testing, and medication oversight.

Workforce development and employment opportunities will also be available through Columbus Works, a Columbus-based nonprofit focused on eliminating poverty through work force training, job placement, and long-term barrier removing wrap-around services. Peer support will be provided by Freedom a la Cart, a Central Ohio nonprofit catering company that empowers human trafficking survivors by providing job skills to foster self-sufficiency and stability. The organization’s staff will also provide Harriet’s Hope residents peer support.