NLIHC's Annual Conference and Leadership Awards Are Huge Success


NLIHC News
Memo to Members: Vol 12, No. 9, March 2, 2007

More than 460 people from across the country attended the NLIHC's 2007 Policy Conference and Lobby Day in Washington, DC. Attendees participated in more than 30 conference workshops and plenary discussions on topics including the outlook for housing issues in the new Congress, creating a National Disaster Housing Strategy, the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign, preserving affordable housing, public housing and much more.

A Resident Caucus Welcoming Reception held the evening of February 25 with a performance titled ‘Capers, a solo play by Anu Yadav, kicked off the conference. Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD, a research psychiatrist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute, a professor of clinical psychiatry and public health at Columbia University and author of Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It, delivered the keynote speech during the conference luncheon on February 26. This year, NLIHC launched the first Cushing Niles Dolbeare Media Awards with an awards ceremony and reception on the evening of February 26. The conference also featured a Lobby Day Breakfast address by House Financial Services Committee Chair Barney Frank (D-MA) on February 27. The 25th Annual Housing Leadership Reception was held the evening of February 27.

NLIHC thanks everyone who helped make our conference a success. Next year's conference will be held February 25-26, 2008.

Congressional Staff Outline Housing Agenda at Opening Plenary

At the opening plenary session of NLIHC's conference, congressional staff spoke about the prospects for housing legislation in the 110th Congress.

The panel included Morna Miller of the House Budget Committee, Jonathan Miller of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, Scott Olson of the House Financial Services Committee, and Bill Simpson of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

Mr. Olson outlined a very ambitious legislative agenda for the committee, which is chaired by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA). Plans include legislation to address the needs of those affected by Hurricane Katrina, continued reform of the Section 8 program building on the Section 8 Voucher Reform Act of 2006 (SEVRA), Government Sponsored Enterprise (GSE) reform legislation that would include Affordable Housing Fund, and National Housing Trust Fund legislation.

Mr. Olson's counterpart on the Senate side, Mr. Miller, who works for Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chair of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, reminded attendees that, while the Democrats control the Senate, it is by a very slim margin. He pointed out that in most cases they will need 60 votes to get legislation considered and urged everyone to visit Senators that are not "with you" on housing issues and work to convince them of the need for affordable housing in their states.

The ability to get adequate funding for housing will depend on the budget that is approved by Congress, said Ms. Miller, who is on the staff of the committee chaired by Representative John Spratt (D-SC). Ms. Miller said that the good news for the 110th Congress is that the Democrats are in control and housing and community development will finally get noticed. But the bad news is that the President's overall FY08 budget is $13 billion short of what is needed to keep government programs running at this year's level. The President's FY08 budget for housing is 8% below what has been appropriated for this current fiscal year. Ms. Miller urged everyone to encourage their Senators and Representatives to fight to get the budget above the President's level.

After the FY08 budget resolution is finalized, the appropriations committees are then give their share of the budget to fund their particular programs. Mr. Simpson, who is on the staff of the subcommittee chaired by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), said that budgets are about priorities and urged advocates to fight for more money for housing. He said that HUD has not been providing the appropriators with accurate information about funding needs for HUD programs and said that it will be an uphill battle to find the funds needed to adequately provide funding for housing in FY08.

Keynote Speaker Permanent Housing Necessary for Good Mental Health

Feeling secure in their homes and their neighborhoods is essential for mental health of human beings. Repeated dislocation and extended and recurring stays in unstable or temporary housing contribute to the occurrence of mental illness among people subjected to forced relocation and housing instability. From a medical standpoint, the practice of "revitalizing" poor neighborhoods by dislocating existing residents and the operation of housing programs that residents are told are temporary are not only counterproductive, they are inhumane. This was the fundamental message of Mindy Thompson Fullilove, MD, a research psychiatrist at New York State Psychiatric Institute, professor of clinical psychiatry and public health at Columbia University, and author of Root Shock: How Tearing Up City Neighborhoods Hurts America and What We Can Do About It.

As the keynote speaker at NLIHC's conference on February 26, Dr. Fullilove discussed the history of dislocation of poor, racial minority, and native peoples in the United States. Starting with the westward expansion of European settlers, the U.S. has repeatedly displaced poor people as a matter of policy. More recent manifestations have been urban renewal and "planned shrinkage," the practice of cities cutting basic services, like fire protection, to poor communities in hopes these communities would whither away. The repeated blows of displacement generation after generation have left poor communities and poor families extremely vulnerable to mental illness and physical diseases, such as AIDS and diabetes, extreme violence, and the influx of virulent drugs such as crack cocaine.

Dr. Fullilove called for a rejection of programs and policies that cause dislocation and housing insecurity, including HOPE VI without one-for-one replacement and the right to return, and urged low income people and advocates to stand together to demand a more humane approach to neighborhood and community revitalization.

Representative Frank Urges Support For Rental Housing

Representative Barney Frank (D-MA), Chair of the House Financial Services Committee, called on advocates to urge Congress to have the political will to deal with the affordable housing crisis in America when he spoke at NLIHC's Lobby Day Breakfast on February 27.

Mr. Frank acknowledged that advocates for affordable housing have been on the defensive in working with previous Republican-controlled Congresses, but said that with Democrats in control there is an opportunity to move forward. However, he cautioned that requests for increased housing funds will get some push back because of the cost of the Iraq war and the huge deficit created by the tax cuts for the wealthy. Mr. Frank urged everyone to challenge those arguments and suggested that, when asked where housing funding would come from, advocates respond, "You should find the guy who found the $500 billion for the Iraq war."

Mr. Frank outlined a full agenda for housing issues in the 110th Congress beginning with legislation to help families displaced by Katrina. He said that there is no excuse for the lack of attention to those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Legislation to reform the Government Sponsored Enterprises (GSEs) will be introduced in late March and will include an Affordable Housing Fund targeted to the Gulf Coast for the first year. He said he will introduce National Housing Trust Fund (NHTF) legislation that he envisions would eventually absorb the funds from the Affordable Housing Fund.

In speaking to reporters after his formal remarks, Mr. Frank emphasized the need for the NHTF to deal with the lack of affordable rental housing and to guarantee a steady stream of funds through a trust to accomplish this goal.

Mr. Frank said that in the continuing drum beat for homeownership there has been a devaluing of rental housing. "This must be stopped," he said, "and we must remind people that rental units are home." He also spoke out against the demolition of public housing that occurs as part of HOPE VI developments and argued that there must be "replacement before displacement."

In answer to an audience question about the current community service requirement for public housing residents, Mr. Frank said that he intends to work with Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY), Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, to repeal this requirement before the end of the year by including language in the FY08 HUD appropriations legislation. Mr. Rangel has introduced H. R. 458, Public Housing Tenants Respect Act of 2007, to repeal that requirement.

Mr. Frank said that he also intends to work with Mr. Rangel to resolve the problem regarding the placed-in-service date for the Gulf Opportunity Zone Low Income Housing Tax Credits to be sure they are extended to allow time for reconstruction to take place.

Mr. Frank cautioned that housing and community development advocates won't get everything immediately, but he intends to build on opportunities and urged everyone to educate their Representatives and Senators on the importance of rental housing and the need to move forward in expanding this housing stock.

NLIHC Honors Excellent Media Coverage of Low Income Housing

NLIHC held its first Cushing Niles Dolbeare Media Awards reception on the evening of February 26 at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC.

The awards are designed to recognize print journalists who have done an exemplary job of illuminating the affordable housing crisis in the United States. The purpose of the awards is to continue raising awareness about the plight of low income individuals who lack access to safe and affordable homes while honoring those who have made efforts to bring these issues to the attention of the American people. The awards are named in honor of the late Cushing N. Dolbeare, NLIHC founder.

NLIHC President Sheila Crowley expressed appreciation to Andre Shashaty, the donor who made the awards possible, for enabling NLIHC to move to a new level of educating the public about the affordable housing crisis by recognizing journalists who had taken a closer look at the housing stories in their communities. NLIHC Board Chair George Moses and Vice Chair Nancy Andrews presented the awards.

First place winners received $2,500, and honorable mentions were recognized. The awards were made possible by a grant from Andre Shashaty, who serves as editor in chief of Affordable Housing Finance magazine, a publication of Hanley Wood, LLC.

A list of winners and links to the winning articles can be found here: www.nlihc.org/detail/article.cfm?article_id=3871&id=48

NLIHC Honors Housing Champions

NLIHC honored Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Houston Mayor Bill White and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness (NSCAHH) at its 25th Annual Housing Leadership Awards Reception on February 27 at the Washington Court Hotel in Washington, DC.

Senator Sanders has been a stalwart champion of housing for low income people since his days as Mayor of Burlington, VT. As his state's sole congressman from 1991-2006, Senator Sanders led the fight in the House to establish a National Housing Trust Fund, including garnering 214 cosponsors for his bill in the 108th Congress. Erhard Mahnke of the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition said, "The universal right to safe, decent and affordable housing has always been one of his top priorities." NLIHC President Sheila Crowley presented the award to Senator Sanders, thanking him for his "genuine leadership to make good housing a reality for everyone."

Senator Sanders said that it has been gratifying to work toward the establishment of National Housing Trust Fund with NLIHC's strong grassroots coalition of support around the country. "There is nothing that we can't accomplish when we stand together," he said. "The question is not if but when will we have a national housing trust fund, and it will happen sooner rather than later if we all work together," he said.

Mayor Bill White of Houston was honored for his generous and professional response to the need of tens of thousands of people displaced by Hurricane Katrina who arrived in his city with nothing but the clothes on their backs. He raised millions of dollars from the private sector, leased thousands of homes for evacuees and made the full services of his city available to help them resettle. He not only braved opposition from some of his own constituents, but he took on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) when it cut of aid to displaced families.

John Henneberger of the Texas Low Income Housing Information Service said of Mayor White: "He rallied the city of Houston to show that degree of compassion, that degree of organization and that degree of courage needed to step up and help our fellow citizens." George Moses, Chair of NLIHC's Board of Directors presented the award and Mayor White's Chief of Staff Terrance Fontaine accepted it on behalf of the mayor, who was unable to attend the event.

NLIHC also honored NSCAHH, a student run and led organization that engages college students in providing direct services to people who are hungry or homeless in their communities and in advocating for social change that will end hunger and homelessness in the United States. The students have been and continue to be an active and effective partner in the National Housing Trust Fund Campaign. Former NSCAHH member Greg Sileo, now a staff member of Baltimore Homeless Services, said, "The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness not only helps students to become leaders of the future, it recognizes the power students have in creating change today," he said. Mr. Moses presented the award to Stacey Hafner, NSCAHH National Coordinator.

Donors Make a Difference

The National Low Income Housing Coalition is deeply grateful to the many companies and individuals who made donations to the 25th Annual Housing Leadership Awards Reception in support of the NLIHC mission to end the affordable crisis in the United States. This was NLIHC's most successful fundraiser event ever. Awards Committee members were Bill Apgar, Michael Bodaken, Sheila Crowley, Chuck Edson, Bill Kelly, Kathleen Rotondaro, and Barry Zigas.

Host
Wachovia

Champions
Bank of America
Freddie Mac
Washington Mutual

Sustainers
AFL-CIO Investment Program: AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust and AFL-CIO
Investment Trust Corporation
CHAC, Inc.
Chicago Dwellings Association
Enterprise Community Partners
Fannie Mae
Federal Home Loan Bank Presidents
Housing Assistance Council
JP Morgan Chase
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Low Income Investment Fund
Mercy Housing
National Association of Realtors
National Housing Trust
NeighborWorks America
Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
Quadel Consulting, Inc.
Technical Assistance Collaborative
Volunteers of America

Sponsors
The Honorable Edward W. Brooke
Century Housing, Inc
Community Preservation Corporation
National Equity Fund
Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association
Barry Zigas and Jodie Levin-Epstein

Benefactors
Citibank
Helen Dunlap
Genworth Financial
KleinHornig LLP
The Housing Partnership Network
Mortgage Bankers Association
National Council of La Raza
National Council of State Housing Agencies
National Multi Housing Council
Nixon Peabody LLP
Kathleen and Fred Rotondaro
Telesis Corporation
U.S. Conference of Mayors
Virginia Housing Development Authority

Patrons
American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees
American Friends Service Committee
William C. Apgar, Jr.
The Bozzuto Group
Catholic Healthcare Partners
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Honorable Henry Cisneros
Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio
Kent W. Colton
Corporation for Supportive Housing
Council of Federal Home Loan Banks
Sheila Crowley and Kent Willis
Edgewood Management Corporation
Samuel and Nancy Gary
Goulston & Storrs, PC
Hawkins, Delafield, & Wood, LLP
HBSC North America
J. Roderick Heller
Holland & Knight LLP
William C. Kelly, Jr.
Kemp Partners
Eugene Ludwig
Mortgage Insurance Companies of America
National Affordable Housing Management Association
National Affordable Housing Trust
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
National Cooperative Bank
National Housing Conference
National Leased Housing Association
Nehemiah Corporation of California
Wayne and Marti Nelson
Reymundo Ocañas
Opportunity Finance Network
NHP Foundation
PMI Group, Inc.
Pepper Hamilton LLP
Preservation of Affordable Housing
Reno & Cavanaugh
Reznick Group
Jaimie Ross
Patricia T. Rouse
Tal and Irene Basloe Saraf
Paula Shane
David Stanley
John and Gussie Stewart
Lydia Tom
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Washington Council Ernst & Young
Charles S. Wilkins, Jr.

Others
Ken and Judy Bacon
Brophy Reilly LLC
Coan & Lyons
Larry and Marilyn Dale
Charles Edson
Bill Faith
Robert Greenstein
George Latimer
F. Lynn Luallen
Herbert E. Morse
Carol Parry and John Fox
Peoples' Self-Help Housing Corporation
Nicolas Retsinas
Rebecca and Bill Senhauser
Larry Simons