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Showing Posts by Date: 02/2018

Win Opens West 118th Street Residence

02.21.2018

Families, funders, city officials and friends gathered February 8th to celebrate the opening of Win’s West 118th Street residence, providing supportive housing to 34 formerly homeless single mothers and their children. The new residence is Win’s first single-site supportive housing in 20 years, adding to their portfolio of transitional and permanent supportive housing options serving over 4,000 people – the majority of them children. Win – formerly Women In Need – is the largest provider of shelter and supportive housing to homeless families and their children in New York City.

Win CEO Christine Quinn welcomed the crowd celebrating the building’s opening: “Women and children continue to be the forgotten face of New York City’s homelessness crisis.” She noted that the new building was not just providing homes to the 34 families who had recently moved in, but was helping end generational homelessness pointing to studies that indicate that a homeless child is twice as likely to be a homeless adult. She also noted that by lifting up at-risk families, the new residence would be saving lives, citing a grim statistic that homeless teenagers are three times as likely as non-homeless teenagers to attempt or commit suicide.

HPD Commissioner Maria Torres-Springer congratulated the partners on the new building saying, "There are just far too many families who have to worry where they're going to sleep at night. We have to do more. We have to do better. We have to provide access, not just for a home, but a fresh start.  It is not just a professional obligation but, for all of us here, it is a moral obligation."

Assemblywoman Inez Dickens echoed those sentiments noting, "When you've lived on the streets for so long, you need help."

New tenant Aidibel Moreno's told reporters afterward that her new apartment is her sanctuary after years of being on her own in shelters and on the street.

"I was broken, now I'm so strong. Living in an apartment like this, it gives you identity because you feel like a person. You are living like a human being in a beautiful setting."

On-site services, including financial literacy, job training, work readiness, education counseling, and access to counseling are funded by the State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services.

Capital funding for the project was provided by HPD’s Supportive Housing Loan Program and from low income housing tax credit equity through the Richman Group.  OCV Architects designed West 118th Street and the J. Pilla Group was the contractor.

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Joint Venture Guidebook released

02.21.2018


The Supportive Housing Network of New York and Enterprise Community Partners Inc. have developed a Joint Venture Guidebook as a resource for organizations interested in developing supportive and affordable housing to better understand joint venture options. The Guidebook is sponsored by Capital One. 

As the housing market has become more competitive and complex, developers and community-based organizations are forming joint venture partnerships (JVs) to leverage their strengths and address critical housing needs. The Guidebook provides tools to help our partners navigate challenges and maximize capacity. 

Partnership dynamics and critical questions surrounding the development of affordable housing are both explored throughout the Guidebook, giving readers a deeper understanding of JV partnerships. Below are some highlights:

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Executive Budget for FY 2019 released

02.15.2018

The White House released its FY 2019 budget on Monday February 12, 2018.  It largely repeats last year’s attempt by the executive branch to gut federal spending; a budget that was considered dead on arrival.  This proposed budget ignores the increased spending limits for FY 2018 and 2019, signed by the president earlier this year. Worse, it would shift major costs to the states and to people in poverty, especially the working poor.

Below is a chart that shows how the FY 2019 executive budget compares to the enacted 2017 budget, as well as the Network’s recommendations for FY 2018 funding levels. 

Note that the executive budget would eliminate both the HOME and CDBG programs, cutting $4 billion in block grant funding to states and localities, a $400 million loss in New York State.

Take Action:

The House and Senate continue to work on an omnibus budget bill for FY 2018, with a March 23rd deadline. We will report on the details if and when they become available. Meanwhile the FY 2019 budget process is moving forward.  Please join the Network in calling on your member of Congress and ask them to sign on to three 'Dear Colleague' letters:

Rep Gwen Moore has sponsored a 'Dear Colleague' letter to fund the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant at $2.8 billion. The deadline is March 16th.  House Members my sign on here: talia.rosen@mail.house.gov.

Rep. Marcia Fudge is sponsoring a 'Dear Colleague' letter to fund the HOME Program at $1.2 billion in FY 2019. The deadline for Representatives to sign on is COB Tuesday, March 13. House offices can sign on using this link.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler is sponsoring a 'Dear Colleague' letter urging the THUD Subcommittee to support Section 8 funding at $22.8 billion. The deadline to sign is March 15th. Members can sign on by contacting: melissa.connolly@mail.house.gov.

You can call the congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask to be connected to your member of congress.

Thank you for your advocacy and support!

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