SNAKE WOMAN SPEAKS

Monday, April 23, 2012

HOW HUD CALCULATES RENTS


	Resident Training Academy: 2012 Curriculum All sessions are set for 6:00 PM ET (5:00 PM CT, 4:00 PM MT and 3:00 PM PT) Session 1: An Overview of HUD’s Key Rental Housing Programs (Tues-Thurs, April 10 and April 12) Learn about the Public Housing, Project-based Section 8, the Housing Choice Voucher Programs and HUD’s new Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. Material will focus on the similarities and differences among the programs and new developments within each. Session 2: Know Your Participation and Organizing Rights (Tues-Thurs, May 8 and May 10) Rights of residents under Section 964 (Tenant Participation and Tenant Opportunities in Public Housing), Section 245 (Tenant Participation in Multifamily Housing Projects) rules, and Resident Advisory Boards (RABs). Learn about your rights and also how organizers and residents may use the RAB process as a platform for organizing voucher-assisted residents. Session 3: Rent-Setting Policies (Tues- Thurs, May 29 and May 31) How does HUD arrive at your rent calculation? Important definitions of income and reporting requirements. Session 4: Reasonable Accommodation (Tues- Thurs, June 19 and Jun 21) Forty-one percent of the families who live in HUD-assisted rental housing have a head of household or spouse with disabilities. Learn about the laws related to reasonable accommodation and how residents with disabilities may use their rights to reasonable accommodation to obtain and remain in HUD-assisted rental housing. Session 5: Enforcement Tools for Residents (Tues- Thurs, July 10 and July 12) Enforcement of existing housing rights is key to residents’ ability to solve problems and self-advocate. This session will highlight the available tools and how residents can use them. Please answer the following questions to help NHLP understand our Resident Training Academy audience and learn how we can best serve your needs. YOU'LL BE PROVIDED WITH SIGN ON INFORMATION FOR YOUR SESSIONS ONCE YOU SUBMIT YOUR REGISTRATION.

Use the form on the right to
reserve your Webinar seat.

* Indicates a required field

* First Name:	* Last Name:

* Email Address:	* Address:

* City:	* State/Province:

* Zip/Postal Code:	Phone:

Webinar organizers are prohibited from soliciting confidential personal information (credit card information, social security numbers, etc.) in the registration form. This questionnaire is not intended to handle sensitive data.

Is this also your mailing address? If no, please provide.

Are you a resident in a HUD affordable rental housing program? If no, skip to the next question. If yes, which program?

Are you a member of a local tenant organization? If no, skip to the next question. If yes, what organization?

Are you a community organizer or member of a local community advocacy organization? If no, pls skip. If yes, what organization?

Will others be learning with you at the computer or on the phone? If yes, how many people?

Are you attending all sessions?

IF YOU DO NOT PLAN TO ATTEND ALL SESSIONS, PLEASE TELL US WHICH SESSION YOU WILL NOT ATTEND.

Please list below any specific question related to the sessions listed that you'd like addressed.

By clicking this button you submit your information to the Webinar organizer, who will use it to communicate with you regarding this event and their other services.

View system requirements

Your email address and personal information will be used by the Webinar organizer to communicate with you about this event and their other services. To review the Webinar organizer's privacy policy or opt out of their other communications, contact the Webinar organizer directly.
Safeguarding your email address and Webinar registration information is taken seriously at GoToWebinar. GoToWebinar will not sell or rent this information.

National Housing Law Project Resident Training Academy

We hope that the resources and materials offered on this website will provide valuable help to our website visitors and we also invite you to join us and support NHLP in our efforts.

Residents, Community Organizers, Tenant Advocates!

JOIN NHLP'S RESIDENT TRAINING ACADEMY

Beginning on April 10, the National Housing Law Project's (NHLP's) Resident Training Academy will present five (5) two-part web-based trainings on the basics of the HUD's rental housing programs and key issues that define residents' rights.

You Don't Have to Travel! Join Us on the Web to Learn About HUD-Assisted Rental Housing Programs:

How They're Alike, How They're Different
Participation and Organizing Rights
Rent-Setting Policies
Reasonable Accommodation Rights
Tools Residents Can Use to Enforce Their Rights

Special Guest Presentations by
National People's Action - Housing Justice Movement Campaign and
The National Alliance of HUD Tenants

FIND OUT MORE HERE
and
REGISTER NOW!

Recent News

NHLP Advocacy Helps Tenant Protection Bills Clear Committees

Part of the California Attorney General’s Homeowner Bill of Rights, the bills would provide tenants with key protections after foreclosure.

NHLP Advocacy Leads to New HUD Guidance on Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act.

After more than two years of advocacy by NHLP, HUD has provided additional guidance on tenant protections in foreclosed FHA Properties.

Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity Now Prohibited in HUD Housing

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has published regulations to prevent discrimination in its programs on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Violence Against Women Act Passes Out of Senate Judiciary Committee

Several key housing protections for survivors of domestic and sexual violence were recently passed out of the Senate Judiciary Committee as part of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act (S. 1925).

View all news entries

NATIONAL HOUSING LAW PROJECT
Main Office • 703 Market Street, Suite 2000, San Francisco CA 94103 • (415) 546-7000 • (415) 546-7007 (f) • nhlp@nhlp.org
© National Housing Law Project 1996-2009

Sunday, February 12, 2012

JUST YET ANOTHER UNTOLD HUD STORY

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
FISCAL YEAR 2012 PROGRAM AND BUDGET INITIATIVES
RENTAL ASSISTANCE DEMONSTRATION
1
In Fiscal Year 2012, HUD is requesting $200 million to cover the incremental cost of converting public housing,
Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation, Rent Supplement, and Rental Assistance programs to long-term project-based
Section 8 contracts under a demonstration of HUD’s proposed Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA)
initiative.
Over the last 75 years, the Federal Government has invested billions in the development and maintenance of public
and multifamily housing. To protect the considerable Federal investment and respond to the growing demand for
affordable rental housing, we must continue to make standard life-cycle improvements to this inventory,
modernize or replace obsolete units, and stem the loss of stock from private sector partners choosing to opt-out of
affordable housing programs.
Particularly for public housing, this trend shows no sign of slowing, as the stock decreases by between .5 percent
and 1.0 percent each year. Additionally, HUD estimates that the public housing inventory faces a capital needs
backlog ranging from $20 to $30 billion. Given this large backlog and
fiscal constraints, the Department must find alternative means, other than
direct capital grants, to meet these needs. At the same time, the structure
of the affordability covenants associated with the public housing program
impedes private investment in the stock. This $200 million is estimated to
allow for the conversion of approximately 255,000 public housing units,
in addition to the Rent Supplement, Rental Assistance Program and
Moderate Rehabilitation units. The portion of these funds used for Public
Housing conversions alone will enable PHAs to leverage over $6 billion in
private debt and equity capital, creating more than 60,000 direct jobs. HUD estimates that full conversion of
the entire public housing stock (with additional funding in future years), would allow PHAs to raise nearly $28
billion in capital in order to address the large existing backlog of capital needs and create an estimated
270,000 direct jobs. Beyond the public housing stock, the Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation (25,000 units), Rent
Supplement (9,500 units), and Rental Assistance programs (11,300 units) either offer no option to renew and
risk being lost from the affordable housing stock or cannot renew on terms that attract sufficient capital to
preserve long-term affordability
CONVERSION OF PROPERTIES
HUD is committed to utilizing its operating and capital funds in the most effective ways possible. At the same time
though, the Department continues to face challenges in maintaining an aging public housing stock, of which half the
units were constructed prior to 1970. These older units require continued investment to remain viable, with an
increasing backlog of modernization needs estimated at $20-30 billion, and an estimated 15.5 percent of units not
meeting HUD’s physical standards. It is incumbent upon the Department to find alternative, sustainable means,
other than direct capital grants, to meet these needs – particularly because public housing serves tremendously
vulnerable families who have few options in the event that their housing is lost. Because of these realities, $200
million for the Transforming Rental Assistance (TRA) initiative demonstration is designed to preserve
public and assisted housing by increasing access to private capital and management techniques.
Specifically, this TRA funding request will be used for the incremental cost of converting public housing, Section 8
Moderate Rehabilitation, Rent Supplement, and Rental Assistance programs to an improved form of long-term,
project-based Section 8 contracts. These funds are estimated to allow for the conversion of approximately

HUDNo.2012-02-10

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

ADVOCATE OR MALCONTENT? YOU TELL ME.

I have come to a crossroads in what choices I have to make in the near future. I have advocated for Montana's Low-income Residential Rental Tenants since 2006, when I, unfortunately, was trapped in an elevator, in the apartment building I was living in. It took them over an hour to get me out. At that time I was still being escorted, by my Service Dog, Cricket, allowing me to not only leave my home but particapate in family gatherings, healthcare appointments, grocery shoping; you know, being a productive, useful citizen of this great state, county, and city.

Here it is, six full years latter and I am still the only voice from that above mentioned group, that I am aware of. Though I did here reports of a Daisy from Montana, sitting in on the last Resident Engagement Group Call, January 20, 2012. I have enjoyed the most part of the work, though there is absolutly no pay, very little if any support because "Hands are tied, We are Federally funded."

Have I really made a difference in this political sespool, we call Federal Subsidized Housing, or have I
traveled down yet another primrose path that dead ends at the cematary?

Do I walk away from this endless debate and start working in a direction that is a little more self-centered like going back to school? Or am I better off trudging, slowly, and mithodically without any real support and, or, structure down this path of life?

FUNDRAISING REQUESTS

Dear Susan,
Montana is making headlines. Across the country, people are looking at our state Supreme Court’s decision to stop big corporations from buying elections – and they’re beginning to realize just how wrong Citizens United was. One national editorial agreed with Montana Justices that “Citizens United has given corporations enormous power barely distinguishable from bribery.”
Well, I want Montana to make more headlines on this issue – by rejecting the influence of these powerful special interests in our Senate race. Sure, they’re going to continue to spend big attacking us – they’ve already spent over $1 million since last June. But if we band together, we can beat them and send a powerful message across the country.
Click here to help me make a statement about our grassroots strength. We’re just $20,000 away from our January fundraising goal, and with seven days left, we’re within reach – but we need your contribution now.
Frankly, I don’t need to read it in the paper to know that it’s wrong to let corporate giants and Washington special interests tell us who wins our elections. And you and I both know that if we let them get their way, we’ll be reading headlines about more giveaways to Big Oil and Wall Street, more pain for working families, more tax loopholes for millionaires, and more ugly gridlock in Washington.
So let’s re-write the story. Let’s do what it takes to build a campaign capable of beating these guys. Let’s show the nation what Montana already knows: that if our government’s going to be accountable to the people, our elections have to be decided by the people.
Hitting our January fundraising goal is an important step on the road to victory. Help us raise the last $20,000 by making a contribution of $5 or more right now!
If we keep working hard and hitting our goals, Karl Rove and his special interest pals will open the paper after Election Day and read about how all their “enormous power” and unlimited resources couldn’t beat our grassroots team.
And that’s the kind of headline I want.
Please click here to give now!
Thanks for helping me write this story,

Jon