May 7, 2013

HUD and City of Barberton (OH) settle fair housing discrimination claim involving group home

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The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of Barberton settled a claim after a five-month dispute over the expansion of a group home.

The city will grant the permit and pay $4,250 to the home’s owners and an attorney, according to the settlement released Monday.

The city’s planning department initially granted a conditional permit for the home to expand from four to eight residents. The citizen-led planning commission later denied the permit due to neighborhood opposition.

The owners of the Rehoboth Group home, with the help of the non-profit Fair Housing Advocates Association, filed a complaint with the federal agency on Nov. 30 calling the denial discriminatory and a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.

Read more at the Cleveland Plain Dealer

May 2, 2013

HUD Announces Winning Consortium to Operate the Strong Cities, Strong Communities National Resource Network

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I am pleased to announce that HUD has selected a consortium that includes Enterprise Community Partners, Public Financial Management (PFM), HR&A Advisors, Inc., NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, and the International City/County Management Association, Inc., to run and operate the Strong Cities, Strong Communities National Resource Network (SC2 Network).  The SC2 Network, funded with HUD technical assistance resources, will provide communities with targeted technical assistance to help support locally identified priorities for economic growth and job creation.

The recent economic recession left many communities throughout the country struggling with ways in which to become economically competitive again.  Through the Strong Cities, Strong Communities (SC2) Initiative, this administration has been partnering with cities that have been suffering from disinvestment and a wide range of socio-economic factors to become more economically viable and help create jobs.

Just last week, the Administration released the first SC2 Annual Report, which details the accomplishments of the initiative, to date.  The report highlights that many of these communities are coming back and stronger than ever, and their economic resurgence is being led by policies that encourage sharing information, best practices, experiences, and resources with other cities and regions. Learning from those experiences, through SC2, HUD has been working to create a SC2 Network which will serve as a “one-stop” shop for economically distressed communities to access a wide array of short-term technical assistance. Continue reading →

April 30, 2013

Daily Housing News Round-Up

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The Washington Post writes, “Christie: Obama ‘kept every promise’ he made about helping NJ recover from Superstorm Sandy.”

“Thoughts on the Housing Market Recovery,” prints Forbes.

The Hill reports, “Rep. Grimm: Sandy recovery ‘just starting.’”

“Underwater borrowers getting more time to refinance,” says the Sun Sentinel.

Housingwire posts, “Lawmakers fight to save financing for manufactured homes.”

A Way to Start for Father’s Day

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As HUD enters our third year of the Father’s Day Initiative, we want to send a message to housing authorities that are considering hosting Father’s Day events on or around June 15 to strengthen the bond between children and their fathers, who are often absent from the lives of their children who live in public housing, and connect Dad’s with economic, employment, health and education resources.  We understand that times are hard, but it is during these challenging times that families need each other most and, for that reason, HUD is encouraging PHAs to host Father’s Day events. The Father’s Day Initiative is about encouraging the men in and around public housing to be the best dads, parental partners and community members they can be. With that in mind, we hope PHAs will focus on this goal to create events that fit their current demands and circumstances.  HUD is encouraging agencies to utilize existing community resources. For example, an agency can partner with the local Girls or Boys Club or YMCA to host an event.  If you have an onsite day care center, consider inviting dads to the center for an afternoon. Perhaps you help arrange a father and child trip to a “story hour” at your local library. Find a way to start that works for you to bring fathers and their children together.

More information at HUD.gov/FathersDay2013.

April 29, 2013

Daily Housing News Round-Up

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Dickey Anne and Arthur Cook, who remain underwater on the mortgage for their Corona house, used HARP to get a new loan that knocked nearly 2 percentage points off their interest rate and slashed their monthly payment by $480.

Dickey Anne and Arthur Cook, who remain underwater on the mortgage for their Corona house, used HARP to get a new loan that knocked nearly 2 percentage points off their interest rate and slashed their monthly payment by $480.
Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

Newsday reports, “Sandy, Irene, Lee damages: NY distributing $1.7B in HUD recovery funds.”

“Federal refi program for underwater homeowners hits its stride,” prints the Los Angeles Times.

The New York Times says, “Homeowners in Flood Zones Opt to Rebuild, Not Move.”

“Nearly 300 Volunteers Join Rebuilding Together Boston to Renovate Homes and Non-Profit Facilities on National Rebuilding Day,” writes The Business Review.