July 1, 2009 -- Declaring that "home is an essential source of family stability," HUD Secretary Shawn Donovan told 400 housing advocates in Chicago June 30 that he will try to shape a national housing strategy that connects housing affordability to education, transportation, environmental quality and healthcare.
Donovan said HUD is seeking out local programs that can work nationally -- HUD is "committed to spurring innovation at the local level" and bringing those ideas forward for others to see, he told the “Home For Working Families” conference – and is committed to "laying the foundation for sustainable growth." ...
Dodd Coordinates Housing, Transit and Environmental Policy Banking Committee Preparing Bill With HOMEConnecticut Features The success of the HOMEConnecticut program appears to be rippling out to national policymaking, as evidenced by comments Senator Dodd made in a Senate Banking Committee hearing held June 16. Senator Dodd, who chairs the Senate Banking Committee, along with HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan, DOT Secretary Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced a Partnership for Sustainable Communities that will promote mixed-income housing near transit. The Partnership for Sustainable Communities will coordinate budgets and grantmaking so that regions and municipalities are encouraged to create mixed-income housing near rail lines and in town centers in environmentally sensitive and energy efficient ways....
June 25, 2009 -- The Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) is seeking public comment on the draft application for $45 million in funding from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program II (NSP2), available under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA). The public comment period began on 6/22/09 and will end on 7/2/09 at the close of business.
This application will be submitted by the Connecticut Consortium, with DECD taking the lead role; the other members of the Connecticut Consortium include the City of Bridgeport, the City of Hartford, the City of New Haven, the City of Stamford, the Corporation for Independent Living, Neighborhood Housing Services of CT, Inc., and Greater New Haven Community Loan Fund. Click here to read the complete notice of public comment.
Click here to see more resources on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program at the Lyceum Center website.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro joined NeighborWorks New Horizons for a ribbon cutting ceremony at Canterbury Gardens in New Haven on June 22, 2009. The renovated apartment complex includes nine supportive housing apartments among thirty-four 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom affordable apartments for families and individuals. Read more.
The Partnership for Strong Communities presented information on housing programs included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at a series of forums sponsored by the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy in April 2009. Click here to view a handout from the Partnership that summarizes Connecticut's ARRA funding for housing and homelessness prevention programs. Click here to see all the materials and presentations from the forums at the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy website.
June 11, 2009 -- On May 20 President Obama signed legislation that would protect tenants from eviction resulting from landlord foreclosure - the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009 (Pub. L. No. 111-22, §§ 701-704 (2009). The National Low Income Housing Coalition has developed a toolkit with many helpful resources on this new law. Tenants looking for legal assistance or more detailed information on this renter protection law can contact Statewide Legal Services at 1-800-453-3320.