DECEMBER 2018
LHA's Fall Housing Thought Leaders' Summit Energizes Collaboration

LHA's semi-annual Housing Thought Leaders' Summit brought together association members, partners, affiliates, and guests for networking, brainstorming, and collaboration to help solve the housing crisis for people with I/DD. More than 50 participants were in attendance and were involved in sessions that included the Statewide Strategic Framework, Aligning for Inclusive Housing, Housing Access & Transition Services, and Reports from HCD and TCAC. Attendees also heard statements from the LHA Housing Hero Award winner, UCP of Los Angeles, Ventura & Santa Barbara Counties President and Chief Executive Officer Ron Cohen as well as Assemblymember Jim Frazier who provided a ringing endorsement for our mission.

A big thank you to our sponsor Pacific Premier Bank and all of our guest speakers who shared their expertise and wisdom.

Presentation Links
LHA Working Group Providing Recommendationson Legislation

The Lanterman Housing Alliance's primary legislative agenda item is to advocate for a dedicated funding stream to create housing for people with I/DD. Recently we have been approached by The ARC California / Lanterman Coalition with an opportunity to provide input regarding the development of a new funding source like the one proposed in last year’s AB 1990 (Mathis).

In order to provide our expertise on crafting this new potential program, LHA has organized a working group consisting of representatives from HCEB, Housing Choices, IHO, Brilliant Corners, Chelsea Investment, and Housing Now. They have provided feedback on the following:
  • Where should the program be housed?
  • How does the money get spent?
  • What is the impact?
  • Examples of how this is done already?
  • Where will the money come from?
More information about this proposed legislation will be published in the coming months. 
LHA Presents Statewide Strategic Framework at National SCDD Summit

LHA was grateful for the invitation to present the Statewide Strategic Framework to national leadership in the State Counsel on Developmental Disabilities (SCDD). LHA Association Administrator Ian Nevarez and CSH Associate Director Steven Shum gave this presentation in San Diego, highlighting the yearlong effort to bring hundreds of stakeholders to the table to identify current and innovative housing streams, national best-practices, data on existing and projected housing needs, and recommendations for accelerating the creation of housing for people with I/DD.

Steven and Ian were encouraged by the interest from leaders outside California to create statewide strategic frameworks for their home states. LHA's California based Strategic Framework is currently going through a public comment period, coordinated by SCDD. The final version of the document will be released in early in 2019. more info
LHA Elects New Board of Directors

In October, LHA membership completed their annual vote to elect officers to the 2019 Board of Directors. Please help us congratulate our new President Darin Lounds (HCEB), Vice President Kris McCann (NBHC), Treasurer Kristin Martin (HOPE), and Secretary Yvonne Delgadillo (Allied Argenta). LHA's all volunteer board of directors run on the leadership of its officers and we know that the mission of LHA is in good hands with these four individuals.
Senator Warren Introduces Expansive Affordable Housing Legislation


On September 25, 2018 Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), introduced the American Housing and Economic Mobility Act of 2018 which would dramatically expand funding for affordable housing. The measure aims to use federal funding as leverage to build up to 3.2 million new housing units for lower-income and middle-class families – bringing down rents by 10% and creating 1.5 million new jobs according to an independent analysis from Moody’s Analytics. This bill will help address the shortage of millions of affordable homes nationwide. It has currently been referred to the committee on finance.  read article
America's Affordable Housing Crisis Isn't Just Hitting Cities


America’s well-documented affordable housing crisis is often framed in terms of the big urban areas, where housing and living costs are sky high and rapid gentrification pushes rents and prices up and lower-income residents out. But the affordability crisis is also playing out across rural America. It’s more spread out and driven by different factors, but it’s no less devastating. read article
List of HCD Awarded Projects and Organizations

HCD makes public its project list of organizations that have received funding awards. This list is a great resource for LHA members looking to partner with active mainstream developers on negotiating set-asides in future affordable housing buildings. Although it is likely too late to negotiate housing into these particular projects, the developers who have received awards should be viewed as viable set-aside partners moving forward. view list
MONTHLY MEMBERS CALL
Upcoming:
- Dec 13 | 2-3:00 PM

Phone Line:
- (712) 775-7031
- Code: 505851#
LHA MEMBERS

LHA PARTNERS
- SCANPH

LHA AFFILIATES
- Integrated Health and Living Project
- Joshua Tree Group
- Solutions to Poverty

2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Kristin Martin, President
[HOPE, Inc]
- Darin Lounds,
Vice President
[HCEB]
- Steve von Rajcs,
Treasurer
[California Housing Foundation]
- Yvonne Delgadillo,
Secretary
[Allied Argenta]
- The National Low-Income Housing Coalition is re-invigorating their national Housing Trust Fund campaign. Current legislation does not meet the $3.5 billion threshold for HTF funding originally established in the bi-partisan Johnson-Crapo reform bill of 2014. In an effort to protect and expand the HTF in the face of the current administration, NLIHC has relaunched a new campaign. Join the campaign and endorse here .  
LHA is always looking for in-kind support to assist LHA operations, including accounting, marketing & communication, administrative assistance, and event coordination. If you are interested, please contact below.
Ian Nevarez, LHA Administrator
(888) 542-4005