FEBRUARY 2019
Legacy HOMES Committee Meets for Final Push before Launching Program

LHA's Legacy HOMES committee held a retreat at North Bay Regional Center on January 17th. They discussed the final steps to officially launching this program that will offer individuals and their families a viable way for someone to continue living in the family home beyond the lifetimes of their parents-if that is their preference.

Topics of the January retreat included drafting an intra-agency agreement for participation in the Legacy Homes program, vendorization with the Regional Center system, legislative solutions to enhancing the program, Crescendo software utilization and marketing, ensuring services are in place, and finally, partnership needs. 

A big thank you to the LHA committee members Barry Benda (Brilliant Corners), Kris McCann (BAHC), Mary Eble (NBHC), and Norma Delgado (HOME) who coordinated the day's events that brought together additional LHA board members and stakeholders to collaborate on this important initiative.
LHA and The Lanterman Coalition Continue Collaboration on Developing Legislative Solutions

LHA has continued our efforts in the new year to advocate for a dedicated funding source to create housing for people with I/DD. LHA President Darin Lounds (HCEB) and Board Members Jan Stokley (Housing Choices Coalition) and Bill Pickel (Brilliant Corners) lead our activities in collaborating with the Lanterman Coalition, the LHA Legislative Advocacy Committee, and relevant elected officials. 

On January 11th, Darin and Jan spoke at the Lanterman Coalition's first meeting of 2019 on the topic of revised policy language for an affordable housing program for people with I/DD. They also advocated for the re-inclusion of people with I/DD in the MHP Supportive Housing Program guidelines.

LHA is looking to publish its first Legislative/Policy Agenda later this year that will outline our priorities for 2019 and beyond. 
SCDD Finishes Public Comment Period on Statewide Strategic Framework


The public comment period on the Statewide Strategic Framework ended on January 31st. LHA is in discussion with SCDD to continue our collaborative efforts to advocate for the 40+ recommendations found in the report. LHA will be launching an internal SSF committee to review the recommendations and identify priority areas to target in 2019.

If you are interested in joining this committee, please email [email protected] for more information.
LHA Spring Meeting to Focus on Internal Operations and Invite Members, Partners, and Affiliates.

The LHA bi-annual meeting this spring will be held at Humphreys Half Moon Inn in San Diego on March 14 & 15 and will be coordinated as an internal Members, Partners, and Affiliates Summit to tackle topics related to our alliance’s operations. Add the event to your calendar here .

Sessions will include the following:
  • LHA Primary Function: membership support & education versus external services and technical assistance
  • Committee Reports and Objectives
  • Membership Recruitment
  • Core Messaging
  • LHA Operations & Financial Position 
We will welcome back all community stakeholders to LHA's 2019 Fall Housing Thought Leaders Summit taking place in Sacramento. To join LHA as a dues paying Member, Partner, or Affiliate organization and attend the Spring Summit, click here .
The Sacramento Bee:
Gavin Newsom Takes Wealthy Southern California City to Court Over Its Lack of Housing

by Sophia Bollag

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is giving teeth to his efforts to build more housing in California by suing a city that he argues isn’t allowing enough low-income housing, as required by state law. Newsom announced that Attorney General Xavier Becerra is suing Huntington Beach, a coastal city in Orange County, to compel it to support construction of more affordable apartments and houses. California law requires communities to plan for housing at all income levels. If the state finds those plans won’t allow for enough housing, communities are required to revise them.

San Francisco Chronicle:
SF Homeless Services Agencies Gather to Discuss How to Work Together Better

by Kevin Fagan

The city of San Francisco has taken one of the most significant steps ever toward tightening up relations between the galaxy of nonprofit and government agencies that deal with homelessness. For the first time in memory, leaders of all 76 nonprofits that deliver homeless services spent the day meeting with managers of the city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing to figure out how they can work together better, with the aim of reducing wasted time or money.

MONTHLY MEMBERS CALL
Upcoming:
- April 11 | 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

2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
- Darin Lounds,
President
[HCEB]
- Kris McCann,
Vice President
[BAHC]
- Kristin Martin, Treasurer
[HOPE, Inc]
- 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