The Best Resource For Learning From Housers Just Like You!
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20/20 Vision: A Letter from Your PNRC President Cupid Alexander
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With a new year comes to ambitions. A renewed sense of hope. The chance to start over. Or begin again. Or something like that right? I won’t lie- I spent all of 2014 preparing my response to the question of “Where do you see yourself in five years” with the answer of “I don’t know, I don’t have 20/20 vision” and I now realize that not only wasted 2014, and 2015 thinking I was clever- but that I, like many of you have a clearer vision of the future than I ever could of imagined.
Let’s think of what’s in store for the new decade. We have our many personal, professional and family goals that I’m sure we want to execute on. Some health related, some financial, some personal and spiritual; but all to help us move forward. And then we have our societal goals; getting our new census completed, voting for our elected leadership, and continuing to improve our society. And then we have our goals through our NAHRO family, which includes continuing to advocate for our families and to deliver high quality housing units and housing assistance for the most vulnerable in our community.
Yet through all of what 2020 has for us, one thing has not changed; our commitment to service and our commitment to moving forward together. Here is wishing you all a happy 2020! Onward!
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Meet Our Keynote Speaker, Eric Bailey
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Eric M. Bailey is the bestselling author of The Cure for Stupidity: Using Brain Science to Explain Irrational Behavior and President of Bailey Strategic Innovation Group, one of the fastest-growing human communication consulting firms in the United States. Eric has a diverse set of experiences that includes helping NFL All-Pro Larry Fitzgerald pet a rhinoceros, doing barrel rolls in an F-16, and chatting with LL Cool J on the campus of Harvard University.
Eric is the creator of the Principles of Human Understanding™, a leadership and communication methodology based in brain science and psychology. Eric’s unique style blends fact and emotion and finds ways to appeal to the analytical thinkers, the emotional feelers, and everyone in between. Eric has a unique ability to communicate seemingly complex concepts in practical, easy-to-comprehend ways, aiding in self-awareness and knowledge
retention.
Eric has been featured on CNN, Huffington Post, Forbes, the Like a Real Boss Podcast and has helped leaders and teams across the world see common problems from new and different perspectives. Eric works with Google Inc, the US Air Force, Los Angeles County, the City of St.Louis, MO, Phoenix Police Department and many more. Eric also runs a YouTube series of 2-minute executive lessons called The Walking Meeting (
www.thewalkingmeeting.com
).
Eric has a Master’s degree in Leadership and Organizational Development from Saint Louis University and is a lifetime learner of human and organizational behavior. When not working or researching, you can find Eric and his wife Jamie racing on their road bikes, being cheered on by their three children.
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2020 NAHRO Merit College Scholarship
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The NAHRO Merit College Scholarship Program awards $1,000 each to eight scholars, one from each NAHRO region, who are pursuing their first post-secondary degree. Each NAHRO region submits an applicant of their choice from their own scholarship program. If no regional scholarship program is in place, the region will select one eligible applicant to complete the NAHRO Merit College Scholarship application. The regions’ scholarship applications then are judged by the NAHRO Scholarship Committee, which is comprised of Housing America Advisory Committee members.
From these eight scholarship winners, the NAHRO Scholarship Committee will choose three candidates to become a part of the NAHRO-LDG Scholars program, which is a 10-year venture that will provide $1 million in scholarships and internship opportunities to low-income students from around the country and is funded by the award-winning multi-family housing developer, LDG Development.
Of the eight regional winners, three candidates will be chosen by the NAHRO Scholarship Committee to be a part of the NAHRO-LDG Scholars program. NAHRO-LDG Scholars will receive:
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A $12,000 scholarship distributed over four years to assist with tuition and fees;
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$3,000 a year for up to three years, as a summer internship stipend;
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Networking opportunities with business and community leaders.
Scholarship funds for both NAHRO Merit College Scholarship winners and NAHRO-LDG Scholars are sent directly to the scholarship winner’s accredited institution of higher education once proof of registration is received.
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"What Home Means to Me" Poster Contest
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As part of NAHRO's Housing America campaign, a poster contest is held each year for children residing in affordable housing and community developments owned or administered by NAHRO member agencies. Posters reflect the national theme of “What Home Means to Me.” The contest is a collaborative effort of NAHRO’s chapter/state, regional, and national organizations. National honorees are selected from chapter/state-level winning entries.
To Download the Application and Contest Rules
CLICK HERE
All Submissions must be brought to the Regional Conference in Renton on April 27th at check-in.
NAHRO will not accept submissions from individual housing authorities. Any submissions sent directly to NAHRO will be disqualified.
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Nampa Resident Graduates From FSS Program
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The Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) is an employment and savings incentive program for low-income families who are participants in Section 8 vouchers or live in public housing. The end goal in Nampa Housing Authority’s (NHA) FSS program is to use the escrow savings for a down payment on a home.
Amparo grew up in Nampa Housing Authority with her Mother and siblings. As an adult she and her family once again found themselves in need of NHA’s housing program. Amparo knew from her previous stay, NHA’s housing would be safe for her family, affordable and well maintained. She also knew our motto of move in, move up, move on, therefore she set up that expectation for herself.
Amparo enrolled in our FSS program approximately 5 years ago and she completed all of her goals to ensure her family would become self-sufficient. During this period of time she has increased her income several fold, the difference of which was placed in her monthly escrow account. She graduated December 31, 2019 with $32,131.58. Amparo and her family are currently searching for a home. The escrow she has obtained will be utilized for a healthy down payment. She is the epitome of what the NHA FSS program is meant to be for families on their journey to self-sufficiency.
Amparo has the distinction of being the last participant to graduate in the past decade and has earned the highest escrow amount in 20+ years NHA has administered the FSS program.
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Homes for Good Housing Agency Continues its 70th Anniversary Celebration
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We are officially halfway through our
70th Anniversary Celebration!
We would like to officially invite you to watch our 70th-anniversary video!
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#70YearsOfService #HomesPeoplePartnershipsGood
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Are You Prepared for the Winter Weather?
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Are you prepared for the winter storm season? Below is a list of resources and tips to help you prepare for snowy and icy conditions.
SHA BUILDINGS
SHA began preparing for winter storms in November by having de-icer, and other supplies delivered to SHA buildings. In the event that SHA’s maintenance staff is unable to travel to buildings, other SHA staff close by will have access to gloves, snow shovels, de-icer, and other equipment to control ice in critical areas around SHA buildings.
SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
If there’s a need to drive, plan your trip using SDOT’s interactive
Winter Weather Response Map
to see where snow plows have been and to view traffic cameras.
KING COUNTY METRO
For those who plan to take the bus, you can sign up for
King County Metro transit alerts
. Some routes could be rerouted based on weather and road conditions. In the event of severe weather, King County Metro may enact its
Emergency Snow Network
. If buses are operating on
snow routes
or the Emergency Snow Network, it’s possible that your bus stop may change or be canceled.
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King County Housing Authority Welcomes Hampton Greens Apartment Complex to its Family
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2019 was a particularly productive year for KCHA on the real estate front. We ended the year by closing on the purchase of Hampton Greens, a 326-unit, transit-oriented development (TOD) apartment complex located in Bellevue, Wash. The 16-acre site features a fitness center, outdoor playground, two swimming pools, tennis courts, and mature landscaping. The complex is located in a high-opportunity neighborhood near transit and within the highly regarded Bellevue School District.
This acquisition brought the total acquisition/new development count for 2019 to 1,379 units.
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Bremerton Housing Authority Makes Headlines
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Bremerton Housing Authority has recently been in the news regarding two innovative affordable housing initiatives and a radio piece on BHA's history.
A recent news article tells of the success of a local rental assistance program, now expanded into its second year. Using a combination of city funds ($100,000) and BHA unrestricted funds ($100,000) we've created a flexible rent subsidy, eviction prevention, and deposit assistance program targeted to households between 40 and 60 percent of area median income. Here is the link:
Another recent news article profiles BHA's partnership with our local mental health agency, Kitsap Mental Health Services, towards development of our region's first permanent supportive housing project. BHA is contributing $3.1 million towards the development. Named Pendleton Place, this new construction project will have 74 apartments for formerly homeless persons. Onsite services for mental health, substance use disorders, employment, and case management will be provided. Ground breaking is schedule for September 2020. Details are in found in this link:
Finally, a former BHA development, Sinclair Park, was recently profiled on radio station KNKX (a Seattle area NPR affiliate). The segment shares information on BHA's contribution during World War II in providing thousands of units of affordable housing for defense workers, a discussion about segregation, and how a self-proclaimed budding "gangster" named Quincy Jones, living in a BHA-owned property, discovered a piano and his calling in life. In addition to the broadcast portion, this is a nice written summary of the story
Here is the link:
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National Affordable Housing Accreditation Awarded to Housing Authority of Snohomish County, Washington
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Philadelphia, PA, November 26, 2019 – The Affordable Housing Accreditation Board (AHAB) has awarded national affordable housing accreditation to the Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO) in Washington state. HASCO is the fifth affordable housing provider to receive AHAB accreditation. The designation of “Accredited Affordable Housing Organization” reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting high performance standards established by the affordable housing industry and to providing quality, well-managed housing.
HASCO underwent a rigorous review of documentation that culminated in a site visit and a final report in September 2019. During the review and site visit, AHAB reviewers evaluated the organization on its conformance with 8 standards, 47 guidelines and 110 indicators; each one measuring how effectively the organization’s board, leadership and staff are meeting their mission of providing high quality affordable housing and related services. Executive Director, Duane Leonard stated, “Accreditation helped us take a deep dive into looking intensively at our operations. It helped us look at all areas, increased staff morale and really let us see how we are doing based on industry best practices.”
Established in 2013, the Affordable Housing Accreditation Board began rolling out the formal accreditation system in early 2018. Accreditation is awarded for a five-year period, encouraging accredited organizations to continuously improve and excel in providing safe, well managed, high quality affordable housing in their communities. Accreditation can result in improved management of housing, shared best practices around the country, and higher quality of life for residents.
“Organizations that pursue accreditation from the Affordable Housing Accreditation Board are demonstrating the highest commitment to their communities by delivering quality affordable housing” said Diana McWilliams, President and CEO of the Affordable Housing Accreditation Board. “We were so inspired by the staff and board of HASCO. Their application and site visit demonstrated a commitment to their communities, and an internal commitment to continuous quality improvement.”
The Housing Authority of Snohomish County is accredited through December 2023. The Affordable Housing Accreditation Board accepts accreditation registrations online at www.housingaccreditation.org.
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Tips For Residents on Preparing Your Apartments For Inspections
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1) My windows, doors, electrical panels, and hot water heaters are accessible and not blocked by furniture or other items.
2) Garbage is properly stored in waste containers inside and outside of my unit. My home is easy to walk through
3) My curtains, drapes, clothes and other flammable items are not near my heaters. My gas powered-equipment is stored outside.
4) I have reported all damaged outlet covers, leaky plumbing, and broken appliances to property management.
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Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board Approves $2.4 Million for Rural Development Projects
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OLYMPIA, WA – The Washington State Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB) announced today $1,974,742 in loans and $503,631 in grants for economic development, public infrastructure development and economic feasibility studies targeting business growth, job creation and rural broadband development.
- Clark County – $1,224,742 loan and $216,131 grant to the Port of Camas-Washougal for the Building 20 Construction Project. This project consists of construction of a 50,000- square-foot metal pre-fab building and slab-on-grade foundation. CERB funds are matched by $5,559,127 in federal and local resources.
- Lincoln County – $37,500 grant to Lincoln County for the Lincoln County Broadband Planning Study. This study will determine the functional and financial feasibility of making high-speed broadband available to county residents and businesses. CERB Funds are matched by $12,500 in local resources.
- Whitman County – $750,000 loan and $250,000 grant to the Port of Whitman County for the Wilma Port Road Improvements project. This project consists of local access road improvements for facilities at the Port of Whitman’s Wilma site. Improvements will include reconstruction of road elements, individual site access improvements, safety improvement areas, drainage improvements and signage. The Port’s committed private partner, Craig Mountain Excavation, LLC, is investing $1,290,000 in the private project which is expected to create and retain an estimated 18 jobs within five years. CERB funds are matched by $600,297 in local resources.
“Our role is to be responsive to local needs by making timely and smart investment decisions. CERB has a proven track record for being a good steward of public money and an advocate for local communities.” said CERB Chair Randy Hayden.
“This state funding, paired with committed private and local government investments, effectively strengthens rural communities by enabling new development and more equitable economic growth across the state,” said Lisa Brown, director of the Washington State Department of Commerce.
The release of CERB funds to these projects is contingent upon each applicant completing specific pre-contract requirements, such as finalizing other funding sources and obtaining necessary permits.
Since 1982, CERB has committed nearly $176 million to local jurisdictions across the state, an investment generating more than 36,000 jobs and private capital investment of a $5.7 billion, or a $36-to-$1, return on CERB investments.
As Washington’s strategic economic development resource, CERB is focused on creating private sector jobs in partnership with local governments by financing infrastructure improvements. These improvements encourage new business development and expansion. In addition to funding construction projects, CERB provides limited funding for studies that evaluate high-priority economic development projects.
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Pacific Northwest Regional Chapter of NAHRO
pnrcnahro.org
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