Breaking Ground - September 2000

Ohio Department of Development Releases Housing Trust Fund Request for Proposals

Homeless Information & Resources Available on COHHIO Web Site

Housing Development Assistance Program is Likely to be Reopened

The State We’re In...

Mark Your Calendars

HUD Releases 1999 List of Subprime and Manufactured Home Lenders

COHHIO Membership

COHHIO Co-Sponsors Welfare/Housing Conference

COHHIO & NHT Present Project-Based Section 8 Transactions Workshop

Using Federal TANF Funds for Affordable Housing Programs

Look for COHHIO in Your Workplace Campaigns

“Welfare Reform: the Northwest Ordinance, and Me"

COHHIO News

AmeriCorps VISTA Position Description

Budget Time Once Again

Resources

Parking Lot Safety

Subprime Lending Targeted to Minority and Low-Income Areas

 

Ohio Department of Development Releases Housing Trust Fund Request for Proposals

The Ohio Department of Development, Office of Housing and Community Partnerships (OHCP) has released its Ohio Low-and Moderate-Income Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Request for Proposals (RFP). OHCP will distribute a total of up to $9.5 million of trust fund monies through this process.

The RFP targets certain priority housing activities that may be difficult to fund through other state and federal housing programs. Most of these activities focus on services and supports needed to help individuals and families access and maintain safe, decent affordable housing. With the exception of downpayment assistance and homebuyer counseling activities, HTF projects must target households or individuals at or below 35 percent of area median income.

The following organizations are eligible to submit a proposal: units of local government, non-profit organizations, public housing authorities, and consortia of any eligible applicants. Legal aid societies and legal aid organizations are not eligible applicants for the HTF. Applicants that received 1999 HTF grants for more than 15 months may apply for funding for an expansion of the same activity in this year’s RFP.

Eligible organizations may receive a grant or loan of up to $200,000 over a 24 month period in either funding category; however, the maximum grant amount (categories 1 and 2) may not exceed $250,000 over a 24 month period. The maximum request for Downpayment Assistance/Homeowner Counseling is $100,000 for a two-year period. Organizations may apply for funds to support activities for up to 24 months.
OHCP encourages applicants to apply for a 24-month period.

There are two categories for funding: Category 1 is Housing Services and Category 2 is Home Repair/Downpayment Assistance. Proposals will be accepted for the direct costs of staff salaries and fringe, professional services, materials, supplies, travel, other overhead costs and client assistance for the following priority housing activities:

Category 1 - Housing Services
A. Homelessness Prevention. Activities include: assistance to households and individuals to prevent eviction of foreclosure; rental deposits and short-term (maximum three months) rental assistance, mortgage payments, or utility payments; tenant/landlord mediation; housing referrals; direct housing; other forms of tenant and homeowner counseling to assist in maintaining decent, affordable housing may be provided to those at or below 35 percent of area median income.
B. Supportive Services Linked to Housing Programs. Note: applicants requesting funds for a program currently receiving Supportive Housing for the Homeless Program funds must contact Bob Johnson at OHCP to obtain the necessary Outcome Management Framework (OMF) forms. Activities include: Services such as education and training, assistance in obtaining employment, day care, health care, treatment of substance abuse and mental health problems, assistance in obtaining financial aid, family and parenting counseling, and household management may be provided to individuals or households at or below 35 percent of area median income.
C. Project-based Rental Assistance and Operating Subsidies. Note: applicants requesting funds for a program currently receiving Supportive Housing for the Homeless Program funds must contact Bob Johnson at OHCP to obtain the necessary Outcome Management Framework (OMF) forms. Activities include: rental assistance to households or operating subsidies to projects that will make units affordable to households at or below 35 percent of area median income.

Category 2 - Home Repair/Downpayment Assistance
A. Emergency Home Repair and Handicapped Accessibility. Activities include: Investments of up to $5,000 per housing unit that are necessary to keep a unit habitable by an individual or household at or below 35 percent of area median income, protect the integrity of the structure, and assure the occupants’ health and safety. Examples of emergency home repairs include repair and replacement of heating systems, plumbing systems, hot water heaters, hazardous electrical systems or severely deteriorated roofs, walls, windows and doors. Examples of handicapped accessibility activities include limited rehabilitation to remove barriers, such as installation or modification of kitchens, bathrooms and ramps. Home weatherization and lead-based paint abatement are not eligible activities under this program.
B. Downpayment Assistance Program. Note: Only non-profit organizations are eligible for this activity. Activities include: Investment of up to $3,000 per unit for downpayment assistance to families or individuals at or below 65 percent of the state median income. Downpayment assistance is limited to three percent of purchase price plus out of pocket purchase expenses (closing costs, title search, appraisal, credit report, attorney fees). Assistance is limited to single family homes and condominiums. All ownership must be fee simple. Homebuyer counseling, including assistance in obtaining financing, must be provided to all persons receiving downpayment assistance. The maximum award for this activity is $100,000 for a two-year period.

Each $2 in funds granted or loaned from the HTF must be matched with $1 in cash or in-kind resource. Grants or loans from ODOD may not used as match. Matching funds must be firmly committed and documented as part of the proposal, but may be contingent on receipt of trust funds. In-kind and non-cash may include the following: 1) the value of program and overhead costs such as materials, supplies, rent, utilities, etc., provided that there is documentation of costs and it can be shown that they are reasonable and directly relate to the project; 2) volunteer time committed to the project, calculated at a maximum of $10 per hour; and 3) the value of staff time or professional services provided by other organizations, calculated at the hourly rate of salary plus fringes or the usual fee charged per hour of service, whichever is less.

The HTF RFP submission deadline is 5 p.m. on October 13, 2000. Applicants much submit one original and three copies of the application to OHCP at 77 South High Street, 24th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6108. Questions regarding the HTF RFP process should be directed to Bob Johnson at OHCP at 614/466-2285.

 

Homeless Information & Resources Available on COHHIO Web Site
Visit the COHHIO web site at www.cohhio.org to get helpful factsheets on homelessness. COHHIO has made available over 15 factsheets from the National Coalition for the Homeless on such topics as: Who is Homeless?; Why Are People Homeless?; What You Can Do; Education of Homeless Children and Youth; Homelessness Among Elderly People; Employment and Homelessness; Health Care and Homelessness; The McKinney Act; How Many People Experience Homelessness?; Homeless Youth; Homeless Families With Children; Homeless Veterans; Rural Homelessness; Mental Illness and Homelessness; Domestic Violence and Homelessness; HIV/AIDS and Homelessness and Addiction Disorders and Homelessness. There is also an informative factsheet, “Homelessness: The Causes and Facts,” from the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless.

In addition, there are links to several national organization’s web sites, where additional homeless information can be found. Those links include the National Alliance to End Homelessness; the National Coalition for the Homeless; the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty and the National Low Income Housing Coalition. There is also a link to COHHIO’s Directory of Services, which lists by county non-profit housing organizations and agencies serving homeless people in Ohio.

All of this information can be accessed from COHHIO's home page at www.cohhio.org. If there’s something you’d like to see on the web page that currently isn’t there, please email Susan Francis at COHHIO at susanfrancis@cohhio.org or call at 614/280-1984.

 

Housing Development Assistance Program is Likely to be Reopened
As has been previously reported, the Housing Development Assistance Program (HDAP), which is the state’s primary affordable housing development program, has been shut down since June 1st. The $19 million that was made available for the current fiscal year, which began July 1st, had already been conditionally committed therefore, the program was closed due to a severe lack of resources. The HDAP program is used to fund a range of vital housing development needs, including preservation of Section 8 housing, new development of affordable rental housing (both tax credit and non-tax credit projects), rehabilitation of existing affordable housing and new homeownership initiatives.

All of this occurred in the midst of the HDAP being transferred from the Community Development Division of the Department of Development to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency (OHFA). While the transfer had nothing to do with the shut-down of the program, OHFA soon began pushing a policy change for some of the Housing Trust Fund resources to be used as loans rather than grants, as has been the primary practice to date.

This shut-down also took place at a time when the Housing Trust Fund account had an unobligated balance of anywhere between $12 - $15 million. While these funds could easily be used to re-open the program, the Department of Development has proposed using $6 million of these funds for a new and yet to be defined revolving loan program.

For the past several months, COHHIO, the Ohio CDC Association, along with other advocates, have been pushing several issues related to the Housing Trust Fund with Department officials, the Governor’s Office, and key legislators.

In what can best be described as a win for affordable housing advocates, it appears as though the HDAP program will be re-opened for a limited period of time for projects that are ready to proceed. While the bulk of the information pertaining to the application process will remain the same, some additional information may be requested to allow OHFA to competitively rank the applications if necessary. It is estimated that the program will be re-opened in late September or early October, with approximately $12 million available. At this time, it looks as though applicants will have between 30-45 days to submit their proposals. The Department has said that the projects selected for funding will be reviewed to determine which could receive loans and which truly need grants. There will need to be more discussion regarding the precise terms of the loans that are provided.

This is a real victory for advocates of affordable housing development. It also shows that the administration was willing to be bend as more information was presented and as more advocates spoke out. Thanks to everyone who helped on this issue. For more information, please contact Bill Faith at COHHIO at 614/280-1984.

 

The State We’re In...
Earlier this year, the National Priorities Project (NPP) released The State of the States 2000: The Third Annual Assessment of the State We’re In. This annual report takes a serious look at how federal spending policies are impacting our states and communities. In doing so, it documents whether or not we, as a nation, are addressing many of the most pressing needs facing our communities: jobs and economic insecurity, quality education, access to affordable health care and housing, and a clean environment. It also measures whether or not our current federal budget priorities are helping or hurting our ability to address these needs.

“Now and for at least the next few years, your congressional representatives will make specific decisions regarding potential funding cuts to community-based programs to allow for proposed increases in military spending. Under the Balanced Budget Agreement of 1997, Pentagon spending and much of social spending have been put into one large budget pie that will get smaller every year, to keep the discretionary spending budget balanced. Discretionary spending includes military spending and most social spending except Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and other entitlements. Currently, the Pentagon gets about 51 percent of the discretionary budget pie, and the other social programs get 49 percent.” If the Pentagon receives the budget increases it has requested, it will account for 56 percent of all discretionary spending by the year 2004, while other social programs will get just 44 percent.

The report goes on to point out that while needs have increased dramatically, the federal commitment to address these needs has declined. While spending on social programs declined by more than $1.1 trillion between 1980 and 1999, spending on national defense increased by $1.3 trillion during that same period.

The report concludes with some rather sobering thoughts. “Currently, the federal government spends almost three times on the Pentagon than what we spend on education, housing, family and child health care, environmental protection, social services and job training combined.” Will we continue to dismantle our health care centers and our schools to pay for more fighter jets and aircraft carriers? Every dollar budgeted for the Pentagon means a dollar taken away from community-based programs.

“National security is more than the number of planes and bombs and tanks that can be stockpiled. It is about people and families and the quality of life that we can offer as a nation. It needs to be about jobs that pay enough to meet basic needs and about affordable health care for both adults and children. It should be about providing decent housing and schools that have enough books and roofs that don’t leak and are truly a place where our children will grow and learn. It should also include an environment that provides clean air and water for everyone.”

The National Priorities Project (NPP) is a community education, research, and training organization dedicated to making our nation’s budget priorities something that ordinary citizens can help shape and understand. NPP analyzes the impact of federal spending on state and local levels, providing citizen groups, elected officials, the media, and policy analysts with the information they need to respond to the problems faced in their own communities. If you would like to get a copy of The State of the States 2000: The 3rd Annual Assessment of the State We’re In, please visit the NPP web site at www.natprior.org.

Mark Your Calendars...
The next state-wide anti-predatory lending task force meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 14th, in the greater Cincinnati area. This meeting is being co-sponsored by OCRP, the Miami Valley Fair Housing Center, and Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME). The meeting will be from 10 am until 4 pm, and will be held at the Swifton Commons Shopping Center.

The task force meeting will include participation from Fannie Mae, and perhaps the Department of Justice, focusing on the wealth-robbing attributes of predatory lending. In addition, we are circulating a draft resolution, which will help to not only draw attention to the issue of predatory lending, but it could also help to create a solid base of partners. We are requesting that community-based organization modify the resolution to address their specific community and have it adopted by their Board of Directors, their neighborhood associations, their city council, and their county commissioners. If you would like additional information on the task force meeting, or would like to receive a copy of the anti-predatory lending resolution, you can either check out the COHHIO web page at www.cohhio.org or contact Rick Taylor at COHHIO at 614/280-1984 or via e-mail at ricktaylor@cohhio.org.

 

HUD Releases 1999 List of Subprime and Manufactured Home Lenders
Late last month, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released its 1999 list of lenders that specialize in subprime and/or manufactured home lending. The list identifies 263 subprime and 23 manufactured home lenders that reported 1999 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data. These numbers are up from last year. In 1998, HUD identified 239 subprime and 22 manufactured home lenders. This represents an increase of nearly 10 percent and five percent respectively.

In terms of identifying these lenders, HUD looked at industry/trade publications, received referrals from other government agencies and from consumer advocacy groups, and conducted HMDA data analyses. These analyses found that, among other things, subprime and manufactured home lenders typically have higher denial rates and lower origination rates than prime lenders; home refinance loans account for a higher percentage of subprime lenders’ total originations than prime lenders’ originations; subprime lenders originate a larger percentage of their total originations in predominantly black census tracts than prime lenders; and subprime lenders are more likely to have terms like “consumer,” “finance,” and “acceptance” in their lender names.

If you would like additional information on the 1999 list of lenders that specialize in subprime and/or manufactured home lending, please check out the Predatory Lending section of the COHHIO web page at www.cohhio.org. You can also contact Rick Taylor at COHHIO at 614/280-1984 or via e-mail at ricktaylor@cohhio.org.

 

Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio Membership
Name
Organization
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone, Fax, County
Individual: _____ $35 (Regular) _____ $75 (Benefactor) _____ $250 (Sustainer)
_____ $10 (Low-Income) _____ Fee Waiver Requested
Agency (according to budget):
_____ $35 ($100,000 or less) _____ $75 ($100,001 - $250,000)
_____ $125 ($250,001 - $500,000) _____ $200 ($500,001 - $1 million)
_____ $250 ($1 million-$1.5 million) _____ $300 (over $1.5 million)
Please send your tax deductible check to COHHIO at 85 E. Gay St, Ste. 603, Columbus, Ohio 43215.
Thank you for your support!

 

COHHIO Co-Sponsors Welfare/Housing Conference
“What are We Learning From Welfare Reform In Ohio?”
October 2 - Columbus
Welfare time limits hit Ohio on October 1, 2000. On October 2, COHHIO and Ohio State Legal Services Association are co-sponsoring a conference in Columbus on welfare and housing. Time is also limited for you to register, so send the registration form in now. This is your opportunity to get the most current information and research about what is really happening to people as they leave the roles in record numbers. This conference is dedicated to the memory of Milton Tenenbaum, a supporter of COHHIO and a professional and advocate who devoted his life to economic and social justice for all.

Learn what is really happening in Ohio in regards to:

* the Child Welfare recommendation for a $20,000,000 housing subsidy for families involved in the child protective system and/or with substance abuse and mental health issues;
* what is available for families who have met time limits;
* who remains on the roles and what is available to these families;
* what is really happening to families who have left the welfare roles.

Join us to learn the facts and add your efforts to develop strategies to enhance the success - and address the failures - to better ensure a system that works for Ohio’s families. For more information, contact Pam Argus at COHHIO at 614/280-1984 or visit the COHHIO web page at www.cohhio.org.


October 2 - Agenda

8:30 - 9:30 Registration

9:30 - 9:45 Introduction: Bill Faith, COHHIO and Gene King, OSLSA

9:45 - 10:30 Opening Speaker: Peter Edelman, Georgetown University

10:30 - 12:30 Welfare Reform Studies in Ohio
Claudia Coulton, Mandel School of Applied Sciences, Cleveland
Steve Howe, Institute for Data Sciences, Cincinnati
Neva Terry, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Office of Research, Assessment and Accountability
Ann Tickamyer, Ohio University, Department of Sociology/Anthropology

12:30 - 2:00 Luncheon Speaker
David Berns, El Paso County Department of Human Services, Colorado

Milton T. Tenenbaum Community Service Award

2:00 - 4:00 Where Do We Go From Here
David Berns, El Paso County Department of Human Services, Colorado
Jacqui Romer-Sensky, Director, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services
Darrel Rowland, Public Affairs Editor, The Columbus Dispatch
Representative John Carey, Ohio House of Representatives
Representative Janine Perry, Ohio House of Representatives

 

This conference is open to housing and homeless providers, legal aid advocates, statewide advocates, local community groups and organizations, legislators, administrators and all those who are concerned about what is happening to families who have already left Ohio Works First or forced to leave October 1, 2000. The conference will feature presentations from distinguished researchers from around the state, and will conclude with a concerted effort by panelists and experts from housing, health, human services, the press and the legislature to identify what we can learn from the research and to begin to develop strategies to enhance that the system works for Ohio families.

The Milton T. Tenenbaum Memorial Community Service Award is intended to recognize an Ohio advocate who has committed both his or her professional and personal lives to empowering and providing service to low income and other disenfranchised people. The award is in honor of Milton T. Tenenbaum, who was a businessman, state administrator and advocate.

 

What Are We Learning From Welfare Reform in Ohio?
Second Annual Milton Tenenbaum Conference
October 2, 2000 - Makoy Center, Columbus

Sponsored by COHHIO and the Ohio State Legal Services Association

REGISTRATION
(one form per person, form can be copied, please print clearly)

Name (first, last)
Agency
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone, Fax, Email
_____ Please check for vegetarian lunch

REGISTRATION FEE = $25

Checks can be made out to OSLSA and registrations with payment can be sent to Ohio State Legal Services Association, 861 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215. Registration deadline is September 15.

Because of limited space, OSLSA reserves the right to limit registration to no more than two registrants per agency.

OSLSA has applied for 5.0 credit/clock hours of continuing education for social workers, counselors, and lawyers.

You can also access registration and direction information at our web site at www.cohhio.org or call the Makoy Center at 614/777-1211 for directions.

 

COHHIO & NHT Present Project-Based Section 8 Transactions Workshop
COHHIO and the National Housing Trust (NHT) are sponsoring a two-day workshop for non-profit housing developers interested in acquiring project-based Section 8 properties. Preserving Ohio’s Affordable Housing: A Transactions Workshop for Non-Profit Housing Developers will be held at the Wyndham Dublin Hotel in Columbus on November 1 and 2, 2000. NHT is a national nonprofit organization formed to preserve and improve federally assisted housing for low and moderate income use. Thanks to Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing and the U.S. Department on Housing and Urban Development for providing support for this workshop!

Tentative Agenda - November 1 & 2
Wednesday, November 1
8:00 - 9:00 Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 9:30 Introductions
9:30 - 10:15 Why Preserve?
10:15 - 11:00 Overview of Federally Assisted Housing: An Historic Perspective
11:15 - 12:30 Status of Most Recent Statutes and Regulations Pertaining to the Prepayment of Subsidized Mortgages and Section 8 Contract Expiration
12:30 - 2:00 Lunch (provided)
2:00 - 3:30 The Owner’s Perspective
3:45 - 4:45 How to Identify Opportunities and Potentially “at risk” Properties in Your Area
4:45 - 5:00 Round Up and Questions
5:00 - 7:00 Reception (sponsored by Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing)

Thursday, November 2
8:00 - 8:30 Continental Breakfast
8:30 - 9:30 Introduction to / Refresher on Development and Operating Budgets
9:30 - 10:45 Potential Funding Sources
11:00 - 12:00 Other Avenues to Acquisition
12:00 - 1:15 Lunch (provided)
1:15 - 2:30 Predevelopment Activities and Due Diligence (part I)
2:45 - 3:45 Predevelopment Activities and Due Diligence (part II)
3:45 - 4:15 Property Management - Pitfalls and Alternatives

Workshop presenters scheduled to attend include:
Emily Achtenberg - Housing Consultant, Boston, Massachusetts
Nancy Trick - Director of Housing Programs at Reznick Fedder & Silverman, Bethesda, Maryland
Gillian Ament - Project Manager with the National Housing Trust, Washington D.C.
Scott Kline - Vice President and Development Director, National Housing Trust, Washington D.C.
Representatives from Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing
Representatives from the Ohio Housing Finance Agency

Hotel Accommodations
The Wyndham Dublin Hotel is offering a discounted room rate of $99 per night! Workshop participants are responsible for making reservations by calling the hotel directly at 614/764-2200, or toll free through central reservations at 800/WYNDHAM. You must identify yourself as a participant in the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio workshop. To get the special rate, you must make your reservation by October 10. There are a limited number of rooms available.
Registration
Registration includes workshop materials and the following for both Wednesday and Thursday: continental breakfast, lunch, coffee break and soda break. Space is limited - registration is limited to the first 50 registrants.

Scholarships
A limited number of scholarships will be available to those who demonstrate a financial burden and would not otherwise be able to attend the workshop. Please submit your written request to Jill Russ at COHHIO at 614/463-1060 (fax) or email at jillruss@cohhio.org or mail it to COHHIO, 85 East Gay Street, Suite 603, Columbus, Ohio 43215-3118. The deadline is October 3, 2000.

REGISTRATION
(1 person per form, form can be copied, please PRINT clearly)

Name:
Organization:
Street Address:
City, State, Zip:
Phone, Fax, E-mail:
Counties Served:
_____ Please check for vegetarian lunch

Workshop Registration: $75.00 (COHHIO member) and $100.00 (non-member)

Total Enclosed: _______________ (COHHIO Federal ID #31-1189029)
Payment Amount: Check No. __________ OR Purchase Order No. _______________

Checks may be made out to COHHIO and registrations may be sent to 85 East Gay Street, Suite 603, Columbus, Ohio 43215-3118. Credit cards are not accepted. Payment must accompany registration. No phone or fax registrations. Registrations are not guaranteed after October 24, 2000. Questions? Call Jill Russ at COHHIO at 614/280-1984.

 

Special Sessions for Tenant Leaders
Tenant leaders of project-based Section 8 properties are invited to attend Preserving Ohio’s Affordable Housing, A Transactions Workshop for Non-Profit Housing Developers in the afternoon on Thursday, November 2. Tenants will arrive in time for lunch on November 2, and stay for the remainder of the workshop that day. The workshop will continue Thursday evening and Friday, November 3, for tenants. Topics to be covered include: Basic Organizing, Structuring Tenant Representation, Value-added Programs, and Fundraising. In order to attend, tenant leaders must live in properties that are in need of non-profit acquisition in order to remain affordable. Space is limited to two tenant leaders per property. Registration information for the Tenant Leadership portion of the conference will be mailed directly to tenant organizations in the near future. For more information, call Jill Russ at COHHIO at 614/280-1984.

Using Federal TANF Funds for Affordable Housing Programs
The recently released TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) regulations offer opportunities to use mounting federal TANF surpluses - estimated at $7 billion in February 2000 - for affordable housing efforts. The new regulations increase states' flexibility to design new programs and the accompanying guidelines specifically describe housing programs as an allowable use of the TANF money. [Federal Register, April 12, 1999 (64 FR 17720) - also available online at www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ofa.] The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the agency responsible for the TANF program, encourages states to "...start with the assumption that they may use these funds in innovative ways to achieve the critical goals laid out in the TANF statute." Several states are already providing housing assistance funded with TANF dollars.

Under the federal welfare law enacted in 1996, the amount of each state's annual TANF block grant is based on the federal welfare funds it received during the early 1990s. TANF funding in many states now exceeds the amounts needed to maintain their welfare programs because welfare caseloads have declined dramatically in recent years. Most states have used the available funds for new investments in programs to help parents find and keep jobs, childcare, or transportation assistance. Some states have transferred a portion of the TANF funds to other block grant programs, as allowed by federal law. At the same time, many states also have significant amounts of available TANF funds unspent. The welfare law gives states access to these funds until they are fully expended.

Any housing assistance program funded with federal TANF dollars must serve "needy families" and meet the goals of the TANF program. Needy families are those families who are eligible for TANF under a state's welfare reform plan or would be eligible but for the five-year time limit on federally funded assistance or the restrictions on benefits to immigrants. TANF program goals include providing assistance to needy families; ending welfare dependence of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work and marriage; preventing out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

An important consideration when designing a housing assistance program funded with federal TANF dollars is if the program will be offering "assistance" as defined by HHS. To HHS, if a program provides "assistance" to families, all the prohibitions, restrictions and requirements of the 1996 welfare reform law apply. This means that recipients must meet work participation and child support requirements. HHS considers all benefits that aim to meet the basic needs of recipients (like food, clothing, housing, etc.) "assistance."

While this definition may seem broad, it is possible to design a housing assistance program that avoids the onerous TANF restrictions. HHS does not consider non-recurrent, short-term benefits "assistance" if the benefits do not meet an ongoing need and will not extend beyond four months. For example, providing a family with a one-time payment to pay for an application fee required by an apartment complex is not considered "assistance." But, rental vouchers - like those in use in Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina and parts of California - are considered "assistance" because they offer ongoing help to families - thus all welfare rules apply.
Examples of TANF-funded housing programs not considered "assistance":
• One-time help with weatherization
• One-time help with home repairs
• Payment of security deposits
• Payment of application fees
• Payment of back fees
• One-time moving allowance to be closer to a job

In addition, states are required to spend a designated amount of their own money in order to qualify for TANF money. These funds are referred to as State Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funds and can be used to create separate programs. A state's MOE funds do not face the same restrictions as TANF block grant dollars. Thus, these funds can be used to create housing assistance programs for poor families without triggering federal requirements. For example, recipients of MOE-funded programs do not face work requirements or a five-year time limit.

While a decision is expected in the near future, HHS has not yet ruled whether MOE funds can be used for affordable housing construction or preservation. HHS's response to this question, was "in the absence of written policy, states are free to apply a reasonable interpretation of the statute in operating their programs..." with consequences being determined through the auditing procedures.

For more information about housing programs funded with TANF dollars see "Using Unspent TANF Funds to Address Unmet Housing Needs," Organizing, Center for Community Change, October 1999 [www.commchange.org] or "The Increasing Use of TANF and State Matching Funds to Provide Housing Assistance to Families Moving from Welfare to Work," Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, February 2000 [www.cbpp.org]. Reprinted from the Housing Trust Fund Project newsletter.

 

Total Unspent TANF Funds at the End of Federal Fiscal Year 1999

Unobligated Funds

As of 9.30.99*

$2,541,400,000

 

Unliquidated Obligations
As of 9.30.99**

$4,736,200,000

 

Total

$7,277,600,000

* Unliquidated obligations refer to amounts that a state has committed to spend but has not yet paid out.
** Unobligated TANF funds refer to the funds state have neither spent nor committed to spend as of the given date.

Source: "The Increasing Use of TANF and State Matching Funds to Provide Housing Assistance to Families Moving from Welfare to Work," Barbara Sard and Jeff Lubell, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, February 2000.

 

Look for COHHIO in Your Workplace Campaigns
COHHIO, through Greater Columbus Community Shares, will be participating in several workplace campaigns this fall. Campaigns include:

State of Ohio (campaign starts September 6)
City of Columbus (campaign starts September 11)
Columbus Combined Federal Campaign
Franklin County
The Ohio State University

COHHIO is also participating in Combined Federal Campaigns around the state, including: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton/Miami Valley, Lima, Mansfield/North Central, Stark County, Toledo/Maumee Valley, Trumbull County, and Youngstown/Mahoning Valley.

Please look for COHHIO in any of these campaigns! If you have any questions, please contact Susan Francis at COHHIO at 614/280-1984 or by email at susanfrancis@cohhio.org.

 

“Welfare Reform: the Northwest Ordinance, and Me"
Journal of Poverty, Thoughts On Poverty and Inequality, by Alice Skirtz

"And be it further enacted the said justices in their respective counties shall annually appoint one or more overseers of the poor in each and every township of the county...and it shall be the duty of every such overseer to report all vagrant persons likely to become chargeable to the township...and to take notice of all poor and distressed families and persons residing in his proper township, and inquire into the means by which they are supported...and whenever he shall discover any person or family really suffering through poverty, sickness, accident, or any misfortune or inability, which may render him, her or them wretched and proper object of public charity, and he is strictly enjoined, acting for the county, that legal means may be then taken to afford the person or persons so suffering proper and seasonable relief"...Northwest Ordinance of 1787, Law of 1790.

These are the words of the earliest laws of what was to become the State of Ohio, written and enacted in 1790 as an amendment to the Northwest Ordinance. Historians trace this law to the Elizabethan Poor Laws codified for the growth of the American expansion westward. These words resonate through the history of the Northwest Territory and were carried forward as geographical areas like Ohio gained sufficient population to form a state.

These words resonated through my family’s history in Ohio in ways long forgotten until the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunities Reconciliation Act of 1996. My finding a career in social work was not an unusual one in my family. While there are no others in practice at present, the family history includes my paternal grandfather’s service as a Township Trustee in Marion County, Ohio, early in this century. My grandfather was the son of an Abolitionist who had come from Marion County, West Virginia, to Ohio during the Civil War. Both my grandfather and great-grandfather were farmers. My grandfather is remembered as a personable man known to all by his given name, Herb. As he raised his young family on the farm, he was delegated by the Township Trustees as the “overseer” of the poor.

We never really knew, nor thought about, how it came to be that Herb took care of the poor. We did know that each fall, the Trustees made certain that there was a supply of coal, potatoes, carrots, turnips, flour and any other crops which could be stored so that Herb would be prepared for those in need. Nor did we ever know, nor give a second thought to, those who came to his attention. By most accounts, widows, fathers injured on the job (usually farming accidents), or those who were not quite making it, came to the farm for assistance. Herb asked no questions but just talked to people. He issued bags of coal and vegetables.
It was said that he knew everyone in the Township, and that he knew whenever there was need.

It is not known from our family oral history what he did about “reporting to any justice of the peace all vagrant persons likely to become chargeable to the country” (Northwest Ordinance of 1787); nor is it clear what he did about those he thought to be “deadbeats” or “unworthy,” or given his Methodist certitude, what he did with those who drank alcohol. No doubt Herb had his own biases and idiosyncrasies, but it seems he took the responsibility of the Township, and his community, seriously and with genuine concern for those in need.

I realize my career in social work is inextricably bound to those who are poor. Working for 30 years for The Salvation Army has brought me into daily contact with those who are “really suffering through poverty, sickness, accident, or any misfortune or inability...” (Northwest Ordinance of 1787). The people I have worked with are woven into my life, and I hope for some, I in theirs.

Unlike my grandfather, my work for a private charity does not include the issuance of sacks of potatoes or bags of coal to the poor. However, it does include reaching out to those in need. I establish relationships with those who are poor to provide temporary shelter when they become homeless; utility assistance when they face the shut-off of their heat; and food from modern grocery stores when they are hungry. I also help people in need to access the public assistance system for income, health benefits, food stamps, and services like child care. It is a long but in many ways a direct path from what Herb did as a delegate of the Township Trustees. I am connected like my grandfather to the Northwest Ordinance of 1787, and the amendments of 1790.

In 1996, when the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) was enacted, a blow was struck not only to people who are poor, but to the heart of our heritage of including those who are poor in our common community life..."whenever he shall discover any person or family really suffering through poverty, sickness, accident, or any misfortune or inability...he is enjoined, acting in and for the county, that legal means may be then taken to afford the person or persons so suffering proper and seasonable relief” (Northwest Ordinance of 1787).

When Congress enacted the PRWORA, it radically changed the way we honor this heritage of caring for those who are poor. At the time, it was easy for some to make the case that sixty years of public policy rooted in the Social Security Act of 1935 needed to be changed.
It seemed that mean-spirited thinking had afflicted our country, damaging this heritage of providing for those in need as a matter of public policy. However, upon closer look, it is a heritage that is far older and deeper than the dismantling of sixty years of public policy. I wonder if Congress or the President ever considered the provisions of the Northwest Ordinance when they made their decisions. I wonder if they ever traced elements of the Social Security Act back to the Northwest Ordinance. The foundation is there.

Two hundred and six years of history were struck down with the passage of the PRWORA of 1996, two hundred and six years of caring for those in need in our country. That’s how long we have been cognizant of the poor, and have taken public responsibility for those suffering poverty..."legal means may be then taken to afford the person or persons so suffering proper and seasonable relief” (Northwest Ordinance of 1787). And, that could be anyone among us.

And, so it was in the 1920s, for my grandfather Herb who had done the Township’s bidding, providing relief for those in need in the first decades of this century. The Depression came and, like many Americans, my grandfather lost the family farm. No one in the family can bear the memory of that pain, so there is no oral history about how or exactly when it happened. We do know that in 1929 or maybe 1930, Herb moved the family to town and somehow found work driving a truck for a local undertaker who also operated a furniture store. He was one of the fortunate.

Relief was not to come for several years. There was no “proper and seasonable relief” (Northwest Ordinance of 1787). The Townships had no resources to provide coal and potatoes, nor shelter for those left homeless. Like Herb and his family, many suffered during those years with little food, untreated medical conditions, and both economic and emotional depression. The scars are still there. It must have been especially hard on Herb to have become a person “really suffering through poverty, sickness, accident or any misfortune” (Northwest Ordinance of 1787). He was the one who had done the country’s relief work and then he needed relief for himself and his family, and there was none. There was no resolution until the passage of the Social Security Act of 1935.

Years later, our long history of helping those who are poor has been ravaged by the PRWORA of 1996. No doubt history will come to judge this law and its impact on the poor. So far we have been fortunate that the economy is good and many people who are poor have access to work, and some to medical care and child care. But what have we done to ourselves? We have ended more than 200 years of compassion for those in need. We have not reformed anything, we have only changed public policy so that when there is need, there is little or no aid, no “proper and seasonable relief” (Northwest Ordinance of 1787). And those in need may be any or us, even those who now have the farm and may lose it.

Address correspondence to Alice Skirtz, The Salvation Army, 114 E. Central Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45210. Reprinted with permission - Journal of Poverty, Haworth Press, Inc., Volume 3, Number 4, 1999.

 

COHHIO News
Board Recruitment. COHHIO is accepting applications for COHHIO board membership. The board meets approximately five to six times per year, plus an annual board retreat. If you are interested in becoming a COHHIO board member, please send a letter of intent and a resume to Bill Faith, COHHIO, 85 East Gay Street, Suite 603, Columbus, Ohio 43215-3118; 614/463-1060 (fax) or email to billfaith@cohhio.org.

Join COHHIO’s Workers Compensation Program and SAVE!! COHHIO saved its member 84 percent on premiums last year and the savings have been among the highest in the industry for three years in a row. For every $1 your company would have paid in premiums, with the COHHIO group, you would have paid .16 cents and saved .84 cents. Joining a group rating program is the only way to ensure that you won’t pay any more than you have to for workers’ compensation. The group rating option allows employers with good safety and claims records to pool together to enjoy discounted premiums. For more information on COHHIO’s Workers’ Compensation Group, please call Susan Francis at COHHIO at 614/280-1984 or email at susanfrancis@cohhio.org.

SAVE THE DATE - COHHIO Annual Conference -
April 2, 3 & 4, 2001, Radisson Airport Hotel - Columbus

COHHIO's annual conference will include in-depth institutes, plenary sessions, panel discussions, and workshops. As well as plenty of opportunities to network, share ideas about what's working in your community and to seek input for problems facing your community. The conference will end with a Lobby Day, making our legislators focus on the issues that directly affect the problems and solutions in your community. Please plan on attending. Look for additional information in upcoming issues of our newsletter, as well as, on our web page at www.cohhio.org.

 

AmeriCorps*VISTA Position Description
Background:
AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) program assigns individuals 18 years and older, on a full-time, year-long basis, to public and private non-profit organizations. The project on which the VISTA will be assigned must focus on the mobilization of community resources and the expansion of the capacity of community-based organizations to solve local problems. Programing should encourage permanent, long-term solutions to problems confronting low-income communities.

The Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO) is looking for an AmeriCorps*VISTA member to help carry out the activities of the Ohio Community Reinvestment Project (OCRP). The mission of OCRP is to promote the investment in Ohio’s low-income communities and communities of color through six main areas:

• Increased access to affordable financial services;
• Housing credit to facilitate maintenance and production of low-income housing;
• Housing credit to low-income individuals;
• Credit for community economic development;
• Small business lending; and
• Direct investments in and partnerships with organizations addressing the survival and community development needs of low- income and minority Ohioans

Duties/Responsibilities:
The primary duties/responsibilities of the AmeriCorps*VISTA will include the following:

• Assist with developing and maintaining partnerships with Ohio’s financial institutions;
• Develop and implement reinvestment strategies which will bring additional resources to low-income and minority
communities that will address the long term needs of the community;
• Assist in carrying out the education and outreach component of OCRP’s anti-predatory lending campaign;
• Create links between communities and resources available through financial institutions;
• Find opportunities for organizations to promote innovative programs to financial institutions, especially those programs that will result in job creation for low-income people;
• Promote and increase OCRP membership;
• Assist in the preparation of OCRP publications;
• Assist in planning community reinvestment relevant workshops at COHHIO’s 2001 Annual Conference; and
• Maintain communication with the 16-member OCRP Steering Committee

Qualifications:
Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Familiarity with issues related to housing, community/economic development, and community reinvestment essential. Ability to work well both independently and in a supervised setting.

Living Allowance: $716 per month

Benefits: Health coverage and optional life insurance coverage for AmeriCorps*VISTA member only; relocation allowance if you must relocate.

Educational Award: $4,725 (or stipend accrued at $100 per month)

Commitment: One year, beginning November 2000

The AmeriCorps*VISTA member will work closely with and report directly to the Housing Policy Director.

Please send a resume and cover letter to:
Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio
Attention: Rick Taylor
85 East Gay Street, Suite 603, Columbus, Ohio 43215-3118
Fax: 614/463-1060 or e-mail: ricktaylor@cohhio.org

Deadline: October 1, 2000.

Budget Time Once Again...
As we get ready to start working on the upcoming biennium budget, there are several issues on the “proverbial” table. Whether it’s advocating for an increase in the Housing Trust Fund, adoption of the proposed TANF & housing demonstration program, or passage of state-wide anti-predatory lending legislation, the stakes are high. As COHHIO begins this work, it is important to remember that non-profit organizations can lobby and do play an active role in the democratic process.

 

Can Your Nonprofit Organization Lobby?
Of course it can. It should, and it's easy. It's not only legal for nonprofits to lobby, but it's encouraged by Congress and the Administration.

Anyone who can make a phone call or write a letter can lobby. If you believe in some cause or other, or really believe that in some measure, great or small, this would be a better world if your cause were advanced, then by all means you should lobby.

Why? Two reasons. First, because virtually very aspect of our lives, every institution, every activity is affected by government. And in America, as in other democracies, government responds to the wishes of the people. This is true whether the government is that of the Village of Skokie, the State of California, or the United States of America.

At times this may not be apparent and at times it seems to take forever-and at times you have to "throw the rascals out" - but sooner or later the actions of our governments reflect the wishes of our people. There is one big IF. Legislation reflects what the people want only if you and enough others take the trouble to let your legislators know what you want.

Don't Get Left Out
The second reason you should lobby, meaning not just you as an individual but the organization you joined because it stands for something you strongly believe in, is that if you don't, someone else will. Every conceivable cause - save the whales, preserve neighborhood schools, conquer leukemia, promote the arts, prohibit abortion, permit abortion, raise the speed limit, fight racial injustice-has its advocates. Competition for a place in the legislative sun is ceaseless. Lobbying today is a must. Any organization that does not lobby, or an organization that does not lobby well, is almost certain to get left out.

What Do We Mean: Lobbying?
Before going further, it might help to explain exactly what we mean by the term lobbying. We mean nothing more nor less than trying to persuade the members of a legislature-whether city council, county commission, state legislature, or United States House of Representatives or Senate- to enact legislation favorable to your cause or, on occasion, defeat or repeal legislation unfavorable to your cause. It's that simple. The legislation may set up a new program, change an existing one, guarantee certain rights, appropriate funds, etc.

Lobbying is Honorable
Regrettably, there are still some persons for whom the word "lobbying" carries an ugly connotation.

To them it conjures up visions of shady deals, favors bought and sold, money passed under the table. Indeed, there was a period in our history when such a picture would have been all too accurate. Today, however, despite a few well-publicized exceptions, the great majority of legislators and lobbyists alike are honest, dedicated servants.

Another misconception is that you've got to do something for your legislator if you hope to get him or her to do something for you; you've got to wine them and dine them, make a big campaign contribution, and so forth. This is not true. Naturally any legislator tends to be more readily available to big contributors and to politically powerful friends. But it does not flow that these are the only people who count. Far from it.

YOU Count
You are a constituent! You and the rest of the people in your district who go to the polls are really the ones who carry the weight. Your legislator needs you every bit as much as you need him or her. You count and don't you forget it.

Still, there are two things you can give your legislator without spending more than the price of a postage stamp and without running afoul of the code of ethics. One is information. Your organization is the authority in its field. You can give your legislator information he or she doesn't possibly have the time to get any other way. Second is recognition. Whenever your legislator does something on your behalf, helps your organization, advances your cause, show him or her your appreciation - and let the world know it.

Tax-Exempt Groups CAN Lobby
There are those who feel it is somehow improper for nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations to lobby. It's all right for business, they reason, because corporations pay taxes, but it's questionable, if not downright wrong, for the tax-exempt sector. Again, there was a time in history when such an attitude might have been warranted.

The tax code says tax-exempt organizations are in danger of losing their tax-exempt status-and along with it the ability to assure supporters their contributions are tax deductible-if they engage in "substantial" lobbying. Unfortunately, "substantial" has never been defined and as a result most tax-exempt organization either soft-pedal lobbying or refrain from it altogether. All of that changed in 1976 when Congress removed all doubt as to the legality of lobbying by nonprofit tax-exempt organizations by writing into the income tax laws authorization for each such organization to elect to spend a certain percentage of its income on lobbying. Equally important, the Internal Revenue Service issued very liberal regulations related to the 1976 lobby law in August of 1990. Reprinted from Lobby? You? Yes, Your Organization Can! It Should!, Independent Sector For more information, visit the Independent Section web page at www.IndependentSector.org.

 

Resources
TRAININGS
The Ohio Department of Development (ODOD), Office of Housing and Community Partnerships (OHCP) is offering several trainings:
• Housing Development Finance: Problem Solving and Deal Structuring, September 25-29, Columbus. Focus on the structuring of housing deals that are complicated by a variety of issues, both financial and non-financial. Participants explore structuring options which most effectively use local, state and federal dollars to maximize public-sector leverage. $350. For more information, call Mary Dupler at OHCP at 614/466-2285.
• Lead Abatement Licensure Trainings. Lead Inspector Training, October 2-3, Xenia. Will equip inspectors with the specialized skills necessary to conduct accurate and defensible building/housing inspections for lead-based paint. The course follows EPA and HUD guidelines. Lead Risk Assessor Training, October 4-6, Xenia. Will familiarize participants with the likely locations of lead hazards; the interpretation of results of paint, dust, soil and water testing; and the development of abatement reduction responses. Residential Lead Abatement for Supervisors/Contractors, October 23-27, Athens. Presents EPA model abatement supervisor curriculum. Focus on identification of proper work techniques for paint, dust and soil. Will help with identification of most cost-effective abatement methods. Lead-Based Paint Maintenance Worker Training, October 31, Columbus. Will provide maintenance workers with a basic understanding of the adverse effects of lead; and proper cleaning, maintenance and repair methods that will minimize lead hazards to themselves and the residents. Residential Lead Hazard Abatement for Workers, November 14-17, Xenia. This course uses the latest EPA model curriculum for workers. In addition, the course features hands-on practice skill development sessions; Occupational Safety and Health Administration; EPA and HUD compliance methods; and worker/occupant protection strategies. $100 for each training. For more information, call Tom Sherman at OHCP at 614/466-2285.

October 5 - 6, Ohio CDC Association Annual Conference, Toledo. Will include interactive tours, workshops and plenaries. Sessions will include topics on affordable housing, microenterprise/microlending, state and federal legislative and policy initiatives, community building and IDA's, and state and federal legislation. For more information, call the Ohio CDC Association at 614/461-6392 or email at mjb@ohiocdc.org.

October 12-13 - Building Doctor Clinics, Ohio Historic Preservation Office (OHPO), Grandview Heights, Columbus. Designed to help solve common, old-building problems and help owners make informed repair and improvement decisions. They will also visit older buildings in or near the communities where a clinic is being held to examine problems and prescribe cures. Interested participants must register to attend. Free. For more information, call OHPO at 800/499-2470.

October 17-19 - Project Presentation, Role Play, Review and Exam - Basic Skills in Affordable Housing Development, Ohio CDC Association, Columbus. To help build capacity for designing, financing, and implementing projects for low and moderate income home buyers and renters. $60-90. For more information, contact the Ohio CDC Association at 614/461-6392.

October 19-21 - Housing First: Ending and Preventing Family Homelessness, Beyond Shelter, California. Beyond Shelter, in Los Angeles, California, in conjunction with the National Alliance to End Homelessness and Shelter Partnership, will present this workshop. The "Housing First" approach advocates for the immediate relocation of homeless families into permanent housing, followed by up to one year of home-based support after the move to help families stabilize. For more information, call Beyond Shelter at 213/252-0772, ext. 222 or visit their web page at www.beyondshelter.org.

Community Economic Development Workshop Session, Ohio CDC Association, Columbus. October 26 - Small Business Incubator Start-Up and Management will discuss the necessity of smart planning, sound community support and sustained organizational commitment. November 1 - Intermediate Micro Enterprise & Small Business Lending will cover principles of debt collection and proven strategies for effectively re-capitalizing programs through repayment. $50 each. For more information, contact Sue Baumgardner at Ohio CDC at 614/461-6392.

October 30 - November 2 - 2000 Summit, Office of Housing and Community Partnership and Ohio Conference of Community Development, Huron. The purpose of the annual Summit is to provide OHCP award recipients and their affiliates with training and technical assistance regarding program administration, compliance issues and housing and community development. Cost is $60 per day. Registration deadline is September 19. For more information, contact Betsy Giffin at OHCP at 614/466-2285.

November 8-10 & December 6-7 - Introduction to Community Economic Development, Ohio CDC Association, Columbus. $100-$150. For more information, contact Ohio CDC Association at 614/461-6392.

November 20-21 - Growing Together: Annual Ohio Housing Conference, Ohio Housing Finance Agency and Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, Columbus. For more information, contact Kelly Jo Marks at OCCH at 614/224-8446/www.occh.org or contact OHFA at 614/466-0400/www.odod.state.oh.us/ohfa.

Free furniture. Ohio University has a building's worth of desks and dressers available. For more information, contact Ed Newman at OU at 740/593-0231 or email him at newmane@ohio.edu.
HUD USER. Section 8 Tenant-Based Housing Assistance: A Look Back After 30 Years, examines the history of the tenant-based program, considers its numerous accomplishments, and discusses changes made to improve and strengthen the program. The report provides a history of the program, beginning with the Experimental Housing Allowance Program and including creation of the housing certificate program in 1974, establishment of the voucher program in 1983, and the merger of the certificate and voucher programs under the Public Housing Reform Act of 1998. Today's Section 8 tenant-based program serves 1.4 million families. Sixty-four percent are families with children, 15 percent are elderly families or individuals, and 13 percent are persons with disabilities. $5 (ACCN-HUD11032). Principles for Inner City Neighborhood Design: HOPE VI and the New Urbanism states that simply giving people a roof over their heads is no longer enough. HUD's new philosophy aims to boost community pride and revitalize distressed areas by providing high-quality housing for everyone. HUD's new philosophy also recognizes that involving citizens in decisions that will affect their lives helps build a long-term support structure to maintain the livability of neighborhoods into the future. Free (ACCN-HUD11021). Builders' Guide to Residential Steel Floors provides builders, code officials, homeowners, and design professionals with the necessary information required to use steel floor joists in typical residential construction. $5 (ACCN-PTH11023). The Impacts of Supportive Housing on Neighborhoods and Neighbors: Final Report adds to the growing body of evidence indicating that subsidized housing can have a benign or even positive impact on a neighborhood when public education and other "community entree" strategies are combined with careful siting and property management. $5 (ACCN-HUD11034). Baseline Assessment of Public Housing Desegregation Cases: Cross-Site Report (Volume 1) and Baseline Assessment of Public Housing Desegregation Cases: Case Studies (Volume 2). The purpose of the baseline assessments is to produce a framework for analyzing the impact of using desegregation settlements to address problems of segregation and concentration in public and assisted housing. $5 each (ACCN-HUD11038 - Volume 1; and ACCN-HUD11040 - Volume 2). Residential Structural Design Guide: 2000 Edition is an effort to document and improve structural engineering knowledge related to housing design and performance. $5 (ACCN0PTH11035). To order, contact HUD USER at 800/245-2691 or on the web at www.huduser.org.

Section 8 Mobility and Neighborhood Health: Emerging Issues and Policy Challenges, Urban Institute. Presents the state of current knowledge and debate on the issue of Section 8 mobility and neighborhood health based on both the existing research and a discussion at an October 26, 1999, symposium on the issues. It groups the challenges that confront today's Section 8 program into three broad categories: 1) Concerns about the impact on Section 8 on neighborhoods; 2) Possible causes of geographic clustering among Section 8 recipients; and 3) Special issues posed by the relocation of public housing residents. For each category, the report presents competing claims about how and why Section 8 might be affecting the well-being of neighborhoods, summarizes research evidence to assess these claims, and discusses a range of possible policy responses, from minor programmatic adjustments to more radical reform. Each section also offers an agenda of priority research needed to further inform the policy debate on Section 8 mobility and neighborhood health. The report concludes with a summary of both programmatic options and overall research priorities. To receive a copy of the report, contact the Urban Institute at 202/833-7200 or visit their web page at www.urban.org.

Commissioner - Housing, Toledo. Under administrative direction of the Director of Neighborhoods, this position is responsible for planning, administering, and supervising the Division of Housing engaged in providing housing rehabilitation programs, single and multi-family new construction, including CDBG and HOME programs. Minimum requirements: Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Construction Technology or closely related area and five years of responsible administrative experience in a community-based or public housing organization with emphasis in housing construction and management, of which two years must have been in a supervisory capacity. Must be a resident of the City of Toledo within six months of appointment. Salary: $45,000 to $70,500, depending on qualifications and experience. Interested candidates should submit a detailed cover letter and resume to the Department of Human Resources, One Government Center, Suite 1920, Toledo, Ohio 43604 no later than January 28, 2000. The City of Toledo is an equal Opportunity Employer. Minorities, females and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Parking Lot Safety Require Careful Planning and Attention
Plan your parking lots well and inspect them regularly. Suggestions for a parking lot that provides optimum security both for employees and customers:
• Landscaping should not interfere with security camera coverage of the parking lot. Consideration must be given to the height of landscaping materials, as well as seasonal concerns. In other words, do trees and bushes inhibit visibility when they are in full bloom?
• Eliminate secluded areas. You don’t want to give someone a place to hide.
• Consider the potential hazards of ground-cover materials. For example, mulch can be a fire hazard while lava rocks pose a potential slipping or tripping hazard.
• Video surveillance is critical. If the costs prohibits full lot coverage, place camera where they can achieve maximum effectiveness.
• Use handrails and similar methods to eliminate direct egress from the building into the path of vehicles to the parking lot.

Keep an eye on the physical condition of your parking lots to prevent liability issues in the event someone is injured.

Information provided by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Division of Safety & Hygiene.

Subprime Lending Targeted to Minority and Low-Income Areas
A recently released study by HUD, Unequal Burden: Income and Racial Disparities in Subprime Lending in America, presents a preliminary analysis of mortgages reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) in 1998. The data clearly demonstrate the rapid growth of subprime lending during the 1990s and the disproportionate concentration of such lending in the Nation's minority and low-income neighborhoods. These findings are significant for the Nation's policymakers in light of the growing evidence of widespread predatory practices in the subprime market.

Unequal Burden has four finding: 1) The number of subprime refinance loans increased tenfold from 1993 to 1998; 2) Subprime loans are three times more likely in low-income neighborhoods than in high-income neighborhoods; 3) Subprime loans are five times more likely in black neighborhoods than in white neighborhoods; and 4) Homeowners in high-income black neighborhoods are twice as likely as homeowners in low-income white neighborhoods to have subprime loans.

The study of almost 1 million mortgages reported to HMDA in 1998 focuses primarily on home refinancing loans, which account for 80 percent of costly subprime loans. Subprime lending involves providing credit to borrowers with past credit problems, often at a higher cost or on less favorable terms that loans available in the conventional prime market. In some cases, subprime lenders engage in the abusive lending practice known as "predatory lending," which hits homebuyers with excessive mortgage fees, interest rates, penalties, and insurance charges that raise the cost of buying a home by thousands of dollars for individual families. Copies of a summary report, Curbing Predatory Home Mortgage Lending, can be downloaded from www.hud.gov/news.html. Unequal Burden: Income and Racial Disparities in Subprime Lending in America is accessible from the HUD USER at www.huduser.org.

(614) 280-1984 Voice
(614) 463-1060 Fax

cohhio@cohhio.org