NEW YORK STATE RURAL ADVOCATES

Have you reviewed the proposed changes in Part 2040 of the LOW-INCOME HOUSING CREDIT QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN?  qap-comments.doc  What will be its impact on rural NY and upstate projects? Read more »

The mention of affordable housing in the State of the State was huge. The Governor has indicated that we will see money for housing this year. The Housing Opportunities Fund Read more »

The DHCR Commissioner, Deborah VanAmerongen, Brian Lawlor, Executive Deputy Commissioner, and OFSC Director Joe Rabito stopped by the NYS Rural Advocates Annual Meeting in Cooperstown last month. We informally discussed the housing budget for next year and the Commissioner was “hopeful” about funding for affordable housing. We used the opportunity to thank her for the open communication and commitment to task forces and the RPC program, and voiced our concerns about not having a rural point person for housing, consideration for Smart Growth and fair housing in a rural context, especially in the QAP and the Rural Rental Assistance Program. The Commissioner noted that she was working with her staff to review the 515 program so decisions can be made about the current portfolio.

Other issues discussed included rural rehabilitation and the new complexities and expense in dealing with asbestos. When asked about the apparent shift in Small Cities funding away from housing, The Commissioner expressed support for housing funding through Small Cities and combining housing and Main Street.

I am posting this to bring everyone up to date on the most recent Housing Trust Fund meetings.  I have run a position statement by Blair and Nancy from our annual meeting and shared it at two meetings  I attended  in New York City, one with Housing First hosted by Dave Munchnick and one with Priscilla Almodovar at HFA and the ESHA group.
The Housing First meeting was a presentation by the Dave, ESHA, and Shelly Nortz’s bill from the Coalition for the Homeless. There was no time for discussion. I had hoped there would be some way to unite around a single effort but there is clearly many differences among the NYC folks. There was also some discussion about the possibility of Liz Kruger submitting an HTF bill but people knew very little about what might be in it or if this will happen.
The meeting with Priscilla was more discussional and she made some things pretty clear about the HTF which she is calling the Housing Investment Fund. Though HFA is looking at the use of reserves for funding housing programs the budget office is clear that the HFA bill language must be changed to even allow for the use of reserves for this purpose. The Bond community is also being asked to determine if the use of reserves will lower the bond status of NY State bonds.They may allow, but restrict the amount that can be used for this. Secondly they are concerned that selling a HTF and the subsequent discussion of dedicated revenue may just be too much this year politically.  I think she is saying that we will see the proposal for housing funds through the change in HFA reserve regulatory language but not an HTF. So its still back to the legislature for this one. She also indicated that the HFA has about 61 Million in backed up projects from the withheld 50 m that the legislature didn’t fund this year. It sounds like any funding from the use of reserves may go to fulfill this commitment first.    (just a guess on my part).

There is also potential that the legislature may want to use some of the HFA funds to support the DHCR request for more funding to the existing housing programs. Priscilla dwelled on the current housing programs as needing funding. Another indicator that we may get some money but through the same old vehicles. The group also asked about the limitations on private developers participation. She got pretty testy about this. There seems to be sound support for the private developer community.

We then discussed the needs survey that the Division is doing and the report that they are working on to identify all the funding that goes into housing including SSI payments DSS housing funds, all types of supportive housing etc. (Not clear what this is for: maybe a reason to not put money into certain areas?? )I have to say I left all this feeling like we need to wait on this thing. There is no one bill that meets all our needs and deserves our support. It seems that this will all play out through the legislature anyway and we ought to wait and see how the session goes. If this moves anywhere this year we are probably going to be more successful pushing our agenda through the housing committees. Take Care all and have a great holiday!! Charlie Kalthoff

The final report from the RPC and NPC Review has been submitted. Read it and comment!   Executive Summary,  Your Comments,   The Standards 

The Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown is once again hosting the NYS Rural Advocates Annual Meeting November 14 and 15th.  All members are welcome and should have received announcements via email.  Contact Nancy for more information.

Those of you who attended the Rural Housing Coalition Pre-Conference RPC Review Session got a look at the Final Draft Document It was difficult to comment on without an advance look, but please comment now. You’ve stated that some of the standards should be a little more generic. Read more »

On October 1 at the RHC conference in Buffalo, you’ll get a chance to see and discuss the draft Recommendations from DHCR on review of the RPC program. Beginning at 1 PM, this pre-conference track Read more »

If you’ve been waiting to see something from me on the blog, join the club. I’m having a tough time deciding what to write. First of all, I hope people are commenting on the DHCR website and will speak or at least attend the first round of public forums.

Read more »

Hi all. Just wanted to update everyone on the dedicated Housing trust fund Meeting I attended this thursday. There were about twenty people many from the ARISE ecumenical groups this has been a driving force behind this for a while, and lots of disability folks. I am the only rural and nobody knows anything about rural areas.  Deb Devine attended the lunch and briefed us on the needs assessment so far and the other duties of her office. On the trust fund. the consensus is to ask for 250 million. Potential ResourcesThe basis bill they are using is the Munchnick bill and the morphed version of that that was trotted out by the SHNNY folks last year. There is a realization that we need to modify the  Potential Program areas and activities. For now the basic info that Nancy posted is what we have to work with. There will be several committee working in the next few weeks to address these and other areas such as administration of trust fund There is a difference in the group about whether we should pursue this this year or wait unitl next year. Much of this will be driven By Priscilla Almodovar and CCC will be meeting to see if she wants to go with it this year or next. There is also the need to get broad backing for the final bill and this may be tough if the budget debates are moved up this year. I will keep you up on this as it moves along. Charlie