Short Takes

Sept/Oct 1996

Short Takes

In a city often referred to as "the People's Republic of Santa Monica," complaints have prompted city government to take a more hard-line approach toward the homeless. In August, the city made loafing on walkways and in other nonsanctioned areas punishable by up to six months in jail and a $500 fine, The New York Times reported. Other new laws prohibit sleeping on the beach or bathing in the fountains. Existing measures have also been more strictly enforced. In addition, while more money than ever is spent on social services in the city (about $2 million a year, with half coming from the federal government), services now mainly benefit those who demonstrate a willingness and ability to leave the street. "This city has been at war over the last couple of years," said Mayor Paul Rosenstein. "Laissez-faire just wasn't working and we saw the need for a surgical strike..." But some residents disagree with this shift in the city's attitude toward the homeless. "This is part of an ongoing evolution away from embracing progressive solutions," Robert Meyers, a former city attorney who was fired for refusing to curtail a homeless feeding program on the City Hall lawn, told the Times. "We now have a mediocre City Council that wants to move towards a law and order approach to social problems. And the end result will just make things harder for the poor."
Four states have developed programs to help advance local housing trust funds, reports the Center for Community Change's Housing Trust Fund Project. First among these efforts was the Tennessee HOUSE program begun in 1988, which collects revenues from several sources for county and city housing trust funds. In 1992, Pennsylvania passed the Optional County Affordable Housing Funds Act, allowing all counties, except Philadelphia, to increase their recording fees to fund affordable housing. That year, Florida also passed the Sadowski Act, dedicating funds from general revenue and an increase in the documentary stamp tax to several state-run housing programs, and a new state housing partnerships initiative, which transfers revenue to counties and cities for local affordable housing programs. In 1993, Washington state passed legislation enabling counties, cities, and towns to impose additional property tax levies to support affordable housing. For more information, contact Mary Brooks, Housing Trust Fund Project, 1113 Cougar Court, Frazier Park, CA 93225; 805-245-0318.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has appointed former HUD official Helen M. Dunlap as its new president. Dunlap has more than 15 years of experience in housing and community development and most recently served as HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary for Operations at the Federal Housing Administration, where she oversaw a $400 billion multifamily and single family insurance fund. Previously, Ms. Dunlap was CEO of the California Housing Partnership Corporation, which she helped move from legislative concept to an organization with a national reputation for affordable housing preservation. "National leaders are not focusing on the impact of housing needs of people with low incomes," Dunlap said in a statement. "A strong, broad-based political housing constituency is essential to confront these growing attacks on housing programs. I am pleased to join the NLIHC at this pivotal time." For more information, contact Penelope Yorke, 202-662-1530, ext. 229.
The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) was recently awarded $13.5 million under HUD's Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP). HAC predicts the money will lead to construction of at least 1,350 new homes by low-income families. The money will pass through HAC as loans and grants to groups purchasing or developing building sites for low-income families, who will then construct their own homes through a self-help housing program. None of the $13.5 million will be used for administrative purposes, HAC reports. The money will primarily help established self-help housing organizations in rural areas acquire property and build infrastructure. For more information contact: HAC, 1025 Vermont Ave., NW Suite 606, Washington, DC 20005; 202-842-8600.

In late September, France issued a draft anti-poverty plan that it estimates would create 300,000 jobs and 100,000 subsidized homes over five years. The proposal would also allow homeless people to vote, and would make it easier for poor families to obtain subsidized housing as a family unit. France has seen many protests and much social unrest over cutbacks in government services, the New York Times reported, and the proposal is intended as a fulfillment of president Jacques Chirac's campaign pledge last year to heal the country's social divisions. The plan requires approval by the French Parliament.
The Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NNRHA) recently honored 35 low-income residents for efforts to improve their educational and job readiness skills. Honorees have participated in NNRHA's Family Self Sufficiency and Family Investment Center programs, which provide educational, vocational, and life skills training to residents of public and Section 8 housing. Those honored included 13 public housing residents who now own homes; graduates of NNRHA-sponsored job skills and computer training classes; and graduates of job training in construction, elderly services, and janitorial services. NNRHA has 123 families active in its Family Self Sufficiency program, and 87 participants in its Family Investment Center. For more information, contact Phyllis Huling, NNRHA, P.O. Box 77, Newport News, VA 23607; 804-247-9701.
The Minnesota Housing Partnership last spring sponsored a workshop on local opposition to affordable housing. The workshop, using the work of the San Francisco-based organization HomeBase as a model, provided a basic primer on local opposition issues, including the cultural, economic, and policy factors influencing the citing of affordable housing. The Livable Communities Act, a set of incentives and planning requirements that encourage the development of affordable and life-cycle housing, was also discussed. For more information, contact Carilee Warner at the Minnesota Housing Partnership, 612-874-0112 x104.

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