In the Media: Finding Affordable Housing and Housing First

WLBT Philadelphia reported on the effort of SafeHome Philadelphia and students at Temple University to test the practicality of adopting a Housing First approach for families in Philadelphia by searching for affordable housing. Students examined rental listings, called landlords, and drove through neighborhoods to identify rental units. The students identified 442 affordable and available housing units with an average rent of $668 per month. According to SafeHome, one year of full rental assistance and security deposit would cost the city $8,684 on average, far less than the $35,000 the city spends to support a family in shelter for one year.

Daily Updates of Local and National Press Coverage

Foreclosure Legislation Debated by Senate
Last week, the Senate continued debating H. R. 3221, the Foreclosure Prevention Act of 2008. The act would establish a National Housing Trust Fund; allow the Federal Housing Administration to guarantee loans for at-risk homeowners to refinance; provide an $8,000 tax credit to first-time homebuyers; and establish the Federal Housing Finance Agency to supervise Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks. The House has passed its version of the bill. On Wednesday, Senator Ensign (R- NV) demanded the introduction of an amendment to the bill that would include added tax breaks to encourage the production of renewable energy. Senate leaders hope to take up the bill again when the Senate returns from recess the week of July 7. They would then have to reconcile their bill with the House version.

House Committee Urges Increase in Housing Assistance for Veterans
Last Tuesday, the House Financial Services Committee marked up

House Committee Delays Passage of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Funding Bill
Last week, the House Appropriations Committee attempted to approve the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill that was passed by the subcommittee on June 19. Bill passage was delayed due to a partisan dispute regarding funding for the Department of Interior and the addition of provisions related to recent gasoline prices. At this time, the appropriations committee has not scheduled a time to reconvene to pass the bill. The subcommittee's proposal included:

Senate Committee Approves Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Funding Bill
The Senate Appropriations Committee finished its mark up of the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill on June 26. The bill's allocations include:

• Level funding of $55.9 million for SAMHSA Homeless grants
• $6.3 million increase in SAMHSA's Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)
• $150 million increase for Community Health Centers, with $62 million designated to help existing facilities with increasing costs. This would mean an $8 million increase for Health Care for the Homeless Programs
• Level funding for the Runaway and Homeless Youth programs, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Social Services Block Grant and the Community Services Block Grant.

Senate Subcommittee Looks to Prevent Child Abuse
On June 26, Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Chairman of the Children and Families Subcommittee, held "Protecting Children, Strengthening Families: Reauthorizing CAPTA," a hearing for the reauthorization of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). CAPTA provides Federal funding to states in support of prevention, assessment, investigation, prosecution, and treatment activities. Familial conflict is one of the leading contributing factors to youth homelessness. Often youth are forced to flee their homes due to abuse and severe neglect. CAPTA was previously amended and reauthorized in 2003.

In addition to other activities, CAPTA provides grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations for demonstration programs and projects, and also supports research and evaluation. Senator Dodd and the hearing witnesses stressed the importance of programs to prevent child abuse and neglect, especially for groups with disproportionately high rates of abuse and neglect, including minority, disabled, and very young children. The program's goal is to provide an array of voluntary services at the first report of child abuse or neglect, even if it is unsubstantiated, in order to address all families with need.

Congress on Recess
The House and Senate are both on recess this week for the Independence Day holiday.

National Conference on Ending Homelessness

The National Alliance to End Homelessness is hosting the 2008 National Conference on Ending Homelessness on July 28 to 30 in Washington, DC. The Conference includes several workshops focused on developing permanent housing, including permanent supportive housing. These workshops include:

• Public and Private Partnerships in Housing Development--featuring efforts to develop supportive housing in Fort Worth, TX;
• Developing Integrated Housing--combining permanent supportive housing for people with disabilities with affordable housing for people with low incomes;
• Financing Housing Development--including information about using the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program;
• Streamlining Funding--facilitating permanent supportive housing development; and
• Design Elements in Housing Development-- featuring Wentworth Commons, a certified "green" housing project in Chicago, IL.

• $21 million increase in SAMHSA homeless grants
• $6.3 million increase in SAMHSA's Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)
• $100 million increase for Community Health Centers, resulting in an $8.7 million increase for Health Care for the Homeless Programs
• $3.2 million increase in Runaway and Homeless Youth programs (RHYA)
• $200 million increase for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
• $700 million in funding for the Community Services Block Grant, a $46 million increase over FY 2008
• Report language instructing Head Start programs to increase services to homeless children