Neighborhood Partnerships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 26, 2011

For More Information:
Alison McIntosh
(503) 816-2882

HOMELESSNESS INCREASES AGAIN,
DESPITE FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS

Homelessness has increased in Oregon again.  The State of Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services released the annual Point In Time Counts yesterday, showing homelessness has increased 29% since the count conducted in 2009, despite federal stimulus funds designed to prevent increases in homelessness due to the recession.  The State of Oregon can and must do more to protect those among us most affected by the economic downturn.

“In Oregon, we believe everyone needs a place to call home.  As we work together to solve the current budget crisis, the Legislature needs to prioritize providing basic needs to those most impacted by the ongoing recession and should consider an increase to the Emergency Housing Account,” said Janet Byrd, Chair of the Housing Alliance, “The on-going recession, high unemployment and continued wave of foreclosures in Oregon continues to make it more difficult for hard working Oregonians to find a safe, decent and affordable place to call home.  Far too many of our friends, neighbors and children are experiencing homelessness today in Oregon.”

According to the report released yesterday by the State Department of Housing and Community Services, homelessness increased 29% in Oregon from 2009.  As the recession continues, more and more Oregon families find themselves homeless for the first time.

“Every year it is becoming more difficult for hard working Oregonians to find decent homes they can afford,” said Sharon Miller, Executive Director of Neighbor Impact in Redmond.  “We saw increases in homelessness despite an infusion of federal stimulus funds designed to prevent this very situation.  These federal funds are nearly gone, and we’re left with an on-going recession, fewer state resources and continued high unemployment.”

“Hardworking people should be able to afford housing and still have enough money for groceries and other basic necessities,” said Jackie Schad, Executive Director of ACCESS, Inc in Jackson County.  “Too many families across the state can’t afford a safe, stable place to call home.  We’re calling on the State Legislature to increase funds for emergency rent assistance to help protect families and children affected by the recession.”

In 2009, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Oregon received $15 million to be spent between 2009 and 2011.  These funds were to be used to help people either prevent or end their homelessness through short-term rental assistance.  The money was quickly and effectively used in Oregon for this purpose, but despite these additional funds, the need far outweighed the availability of these funds.  Oregon has a similar fund, the Emergency Housing Account, which is slated to receive $5.8 million in general funds according to the Governor’s Requested Budget.  Increases to the Emergency Housing Account would go directly towards preventing and ending homelessness throughout Oregon.

The report is a compilation of a count conducted each year across the United States, required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The report counts families, children and individuals staying in shelters, on the street, in cars and other places which aren’t providing a safe or stable place to call home.

An earlier report released by the Housing Alliance and the National Low Income Housing Coalition showed that the cost of renting an apartment in Oregon has continued to increase.  The average fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Oregon is $822—a number that has increased 35% since 2000.

For additional information, visit http://www.ohcs.oregon.gov/OHCS/DO/newsreleases/2011/05-24-11-NewsRelease.pdf.

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The Housing Alliance brings together advocates, local governments, housing authorities, community development corporations, environmentalists, service providers, business interests and all others dedicated to increasing the resources available to meet our housing needs to support a common statewide legislative and policy agenda.  To find out more about the Housing Alliance, go to: http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/

How long has it been since you’ve written a Letter to the Editor?  Now is a great time to write a letter to the editor—last weekend saw two great editorials, one by the Oregonian Editorial Board, and the other by the Co-Chairs of the Human Services Coalition of Oregon about Oregon’s budget and our need to protect families and children during this recession.

We here at Neighborhood Partnerships were pleased to read these two editorials, and are working on our letters to the editor in support of these ideas.  In our letters, we will be calling on the Legislature to do more to protect our neighbors and Oregon’s families.  If you’d like to write a letter, here are some tips:

• Reference the article you’re responding to in the first sentence.

• Talk about the Oregon we want to have!  Perhaps you want to live in an Oregon where we protect those most affected by the economic recession; or an Oregon where we offer opportunity for all of our residents; or an Oregon where families are supported in times of crisis and given opportunities to contribute.

• Call on decision makers to solve the problem!  We can protect families and children and other critical safety net programs.  We have stability funds and rainy-day accounts for moments like this—is leaving an ending balance in these times acceptable?  Should any increases in the revenue forecast be dedicated to protecting the social safety net?  What do you think the solutions are?

• If you think the safety net is important, don’t forget to mention why!  If we want an Oregon that offers opportunity for all its citizens, we must come together to create that future now; cuts to the safety net will only lead to further and more damaging costs down the road, including increased foster care placements and more families falling into homelessness.

The week before also saw two other editorials, one by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon’s Executive Director David Leslie and Dave Brauer-Rieke, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and one by the Reverend Chuck Currie on the cuts to TANF.

Here are the nuts and bolts:

• For the Oregonian, Letters to the Editor need to be 150 words or less.  They may be edited for clarity/brevity.

• Include your name and address.

• Send them to: letters@oregonian.com

Questions? We can help! Email us.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 3, 2011

For More Information:
Janet Byrd                                                        Alison McIntosh
(503) 516-4698                                                (503) 816-2882

RENTS CONTINUE TO RISE DESPITE HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT, FORECLOSURES, AND PROLONGED RECESSION

Oregon’s high cost of housing highlighted in 2011 report

Higher prices in the rental market continue to force Oregon families to choose between paying rent, putting food on the table, and paying utility bills.  A national study reports that the cost of renting an apartment in Oregon has increased again, an alarming trend for a state with unemployment at 10%.

“The on-going recession, high unemployment and continued wave of foreclosures in Oregon continues to make it more difficult for hard working Oregonians to find a safe, decent and affordable place to call home,” said Janet Byrd, Chair of the Housing Alliance, “In Oregon, we believe everyone needs a place to call home. As we work together to solve the current budget crisis, the Legislature needs to prioritize providing basic needs to those most impacted by the ongoing recession.”

According to the report released today by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), the average rent and the income required to afford those rents continue to rise despite high unemployment and foreclosures. As rents continue to increase, more and more Oregon families find themselves homeless for the first time.

“Every year it is becoming more difficult for hard working Oregonians to find decent homes they can afford,” said Rocky Johnson, Executive Director of Community Action Team in Columbia County. “This year, someone making minimum wage in Columbia County would have to work nearly twelve hours a day, seven days a week just to be able to afford a place to call home.”

“Hardworking people should be able to afford housing and still have enough money for groceries and other basic necessities,” said Cyndy Cook, Executive Director of Housing Works in Redmond, Oregon.  “Unfortunately, high rates of foreclosure are contributing to low vacancy rates putting upward pressure on the rental market and creating challenges for low income Oregonians to find affordable rental housing.  In the Bend area, we’ve seen increases in rent as high as 18% over the last 12 months—making it difficult for families to find safe, stable places to call home.”

The report, Out of Reach 2010, was jointly released by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), a Washington, DC-based housing advocacy group, and Oregon’s Housing Alliance. The report provides data for every state, metropolitan area and county in the country. The report also defines a “Housing Wage”, which for Oregon is $15.81, or nearly double Oregon’s minimum wage. The Housing Wage is the hourly wage a family must earn—working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year—to be able to afford rent and utilities in the private housing market. The average fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Oregon is $822—a number that has increased 35% since 2000.

This year, Oregon is the twenty-ninth most expensive state in the nation for renters. The National Housing Wage is $18.46 in 2011.

For additional information, visit http://www.nlihc.org/oor/oor2011/.

Click here to download a PDF of this media advisory.

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The Housing Alliance brings together advocates, local governments, housing authorities, community development corporations, environmentalists, service providers, business interests and all others dedicated to increasing the resources available to meet our housing needs to support a common statewide legislative and policy agenda. To find out more about the Housing Alliance, go to: http://www.oregonhousingalliance.org/

On Monday, February 14, one hundred and fifty advocates and partners from all parts of the state gathered in Salem at the State Capitol to celebrate Valentine’s Day and the State’s Birthday.  Oregon Thrives and its partners joined together to thank legislators for their service to Oregonians and delivered valentines.  We met individually with nearly three quarters of our State Legislators, and shared our vision of Oregon.

Oregon Thrives’ main message was that a variety of issues impact our communities, and these issues are interconnected and interwoven. This message in particular seemed to resonate with legislators who are grappling with a budget shortfall of over $3.5 Billion for this biennium.  We spread the message that Oregon Thrives envisions an Oregon with healthy and prosperous communities in which everyone has access to family wage jobs, quality education, nutritious food, stable homes and services that promote health and wellness.  Oregon Thrives believes that in the coming legislative session, we must deal with the state budget in a way that protects those most affected by the economic downturn while building jobs and pathways out of poverty to help families that are struggling. By thinking strategically about critical public investments that can be made to help families meet their basic expenses and build opportunities for their future, Oregon Thrives believes that we can improve economic stability for our families, our communities and our state.

Over lunch, attendees were joined by Senators Diane Rosenbaum and Frank Morse and by Representatives Dennis Richardson and Peter Buckley.  Senators Rosenbaum and Morse spoke about human services funding in this biennium. Representatives Buckley and Richardson talked about budget realities.

Have a Heart Day was a huge success, and we were so happy to partner with Oregon Thrives for this great event.  To learn more, you can listen to a radio show about the day, or check out the Oregon Thrives agenda.  The agenda is broad and includes a wide variety of items which are critical to the future of our state.  Agenda items range from issues impacting housing and homeownership to education to food security to community accountability.  Oregon Thrives members include Community Action Partnership of Oregon, Neighborhood Partnerships, the Oregon Food Bank, Partners for a Hunger Free Oregon, and others.

Oregon’s IDA Initiative was featured in the Oregonian this week, a nice reminder to give before the end of the year. The Oregonian story features graduates from the Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) IDA program, and describes how the IDA program helps lower-income individuals build savings to buy a home, go to college, or start or expand a small business. The story also highlights an evaluation of Oregon’s IDA Initiative recently released by the Regional Research Institute of Portland State University. The evaluation shows that IDAs make a real difference in the lives of program participants! Fewer than one-third said they used a budget before the program, but more than half still use a budget to monitor their spending 12 months after completing their savings and reaching their goal through the IDA Initiative.

It’s not too late to support this great program! Make a contribution to the IDA Initiative, and receive a 75% Oregon tax credit. You have until December 31st to make a contribution and receive a credit on your 2010 Oregon tax return. Click here for information about how to contribute the IDA Initiative and help more Oregonians realize their dreams!

Bridges to Housing continues to serve homeless families throughout the Portland metropolitan area.  Neighborhood Partnerships is pleased to report on an exciting offshoot of this innovative program.

Bridges to Housing included a substantial evaluation component, conducted by Portland State University’s Regional Research Institute.  Their latest evaluation report highlighted the impact of trauma on families in the program.  As PSU processed those findings with partners in the community, the group identified a promising area of practice and is now doing additional work in the community around trauma and homelessness.

National research indicates that most of us at some point have experienced a traumatic event—the death of a loved one, a car accident, divorce, violence, or other traumatic events. For homeless families or individuals, living on the street or in homeless shelters increases the likelihood of numerous traumatic incidents. Exposure to violence—either on the street or in an intimate relationship, cycles of housing instability, substance abuse and other problems are more prevalent among homeless families, and these events can become cycles of violence and trauma.

All too often, the residual impacts of this trauma, which might include an inability to form trusting relationships, to maintain appropriate boundaries and relationships, and seeking to regain power or control, can hinder a person’s ability to interact within our service systems. Families or people seeking services with histories of trauma can often be labeled as paranoid or non-compliant.

New research in the field has led to strategies and program design methods called “trauma informed services.” These methods and strategies seek to understand the trauma families have experienced, and to improve services within these five areas: safety of clients; trustworthiness; choice over services; collaboration with program staff and sharing control with families seeking services; and empowering people seeking services.

Now, the Regional Research Institute is partnering with two local agencies—Impact Northwest and Catholic Charities—to test how trauma informed services might be effective within a housing complex. This work will include assessments of the participating organization related to how well they already provide trauma informed services, and a support-group model for women who have histories of significant trauma. While Bridges to Housing families will not necessarily be directly impacted through this work, we are confident that both Bridges to Housing and the larger housing plus services system in Portland will benefit from this work.

We believe that this important work by the Regional Research Institute and its partners will mean that families can be served more effectively and efficiently, and will have better outcomes. We hope it will also mean that these families will also begin to heal from past trauma and therefore have a better future for themselves and their children. We here at Neighborhood Partnerships offer our congratulations and good wishes to the Regional Research Institute, Impact Northwest and Catholic Charities as they embark on this important work.

On Thursday, September 16, the Census Bureau released new data on income, poverty and health insurance coverage.  The news was bleak—increased rates of poverty and decreased health insurance coverage as a result of the current and ongoing recession.

The release of data by the Census Bureau revealed:

3.7 million more Americans have fallen into poverty in 2009, driven by deep job losses and prolonged unemployment.

In 2009, the number and percentage of Americans without health insurance coverage also grew.

Despite this bad news, the news could have been much worse—the Census is also reporting that 3.3 million Americans continue to receive unemployment insurance benefits—keeping many of them barely above the poverty level.  The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities believes the Recovery Act also helped alleviate the poverty levels through the Making Work Pay credit and food stamps.

As of June 2009, almost one in eight Oregonians* were living in poverty—think of the combined populations of Newport, Salem, Eugene, Medford, Bend, Pendleton, and Corvallis.  If figures were available for today, that number would be even higher.  This is a tragedy, and threatens to undermine the very foundation of our communities.

We know how to solve this problem.  We have tools and strategies to help create economic opportunity for all Oregonians, and together we can solve this problem so that all Oregonians benefit.  As our communities begin to thrive again, the connections between us and our interdependence mean that we will all feel the benefits—of a more vibrant economy, engaged and successful residents, thriving neighborhoods and towns.

Tools and public structures are already in place to support these goals:

Unemployment Insurance protects those who have lost jobs as a result of this recession.  It prevents families from falling deeper into debt or homelessness.

Food stamps are also a critical safety net.  Food stamps help families put food on the table for their children, support our local farmers, and put money straight back into the local economy as the dollars are spent immediately.

As we continue to see the impacts of this recession, we know that we all could be doing more.  Neighborhood Partnerships sees this as an opportunity to engage Oregonians in a conversation.  What do we want our state to look like?  How do we work together to build security for our middle class, hard working families, and create opportunity for all of our residents to build a better future?  Let’s not be the generation that didn’t have high hopes for their kids—let’s work together to make this the Oregon we believe in.

* 13.4% of the population, or 510,000

On August 26, the state of Oregon received another revenue forecast with more bad news.  This revenue forecast indicated the state has an additional $377 million less than expected for the current biennium (2009–2011).  In addition to the $563 million less than expected in May 2010, the state budget is now $940 million short in this biennium after the legislature made cuts to programs and increased taxes through Measures 66 and 67.

Misery loves company, and the state economists are now expecting the revenue shortfall for 2011–2013 will be $3.3 billion—much, much more than the $2.5 billion expected as late as May.  We’ve already experienced cuts to services and state government—now the question is how much will legislators and the Governor ask us to cut before they begin to consider other options?

Further cuts to the general fund budget—which primarily funds schools, public safety, and human services—will be disastrous for the state.  Cuts to housing and human services lead to increased need for emergency services.  A family just scraping by with $418 in cash assistance a month from TANF who then receives a cut of $25 or $50 often ends up at the local food pantry to feed their kids, relying on emergency rent assistance, or may even become homeless and end up in a shelter. These emergency services are more expensive in the short (and long) term than prevention, but state government instead chooses to cut these services, rather than make difficult choices about increasing revenue.

The Governor has asked agencies to prepare budgets with cuts up to 25% for the 2011–2013 biennium.  For Department of Human Services, this will mean additional cuts to services for seniors, people with disabilities and families who can’t make ends meet in this tough economic climate.  It’s time to ask ourselves what the role of government is, and what kind of state do we want to live in.

It’s time to ask ourselves what the role of our public structures are, and how much we value and depend on these structures.  And if we value them, what can we do to ensure they continue?

It’s time for Oregonians to start talking about what public structures we value, and whether we’re willing to pay for those public structures. It’s also time for the Governor and the Legislature to start talking about revenue solutions to a revenue problem—we can’t cut our way out of this budget hole. Instead we need to look at our revenue streams—tax loopholes, tax credits, the kicker, among others.

The Governor and his reset commission have labeled this a “dark decade” of budget deficits and recession. While the revenue forecast is bleak, this is also an opportunity to engage Oregonians in a conversation about what the role of government is, and what they want the state to look like.  We’re interested in a state that believes in taking care of its neighbors, investing in its future, and makes smart choices about where to spend its revenue.

Federal spending on affordable housing and preventing and ending homelessness continues to improve!  We are very pleased that on Thursday, July 1, 2010 the House Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its Fiscal Year 2011 spending bill.  This subcommittee oversees funding for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and sets spending levels for federal housing programs.

Some highlights of the appropriations bill include: A 10% increase to $2.055 billion in funding for HUD’s McKinney-Vento programs which serve homeless families and individuals.  While this is great news, estimates indicate that to fully implement the Hearth Act will require $2.4 billion.  The Hearth Act was the 2009 reauthorization of the McKinney Vento act, and it expanded the definition of homelessness; expanded homelessness prevention activities; and increases efforts to serve homeless families and children, among other things.  (Read a summary here.)

The bill also requested $75 million for additional VA Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers to serve homeless veterans, continued funding for housing programs for seniors and people with disabilities; and increased funding for the tenant based rental assistance program renewals.

The bill does not provide funding for two new HUD initiatives, the Choice Neighborhoods Initiative, or PETRA (Preservation, Enhancement and Transformation of Rental Assistance). Choice Neighborhoods Initiative is a HUD proposal to replace HOPE VI, a program which was designed to rehabilitate and replace distressed public housing properties.  PETRA is a proposal by HUD to transform its current programs.  The proposed changes would: streamline its current subsidy programs, change the way public housing is rehabilitated and preserved in the future, and promote resident choice.  Advocates for affordable housing and their residents are concerned about some components of PETRA, while HUD asserts that PETRA will be both beneficial and critical to the future of affordable housing.

Funding for the National Housing Trust Fund was not included in this appropriations bill.  Advocates are still hopeful that the Senate will again consider legislation to fund the Trust Fund through the Tax Extenders Bill (HR 4213).  A $1 billion investment into the Trust Fund would bring over $15 million to Oregon.

What’s next?

The Senate Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee will also markup its Fiscal Year 2011 spending bill.

Want to know more?

If you’re interested in learning more, the National Alliance to End Homelessness and the National Low Income Housing Coalition are both tracking this issue.  Download the NLIHC summary of spending since FY 2005 and proposed FY 2011 levels.

Neighborhood Partnerships has added two new Board members as part of a planned Board expansion.  Bill Hall and Jesse Beason have just signed on for three year terms.

“We’re thrilled to have Bill and Jesse join the Board,” said Janet Byrd, Executive Director of Neighborhood Partnerships.  “They both bring such deep experience working on behalf of Oregon’s communities, particularly in the policy arena.  They have a lot to offer the Board and staff as we work to create opportunities across Oregon for low income individuals and families.”

Bill Hall is a County Commissioner in Lincoln County, who just won re-election to a second term.  Bill helped write the Lincoln County Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness and serves as co-chair of the Oregon Ending Homelessness Advisory Committee.  He has been active in the Housing Alliance, as well as in the Association of Oregon Counties.  He is a history buff and lives in Newport with his family.

Jesse Beason is Executive Director of Proud Ground, a Portland based community land trust which provides affordable homeownership opportunities to low income families.  Jesse previously worked as policy advisor for then-Commissioner Sam Adams and at Metro.  He lives in Portland, and when he isn’t managing his organization, he manages his two hives of bees.