Page 1 of 5 State of Arizona Governor’s Office of Housing Development Welcome to the premier issue of the electronic newsletter of the Governor’s Office of Housing Development. This electronic newsletter will be published on a quarterly basis to update constituents regarding issues relevant to housing and community development within the state of Arizona. If you do not wish to receive further issues of this e-newsletter, you may unsubscribe by emailing a message to: carold@housingaz.com. New State Agency and Housing Finance Authority On January 1, 2002, housing functions performed by the Office of Housing Development in the Arizona Department of Commerce were transferred to an interim Governor’s Office of Housing Development (GOHD). As you may already be aware, on March 26, 2001, Arizona Governor Jane Dee Hull signed into law House Bill 2615, establishing the Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) and the Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA), a housing bond issuance authority established to serve the thirteen rural Arizona counties. On October 1, 2002, ADOH will assume the duties currently being performed by GOHD. The AzHFA began its duties on January 1. Governor names Harris as Director On December 12, 2001, Governor Hull appointed Dr. Sheila D. Harris as director of GOHD/ADOH. Harris, who was awarded a Doctorate of Public Administration from Arizona State University in 1991, has acted as a consultant for a wide variety of organizations dealing with affordable housing since 1998. She also served as program director for the Corporation for Supportive Housing from 1995 – 1998. From 1990 – 1995 she was President/Executive Director of Casa De Neuva Esperanza/Phoenix Revitalization Corporation. Harris serves as a director of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco. She is the first Arizonan ever to be appointed to the bank’s board. Other Key Appointments Marcel Benberou formerly with the Governor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Budgeting joined the office in March as Deputy Director. Phyllis Murray who has been with the office since 1996 will continue in the role of Assistant Director. AzHFA Board of Directors Named Governor Hull has named the members of the Board of Directors to the newly formed AzHFA. Members include: Chairperson Rita Carrillo, Neighborhood Housing Services of Arizona; Vice-Chairperson Victor Flores, Salt River Project; Ross A. McCallister, Jr., The MC Companies; Secretary Brian Mickelsen, City of Cottonwood; Clifford E. Potts, Prudential Arrowhead Real Estate; Treasurer Stephanie Prudence, National Bank of Arizona; and Morris A. Stein, Stein Cox Group. Board meetings are typically held at 12 noon on the second Tuesday of the month at the GOHD office, 3800 North Central Avenue, Suite 1200, Phoenix. Meetings are open to the public. Meetings are currently scheduled for noon on April 9, May 14, and June 11. The AzHFA will concentrate on Single-Family Tax-Exempt Housing Bonds, Multi-Family Tax Exempt Housing Bonds, Taxable Bonds, all in rural areas of the state, and HUD’s Risk-Sharing Program. In February the AzHFA board voted approval of a 2002 Joint Single Family Tax-Exempt Mortgage Revenue Bond (MRB) Program with the Industrial Development Authority of the City of Tucson and of the County of Pima. The program will provide a MRB program for rural areas of the state. State of Arizona Consolidated Plan Hearings The Consolidated Plan Update is a publication that is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and includes information on the proposed use of funds from four HUD-funded programs: Community Development Block Grants (CDBG); HOME Investment Partnerships Program; Emergency Shelter Grants (ESG); and Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA). A draft of the State of Arizona FY 2002 Consolidated Plan Update will be available for review beginning April 1. The Update may be viewed at the GOHD offices or our website at www.housingaz.com. You may also request a copy of the publication by calling Laura Ramirez at (602) 280-1365. Public comments will be accepted for a 30-day period ending at 5:00 p.m. on May 1, 2002, and should be addressed to Martina Kuehl, Governor’s Office of Housing Development, 3800 N. Central Ave., Suite 1200, Phoenix, AZ 85012, FAX: (602) 280-1470, email: martinak@housingaz.com. Three public hearings will also be held to review the plan and solicit input: April 2, 2002 from 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. City of Safford, Graham County Public Library Phelps Dodge Room file://C:\Documents and Settings\cynthiad\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outloo... 8/4/2011 Page 2 of 5 808 Seventh Avenue, Safford April 4, 2002 from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. Cottonwood Public Library 100 South Sixth Street, Cottonwood April 18, 2002 from 10:15 – 11:45 a.m. Tucson Convention Center, Gila Room 260 South Church Avenue, Tucson Harris to be Key Speaker at the Sixth Annual Arizona Affordable Housing Conference The 2002 Arizona Affordable Housing Conference, which is scheduled for April 18-19, at the Tucson Convention Center and the Radisson City Center Hotel, in downtown Tucson, will feature Dr. Sheila Harris as the keynote speaker at the Opening General Session. The theme of the conference, which is sponsored by the Tucson Metropolitan Housing Commission, is “Policy, Planning and Production: Creating Affordable Housing”. A special pre-conference session, “Smart Growth Policy & Planning: How Can it Help Us Create Affordable Housing”, will be held on April 18th. Conference tracks include: Downtown Revitalization and Mixed Income Housing, Strategies for Rural Affordable Housing, Infill Development and Affordable Housing, Native American Housing On and Off the Reservation, and General Housing Issues. In addition to the Governor’s Office of Housing Development, other Conference sponsors include: Tucson Metropolitan Housing Commission & Metropolitan Housing Corporation, City of Tucson Community Services Department, Pima County Community Services Department, and The University of Arizona Community Planning & Design Workshop. For more information call the Conference Info-line at (520) 884-7100 or visit the Conference website at www.tucson-housingconf.org. Arizona Affordable Housing Profile GOHD and the Arizona Housing Commission, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) have hired Elliott D. Pollack and Company to prepare an Arizona Affordable Housing Profile. The profile will include a detailed examination of the housing inventory in each community and county in the state, the affordability of that housing, and efforts being undertaken by communities to produce and retain affordable units. The study will provide baseline information in each community. It is intended that the findings of the study will provide a new tool to assist local governments in identifying the extent of their housing need and to focus their efforts on the most critical income segments of the population. Combined with additional data developed by a previous study on barriers to affordable housing in Arizona communities (The State of Housing in Arizona, see: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/HsgReprt00.pdf) local governments will be better prepared to develop plans and programs to address the housing needs of its population. Preliminary information on the profile will be presented at the Arizona Affordable Housing Conference in Tucson on April 19th at a special session beginning at 8:00 a.m. (see above for Conference info). A final report is slated for release next fall. The Arizona Housing Commission The Arizona Housing Commission, a 24-member advisory body to GOHD meets on a monthly basis, typically the last Friday of the month from 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon. Meetings are rotated at sites throughout the state. The April meeting will be held in Tucson from 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. on April 18 in conjunction with the Affordable Housing Conference. Members of the public are invited to attend meetings of the Commission. If you would like to be added to a list to receive future meeting notices, contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 280-1365 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. Customer Service Satisfaction Survey GOHD is working with the Governor’s Office of Excellence in Government (OEG) to conduct a customer service satisfaction survey. Surveys will be mailed to a sampling of our current mailing list in April. If you are chosen to complete one of these surveys, we hope you will provide your valuable feedback on your dealings with our office. To protect the respondents’ privacy, surveys will be returned directly to OEG. That office will then analyze the survey results and issue a report to GOHD regarding areas where we might improve our customer service. Upcoming Training April 2-6 – Neighborhood Reinvestment Training Institute Course Offerings, Chicago, Illinois. Topics include: Mixed-Income Housings Greatest Challenge: Strengthening America’s Neighborhoods While Reaching Our LowestIncome Families, Affordable Housing, Community Building, Community Economic Development, Construction and Production Management, Home Ownership and Community Lending, Management and Leadership, Native American Community Development, and Neighborhood Revitalization. For more information, call 1-800-438-5547 or visit nrti@nw.org. file://C:\Documents and Settings\cynthiad\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outloo... 8/4/2011 Page 3 of 5 April 10 – Administering a State Housing Fund Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation or Owner-Occupied Emergency Repair Program. The training, which is free, will be held April 10, from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Quality Inn, 3600 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix. Registration must be received no later than April 4. Registration information and questions may be obtained by calling Pam Kern (602) 280-1365 or by email: pamk@housingaz.com. April 11 – State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Environmental Review Record (ERR) Workshop. For a fee of $15, recipients of funding through the State’s CDBG program may attend a one-day workshop on complying with Federal CDBG ERR requirements. This workshop is aimed at those with no CDBG ERR experience, or those in need of a good refresher course. The workshop will run from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the Quality Inn, 3600 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix. For more information contact Rivko Knox at (602) 280-1364 or rivkok@housingaz.com. Local training being sponsored by the Community Planning and Development Office, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) is listed below. For more information, call the Phoenix HUD/Community Planning and Development Office, at (620) 379-4754. April 2 – Davis-Bacon Wage Training April 11 – HUD Environmental Review Record (ERR) Workshop April 23-24 – Building HOME: A HOME Program Primer June 4-6 – Uniform Relocation Act Training Local training being sponsored by the Home Ownership Center, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) is listed below. For more information on the following training, contact William R. McKee at (888) 827-5605 ext. 3210 or go to: www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/events/trainin3.cfm. April 23-24 – Foreclosure/Loss Mitigation Training for FHA insured mortgages. Entities who assist clients with FHA insured mortgages and are participating in homeownership activities funded through the State are urged to attend. Other Info Arizona’s 2002 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program application deadline is April 1, 2002. For a copy of the program’s Qualified Allocation Plan go to: http://www.housingaz.com/library/default.asp#1004. A Statewide Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Celebration will be held April 4, starting at 9:00 a.m., Scottsdale Center for the Arts. Arizona celebrates National Community Development Week by recognizing one outstanding statewide community development project or individual, as well as featuring other successful community development projects from throughout the state. The Arizona Fair Housing Partnership presents it’s Fair Housing Workshop 2002 on April 10, at the Orange Tree Resort, 10601 56th Street, Phoenix. Registration and breakfast are from 8:00 – 9:00 a.m., with the workshop from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Cost is $20, and registrations should be made payable to THG/Fair Housing Workshop and mailed to: The Hallstrom Group, P.O. Box 17569, Fountain Hills, AZ 85269. The workshop is sponsored by the Arizona Multihousing Association, City of Phoenix and Arizona Fannie Mae Partnership Office. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced that it is publishing a SuperNOFA. This Notice of Funding Availability covers a myriad of funding opportunities for housing and community development activities. For more information go to: www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/fundsavail.cfm@2002. The Annual Plan for the State of Arizona Public Housing Authority is currently available in draft form and can be viewed at: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/02AnnualPlanPHA.pdf. GOHD is accepting public comments on the plan through April 5, 2002. New 2002 State Housing Fund Beneficiary Income and Rent Limits for use in the State Housing Fund Program (Federal HOME and State Housing Trust Fund) are available at our website at: http://www.housingaz.com/library/default.asp#1014. Phoenix-Mesa ranks #7 nationally in residential building permits in January 2002. According to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2874 permits were issued in the metropolitan area. Atlanta, Georgia held the top spot with 4,866 new housing units authorized during January. The top 10 metro areas: Residential Building Permits Issued – January 2002 Rank #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 City Atlanta Washington-Baltimore New York-N. New Jersey-Long Island Dallas-Fort Worth Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Permits Issued 4866 3786 3754 3553 3430 3140 file://C:\Documents and Settings\cynthiad\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outloo... 8/4/2011 Page 4 of 5 #7 #8 #9 #10 Phoenix-Mesa Tampa-St Petersburg-Clearwater Chicago-Gary-Kenosha Orlando 2874 2759 2652 2537 Source: US Bureau of the Census, 2/19/02, http://www.census.gov/indicator/www/newresconst.pdf; metro data for permits issued: http://www.census.gov/const/C40/Table3/tb3u0201.txt Recent Funding Announcements Since January 1, GOHD has made the following commitments for funding of housing and community development programs and projects in Arizona: Recipient Colorado River Regional Crisis Shelter Western Arizona Councils of Government Yuma County Cornerstone Mission Project Community Legal Services City of Bullhead City Mohave Mental Health Clinic, Inc. Service Area Type of Program/Project Western Rural Area: Parker New construction of rental units LaPaz, Mohave, Yuma Counties Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation Yuma County Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation Kingman Emergency shelter development LaPaz, Mohave, Yuma Counties Fair Housing Education Bullhead City Special Project – Sewer Assessment Fees Funding $ 384,217 Acquisition/rehabilitation of rental units Pre-Development Loan for rental development Kingman Kingman Aid to Abused People Southern Arizona Fair Housing Center Gila County - Community Services Department Pinal County Standing in the Gap White Mountain Catholic Charities Southeast Rural Area: Douglas Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation 314,600 300,000 New construction of rental units Sierra Vista, Nogales, Douglas Pinal, Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Greenlee, Fair Housing Education Graham Counties Central Rural Area: Owner-Occupied Housing Emergency Repair Program Gila County Pinal County Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation Northern Rural Area: Project Planning Grant for rental development Prescott 411,350 Community Housing Plan Metropolitan Areas: Emergency operating grant – Winter Overflow Shelter 13,000 Show Low City of Phoenix - Human Services Department City of Phoenix Human Services Department 19,263 50,000 27,000 Kingman City of Douglas Southeastern Arizona Behavioral Health Services, Inc. 300,000 300,000 347,860 Phoenix Phoenix Safe Haven, Inc. United Native Development Corporation Pima County Phoenix Pima County Pima County Maricopa County Pima County Homelessness Prevention Owner-Occupied Housing Emergency Repair Program Project Planning Grant for rental development Homelessness Prevention Owner-Occupied Housing Emergency Repair Program 44,303 135,000 130,392 10,000 93,000 40,000 120,321 8,500 40,000 100,000 Vol. 1, No. 1, released April 1, 2002 © 2002 by the State of Arizona, Governor’s Office of Housing Development. The Governor’s Office of Housing Development wants your feedback. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on how we can improve this electronic newsletter, please reply and give us your thoughts by calling Carol Ditmore at (602) 280-1458, or by email: carold@housingaz.com. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To cancel your subscription to this newsletter, click on the following link and then click “send”: mail to: carold@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=UNSUBSCRIBE To change the e-mail address at which you receive this newsletter, click on the following link, type your old address in the body of the message and then “send”: mailto:carold@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=ADDRESS_CHANGE file://C:\Documents and Settings\cynthiad\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outloo... 8/4/2011 Page 5 of 5 THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE STATE OF ARIZONA PRESENTS THE MATERIAL IN THIS NEWSLETTER WITHOUT IT OR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES MAKING ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ASSUMING ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, PRODUCT OR PROCESS DISCLOSED, OR REPRESENTING THAT ITS USE WOULD NOT INFRINGE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS. THE USER ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ACCURACY AND THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY RELATED OR LINKED DOCUMENTS. THE STATE OF ARIZONA, GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT RETAINS THE RIGHT TO CONTENT AND TO EDIT OR OTHERWISE LIMIT INFORMATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER. This E-mail update may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included 2. All copies must contain the State of Arizona, Governor’s Office of Housing Development copyright notice and any other notices provided therein 3. This document may NOT be distributed for profit Administration Division Governor’s Office of Housing Development 3800 North Central Avenue, Suite 1200 Phoenix, AZ 85012 Telephone 602-280-1365 Facsimile 602-270-1470 http://www.housingaz.com file://C:\Documents and Settings\cynthiad\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.Outloo... 8/4/2011 State of Arizona Governor’s Office of Housing Development Welcome to the summer issue of the electronic newsletter of the Governor’s Office of Housing Development (GOHD). This electronic newsletter is published on a quarterly basis to update constituents regarding issues relevant to housing and community development within the state of Arizona. If you do not wish to receive further issues of this e-newsletter, you may unsubscribe by emailing a message to: carold@housingaz.com. HUD Secretary Visits Arizona Mel Martinez, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), visited Arizona on June 19. In Tucson, Martinez toured the Sunland Vista Estates, a 65-house development, as part of National Homeownership Month proclaimed by President Bush. Martinez was joined on the tour by Leland C. Brendsel, chairman and chief executive officer of Freddie Mac, one of the nation’s leading mortgage finance companies. Martinez praised the Sunland Vista Estates single-family housing development as a sterling example of what the public and private sectors can do when they work together to build affordable housing for minority families. Homeownership among Hispanics nationally stands at 47.3 percent and at 47.7 percent for African Americans, compared to 74.3 percent for the white, non-Hispanic, population. Sunland Vista Estates development is part of Freddie Mac’s $50 million Catch the Dream Tucson minority homeownership initiative in the six incorporated jurisdictions of Pima County. Other partners in the project include HUD, Pima County, City of Tucson, Bank of America, Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Family Housing Resources, Industrial Development Authority of Pima County, National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Tucson Association of Realtors, Southern Arizona Home Builders Association, and local homebuilders. GOHD ready to assist with Fire Recovery Efforts With up to 350 homes already destroyed in the Rodeo-Chediski fire, the residents of Northeast Arizona will need all the help they can get in rebuilding their communities. GOHD has been charged with leading a Housing Recovery Plan and will be working with the State Emergency Response Commission and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to identify areas GOHD may assist with the replacement of homes and other housing and community redevelopment assistance. With FEMA and the American Red Cross leading the primary emergency relief efforts, assistance from the State will be needed to assist some of the most needy cases that emerge during the long-term recovery efforts. Arizona Affordable Housing Profile In April, GOHD and the Arizona Housing Commission unveiled a draft of the Arizona Affordable Housing Profile, which it has undertaken with funding from HUD. The profile is a detailed examination of the housing inventory in each incorporated community and county in the state, the affordability of that housing, and efforts being undertaken by those communities to produce new affordable units. One of the primary objectives of the study is to identify the “affordability gap” for the state. The “gap” is the difference between the number of households within each income range and the number of housing units affordable to those households. The total affordability gap for the state of Arizona is estimated at 226,000 households or about 11.8% of all households including Native American reservations. The breakdown including the gap expressed as a percentage of total households, is as follows:  Maricopa County: 116,000 households (10.3%)  Pima County: 31,000 households (9.4%)  Non-Metro Counties: 53,000 households (13.3%)  Native American Reservations: 26,000 households (62.1%) As noted above, the affordability gap in the rural counties of the State is slightly above the statewide average. However, certain counties, such as Apache and Coconino, have affordability gaps higher than 20%. As 2000 Census information becomes available these figures may change. Pertinent census information may not be available until as late as September. For more information on this draft of the study, which was prepared by Elliott D. Pollack and Company, go to the GOHD website at: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/lib_HSGProfile4_19_02.pdf Flagstaff Workshop Planned to look at Affordable Housing Study GOHD, in association with the Arizona Housing Commission and HUD, will host an all-day forum entitled “Breaking Down the Barriers to Affordable Housing” on September 13 at Little America Resort in Flagstaff. The event will consist of a panel discussion session, issue roundtables and face-to-face “Let’s Talk” sessions (individual technical assistance consultations). The Flagstaff session will focus on housing barriers unique to rural and tribal Arizona, and the basis of the forum will be the recently completed Arizona Affordable Housing Profile (see above). For more information on how to register for the workshop, go to www.housingaz.com, or call Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 280-1411. There will be a $35 fee to attend which covers materials, a continental breakfast and lunch. A similar workshop focusing on metropolitan housing issues in Arizona is being planned to take place in Phoenix on October 15 at the Black Canyon Conference Center. Look for additional information on the Phoenix workshop in the fall issue of this enewsletter, or look on our website for additional information. Millennial Housing Commission Report Released Calling for “a new vision for the nation’s housing,” a bi-partisan commission created by Congress released its final report in May after a 17-month-long study. The 124-page report of the 22member Millennial Housing Commission (MHC) was co-chaired by former Congresswoman Susan Molinari and noted attorney and housing expert Richard Ravitch. The report warns, “There is simply not enough affordable housing. The inadequacy of supply increases dramatically as one moves down the ladder of family earnings. The challenge is most acute for rental housing in high cost areas, and the most egregious problem is for the very poor.” Other troubling signs, according to the MHC report: More than 28 million Americans now spend more than 30 percent of income on housing; working a full-time job no longer guarantees access to decent housing, and the homeownership rate for African American and Hispanic Americans remains below the national average. Throughout the report, the commission stresses the importance of housing not only to the nation’s economic health but also to the overall health of society as a whole. In all, the MHC report outlines 13 principal recommendations grouped into three main categories: The creation of new housing tools, major reform of several current housing programs and the streamlining of existing programs. The report is available on the Millennial Housing Commission web page, www.mhc.gov. Arizona Housing Commission Meetings The Arizona Housing Commission, a 24-member advisory body to GOHD meets on a monthly basis. Meetings are rotated at sites throughout the state. Upcoming meetings are scheduled for: July 26 (location to be announced), and September 12 in Flagstaff. There will be no meeting of the Commission in August. Members of the public are invited to attend meetings of the Commission. If you would like to be added to a list to receive future meeting notices, contact Cynthia Diggelmann at (602) 280-1365 or cynthiad@housingaz.com. AzHFA Board Meetings The Arizona Housing Finance Authority (AzHFA) Board of Directors is a seven-member board that governs the work of the AzHFA. Board meetings are open to the public and are typically held at noon on the second Tuesday of the month in Phoenix. Meetings are scheduled for noon on July 9 and September 10. No meeting is scheduled for August. In May, the Board voted to accept a grant from the State Housing Trust Fund to support its programs for the first 18-months of operation. This funding, authorized under A.R.S. 41-3907(c), will provide the AzHFA with seed money to augment its 2002 Mortgage Revenue Bond (MRB) program in rural areas of the state, as well as other projects of the finance authority. Congratulations to Rita Carrillo, Chair of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority Rita Carrillo, chairperson of the Arizona Housing Finance Authority, has been named the 2002 awardee of Valle del Sol’s Exemplary Leadership Award. The award is given to those who have contributed a number of consistent years toward Hispanic issues; giving their personal time and making a significant difference to the communities they serve. Rita, who is currently the Executive Director of Neighborhood Housing Services of Phoenix (NHSP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalization of central city neighborhoods through the development of home ownership opportunities. She is a former director of the Arizona Department of Commerce, and has worked at all levels of state and local government, as well as within the private sector. Rita is active in many community organizations and was also the recipient of the 2002 Professional Achievement Award from Chicanos Por La Causa and the City of Phoenix 2000 Lupe Sisneros Memorial Award for Community Development. 2002 Rural Mortgage Revenue Bond Program In July the AzHFA and the Industrial Development Authorities of Tucson and Pima County will be issuing invitations to lenders to participate in the 2002 Mortgage Revenue Bond (MRB) Program. The rural program will provide reduced interest rate mortgages to first time homebuyers in the rural areas of the state, excluding Maricopa and Pima Counties. A Tucson/Pima program will provide the same financing in Pima County. The program will include 4% down payment and closing cost assistance. Lenders who are interested in participating in the program should contact Jill D. Godfrey at (602) 280-1367 as soon as possible to receive the lender invitation packet. Funding should be available in the early fall of this year. Customer Service Satisfaction Survey This spring the Governor’s Office for Excellence in Government (OEG) conducted a customer service satisfaction survey for GOHD. OEG drew a sample of 600 customers from the GOHD’s mailing list, mailing customer surveys to randomly selected participants in March. The response rate was 25%. The resulting report issued by OEG on the results of the survey indicated that on a 1-7 rating scale (7=excellent, 1=poor), the majority of responses fell within the net positive range of 7, 6 or 5. The area where respondents were most satisfied is the timeliness of staff’s response to requests. Overall satisfaction with GOHD came in second. Areas with the most opportunity for improvement are satisfaction with the ease of the application process and the timeliness of receiving interpretation of regulations. One interesting observation was that the higher the reported frequency of contact with GOHD, the higher the overall satisfaction levels were reported. Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act makes it through House Committee The House Financial Services Committee has passed the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act as an amendment to The Housing Affordability for America Act of 2002, HR 3995. It passed by a vote of 33 to 21. The bill would create a trust fund for the production of new rental housing units for low-income families. The trust fund would use a portion of FHA surplus each year and 75 percent of the funds would be for families earning below 30 percent of median income. Upcoming Conferences . . . Arizona’s Annual NAHRO Conference, July 17-19 The Arizona Chapter of the National Association of Housing & Redevelopment Organizations (NAHRO) will hold its annual conference July 17-19 at The Wyndham Buttes Resort in Tempe (http://www.wyndham.com/ButtesResort/default.cfm). The theme of the conference is “Unifying Arizona Housing and Community Development”. Two topics to be highlighted are the newly emerging topic of mold in housing and Section 8 Occupancy Training and Certification. For more information contact Dan Trozzi, City of Phoenix, at (602) 262-7369. 2002 League Annual Conference, August 26-29 “Strengthening Communities Through Dynamic Leadership” is the theme of the 2002 Annual Conference of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns. The conference, which is slated for August 26-29 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort, is being hosted by the City of Phoenix. The 2002 Annual Conference marks the League’s 65th year of legislative advocacy, education, training, technical assistance and information sharing for and among the cities and towns in Arizona. For more information contact the League at (602) 258-5786 or http://www.azleague.org. 2002 Governor’s Rural Development Conference (RDC), October 2-4 Save the dates of October 2-4 for the Governor’s Rural Development Conference at the Yuma Civic & Convention Center in Yuma. The Shiloh Inn Hotel (www.shiloinns.com) is the official hotel of the conference. The theme of this year’s conference is “Resources for a New Frontier”. For more information visit the Arizona Department of Commerce website at www.azcommerce.com. For registration information contact Betty Camerena at (602) 280-1355 or bettyc@azcommerce.com. For program information contact Robert Detweiler, at (602) 280-8161 or robertd@azcommerce.com. The Enterprise Foundation’s 2002 Network Conference, October 30-November 2 The Enterprise Foundation has announced its 2002 Network Conference, “Celebrating 20 Years of Building Communities”, slated for October 30-November 2 at The Wyndham Anatole Hotel and Resort in Dallas. More than 1,500 attend this national conference annually. The conference features the latest advances and tools for community development, from financing and building affordable housing to community economic development, child care, and workforce and safety opportunities. Sponsors include: Bank of America, Fannie Mae and Fannie Mae Foundation, FHLBanks, Freddie Mac, and Washington Mutual. Registration fees range from $300 to $575. For more information go to: http://www.enterprisefoundation.org/training/netconf, or call (410) 7722418. Notices of Funding Availability . . . FY 2003 State Housing Fund Notice of Funding Availability A Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for FY 2003 funding for affordable housing projects and programs is now posted on GOHD’s website. The NOFA announces funding available from GOHD through the State Housing Fund Program (Federal HOME and State Housing Trust Fund) from July 1, 2002 through June 30, 2003. For more information, visit our website at www.housingaz.com. Wells Fargo Community Support Grant Wells Fargo Housing Foundation has announced a Community Support Grant Program that offers financial support to qualified nonprofit housing providers with 501(c) 3 status. The grant targets housing providers that help low-income families own a home and those organizations responding to shelter the transitionally homeless. Grant proposals will be accepted on August 1, and November 1. For more information contact Wells Fargo Housing Foundation, 6th and Marquette, Suite 1900, Minneapolis, MN 55479, (612) 667-6326, or go to: http://www.wellsfargo.com/about/wfhf/programs.jhtml Housing Demonstration Funds The Rural Housing Service has $1.5 million in Section 502 mortgage funds for development of innovative housing units and systems. Applications are considered in the order submitted. See Federal Register, 4/29/02, pp. 20953-56, or contact Gloria L. Denson at (202) 720-1474. Rural Community Development Technical Assistance Grants Offered Nonprofits are eligible for Office of Community Services funding to provide training and technical assistance on home repair, developing rental units, and meeting community facility needs for lowincome rural areas. Up to $6.5 million is available. Deadline for application is July 29. See Federal Register, 6/12/02, pp. 40529-51, or contact Veronica Terrell at (202) 401-5295 or vterrell@acf.dhhs.gov. Upcoming Training . . . Neighborhood Reinvestment Training Institute Course Offerings, San Francisco, CA. Topics will include: Mixed-Income Housing’s Greatest Challenge: Strengthening America’s Neighborhoods While Reaching Our Lowest-Income Families, Affordable Housing, Community Building, Community Economic Development, Construction and Production Management, Home Ownership and Community Lending, Management and Leadership, Native American Community Development and Neighborhood Revitalization. Tuition is $175 per day, plus a $50 nonrefundable fee. It is possible to earn a professional certificate in a variety of areas, certificates of professional recognition, or to obtain continuing education credits. For more information, call (800) 438-5547 or visit nrti@nw.org. State Housing Fund Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation and Emergency Repair Workshop. GOHD is planning a one-day workshop on August 7th regarding the Owner-Occupied Housing Rehabilitation and Emergency Repair programs funded through the State Housing Trust Fund. Training will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Quality Inn, 3600 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix. Cost is $5.00. For more information contact Rivko Knox at (602) 280-1365 or rivkok@housingaz.com. Registration cut off date is August 2. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Mini Workshop: Labor Standards. GOHD will present a one-day workshop on August 8th, covering federal labor standards and how to comply with Davis-Bacon and related acts. Training will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Quality Inn, 3600 N. 2nd Ave., Phoenix. Cost is $5.00. Registration information and questions may be obtained by calling Rivko Knox (602) 280-1365 or by email: rivkok@housingaz.com. The registration cut off is August 2. Other Info . . . The Rural Water Infrastructure Committee (RWIC), staffed by the Arizona Small Utilities Association meets regularly at various locations throughout Arizona. Meetings are scheduled for July 17, August 7 (Phoenix), August 21 (Flagstaff) and September 18 (Tucson). Rural communities are invited to attend to discuss specific water and waste water problems in their areas. For more information contact Neal Whittle at: nwhittle@asua.org. The Fannie Mae Foundation provides an informative web site at www.knowledgeplex.org. The site offers the housing and community development industry centralized information, including computer links, 300 news sources, a library, chat rooms and more. Federal Reserve Board delays sub-prime lending data rules. Saying that financial institutions will not be able to implement new rules by January 1, 2003, the Federal Reserve Board has delayed their effective date to January 1, 2004. The rules change Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data requirements to help identify possible problem loans. See Federal Register, 5/8/02, pp. 30771-72. For more information contact Kathleen C. Ryan, Federal Reserve Board, 202-4523667. Increased flexibility of AHP should result from the adoption of a final rule by the Federal Housing Finance Board, giving the Federal Home Loan Banks more flexibility in administering their Affordable Housing Programs (AHP) starting in May. Among other things, the rule should result in more flexibility with respect to bank approval of post-completion project modifications, the definition of homeless, and the use of repaid subsidies. See the Federal Register, 4/17/02, pp. 18796-805, or contact Charles McLean at the Federal Housing Finance Board at (202) 408-2537. New Federal Rural Development Program Announced. On May 13 President Bush signed into law a new farm bill that includes a $100 million Rural Strategic Investment Program. Certified regional investment boards, overseen by a national board, could compete for funds to plan and carry out community and economic development. For more information go to: http://www.ruralhome.org/announce/farmbill.htm NLIHC’s Advocates’ Guide. The National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Advocates’ Guide to Housing and Community Development Policy has been updated. The guide is intended to help those seeking to influence federal government programs and legislation. The guide is $15 for members and $25 for non-members. Contact NLIHC, 1012 14th Street, N.W., Suite 610, Washington, DC 20005. Section 515 Preservation Report. The Housing Assistance Council has issued a report entitled Rural Rental Housing Preservation and Nonprofit Capacity to Purchase and Preserve Section 515 Projects. The report identifies the locations of pre-1989 Section 515 rental developments that may be at risk of being lost as low-income housing. Project owners receiving loans prior to 1979 can opt out of the program by prepaying their loans, while projects with loans made between 1979 and 1989 can prepay their loans with some restrictions. The report identifies 56 properties, with 1,745 units, as pre-1989 properties within Arizona. The report is free at: http://www.ruralhome.org/pubs/hsganalysis/515/sec515loc.htm Harvard Study finds CRA has significant impact, but not in rural areas. Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies reports that from 1993 to 2000 the Community Reinvestment Act encouraged significant numbers of loans to lower-income and minority people and communities. However, the report also indicates that the Act’s impact in rural areas is minimal for several reasons. To access a copy of the report, The 25th Anniversary of the Community Reinvestment Act: Access to Capital in Evolving Financial Services System, go to: http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/crareport.html. The 2002 edition of its Anti-Predatory Lending Toolkit is now available from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. The kit is meant to help community groups, financial institutions, and government agencies address predatory lending. The document is free at: http://www.ncrc.org/svcs/pubs.html. The 2002 A-133 Supplement has been published by the Office of Management and Budget. The document provides information regarding audit requirements for states, local governments and nonprofits and is free at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/grants/index.html. Recent Funding Announcements . . . Since April 1, GOHD has made the following commitments for funding of housing and community development programs and projects in Arizona: Low-Income Housing Tax Credits Program – GOHD received 45 Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) applications for the 2002 tax credit round at the April 1 deadline. For a copy of the final “Reservations Awarded” and “Waiting” lists, go to: http://www.housingaz.com/UPLOAD/LIHTC%202001%20winners.pdf. State Housing Fund Program – Recent State Housing Fund (HOME and Housing Trust Fund) Awards: Recipient Service Area Type of Program/Project Rural Arizona (13 counties, excluding Pima and Maricopa): Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness Western Arizona Councils of Government Mohave County Community Development Department Mohave County Community Development Department Colorado River Union High School District #2 Woman’s Transition Project Southeastern Arizona Human Resource Council Gila County Community Services Division Community Action Human Resources Agency Old Concho Community Assistance Center Old Concho Community Assistance Center Old Concho Community Assistance Center Coconino County Community Services Bread of Life Mission Navajo County Emergency Services Catholic Social Services of Yavapai and Northern Arizona West Yavapai Guidance Clinic Community Services of Arizona, Inc. (Edgewater Apartments) Habitat for Humanity of the West Valley Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation 13 rural counties Rural Continuum of Care Western Rural Area: LaPaz, Yuma Counties Homeless Prevention Program Mohave County Supportive Housing Programs Match Mohave County Homeless Prevention Program Bullhead City Supportive Housing Programs Match Southeast Rural Area: Cochise County Supportive Housing Programs Match Cochise, Graham, Greenlee, and Santa Cruz Counties Homeless Prevention Program Central Rural Area: Gila County Homeless Prevention Program Pinal County Supportive Housing Programs Match Northern Rural Area: Funding 55,000 125,000 2,351 154,125 1,412 3,062 105,000 71,986 3,823 Apache County Navajo/Apache Counties Homeless Prevention Program Supportive Housing Programs Match 4,467 St. Johns Supportive Housing Programs Match 145,000 Coconino County Holbrook Homeless Prevention Program New construction loan for homeless shelter 150,000 464,390 Navajo County Homeless Prevention Program 125,000 Yavapai County Homeless Prevention Program Prescott Supportive Housing Programs Match Metropolitan Areas: Avondale Rental rehabilitation loan El Mirage New construction for homeownership Maricopa County Homeless Prevention Program 125,000 150,000 400,000 95,725 220,000 81,550 Labor’s Community Service Agency Maricopa County Community Services St. Vincent De Paul Society Maricopa Association of Governments Mesa Community Action Network City of Phoenix Human Services Department NOVA Safe Haven Arizona Housing and Prevention Services Pima County Community Services Information & Referral, Inc. Community Action Human Resource Council Concerned Citizens for Community Health Shalom House Maricopa County Homeless Prevention Program 84,137 Maricopa County Maricopa County Homeless Prevention Program Homeless Prevention Program 135,000 85,000 Maricopa County Homeless database system (HMIS) 82,000 Mesa Homeless Prevention Program 72,480 Phoenix Phoenix Homeless Prevention Program Rental rehabilitation loan 125,000 45,000 Pima County Homeless Prevention Program 94,095 Pima County Pima County Homeless Prevention Program Homeless database system (HMIS) 140,175 21,270 Pinal County Homeless Prevention Program 132,040 Scottsdale Tucson Homeless Prevention Program Emergency operating grant 50,000 35,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program – Recent State Special Projects Awards: Recipient City of San Luis Lake Havasu City Town of Wellton City of Casa Grande Colorado City Town of Jerome City of Cottonwood Town of Clarkdale Service Area Type of Program/Project Western Rural Area: San Luis Aerial Fire Truck – Public Safety Lake Havasu Housing Rehabilitation Wellton Fire Truck – Public Safety Central Rural Area: Casa Grande Housing Rehabilitation Northern Rural Area: Colorado City Heavy Rescue Fire Truck – Public Safety Jerome Fire Truck – Public Safety Cottonwood Removal of Barriers, downtown Cottonwood Clarkdale Street Improvements, Centerville Funding $ 300,000 300,000 182,000 281,000 112,500 168,000 86,000 300,000 Vol. 1, No. 2, released June 28, 2002 © 2002 by the State of Arizona, Governor’s Office of Housing Development. The Governor’s Office of Housing Development wants your feedback. If you have questions, comments or suggestions on how we can improve this electronic newsletter, please reply and give us your thoughts by calling Carol Ditmore at (602) 280-1458, or by email: carold@housingaz.com. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION To cancel your subscription to this newsletter, click on the following link and then click “send”: mail to: carold@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=UNSUBSCRIBE To change the e-mail address at which you receive this newsletter, click on the following link, type your old address in the body of the message and then “send”: mailto:carold@housingaz.com?SUBJECT=ADDRESS_CHANGE THIS DOCUMENT IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. THE STATE OF ARIZONA PRESENTS THE MATERIAL IN THIS NEWSLETTER WITHOUT IT OR ANY OF ITS EMPLOYEES MAKING ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OR ASSUMING ANY LEGAL LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION, APPARATUS, PRODUCT OR PROCESS DISCLOSED, OR REPRESENTING THAT ITS USE WOULD NOT INFRINGE PRIVATELY OWNED RIGHTS. THE USER ASSUMES THE ENTIRE RISK AS TO THE ACCURACY AND THE USE OF THIS DOCUMENT AND ANY RELATED OR LINKED DOCUMENTS. THE STATE OF ARIZONA, GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT RETAINS THE RIGHT TO CONTENT AND TO EDIT OR OTHERWISE LIMIT INFORMATION IN THIS NEWSLETTER. This E-mail update may be copied and distributed subject to the following conditions: 1. All text must be copied without modification and all pages must be included 2. All copies must contain the State of Arizona, Governor’s Office of Housing Development copyright notice and any other notices provided therein 3. This document may NOT be distributed for profit Administration Division Governor’s Office of Housing Development 3800 North Central Avenue, Suite 1200 Phoenix, AZ 85012 Telephone 602-280-1365 Facsimile 602-270-1470 http://www.housingaz.com