The Affordable Housing Bulletin
August 20, 2004

In this issue:
In Delaware
Statewide Tenant Conference
Housing Development Fund
Job Opportunity: Ways to Work

Elsewhere
Problematic FMRs


Statewide Tenant Conference
The Delaware State Wide Association of Tenants (SWAT) will be hosting its Second Annual Delaware Resident Summit on Saturday, November 20, 2004 at the Dover Elks Lodge #1903. Over 150 residents from throughout the state are expected.

The summit will provide education to residents in issues regarding public and subsidized housing, utilizing a number of speakers who will discuss the following topics:

* Organizing a Resident Council
* Being a Good Neighbor
* Incorporating a Resident Council and Accessing Resources
* The Value of Individual Development Accounts
* Home Ownership Programs
* Landlord-Tenant Rights
* Family Violence
* Making Changes

SWAT is a grassroots organization working with residents of public and assisted housing, as well as residents of sub-standard housing throughout the state.

For more information or to register for the conference, call 677-0144 or email: deltenants@earthlinklnet
[Winnie Cooper, Director, SWAT, www.delawaretenants.org ]


Housing Development Fund
The Housing Development Fund (HDF) is Delaware's primary financial resource to help housing providers across the state access financing to create or rehabilitate affordable housing, or offer unique housing programs for low- and moderate-income persons. This fund is administered by the Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) on behalf of the Governor and the Governor's Council on Housing. This past fiscal year, an unexpected $6 million in additional funds was committed to the HDF, over and above its usual funding.

Groups wishing to apply for support from the HDF should go to the following link for information:
http://www2.state.de.us/dsha/hdf_frame.htm

The Delaware Housing Coalition, along with a number of other organizations, has been working to increase funding to the HDF and find permanent, increased, dedicated revenue sources for the HDF. These organizations have formed the Delaware HDF Working Group. The Five-Year Strategic Housing Plan being proposed by the HDF Working Group would put $60 million in the HDF over a five-year period.

At the request of the HDF Working Group, in November, the Delaware Housing Coalition will release an economic impact study, estimating the benefits that would accrue to the state from the adoption of the five-year plan. Look for more information on that release in the coming weeks. This study was funded by Deutsche Bank Trust Company Delaware, JP Morgan Chase, and MBNA.

The following agencies and organizations have endorsed the Five-Year Strategic Plan to date:

AGM Financial Services
Appoquinimink Development, Inc.
The ARC of Delaware
Better Homes of Seaford, Inc.
Brandywine Counseling, Inc.
Church Women United in Dover
Delaware Community Reinvestment Action Council
Delaware Housing Coalition
Delaware Rural Housing Consortium
Delmarva Rural Ministries, Inc.
First State Community Action Agency, Inc.
First State Resource Conservation & Development Council
Ingleside Homes, Inc.
Interfaith Housing Delaware
Inter Faith Mission of Sussex County
Latin American Community Center Development Corp.
League of Women Voters of Greater Dover
Lutheran Community Services of Delaware
Lutheran Office on Public Policy, Delaware
Mary Mother of Hope House I
Milford Housing Development Corporation
Millsboro Housing for Progress, Inc.
NCALL Research, Inc.
Neighborhood House, Inc.
Roger P. Pryor and Associates, Inc.
St. Helena's Journey to Justice
S.T.E.H.M., Inc.
The Salvation Army
Westend Neighborhood House
YWCA of New Castle County

To see a copy of the plan or to become an endorser, go to: http://www.housingforall.org/


Job Opportunity: Ways to Work
The Nehemiah Gateway Community Development Corporation (NGCDC), a faith-based non-profit affiliated with Shiloh Baptist Church in Wilmington Delaware, is looking for a Program Director for the Ways to Work Family Loan Program, which offers loans up to $4,000 to low-income workers to buy or repair a used car. Ways to Work is a replication of a highly successful national model currently operating in 48 communities across the country. Locally, the loans are administered by PNC Bank and guaranteed 100% by a loan loss reserve established by NGCDC. The Program Director is responsible for marketing the program, staffing the loan committee, interfacing with the bank and car dealers, and most importantly working closely with borrowers to complete loan applications and to provide them with personal counseling and group training on money management. The Director should have experience working one-on-one with low-income individuals helping them to set and achieve important life goals. Additional experience with credit issues, lending, and personal money management strategies is preferred. Excellent follow up, communication, and organizing skills are essential. Salary is competitive. For more info, contact Mary Dupont at mary@marydupont.com .
[Mary Dupont, Nehemiah Gateway, Community Development Corporation, 302-655-0803, mary@marydupont.com ]


Problematic FMRs
As most of you know, the proposed 2005 Fair Market Rents that HUD released on August 3, 2004 are a subject of great controversy. NLIHC is working with many state coalitions and partner organizations in Washington to act on the policy issues that have emerged in the examination of the proposed FMRs.

Unfortunately, this means there will be a delay in issuing Out of Reach this year. The rent data that has made Out of Reach possible for the last 15 years have been based on the FMRs. While FMRs have been less than perfect indicators, they have been based on analysis that was consistent and predictable.

This year, the FMRs as proposed are incomplete and reflect some questionable decisions about changes. We know that HUD still intends to conduct research on rental housing costs in about 70 metropolitan areas that are expected to cause the FMRs in these areas to rise considerably. In addition, NLIHC and many others will be submitting comments on several assumptions used in the current calculations with the intent of causing them to be changed. At this point, it is expected that the final FMRs may not be available until November. <>Therefore we are postponing Out of Reach this year, until we can be certain that the FMRs are as accurate as we can expect them to be. This likely means it will be November before Out of Reach can be released. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton will author the preface for Out of Reach 2004, and has agreed to do so even with the delay.

We will keep you posted on the status of Out of Reach as more information becomes available.
[Sheila Crowley, President, National Low Income Housing Coalition]