DHCR has announced their UNIFIED FUNDING 2006, NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY. 
(November 2005)

2005 Proposed Low-Income Housing Credit (LIHC) Qualified Allocation Plan
(October 2005)

HUD Established Single Toll-Free Housing Hot line (September 2005)

Low-Income Forum on Energy (LIFE) Regional Meeting Series (August 2005)

HUD Free Grant Writing Training Session (July 2005)

Rochester Training Session Cancelled (April 2005)

Experts Online: Redevelopment of Brownfields (February 2005)

IDA Applications Accepted on Rolling Basis (February 2005)

Dutchess Group Targets Housing (February 2005)

House Prices Raise  Worries (February 2005)

Notice of Funding Availability: New York State Funds (January 2005)

Community Development Census (January 2005)

Service to Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities (January 2005)

Bush Plans Sharp Cuts in HUD Community Efforts (January 2005)

Main Street Awards Announced (January 2005)

Hud Publishes "Preserving America" (January 2005)

Information Sessions for the FY 2005 (January 2005)

The Quality Communities Grant Program (January 2005)

Small Cities Grants Due April 4, 2005 (November 2004)

Request for Qualifications - Technical Assistance and Training Services (March 2004) 

Budget Testimony (January 2004)

Downtown Teleconference Scheduled (November 2004)

Small Cities 2005 Application  Workshops Scheduled (November 2004)

Late Additions To The Conference Program! (September 2004)

August 24th Application - Official CDFI Fund Sponsored Workshop (August  2004)

Location for the New York Main Street Workshop Has Been Changed (July 2004)

ORCA Resource for Financial Education Providers: Stored Value Cards (July 2004)

Smart Growth and Brownfield Redevelopment, Request for Initial Proposals (RFIP) (June 2004)

Don't Miss This Two-Day Successful Hud Training Session!  (June 2004)

FHA Loss Mitigation Workshop (June 2004)

Notice of Regional Forums on Housing Issues (April 2004)

HUD I NOFA On Rural Housing and Economic Development Funding  (April 2004)

DHCR Announces HOME Roundtables (April 2004)

Money Smart “Train-the-Trainer” Workshops (April 2004)

Coalition Welcomes New Staff (April 2004) 

Preservation League Grant Program (March  2004)

The New York State Community Action Association Conference (February 2004)

Build Your Money Day (February 2004)

2004 Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Program Notice of Funding Availability (January 2004)

Proposals Due Feb 2nd for Capital Region Funding Opportunity (January 2004)

Building for Our Future Forum (December 2003)

House Establishes Rural Housing Caucus (December 2003)

President Bush To Nominate Alphonso Jackson To Become Hud Secretary (December 2003)

Deborah Boatright Named Assistant Commissioner for the Office of Community Development (December 2003)

HHAC NOFA Contained Incorrect Contact Info (December 2003)

Ribbon Cutting Ceremony (December 2003)

SONYMA Offers Mortgage Product Seminars (October 2003)

Competition for HOME Funds for Homeless (October 2 003)

Affordable Housing Forum (September)

New York State Draft 2004 Action Plan Public Comment Period Announcement And Public Hearing Notice (September)

Upcoming Events (September)

Audio Conference on Rural Homelessness - Thursday (August)

Small Cities TA Grant Applications Due (August)

Notice of Annual Meeting (July 2003)

Funds Available From Americorps, Vista Programs (July 2003)

The Weatherization Network Initiative (WNI) (July 2003)

One-Day Conference: "Bringing Communities Together to Build Stronger Neighborhoods (June 2003)

Closing-Cost Surprises Sting Homeowners (June 2003)

How to Become an Approved Housing Counseling Agency (May 2003)

Supportive Housing Network of New York 2003 Conference (May 2003)

Request for Qualifications: Technical Assistance and Training Services (May 2003)

Applications for the 2003-2004 Undergraduate Leadership Program (May 2003)

Course - Building HOME: A Program Primer (April 2003)

They will conduct workshops beginning next week on project applications. 
The locations are: 

Monday, November 7th at 10:00 AM
Capital District 
Comfort Inn at Albany Airport 
20 Airport Park Blvd. 
Latham, NY 

Wednesday, November 9th at 1:00 PM
Buffalo 
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites 
601 Dingens Street 
Buffalo, NY 

Thursday, November 10th at 10:00 AM
Syracuse 
The Genesee Grand Hotel 
1060 E. Genesee Street 
Syracuse, NY 

Wednesday, November 16th at 10:30 AM
Long Island 
York College, Lecture Hall S131 
94-20 Guy Brewer Boulevard 
Jamaica, NY 

Thursday, November 17th at 10:30 AM 
New York City 
Adam Clayton Powell State Office Bldg. 
2nd Floor Art Gallery 
163 West 125th Street 
New York, NY 
 

Application materials will be distributed starting one half-hour before 
each workshop. Materials will also be available on the DHCR website: www.dhcr.state.ny.us. 
beginning on November 1, 2005. 
Application packages will also be available beginning the week of November 7, 
2005. Separate applications will be used for: site-specific projects 
funded under the HOME and/or the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Programs, the 
Urban Initiative (UI) Program, the Rural Area Revitalization Program 
(RARP), or the Homes for Working Families (HWF) Program; locally 
administered programs funded under the New York State HOME Program (HOME); 
locally administered programs funded under the Residential Emergency 
Services To Offer Repairs to the Elderly (RESTORE) Program; locally 
administered programs funded under the New York Main Street Program; and 
locally administered programs funded under the Access to Home Program. 
Applications for HOME, HTF, HWF, UI and RARP Site-Specific Project Funding 
(except for seed money requests) must be received by the Housing Trust 
Fund Corporation (HTFC) by 5:00 PM, Monday, February 27, 2006. 

The New York State HOME Program expects to have approximately $39 million, 
subject to the availability of appropriations.  The Low-Income Housing Trust Fund Program expects to have approximately $29 million available, subject to the availability of appropriations. The HWF Program expects to have approximately $7 million available, 
subject to availability of appropriations. Applications will be accepted continuously until further notice. Applications received between now and February 27, 2006 will be considered as part of this funding round. Award decisions for applications received after February 27, 2006 will be deferred until after award announcements for project and program applications have been made. 

The RESTORE Program will have approximately $400,000 available, subject to 
availability of appropriations.  The New York Main Street Program will have approximately $10 million available.  The Access to Home Program will have approximately $5 million available. 
The Urban Initiative Program will have approximately $1.5 million available.  The Rural Area Revitalization Program will have approximately $1.0 million available. Seed Money awards of up to $45,000 per project from either HOME (CHDOs only) or HTF (not-for- profit organizations only) are available. Seed Money applications may be submitted at any time to the appropriate Regional Office listed herein. Award decisions for any Seed Money requests submitted during the Funding Round will be deferred until after award announcements for project and program applications have been made.  DHCR expects to have approximately $20 million available for Low Income Housing Credit Program reservations. The maximum amount of the annual tax credit allocation per application that may be requested is $1.0 million. Applicants requesting 
LIHC for projects in which 50% or more of the units will serve large families or special needs populations, and which will provide services to those special needs populations, may request up to $1.2 million. Of the $20 million available, up to $2 million may be made available for 
preservation projects as defined in DHCR's Low-Income Housing Credit Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP). Additionally, an amount of up to $2 million may be made available for redevelopment of public housing which has met the conditions for approvals required under the New York State Public Housing Law. There is also $2,000,000 available under the New York State Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program. Applications for State Tax Credit will be accepted continuously until further notice.  Application packages and more detailed information are currently available at any of the DHCR Regional Offices listed below and at the DHCR website: www.dhcr.state.ny.us.

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2005 Proposed Low-Income Housing Credit (LIHC) Qualified Allocation Plan

   Notice of Public Hearing

   Public Notice

NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY: OF PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE NEW YORK STATE
DIVISION OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY RENEWAL'S PLAN FOR THE ALLOCATION OF
FEDERAL LOW-INCOME HOUSING CREDIT AND NEW YORK STATE LOW INCOME HOUSING
TAX CREDIT ("QUALIFIED ALLOCATION PLAN"), SCHEDULE OF PUBLIC HEARINGS AND
COMMENT PERIOD PURSUANT TO SECTION 42(m) OF THE U.S. INTERNAL REVENUE
CODE:
 

A.  Availability of the Proposed Amendments to the Qualified Allocation
Plan: copies of the proposed amendments to the Qualified Allocation Plan
may be obtained at the following locations:
 

  1. DHCR New York City Regional Office, 25 Beaver Street, 7th Floor, New
York, New York 10004-2319; (212) 480-7165

  2. DHCR Capital District Regional Office, 38-40 State Street, 9th Floor,
Albany, New York 12207; (518) 486-5012

  3. DHCR Buffalo Regional Office, Statler Towers, 107 Delaware Avenue,
Suite 600, Buffalo, New York 14202 (716) 842-2244

  4. DHCR Syracuse Regional Office, 800 South Wilbur Street, P.O. Box 1127,
Syracuse, New York 13201; (315) 473-6930

  In addition, copies of the proposed amendments to the Qualified
Allocation Plan may be obtained at DHCR's Website: www.dhcr.state.ny.us.
 

B.  Public Hearings: will be held at all four of the DHCR Offices listed
to receive public comment on the proposed amendments to the Qualified
Allocation Plan as follows:

  Time and Date: November 21, 2005, 1:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.

  Locations:

  - NYS DHCR, 38-40 State Street, Hampton Plaza Ballroom, Albany, New York
12207

  - NYS DHCR, Statler Towers, Suite 600 - 6th Floor, 107 Delaware Avenue,
Buffalo, New York 14202

  - NYS DHCR, Room 609 - 6th Floor, 25 Beaver Street, New York, New York
10004

  - NYS DHCR, Syracuse Developmental Center, 2nd Floor - D Wing, 800 South
Wilbur Avenue, Syracuse, New York 13204

C.  Public Comment and Testimony: Accommodations for persons with a
disability will be made available at all public hearing sites. Signers
will also be made available when requested in advance of the hearing.
Individuals who wish to present testimony or seek additional information
regarding the hearings are urged to call Arnon Adler prior to the hearings
at (518) 486-5044. All speakers are urged to provide a written copy of
their testimony. Written comments may be submitted and must be received by
November 29, 2005 at NYS DHCR, Attention: Arnon Adler, 38-40 State Street,
Albany, New York 12207.

    ALL COMMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE NOVEMBER 28, 2005
 

D.  Components of the Amendments to the DHCR Qualified Allocation Plan:
The proposed amendments to the Qualified Allocation Plan include: revised
definitions; new and revised scoring criteria; new and revised threshold
eligibility requirements; revised application and allocation fee
structure; revised timeframes for application review notification; and,
revised review process for projects financed by tax-exempt bonds.
 

E.  Notice Regarding Applications for Low-Income Housing Credit: DHCR will
distribute notices of credit availability in the near future.

We also invite you to check out the LIFE web site at http://www.lifenynews.org. It features information on low-income energy needs and the programs and services that address them from prior LIFE meetings and conferences.

If you've already registered for LIFE, we look forward to seeing you and to learning more about the needs of low-income energy customers in your community!

---

HUD Free Grant Writing Training Session

DON’T MISS THIS TWO-DAY SUCCESSFUL HUD TRAINING SESSION!

LEARN WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PREPARE A SUCCESSFUL GRANT APPLICATION FROM CHERYL APPLINE, PROGRAM MANAGER OF HUD’S FAITH-BASED & COMMUNITY INITIATIVES CENTER

You will receive personal instruction on how to become more competitive for federal grant funds, securing a 501c3, and the organizational structure necessary to secure government funds.  The information will prepare you to apply for public funds and also corporate and foundation sources!  Workbooks and Certificates of Completion will be provided. 

Two-Day Workshop Topics Will Include:

GRANT PROPOSAL WRITING TECHNIQUES	HOW TO ACCESS GOVERNMENT FUNDS
HUD PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO NONPROFITS	HUD COMMON FACTORS FOR AWARD
PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS	ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
WORKING WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENTS	TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GRANTWRITING
COALITION AND CAPACITY BUILDING	LEGAL DO’s AND DON’Ts

Who Should Attend?
Members of faith-based organizations, grassroots groups, non profits, community-based organizations and organizations striving to become a non-profit.  Also, Pastors, Board members, committee members, task group members, block club members, and persons seeking grant funds.

WHEN?    WHERE?
JULY 27 & 28, 2005
MOUNT OLIVE BAPTIST CHURCH
701 E. DELAVAN AVENUE, BUFFALO, NY
 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
(July 27-lunch guest speaker Buffalo Public School Superintendent Dr. James A. Williams)
(July 28-lunch on your own)

REGISTER TODAY:

Call the Buffalo Field Office at (716) 551-5755 x5001

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Experts Online: Redevelopment of Brownfields

Nonprofits, government entities, and others can apply for federal Department of Health and Human Services grants to create and run programs to teach participants about financial management and establish Individual Development Accounts. Funds must be matched. HHS will review applications received by March 15, June 15, and November 1. See Federal Register, 2/9/ 05 , pp. 6879-88 or http://www.acf.hhs.gov/assetbuilding. Contact James Gatz, HHS, 202-401-4626, afiprogram@acf.hhs.gov.

POUGHKEEPSIE - The Dutchess County Workforce Housing Coalition, now in its seventh month of operation, is working to develop employer-assisted
housing. 

The coalition's executive director, Deborah DeLong, was appointed in July, and the months since have been spent formalizing the structure of the group and meeting with stakeholders. 

DeLong said Friday she's starting to talk with employers about what they can do. 

"There is interest in this topic," she said. "But I don't know what level of support
employer(s) can offer at this time." 

By employer-assisted housing, DeLong said, she does not mean the old "factory-town" model. 

"There are two types," she said. "One was the factory owner controlled it, and if you lost your job you lost your house. The other was the employer sponsored the housing, but ... your job wasn't tied to the housing." 

She said the model she's seeing elsewhere in the country is one where universities and hospitals help employees through a down-payment match program. 

This sort of down-payment assistance can help stabilize workforce and neighborhoods, she said. It's occurring in areas like the West Coast and Washington, D.C., where housing costs are very high, she said. 

After working for a rural development corporation in Wisconsin, DeLong came on New York in the early 1980s and worked on rural housing development projects. She later joined the policy department of the state Division of Housing and Community Renewal. 

She has also worked in Connecticut on cooperative housing projects and in southern California, in the city of Anaheim, on a home ownership program at a time when housing prices were skyrocketing. 

"Dutchess County is going through a very similar housing price increase," she said. "Housing prices increase much faster than wages. You end up with a gap between what the workforce can afford and what housing prices are. Everybody's starting to really talk about it now in Dutchess County." 

There are two not-for-profit housing developers on the coalition's board of directors. DeLong said she will work with them, or any housing developer, to see what resources are available. 

Hudson River Housing Corp., based in Poughkeepsie, has a first-time home buyer program offering education and counseling, and DeLong said the coalition is working with the organization to expand its programs. 

"One of the things that is really important to me is public awareness of the issue," she said. "Right now we're really in a data collection phase ... who are the workers in Dutchess County and what can they afford. We want to find out what local town supervisors and town boards think is going on in their community. 

"Everyone has indicated to me that there is concern children of long-time residents can't afford to buy a home," DeLong said. "Volunteer firemen, if they don't already own a house, will not be able to stay in the community." 

Realty agents group warns that spiraling costs in New York could leavemany unable to purchase homes; Greene and Columbia see especially. sharp increases 

                       By JOEL STASHENKO, Associated Press 
                       First published: Monday, February 7, 2005

ALBANY -- The cost of buying an existing single-family home soared by nearly 37 percent in New York state between 2002 and 2004, prompting a real estate agents' group to warn that some people are in danger of being priced out of their local housing markets.

The median resale value of single-family homes rose from $169,500 in 2002 to $232,000 in 2004, according to the New York State Association of Realtors. The comparable figures for national single-family sales were $158,100 in 2002 and $184,100 in 2004.

Price increases were gaining steam as last year ended, with the median  sales price of $278,000 in December, up from $214,900 in Decembe 2003.

Properties in the Hudson Valley seemed to be gaining value faster than  those in any other part of the state. Homes in Westchester County had  the highest median resale value in 2004 ($640,000), but those in counties all along the Hudson River were reselling for prices at or near the average statewide increase from 2002-04.

Just south of Albany, the resale value of homes in Columbia County ($215,000 in 2004, up 43 percent from 2002-04) and Greene County ($139,000 in 2004, up 54 percent from 2002-04) experienced particularly large resale spikes.

Homes in Dutchess ($300,000), Rockland ($410,000), Putnam  ($385,000), Orange ($260,000) were also reselling at average prices in 2004 above the statewide median.

Charles Staro, chief executive officer of the real estate group, said  relatively low interest rates have kept many New Yorkers in the real  estate market despite escalating resale prices. But he questioned how  long that would continue at the rate of the price increases seen from
2002-04.

"Government and the private sector must work together to ensure thatthe American dream of homeownership remains within the grasp of all New Yorkers," Staro said.

He also said increases in local property taxes are hurting the affordability of homes for some would-be buyers.

A spokesman for the realty group, Salvatore Prividera Jr., said it has formed an affordable housing foundation to work with government officials and community groups to improve the availability of moderately priced homes in several areas of the state.

In some counties, such as Westchester, many people who work within the county cannot afford to live there. Communities are better when people who provide crucial services like firefighters, police officers, emergency medical technicians and teachers live locally, he said.

"When someone lives in a community, they are invested it in," Prividera said. "It helps the community to grow and thrive."

---

Notice of Funding Availability: New York State Funds

Program Description: Access to Home
The Housing Trust Fund Corporation announces the availability of funding for the Access to Home program.  The Access to Home program will provide up to $10 million to not-for-profit organizations to administer local programs to make the homes and apartments of low and moderate income New Yorkers with disabilities more Accessible.  Under the program, home adaptations and alterations will be made to enable persons with disabilities to remain or
return to their own homes rather than enter or stay in more costly and more intrusive institutional settings.  Providing assistance with the cost of adapting homes to meet the needs of those with disabilities will enable individuals to safely and comfortably live in their residences and avoid institutional care.   This assistance will also allow individuals currently
living in institutional settings to transition back to their homes once the homes are appropriately adapted.  Grants will be made to eligible not-for-profit entities with substantial experience in adapting or retrofitting homes for persons with disabilities.  Adaptation work must meet the needs of those with physical disabilities and seniors with an age-related disability.

Homeowners and renters may qualify for Access to Home assistance through the not-for-profit entity under the following criteria: the occupant is physically disabled or has substantial difficulty with an activity of daily living because of aging; the dwelling unit is a permanent residence, or will be a permanent residence after modifications are completed; and, total household income does not exceed 80 percent of area median income. The
Corporation will seek applications that also include a transition and diversion component that targets individuals either currently living in institutional settings, or are at risk of such placement without adaptations being made to their current home.

Application packages will be available March 2.  The application package will include a Request for Proposals and all forms necessary to apply for Access to Home funding through the Housing Trust Fund Corporation.  Application materials will be available at NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal Regional Offices, the Division’s website and at
application workshops that will be held during the month of March, 2005 in Albany, Buffalo, Syracuse, and New York City.

Applications for locally administered Access to Home programs must be received by the Housing Trust Fund Corporation (HTFC) by 5:00 PM, Monday, May 2, 2005.  Individuals delivering applications in-person must have picture identification and a transmittal letter, on organization letterhead, stating their name and authorizing that person to deliver the application.

Applications delivered by commercial carrier must have a complete and
legible return address. Failure to comply with these requirements may result
in applications not being accepted.

Applications will be accepted only at the following address:
NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal
Hampton Plaza - 1st Floor
38-40 State Street
Albany, NY 12207

The New York State Access to Home Program expects to have up to $10 million, subject to the availability of funding.

The HTFC reserves the right to award all, a portion of, or none of the program funds based upon funding availability, the feasibility of the applications received, the competitiveness of the applications and the applicant's ability to meet HTFC criteria for funding.

Applications are selected for funding based upon an evaluation process which includes completeness, eligibility, competitiveness, feasibility reviews and recommendations as detailed in the RFP/application packet. Selections are also made in compliance with all pertinent statutory requirements and a policy to distribute funds to meet housing needs
throughout the State.  Applicants should refer to the RFP for additional program eligibility requirements.
>
 In accordance with Section 312 of Article 15 A of the Executive Law, HTFC requires contractors and awardees to make affirmative efforts to ensure that New York State certified Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises have opportunities for meaningful participation on projects awarded funding by HTFC.

Application workshops for Access to Home will be conducted in four  locations on the below dates.  Refer to the DHCR Website for times and site specifics.

Syracuse, March 2
Syracuse Developmental Center
3rd Floor Auditorium
800 South Wilbur Avenue
Syracuse, NY

Buffalo,  March 4
Erie Community College - City Campus
121 Ellicott Street
Buffalo, NY

Capital District, March 10
Empire State Plaza, Meeting  Room 2
 Albany, NY

New York City, March 15
25 Beaver Street
 6th Floor conference Room
New York, NY

Application materials will be distributed starting one half-hour beforeeach workshop.

A workshop agenda will be posted on the New York State Division of
Housing  and Community Renewal web site at www.dhcr.state.ny.us  on February 22,
2005. Interested parties should refer to the web site to familiarize themselves with the agenda items.

Technical assistance in preparing an application is also available to applicants through one of the Regional Offices listed on our website.

For an application contact the appropriate Regional Office.

New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) 

DOT will initiate the annual cycle for the Federal Section 5310 Grant Program, which provides transportation grants to provide service to elderly persons and persons with disabilities. This is a capital-only assistance program for the purchase of vehicles to
transport the elderly  and individuals with disabilities. 

ELIGIBILITY:  Private non-profit corporations, public bodies in rural counties who are approved by DOT as the coordinator of transportation services to elderly persons and persons with disabilities, and public bodies in rural counties who can certify that no
non-profit corporations or  associations are available in their area to provide these
services. 

FUNDING:   In Fiscal Year 2002, New York State received approximately $5.8 million from the federal government for this program. 

DEADLINE:   Requests for application forms and instructions must be made to DOT prior to the end of February 2005. The applications are due  April 15, 2005. 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:  To request an application form and instructions, please contact the New York State Department of Transportation, Passenger Transportation Division, 50 Wolf Road, POD 54, Albany, New York 12232; phone (518) 457-8335. You
may also  contact Barry Kessler at bkessler@dot.state.ny.us.

The White House will seek to drastically shrink the Department of Housing and Urban Development's $8 billion community branch, purging dozens of economic development projects, scrapping a rural housing program and folding high-profile anti-poverty efforts into the Labor and Commerce departments, administration officials said yesterday.

The proposal in the upcoming 2006 budget would make good on President Bush's vow to eliminate or consolidate what he sees as duplicative or ineffective programs. Officials said yesterday that economic development programs are scattered too widely in the government and have proved particularly ineffectual at HUD.

Advocates for the poor, however, contended that the White House is trying to gut federal programs for the poorest Americans to make way for tax cuts, a mission to Mars and other presidential priorities. Administration officials would not say how much the consolidation would save, but it could lead to steep funding cuts. That is because the HUD programs would have to compete for resources in Commerce and Labor budgets that are not likely to expand to accommodate the shuffle.

"I'm always willing to look at consolidation, but clearly they're using consolidation as a shield for substantial budget reductions," said Rep. Barney Frank (Mass.), the ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, which has jurisdiction over housing and community development programs.

The plan was detailed in a December memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget
to HUD. The document provides one of the first concrete examples of the types of cuts in the works as the administration comes to grips with a soaring deficit.

"The purpose of the exercise has nothing to do with achieving or not achieving savings," said one administration official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid preempting the Feb. 7 release of the president's fiscal 2006 budget request.

"What we are trying to accomplish is to meet our obligation to people living in distressed communities, to hold communities accountable for helping those people and to become more efficient in the process," another official said.

Congressional housing aides say the $4.7 billion Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program -- the bulk of the community planning budget -- could be cut as much as 50 percent. Cities have become dependent on HUD's development programs, especially the CDBG, which has existed for 30 years, city officials said. Stanley Jackson, director of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, said the city has used CDBG grants of $21 million to $22 million a year for clinics, recreation centers, day-care facilities, literacy programs and housing development.

With housing and property values skyrocketing, the need for such programs for low-income families has never been higher, he said.

"If this is a backdoor way of eliminating a program like CDBG, it would have a profoundly negative impact on cities," said Jim Hunt, a vice president of the National League of Cities and a city council member in Clarksburg, W.Va.

Under the plan, the CDBG program -- which provides multipurpose development grants to state and local governments -- would be sent to the Commerce Department. The Urban Empowerment Zones and the Renewal Community programs -- both of which offer tax incentives for development in urban or other troubled areas -- would also go to Commerce, as would the Brownfields Economic Development Initiative, designed to revitalize abandoned industrial sites.

Youthbuild USA, a $62 million program to teach teens home-construction skills, would be sent to the Labor Department. The $24 million rural housing and economic development program would probably be eliminated.

HUD would maintain the Home Investment Partnerships to build or buy affordable housing, homeless assistance programs and housing assistance for AIDS sufferers. The budget would eliminate $260 million in economic development projects earmarked for this year by lawmakers. HUD could ultimately lose a quarter of its $31 billion budget.

White House officials said HUD employees would have to stay on the job to oversee outstanding grants for some time. But with Bush promising an aggressive attack on domestic spending, the 817 HUD community planning and development employees are girding for the worst.

"It's a body blow," said one career employee, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of being fired.

The proposal could face an uphill fight in Congress, said Frank, who called the proposal "just appalling." With budgets tight, vested interests in the Commerce and Labor departments would be expected to favor their programs over the newcomers from HUD. "It wouldn't even be a fair fight," he said.

Moreover, HUD has evolved into an agency designed to support urban interests and low-income citizens, while Commerce and Labor are more receptive to business needs. Indeed, community development programs at HUD are far larger than those at Commerce and Labor, said Saul Ramirez Jr., executive director of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and a former deputy secretary of housing. The Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration has a $320 million budget, a fraction of CDBG's allocation.

"If there are any programs in Commerce that encourage direct economic development to some of the most disadvantaged and blighted areas, those programs are dwarfed by these programs," he said. "If [consolidation] is what they want, the reverse should be proposed."

One White House official agreed that HUD programs have more of a community focus, while the Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration is more interested in economic growth. But, he said, "they're funding a lot of the same things."

HUD's city focus may be why the White House is dismantling the HUD programs, Frank charged. "HUD is the place where mayors and urban interests can put up the strongest fight," he said.

(Source: HUD) Full story . . . 
http://www.hud.gov/news/release.cfm?content=pr04-150.cfm

 Video-Teleconference 
On Tuesday, January 11, 2005, the CDFI Fund will broadcast from Washington, DC an Information Session on the FA Component that will be beamed by satellite and down-linked to 81 HUD Field Offices across the country. The broadcast is interactive and time has been allotted for several question and answer periods. The broadcast will begin promptly at 1:00 p.m. Eastern  Time and end at 4:00 p.m. To register, please click here. 

The Registration Deadline is Thursday, January 6, 2005 at 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Due to security reasons, registrations cannot be accepted after the deadline has past

This broadcast can also be viewed live as a webcast through your computer. To do so, please    visit HUDs website by clicking here.

Live and In-Person 

CDFI Fund staff will travel to the following cities to conduct the same three-hour Information  Sessions on the FA Component: 
            Chicago, Illinois - Friday, January 14, 2005 

             New York, New York - Tuesday, January 18, 2005 and 

             San Francisco, California - Thursday, January 20, 2005. 

Each of these Information Sessions is being held at the Federal Reserve Bank in that respective city. To register, please click here. The Registration Deadline is Wednesday, January 12,  2005 at 1:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Due to security reasons, registrations cannot be accepted after the deadline has past.

Below is a press release issued by the Department of State:

    LT. GOVERNOR ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION AVAILABLE TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 
                State Assistance Payments to Be Made Through Quality Communities Program 

Lieutenant Governor Mary O. Donohue today announced the availability of $1 million in State assistance payments to New York municipalities through the Quality Communities Program. The program is the second major funding initiative announced by the Quality Communities Interagency Working Group which is chaired by Lieutenant Governor Donohue. 

"The funds available to local Governments through this program will enable New York Communities to plan their future through a shared philosophy and approach. Together we can revitalize downtowns, protect open space and critical environmental resources, and promote inter-municipal partnerships." Lieutenant Governor Mary O. Donohue said. 

The Department of State Division of Local Government and Community Services will be the administering agency of this grant program which has been provided as part of the 2004-2005 New York State Budget. Municipalities are encouraged to submit joint applications for inter-municipal proposals involving two or more communities. Eligible communities may apply for incentive grants by submitting proposals that incorporate one or more of the following three categories: 

   1.Improving Public Visioning 
   2.Revitalizing Downtowns and Promoting Liveable Neighborhoods 
   3.Protecting Open Space and Critical Environmental Resources 

In addition to the Lt. Governor, the Quality Communities Interagency Working Group is comprised of twenty-five NYS Agencies who together have incorporated the Quality Community Principles into their Local Government Programs.

"Supporting our local governments in their efforts to foster community visioning, protect open spaces, revitalize downtowns and develop inter-municipal partnerships has been at the forefront of Governor Pataki's Local Government agenda for many years. With this financial support localities can move even closer to their goals of building a Quality Community." said the Lt. Governor. 

Copies of the application form and program information are available online at the Quality Communities Clearinghouse Website at: www.qualitycommunities.org, or you may contact the Division of Local Government and Community Services at 518-473-3355

The Governor's Office For Small Cities has announced the deadline for the 2005 round of Small Cities CDBG funding in New York. Applications for this funding are due on April 4, 2005.  The NOFA for this funding is expected to be released in the near future. Tofollow developments on this, visit www.nysmallcities.com.

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Request for Qualifications - Technical Assistance and Training Services

New York State Rural Housing Coalition, Inc.
879 Madison Avenue, 2nd Floor
Albany, NY  12202
(518) 458-8696
www.ruralhousing.org

The New York State Rural Housing Coalition, Inc. hereby invites technical assistance and training consultants to submit statements of qualification to provide technical assistance and/or training services to community development and housing entities within the State of New York.  The Rural Housing Coalition seeks experienced technical assistance and training providers to join a team of subcontractor consultants to assist in improving the performance of local housing and community development practitioners, particularly in rural areas of the State.

The Rural Housing Coalition seeks technical assistance providers with a wide array of expertise, including but not limited to:  non-profit management; board development, legal services; construction management and design services; development finance; environmental hazard mitigation; real property management; accounting/bookkeeping and financial management; and grant writing and proposal packaging.  Technical assistance and training providers selected for inclusion in the Rural Housing Coalition’s team of subcontractors will enter into a master contract with the Coalition, with individual work assignments issued on a task order basis.  Task order assignments will be made on the basis of the closest match of required expertise of the subcontractor consultant and the specific needs of the client, such as:  years of experience, timeframe product or service must be completed, availability of consultant to complete the provision of services within the specified time frame, technical resources, and familiarity with the subject.

Respondents to this Request for Qualifications are asked to provide the following information:
1) Letter of interest in participating in the Rural Housing Coalition’s technical assistance and training program, including hourly and daily reimbursement rate that will be charged (including separate charges for individual staff, where applicable);
2) Corporate resume detailing work experience relative to technical assistance and/or training, particularly in the community development setting, including representative examples of clientele served (with particular emphasis on community development-type clients);
3) Individual resumes of staff that will be working on assignments issued by the Coalition, including years of experience in the field;
4) A statement detailing the geographic area within New York State to be served (statewide, or if regional, detail which areas of the State);
5) A statement detailing that hourly and daily rates to be charged are consistent with rates charged to other clients, particularly on projects funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
6) A minimum of 3 references.

Please submit the above requested information to the attention of Mr. Blair Sebastian, Executive Director at the above address and by email to rhc@ruralhousing.org. 

This Request for Qualifications is open-ended, there is no deadline for submission.  The Rural Housing Coalition reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted by responders.  Acceptance of a proposer is not a guarantee of work assignments being issued.  Minority and Women owned firms are encouraged to apply.

Senator Johnson, Assemblyman Farrell, Senator Bonacic, Assemblyman Lopez, distinguished members of the panel, thank you for this opportunity to speak today regarding the needs of rural communities served by New York State’s housing programs.

My name is Blair Sebastian.  I am the executive director of the New York State Rural Housing Coalition.  I am accompanied by Marlene Papa who is the executive director of ROUSE RPC, a Rural Preservation Company that serves primarily seniors in Rensselaer County.  Marlene is also the President of the New York State Rural Advocates.  Together, we represent nearly all of the rural preservation companies, plus a host of other rural interests including not for profits, private sector housing developers, lenders, and local community development officials.  Together, we all serve the housing and community development needs of small towns and rural places all across New York State.

We have come here to speak to you about our budget priorities and, much to our dismay, again this year the restoration of rural and neighborhood preservation funding.  This must be our highest priority.  Once again this year in his Executive Budget, Governor Pataki proposes a devastating 54% cut to Rural Preservation requiring the appropriation of an additional $2.75 million to restore the program to its 2003/04 funding level of $5.1 million.   We urge you to consider a modest increase to $6 million for the rural program.   This amount would provide 72 community-based housing organizations with critical core funding at the current statutory cap of $80,000.  These are the community based housing organizations that are located in your districts and serve your communities and you have supported them for many years.  An appropriation of $6 million would also allow the Division of Housing and Community Renewal to fund crucial technical assistance and program support to the preservation companies, an area where the Division has been quite limited in recent years.

We have read with interest, a recent series of papers authored by Rolf Pendall of Cornell University and recently published by the Brookings Institution.  Pendall’s work documents a net out-migration of people from Upstate New York and stagnation in overall population growth. He found only two areas of upstate that aregrowing in population, the Hudson Valley and the Rochester/Finger Lakes region.  Further, he found that nearly 30% of new comers to Upstate in the 1990s were prisoners.  Finally, of particular interest to people like my colleague Marlene, he finds that while the populations in Upstate grow very little, the share of seniors is disproportionately high, reaching 16 percent of the population in Western New York compared with only 12 of the population nationwide. 

Pendall also finds that Upstate New York has been subject to something of a paradox in that we have witnessed some very substantial urban sprawl at a time when our population is not growing.  We already knew that small communities were the victims of urban sprawl.  We represent the communities that are sprawled upon.  But now we learn that even rural communities and small towns are sprawling.  As Pendall points out,  “people, jobs and businesses are leaving cities and villages and moving to towns” and they are doing so at the expense of small communities that have been held up as models for quality of life.

Another of our Colleagues, David Muchnick of Sustainable Enterprise, has been working with the New York State AFL-CIO to document the growing housing crisis in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island.  David finds that there is a serious shortage of housing units in the Hudson Valley relative to the population growth that is taking place there.  As a consequence, housing is becoming progressively less affordable and, requiring many  of our neighbors  to pay fifty percent or more of their income for housing.

This is clearly a time when we need to be investing in rural, Upstate New York.  We need to focus resources on Upstate’s deteriorating housing stock, we need to invest in the development of rural communities and we need to revitalize small town main streets with updated housing and commercial elements, we need to invest in the appropriate infrastructure development that will guide logical and healthy growth. We suggest that Rural Preservation Companies represent an important vehicle for delivering housing and community development resources to our communities.

We still believe that the Rural Preservation Program provides one of the best values in New York State Government.  According to a survey undertaken by the Rural Housing Coalition last year, we found that for every dollar you provide in RPC funding, our members produce an average of $26 in economic activity.  For every dollar provided to the RPC program, RPCs generate nearly ten dollars in housing programs like HOME and the Affordable Housing Corporation programs; in addition, for every dollar provided to the program, RPCs create another ten dollars in leverage for their clients, mostly in the form of single family mortgages; for every RPC dollar invested, RPCs generate yet another six dollars in community development and facilities funding for their communities.  Finally, for every dollar of RPC funding provided, these organizations generate one dollar in other administrative funding. 

RPP funding allows community based, not for profit organizations to develop and deliver a set of services that are specific to the communities in which they work.  As we are reminded by the academic papers I just cited, the issues faced by small communities vary greatly from region to region, and indeed challenges vary widely within the regions.  RPCs are located on the ground in those communities and they understand local needs.  RPCs are accountable to the communities with which they operate and they are committed to socially and economically viable communities.

As an example of the kind of appropriate response you can expect from Rural Preservation Companies, I’d like to draw your attention to the recently adopted federal budget for this year.  The federal budget included President Bush’s proposal for an American Homeownership program that will provide $200 million nationally to assist first time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost assistance.  This legislation will result in many millions of dollars to be made available for this purpose in New York State.

It will most likely be Preservation Companies that deliver these resources to potential homeowners.  The real estate purchase and mortgage process challenges any homebuyer.  For many first time and low-income buyers the process is likely to be far more daunting.  Homeownership is a huge responsibility and it is important that families understand what they are getting into.  They should understand and plan for the costs of unexpected repairs. They also need to understand how to avoid predatory lenders and they will probably require some financial assistance.

In past years, you have invested in building capacity in Rural Preservation Companies by providing funds specifically for homeownership activities.  While those are specific resources are sorely missed today, your commitment did leave a residual of skills and contacts and personnel in our Rural Preservation Companies and these companies continue to be the ones providing homeownership counseling, assistance with mortgage applications, direct financing, and default counseling in rural communities across the state.

Our membership is committed to providing homeownership services in every rural community served by an RPC.

I think Marlene can tell you more about the impact of Governor Pataki’s proposed cuts to Rural Preservation Companies.

I want to simply add a reality check to the statements presented by Mr. Sebastian and show you how a fifty percent cut in our rural preservation contract would affect ROUSE RPC.  What does a $32,000 Rural Preservation program buy for the seniors currently using ROUSE RPC for housing assistance? Not much. Not even one staff person.

In Rensselaer County, 13.6% of the population is over 65 and the number will grow by five percent over the next five years. One third of these seniors have a disability and 8.5% live below poverty level. By providing services to our seniors, the State of New York saves about $65,000 per year in nursing home costs for every senior who can stay in his home.  Fully funding the RPC contract has just paid for itself.   A fall, resulting in a broken hip, can send a senior immediately into a nursing home. We are in a position to work cooperatively with Rensselaer County Department for the Aging and other not for profits in the area providing services, home delivered meals, aides to assist with homemaking, blood pressure clinics, HEAP, discounts on telephone services, safe and crimes issues and budgeting. 

A fully funded RPC contract allows us to work in partnership with other organizations and corporations. When possible, a for-profit developer prefers working with a not for profit partner who will spend the un-reimbursable time with tenants to make the project clean, safe and well cared for.  With a fully funded RPC contract we can do that.  ROUSE RPC has developed and now manages projects in West Sand Lake, Nassau, North Greenbush and Brunswick.  Our company provided extremely affordable rental housing for over 200 seniors.  Many residents pay less than $200 a month in rent.  With a fully funded RPC contract we also work with other RPCs in our area, sharing expertise, providing referrals and making our service MORE efficient.  This is not overlap!  We specialize in home repairs and developing affordable rental housing.  If there are housing needs that we cannot address, we know we can refer clients to another Preservation Company.  We believe this is a good use of our time, not a duplication of services.  In fact, we assist many persons each year who have been referred to us by New York State DHCR.

Finally, I believe it is time to grow the preservation program, not slash it’s funding by fifty percent.  Upstate communities need revitalization, investment and attention.  This is what Rural Preservation Companies have been doing for over twenty years maintaining housing infrastructure, restoring Main Streets, renovating empty buildings and providing safe, decent affordable housing.   Thank you.

 

A workshop on revitalizing your community's downtown will be held on Tuesday, November 16th, from 6:30- 8:45 PM.  The teleconference will be held at designated downlink sites across New York State.  The cost to attend is $15 per person.  The workshop is part of the State Comptroller's 2004 Teleconference Series.
For more information, contact Lisa Sheehan at (518) 486-9616, or Rober Farquharson at (518) 473-3988 or email: institutetraining@osc.state.ny.us.

The Governor’s Office for Small Cities (GOSC) has announced its 2005 Application and Implementation Workshop Schedule. This year, the GOSC will offer two distinct sets of workshops, Application and Implementation, in an effort to provide communities with information on both the application process and the grant administration process.  The workshops offer individuals an opportunity to discuss the requirements for a Small Cities grant from start to finish in a smaller environment.

The Application and Implementation workshops will be held on the same day in each location, with the Application workshop first and the Implementation workshop immediately following lunch.

Application Workshops: These are held each year to explain to communities any changes in the application requirements.  It also provides communities an opportunity to discuss their 2005 application with GOSC staff.  Application workshops will take place during the first hour of each session, with lunch immediately following (please note that lunch will not be provided). 

Implementation Workshops: These workshops will help communities learn how to implement their recently awarded grant.  It will also provide information on changes in the rules governing the Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Program. Implementation workshops will take place after lunch and last for approximately two hours. 

All communities are encouraged to send a representative.  Please note that if your community received a grant from the GOSC for the first time in 2004, the municipal employee responsible for oversight of the grant administration is required to attend the implementation workshops. 

Below is the schedule for the workshops that will be held in November and December of this year:

Friday, November 5 
Olympic Center, Whiteface Room, 218 Main Street, Lake Placid (Essex County).  Application Workshop to begin at 11am; Implementation Workshop to begin at 1pm. 

Monday, November 8 
John D. Costello Transportation Center, Second Floor, Freedom Drive, off Route 46, Oneida (Madison County).  Application Workshop to begin at 11am; Implementation Workshop to begin at 1pm.

Wednesday, November 10
Empire State Plaza, Meeting Room 5, Albany (Albany County).  Application Workshop to begin at 11am; Implementation Workshop to begin at 1pm.

Wednesday, November 17 
Hornell State Office Building, 107 Broadway, Room 165, Hornell (Steuben County).  Application Workshop to begin at 10am; Implementation Workshop to begin at noon.

Friday, November 19
Town of Palmyra Town Hall, 1180 Canandaigua Road, Palmyra (Wayne County) Application Workshop to begin at 11am; Implementation Workshop to begin at 1pm

Tuesday, November 30
Binghamton State Office Building, Warren M. Anderson Community Room, 18 Floor, Binghamton (Broome County).  Application Workshop to begin at 11am; Implementation Workshop to begin at 1pm.

Friday, December 3 
Sullivan County Community College, Seelig Theater, 112 College Road, Loch Sheldrake (Sullivan County). Application Workshop to begin at 11am; Implementation Workshop to begin at 1pm. 

Additional workshops may be added at a later date with locations and time to be determined.  If you have any questions, please contact the GOSC at (518) 474-2057.

Track 11:  Services for People with Special Needs
These workshops are for both non-clinical and beginning clinical staff of low-income and supportive housing.  This training helps participants to understand the spectrum of special needs (such as substance abuse, mental illness or other chronic health conditions) of some tenants.  The workshops will aid in the identification of the signs and symptoms of these conditions and help to develop a positive and professional relationship with tenants who exhibit these special needs.

11A – Understanding Substance Abuse
This workshop will help staff to recognize the signs of substance abuse and to understand the dynamics of addiction.  How property management and services staff can appropriately support a resident in recovery will be discussed.  9:00- 10:30 AM.

11B – Understanding Mental Illness
This session will provide an overview of psychosis, mood disorders and personality disorders.  Strategies for responding in a supportive manner to residents with these conditions will be discussed. 10:45 AM-12:15 PM.

Track 12:  The USDA/DHCR Partnership 
12 A  The 515 Leveraged Loan Program
USDA and DHCR have a unique partnership program that maximizes the number of rural affordable rental units that are generated by the Section 515 program.  Learn how 515 funding can be invested in your community through this innovative program.  9:00- 10:30 AM.

This workshop will be the only official CDFI Fund sponsored workshop for this round of the NMTC Program.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced today the opening of the third round of competition for the allocation of up to $2 billion in tax credits under the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program."

"The CDFI Fund is offering a free interactive video teleconference on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. EDT.  The teleconference will be broadcast from Washington, D.C. and downlinked via satellite to over 80 locations nation-wide.  To learn more about this training or to register, please visit the cdfi Fund's website."

Link to Press Release and the Application Workshop: http://www.cdfifund.gov/

Please be advised that the location for the New York Main Street Workshop scheduled for Tuesday, August 12, 2004 from 1pm to 3pm has been changed to:

 Swayduck Auditorium at 65 5th Avenue
 New York, NY 10011
 (East Side of 5th Ave. between 13th &14th St)

Stored value cards are one of the most dynamic and fastest growing products in the financial services industry. Anyone who makes purchases with a merchant gift card, places phone calls with a prepaid telephone card, or buys goods or services with a prepaid debit card is using a stored value card. Certain types of these cards are heavily marketed to unbanked and underbanked consumers as a means of storing cash and making financial transactions. 

The Office of Regional and Community Affairs of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York has just posted a short article on stored value cards at http://www.newyorkfed.org/regional/stored_value_cards.html.  This article is intended to be a resource for financial education providers and gives basic information on stored value cards, including what consumers should be aware of before purchasing them. 

Questions or comments may be addressed to Sabrina Su at 212-720-5912 and sabrina.su@ny.frb.org, or Sherrie Rhine at 212-720-1621 and sherrie.rhine@ny.frb.org.

Sabrina Su
Office of Regional and Community Affairs
Federal Reserve Bank of New York
33 Liberty Street
New York, NY 10045
phone: 212-720-5912 or 646-720-5912
fax: 212-720-7841
email: sabrina.su@ny.frb.org
http://www.newyorkfed.org

General Information 
Document Type:  Grants Notice
Funding Opportunity
Number: SGBF-04
Posted Date:  Jun 24, 2004
Original Due Date for Aug 24, 2004

Applications:  U.S. EPA must receive proposals by 5:00 PM East Coast time August 24, 2004.
    No late proposals will be accepted. No fax or e-mail submissions will be accepted.

Current Due Date for Applications: Aug 24, 2004

 U.S. EPA must receive proposals by 5:00 PM East Coast time August 24, 2004.  No late proposals will be accepted. No fax or e-mail submissions will be accepted.  Postmarks or meter stamps will not be sufficient documentation of on-time delivery.

Archive Date:      Sep 23, 2004

Funding Instrument Type:  Grant

Category of Funding Activity: Environment

Expected Number of Awards:  8

Estimated Total Program Funding:  $400,000.00

Award Ceiling: $150,000.00

Award Floor:   none

CFDA Number:   66.611 -- Environmental Policy and Innovation Grants

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:   No
 
 

Eligible Applicants 
          State governments
          County governments
          City or township governments
          Special district governments
          Public and State controlled institutions of higher education
          Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized)
          Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education
          Private institutions of higher education
          Individuals

Agency Name
Environmental Protection Agency, Attn: Adhir Kackar, AICP, Office of Policy, Economicand Innovation (1807-T), 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20460 

Description 
          The Development, Community and Environment Division (DCED) in U.S. EPA's Office of
          Policy Economics and Innovation is issuing this request for initial proposals (RFIP) to support
          the efforts of communities to integrate smart growth principles and practices into their
          brownfield redevelopment programs, related planning and/or revitalization activities. This
          solicitation helps communities encourage redevelopment of brownfield properties and improve
          environmental quality by offering support to reduce regulatory and market barriers and link
          redevelopment with open space preservation. Proposals are encouraged in three categories: 1)
          Improving the regulatory climate for infill development through smart growth policy
          approaches and practices; 2) Improving the market climate for brownfield development
          through infill development; and 3) 
          Linking infill development to open space preservation. 

Link to Full Announcement 

          Smart Growth and Brownfield Redevelopment, Request for Initial Proposals (RFIP) 

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact:  Kackar, Adhir, Project Officer, Phone (202) 566-2846, Email kackar.adhir@epa.gov Kackar,  Adhir 
 
 

 DON'T MISS THIS TWO-DAY SUCCESSFUL HUD TRAINING SESSION!

Learn WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO prepare a successful grant application from HUD Staff!! 

   You will receive personal instruction from key HUD staff on how to become more competitive 
for federal grant funds,  securing a 501c3, and the organizational structure necessary to secure government funds.  The information will prepare  you to apply for public funds and also corporate and foundation sources! Workbooks and Certificates of Completion will  be provided. 

• grant proposal writing Techniques 
• How to access government funds 
• HUD programs available to Nonprofits 
• HUD COMMON FACTORS FOR AWARD 
•  PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENTS 
• working  with local governments 
• ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
•  coalition AND CAPACITY building 
•  TEN COMMANDMENTS OF GRANTWRITING 
• LEGAL DO's AND DON'Ts 

August 10 & 11, 2004 
  St. Augustine Center 
  1600 Filmore Avenue 
   Buffalo, NY 
   9:30am – 4pm 
   Lunch on your own 

August 25 & 26, 2004 
  Central Village Rec. Ctr. 
   VanBuren Street 
    Syracuse, NY 
     9:30am – 4pm 
     Lunch on your own
 
 

SPACE IS LIMITED-REGISTER TODAY ON LINE AT:  www.hud.gov/offices/fbci 
                                             OR
Call the Buffalo Field Office at (716) 551-5755 x5001

The Albany Office of the Department of Housing & Urban Development invites you to attend:

What: Loss Mitigation Workshop - focusing on FHA foreclosure prevention tools 

When:  June 29, 2004

Where:  Albany HUD Office, 52 Corporate Circle, Albany, NY 

Time:  10:00AM to 3:00PM 

What is Loss Mitigation: Loss mitigation is the effective use of foreclosure avoidance tools to keep families in their homes and reduce the losses associated with FHA mortgage insurance claims. 

Target audience:  Housing counseling agencies and other organizations that assist homeowners who are experiencing difficulties paying their FHA mortgages 

To reserve a place in this workshop, contact
Patti Warn at (518) 464-4200 X 4208 or by email at Patricia_E._Warn@hud.gov. 

Participants will be selected on a first come, first serve basis.  Register now.

Click here for information and a registration form.

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development has issued the 2004 NOFA for the Rural Housing and Economic Development program.  For more information, and to access the application materials, visit:

The following is a preliminary schedule of dates and locations:

Friday, May 21st, 9:00 a.m.
Old First Ward Community Association, Inc.
62 Republic Street
Buffalo, NY 14204
Phone: (716) 856-8613
BRO phone: (716) 842-2244 ext. 221

Albany Region: to be announced 
Syracuse Region: to be announced

New York Region: to be announced 

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Money Smart “Train-the-Trainer” Workshops

The Albany Office of the Department of Housing & Urban Development will host 2 Money Smart Train the Trainer workshops sponsored by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). 

When:  May 12 & May 13 (one class each day)

Where:  Albany HUD Office, 52 Corporate Circle, Albany, NY 

Time:  8:45AM to 4:00PM 

What is Money Smart:  The Money Smart program was created by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to help adults outside the financial mainstream enhance their money skills and create positive banking relationships. 

Target audience:  Anyone who teaches personal financial literacy or counsels individuals and families on personal financial matters 

Class size:  Limited to 25 each day

To reserve a place in either of these workshops, contact
Patti Warn at (518) 464-4200 X 4208 or by email at Patricia_E._Warn@hud.gov. 

Participants will be selected on a first come, first serve basis.  Register now.

The Rural Housing Coalition is pleased to welcome John Grover to the staff in Albany. John will be overseeing the administration of the Coalition’s Supportive Housing and Continuum of Care development efforts. He retired from the Homeless Housing and Assistance Program of NYS OTDA last year, and brings a wealth of knowledge on homelessness issues to the Coalition. John can be reached at (518) 458-8696, ext 12, or by email at john@ruralhousing.org. 

The Preservation League has announced the availability of the Preserve NY grant program for this year.  The program supports historic structure reports, historic landscape reports and cultural resource surveys.  The deadline for application is May 3rd.  The Preservation League is looking for applications that foster Main Street revitalization, support smart growth planning, are initiatives along rural roads, or preserve historic municipal
buildings and historic bridges.  For more information, contact Lorraine Weiss at (518) 462-5658 Ext. 12 (lweiss@preservenys.org) to discuss projects and obtain the application form.

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The New York State Community Action Association Conference

Click here to see the brochure.

Applications are due to GOSC by April 5, 2004. If mailed, applications must be postmarked no later than April 5, 2004. If hand-delivered, it must be delivered on April 5, 2004, no later than 4:00 p.m. 

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Proposals Due Feb 2nd for Capital Region Funding Opportunity

The Republican Members of the Assembly Housing Committee will host a forum
entitled Building for Our Future, Funding for Affordable Housing that will focus on the tools and techniques available to make housing more ffordable to Central-Leatherstocking Region families. We are happy to extend a personal invitation to you to attend the forum which will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14 in Oneonta at the SUNY-Oneonta
Morris Conference Center's Craven Lounge.

Panelists will include representatives from - the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Fannie Mae Partnership Office, NYS Housing Finance Agency (HFA)/State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA), the Governor's Office for Small Cities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture - all offering information on current and new governmental programs and discussing the mechanics of accessing housing dollars available to both for-profit and non-profit housing providers.

Central-Leatherstocking Region realtors, builders, bankers and local officials are expected to attend. A reception will follow the forum at Le Cafe, Morris Conference Center, SUNY-Oneonta.

 If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Kathleen Lisson in the Assembly Republican Office of Public Affairs at (518) 455-5073.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.  We look forward to seeing you.

 Sincerely,
Charles H. Nesbitt

Assembly Republican Leader
Catharine Young
 Ranking Member
Assembly Housing Committee

Click here for a copy of the Hinojosa-Davis letter.

Website: www.nrhcweb.org

Robert A. Rapoza
Rapoza Associates
1250 EYE Street, NW
Suite 902
Washington, DC 20005
202-393-5225
202-393-3034
www.rapoza.org

WASHINGTON - President Bush today announced he will nominate Alphonso Jackson to become the 13th Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. As HUD's Deputy Secretary for nearly three years, Jackson will continue the Administration's housing and community development agenda begun under former Secretary Mel Martinez who resigned earlier this week. 

"He is an experienced executive in the public and private sectors - a man who knows the issues facing HUD and knows how to get things done," said President Bush. "Alphonso is a friend and one of the most experienced and respected authorities on housing policy in America who will be a superb Secretary of Housing and Urban Development."

"There is no higher honor than to be asked to serve one's country and I am truly humbled to answer the call of this President," said Jackson. "I am also excited to carry on this Administration's mission of increasing homeownership, expanding affordable
housing and working to help local communities build a better tomorrow." 

As Deputy Secretary, Jackson served as HUD's Chief Operating Officer, managing the day-to-day operations of a department with 9,300 employees and an annual budget of $32 billion. Jackson has extensive housing, finance and management experience having directed public housing authorities in St. Louis, Washington, DC and Dallas. Jackson also served as chairman of two redevelopment agencies in Washington, DC and St. Louis. Under his leadership, the Dallas Housing Authority was awarded the highest ranking of any big city public housing agency - consistently scoring 94 on a 100-point management scale used by HUD to measure the performance of local housing authorities.

Yesterday, Jackson joined HUD's employees to bid farewell to former Secretary Martinez and pledged to continue the Administration's housing agenda begun nearly three years ago. Specifically on the issue of reforming the process millions of Americans endure when buying or refinancing their homes, Jackson said, "This department will continue to make the process of buying and refinancing a home simpler, clearer and less expensive for consumers across this country. You have my word on this."

Jackson grew up in Dallas as the youngest of 12 children. In his professional life, Jackson received numerous Presidential and other Appointments: The National Commission on America's Urban Families (92-93); Regional Selection Panel for the White House Fellowship Programs (90-92); and, The National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing (90-92). In addition, Deputy Secretary Jackson was a member of the National Welfare Simplification and Coordination Advisory Committee (92-93) and served as Chairman of the General Services Commission of the State of Texas (95-98). A more detailed Jackson biography is available on the Internet.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and persons living with HIV/AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet.

 Deborah Boatright has enjoyed a notable career in government over the past eighteen years that is filled with accomplishments. Beginning in 1985 as a special advisor to the Mayor, where she worked on community development and housing issues for two years, and continuing at the New York City Department of Housing, Preservation  and Development, where she served for fourteen years, Ms. Boatright's work has always focused on the importance of housing and community issues.

 Whether helping to create HPD's anti-abandonment initiative, providing technical assistance to community groups, or assisting developers to create affordable housing, Deborah has made and continues to make a solid contribution toward the betterment of inner-city communities throughout the New York metro area. We are certain that  she will continue to provide strong leadership to her staff and enhance the Division's CD operation.

 Deborah holds a B.S. from the City University of New York and M.S. in Policy Analysis and Urban Planning from the New School University. Please join us in welcoming Deborah to her new position.

The telephone number of that office was omitted from the NOFA as well. The staff can be reached at (518) 473-5868.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Join us in celebrating the completion of the Meadow Ridge Family Development on Matteawan Road, Beacon, NY.  The ribbon cutting ceremony is on Friday December 5, 2003, 12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m.

12:15 ribbon cutting ceremony

The  Meadow Ridge Family Development is a 54  apartment rental complex developed for working families. 

Get directions from M.T. O'Leary at  845-297-2004
 
 

SONYMA will be offering a series of seminars on their mortgage products in late October.  For exact locations and dates of these trainings, see the notice here.

This competition is unique in that 75 out of the 100 points available are "pre-scored" based on information reported by the PJs in IDIS. (Appendix 1 to the NOFA has the number of points attained by each PJ out of the 75 pre-scored points.) The number of points a PJ receives out of the remaining 25 points will be determined based upon the responsiveness of their application to Selection Criterion 3 in the NOFA. Please note that since the NOFA requires that a PJ must receive at least 75 points out of the 100 total points to be eligible for funding under this competition, PJs that are shown to have received less than 50 points on Appendix 1 have no practical chance of being funded even if they were to receive the full 25 points available for their application submission. 

Should you have any questions about the NOFA or the competition, please contact Cliff Taffet in the Office of Affordable Housing Programs at (202) 708-3226 ext. 4589 or by email. Thank you for your attention to this request.

The three (3) Appendix 2 forms (HUD-424, HUD-2880, HUD-2993) are on the web at
http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa/stdforms.cfm or may be found on HUDClips. 

Hopefully this schedule change will not be an inconvenience to you.

Building for Our Future, Funding for Affordable Housing Forum
Wednesday, September 24
 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. - NEW TIME!
Jefferson Community College
Coffeen Street, Watertown
Jules Center Building 6, Room 6-218

 For further information, please call Kelly Cummings at (518)  455-5073

The State of New York must prepare an annual Action Plan for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in order to participate in certain federal community development and housing programs. The State will  provide opportunities for citizens to comment on the Draft Action Plan and will conduct a series of public hearings to obtain the views of citizens, public agencies, local governments and other interested parties prior to finalizing the Action Plan.

The Draft Action Plan describes,  for one  Program Year, the State’s proposed use of available federal and other resources  to address the priority needs and specific objectives  identified in  the Consolidated Plan; the State’s method for distributing funds to local governments and non-profit organizations;  and  the geographic areas of the State to which it will direct assistance. 

The Action Plan will describe New York State’s planned use of approximately $102 million in federal fiscal year 2004 funds for: the Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Program (approximately $57 million); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (approximately $40 million);  the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)  Program ($2.3 million); and the Emergency Shelter Grants Program (approximately $3.0 million).

The hearings will be held during a  public comment period, beginning September 29, 2003, and ending October 29,  2003.  The dates, times, locations and directions to the hearings can be found at the end of this notice.

On or about September 29, 2003, copies of the Draft Action Plan will be available at county government offices.  The Draft Action Plan will also be available in PDF format at www.dhcr.state.ny.us. In addition, CD or hard copies of the plan can by requested by e-mail (DHCRConPln@dhcr.state.ny.us), by calling 1-866-ASK-DHCR (275-3427) or by submitting the tear-off below to: NYS DHCR, Attention: Diane McNally, 38-40 State Street, Albany, New York 12207.

THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE:
DATE:  Wednesday, October 1, 2003 
TIME:  12:30 P.M. - 1:30 P.M.. 
LOCATION H. Lee Dennison Building
   Media Room - 1st Floor
   100 Veterans’ Highway (Route 454)
   Hauppauge, NY 11787

DATE:  Thursday, October 9, 2003
TIME:  6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Walter J. Mahoney State Office Building 
65 Court Street - Hearing Room Part 1
Corner of Franklin and Court Streets
Buffalo, New York 14203

DATE:  Wednesday, October 15, 2003
TIME  5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Central New York Developmental Services Office
   Auditorium - 3rd Floor
   800 Wilbur Avenue
   Syracuse, New York 13201

DATE:  Tuesday, October 21,  2003 
TIME:  1:30 P.M.. - 2:30 P.M.
LOCATION: NYS DHCR
   Hampton Plaza Ballroom
   38-40 State Street
   Corner of State Street and Broadway
   Albany, New York 12207

DATE:  Thursday, October 23, 2003 
TIME  11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
LOCATION: HFA/SONYMA
   Conference Room B - 4th Floor 
   641 Lexington Avenue
   New York, New York , 10016
   (Entrance on East 54th Street
   Between Lexington Avenue & Third Avenue)

If needed, more time will be made available at each public hearing.

Accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made at the public hearings.  Signers will be made available upon request.  Interpreters will also be available upon request to meet the needs of non-English speaking residents.   Individuals who wish to present testimony or seek additional information regarding the hearings are urged to call 1-866-ASK-DHCR (275-3427). All speakers are urged to provide a written copy of their testimony.  Individuals who are unable to attend may submit written comments to NYS DHCR, Attention: Ronald Agnese, 25 Beaver Street, New York, New York 10004 or via e-mail to DHCRConPln@dhcr.state.ny.us. Comments sent by mail must be postmarked by October 29, 2003. E-mail comments must also be sent by this date.

---

September 24 – Watertown, Jefferson County 

          Jefferson Community College
  Jules Center Building 6, Room 6-218
            Watertown, New York 
Forum runs 3 to 5 p.m. followed by reception at location TBA

October 30 – Fredonia, Chautauqua County

November 20 – Chili, Monroe County

December 17 – Oneonta, Otsego County

For further information – please call:
Assembly Republican Office of Public Affairs (518) 455-5073

---

Audio Conference on Rural Homelessness - Thursday

The call will feature Judy Wilcox from the State of Wisconsin's Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations, Mary Clay Santineau of Starting Point, Inc. in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and Gerry Roll of Hazard Perry County Community Ministries in Hazard, Kentucky.  The call will be an hour in length and will include a discussion period in which questions will be accepted from conference participants.

For complete information on how to participate in this call, see http://www.endhomelessness.org/audio.   Please feel free to pass this message on to other members of your community or state for whom this audio conference would be helpful.

“These technical assistance grants will provide communities across New York with the critical support they need to promote economic growth, to improve local neighborhoods and to enhance the quality of services for local residents,” Governor Pataki said. “This funding is another example of how our Office of Small Cities is helping smaller communities secure the resources they need to plan for projects that are vital to their future growth and development.” 

TA grants allow communities to apply for up to $25,000 to use in developing a strategic plan to identify steps to achieve specific community development goals and objectives. 

The application deadline for the TA grants is September 17, 2003, with the notification of award expected in the Fall. Applications are available by writing or calling the Governor's Office for Small Cities at Agency Building 4, 6th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223, (518) 474-2057. Applications may also be downloaded on the GOSC website at
www.nysmallcities.com.

The GOSC provides community development grants to towns, villages and cities with a population under 50,000 and to counties with an unincorporated population under 200,000 for housing, economic development, public facilities and comprehensive projects that improve the overall quality of life for residents. In accordance with national policy, Small Cities’
funds must be used to benefit low- and moderate-income persons, to fund activities that aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight or in activities designed to meet urgent community development needs. 

For more information on the Small Cities Program, please visit the Governor's Office for Small Cities’ website at www.nysmallcities.com or call (518) 474-2057. 

As stated in the July 2 Federal Register, the purpose of the funds is to increase opportunities for low-income individuals in the areas of homeland security, seniors in poverty, financial asset development, welfare to work, and children and youth.

The Corporation will award 5-15 grants, each one supporting 15-50 full-time VISTA volunteers for 1 year. VISTA volunteers are assigned to nonprofit organizations whose goals coincide with the AmeriCorps legislative mission. According to the AmeriCorps Web site, volunteers work to expand an organization's capacity to solve community problems and create the infrastructure needed to combat poverty.

Applicants should work within low-income areas to implement antipoverty measures. Proposed projects should focus on:

• Promotion of partnerships between public and private sectors.

• Organization of local volunteers.

• Mobilization of project resources.

Was your home weatherized under the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) 
after September 30, 1993 and currently ineligible for additional WAP services? 
There may still be ways to reduce your electric bills. 

Through the Weatherization Network Initiative, homeowners may receive free, cost-effective electric reduction measures, including:

• Energy-efficient hardwired lighting fixtures 
• Compact fluorescent lighting 
• Refrigerators
• Domestic hot water conversion from electric to gas
• Other cost-effective electric reduction measures
• Health and safety measures

For more information, visit the NYSERDA website at: http://www.getenergysmart.com/

The Republican Members of the Assembly Housing Committee will host a forum
entitled Building for Our Future, Funding for Affordable Housing that will focus on the tools and techniques available to make housing more ffordable to Central-Leatherstocking Region families. We are happy to extend a personal invitation to you to attend the forum which will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14 in Oneonta at the SUNY-Oneonta
Morris Conference Center's Craven Lounge.

Panelists will include representatives from - the NYS Division of Housing and Community Renewal, Fannie Mae Partnership Office, NYS Housing Finance Agency (HFA)/State of New York Mortgage Agency (SONYMA), the Governor's Office for Small Cities and the U.S. Department of Agriculture - all offering information on current and new governmental programs and discussing the mechanics of accessing housing dollars available to both for-profit and non-profit housing providers.

Central-Leatherstocking Region realtors, builders, bankers and local officials are expected to attend. A reception will follow the forum at Le Cafe, Morris Conference Center, SUNY-Oneonta.

 If you plan to attend, please RSVP to Kathleen Lisson in the Assembly Republican Office of Public Affairs at (518) 455-5073.

Thank you in advance for your consideration.  We look forward to seeing you.

 Sincerely,
Charles H. Nesbitt

Assembly Republican Leader
Catharine Young
 Ranking Member
Assembly Housing Committee

Click here for a copy of the Hinojosa-Davis letter.

Website: www.nrhcweb.org

Robert A. Rapoza
Rapoza Associates
1250 EYE Street, NW
Suite 902
Washington, DC 20005
202-393-5225
202-393-3034
www.rapoza.org

WASHINGTON - President Bush today announced he will nominate Alphonso Jackson to become the 13th Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. As HUD's Deputy Secretary for nearly three years, Jackson will continue the Administration's housing and community development agenda begun under former Secretary Mel Martinez who resigned earlier this week. 

"He is an experienced executive in the public and private sectors - a man who knows the issues facing HUD and knows how to get things done," said President Bush. "Alphonso is a friend and one of the most experienced and respected authorities on housing policy in America who will be a superb Secretary of Housing and Urban Development."

"There is no higher honor than to be asked to serve one's country and I am truly humbled to answer the call of this President," said Jackson. "I am also excited to carry on this Administration's mission of increasing homeownership, expanding affordable
housing and working to help local communities build a better tomorrow." 

As Deputy Secretary, Jackson served as HUD's Chief Operating Officer, managing the day-to-day operations of a department with 9,300 employees and an annual budget of $32 billion. Jackson has extensive housing, finance and management experience having directed public housing authorities in St. Louis, Washington, DC and Dallas. Jackson also served as chairman of two redevelopment agencies in Washington, DC and St. Louis. Under his leadership, the Dallas Housing Authority was awarded the highest ranking of any big city public housing agency - consistently scoring 94 on a 100-point management scale used by HUD to measure the performance of local housing authorities.

Yesterday, Jackson joined HUD's employees to bid farewell to former Secretary Martinez and pledged to continue the Administration's housing agenda begun nearly three years ago. Specifically on the issue of reforming the process millions of Americans endure when buying or refinancing their homes, Jackson said, "This department will continue to make the process of buying and refinancing a home simpler, clearer and less expensive for consumers across this country. You have my word on this."

Jackson grew up in Dallas as the youngest of 12 children. In his professional life, Jackson received numerous Presidential and other Appointments: The National Commission on America's Urban Families (92-93); Regional Selection Panel for the White House Fellowship Programs (90-92); and, The National Commission on Severely Distressed Public Housing (90-92). In addition, Deputy Secretary Jackson was a member of the National Welfare Simplification and Coordination Advisory Committee (92-93) and served as Chairman of the General Services Commission of the State of Texas (95-98). A more detailed Jackson biography is available on the Internet.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and, supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and persons living with HIV/AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet.

 Deborah Boatright has enjoyed a notable career in government over the past eighteen years that is filled with accomplishments. Beginning in 1985 as a special advisor to the Mayor, where she worked on community development and housing issues for two years, and continuing at the New York City Department of Housing, Preservation  and Development, where she served for fourteen years, Ms. Boatright's work has always focused on the importance of housing and community issues.

 Whether helping to create HPD's anti-abandonment initiative, providing technical assistance to community groups, or assisting developers to create affordable housing, Deborah has made and continues to make a solid contribution toward the betterment of inner-city communities throughout the New York metro area. We are certain that  she will continue to provide strong leadership to her staff and enhance the Division's CD operation.

 Deborah holds a B.S. from the City University of New York and M.S. in Policy Analysis and Urban Planning from the New School University. Please join us in welcoming Deborah to her new position.

The telephone number of that office was omitted from the NOFA as well. The staff can be reached at (518) 473-5868.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Join us in celebrating the completion of the Meadow Ridge Family Development on Matteawan Road, Beacon, NY.  The ribbon cutting ceremony is on Friday December 5, 2003, 12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m.

12:15 ribbon cutting ceremony

The  Meadow Ridge Family Development is a 54  apartment rental complex developed for working families. 

Get directions from M.T. O'Leary at  845-297-2004
 
 

SONYMA will be offering a series of seminars on their mortgage products in late October.  For exact locations and dates of these trainings, see the notice here.

This competition is unique in that 75 out of the 100 points available are "pre-scored" based on information reported by the PJs in IDIS. (Appendix 1 to the NOFA has the number of points attained by each PJ out of the 75 pre-scored points.) The number of points a PJ receives out of the remaining 25 points will be determined based upon the responsiveness of their application to Selection Criterion 3 in the NOFA. Please note that since the NOFA requires that a PJ must receive at least 75 points out of the 100 total points to be eligible for funding under this competition, PJs that are shown to have received less than 50 points on Appendix 1 have no practical chance of being funded even if they were to receive the full 25 points available for their application submission. 

Should you have any questions about the NOFA or the competition, please contact Cliff Taffet in the Office of Affordable Housing Programs at (202) 708-3226 ext. 4589 or by email. Thank you for your attention to this request.

The three (3) Appendix 2 forms (HUD-424, HUD-2880, HUD-2993) are on the web at
http://www.hud.gov/offices/adm/grants/nofa/stdforms.cfm or may be found on HUDClips. 

Hopefully this schedule change will not be an inconvenience to you.

Building for Our Future, Funding for Affordable Housing Forum
Wednesday, September 24
 2:30 - 5:00 p.m. - NEW TIME!
Jefferson Community College
Coffeen Street, Watertown
Jules Center Building 6, Room 6-218

 For further information, please call Kelly Cummings at (518)  455-5073

The State of New York must prepare an annual Action Plan for submission to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in order to participate in certain federal community development and housing programs. The State will  provide opportunities for citizens to comment on the Draft Action Plan and will conduct a series of public hearings to obtain the views of citizens, public agencies, local governments and other interested parties prior to finalizing the Action Plan.

The Draft Action Plan describes,  for one  Program Year, the State’s proposed use of available federal and other resources  to address the priority needs and specific objectives  identified in  the Consolidated Plan; the State’s method for distributing funds to local governments and non-profit organizations;  and  the geographic areas of the State to which it will direct assistance. 

The Action Plan will describe New York State’s planned use of approximately $102 million in federal fiscal year 2004 funds for: the Community Development Block Grant Small Cities Program (approximately $57 million); the HOME Investment Partnerships Program (approximately $40 million);  the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA)  Program ($2.3 million); and the Emergency Shelter Grants Program (approximately $3.0 million).

The hearings will be held during a  public comment period, beginning September 29, 2003, and ending October 29,  2003.  The dates, times, locations and directions to the hearings can be found at the end of this notice.

On or about September 29, 2003, copies of the Draft Action Plan will be available at county government offices.  The Draft Action Plan will also be available in PDF format at www.dhcr.state.ny.us. In addition, CD or hard copies of the plan can by requested by e-mail (DHCRConPln@dhcr.state.ny.us), by calling 1-866-ASK-DHCR (275-3427) or by submitting the tear-off below to: NYS DHCR, Attention: Diane McNally, 38-40 State Street, Albany, New York 12207.

THE PUBLIC HEARINGS ARE:
DATE:  Wednesday, October 1, 2003 
TIME:  12:30 P.M. - 1:30 P.M.. 
LOCATION H. Lee Dennison Building
   Media Room - 1st Floor
   100 Veterans’ Highway (Route 454)
   Hauppauge, NY 11787 

DATE:  Thursday, October 9, 2003
TIME:  6:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Walter J. Mahoney State Office Building 
65 Court Street - Hearing Room Part 1
Corner of Franklin and Court Streets
Buffalo, New York 14203

DATE:  Wednesday, October 15, 2003
TIME  5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
LOCATION: Central New York Developmental Services Office
   Auditorium - 3rd Floor
   800 Wilbur Avenue
   Syracuse, New York 13201

DATE:  Tuesday, October 21,  2003 
TIME:  1:30 P.M.. - 2:30 P.M.
LOCATION: NYS DHCR
   Hampton Plaza Ballroom
   38-40 State Street
   Corner of State Street and Broadway
   Albany, New York 12207

DATE:  Thursday, October 23, 2003 
TIME  11:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
LOCATION: HFA/SONYMA
   Conference Room B - 4th Floor 
   641 Lexington Avenue
   New York, New York , 10016
   (Entrance on East 54th Street
   Between Lexington Avenue & Third Avenue)

If needed, more time will be made available at each public hearing.

Accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made at the public hearings.  Signers will be made available upon request.  Interpreters will also be available upon request to meet the needs of non-English speaking residents.   Individuals who wish to present testimony or seek additional information regarding the hearings are urged to call 1-866-ASK-DHCR (275-3427). All speakers are urged to provide a written copy of their testimony.  Individuals who are unable to attend may submit written comments to NYS DHCR, Attention: Ronald Agnese, 25 Beaver Street, New York, New York 10004 or via e-mail to DHCRConPln@dhcr.state.ny.us. Comments sent by mail must be postmarked by October 29, 2003. E-mail comments must also be sent by this date.

---

September 24 – Watertown, Jefferson County 

          Jefferson Community College
  Jules Center Building 6, Room 6-218
            Watertown, New York 
Forum runs 3 to 5 p.m. followed by reception at location TBA

October 30 – Fredonia, Chautauqua County

November 20 – Chili, Monroe County

December 17 – Oneonta, Otsego County

For further information – please call:
Assembly Republican Office of Public Affairs (518) 455-5073

---

Audio Conference on Rural Homelessness - Thursday

The call will feature Judy Wilcox from the State of Wisconsin's Division of Housing and Intergovernmental Relations, Mary Clay Santineau of Starting Point, Inc. in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, and Gerry Roll of Hazard Perry County Community Ministries in Hazard, Kentucky.  The call will be an hour in length and will include a discussion period in which questions will be accepted from conference participants.

For complete information on how to participate in this call, see http://www.endhomelessness.org/audio.   Please feel free to pass this message on to other members of your community or state for whom this audio conference would be helpful.

“These technical assistance grants will provide communities across New York with the critical support they need to promote economic growth, to improve local neighborhoods and to enhance the quality of services for local residents,” Governor Pataki said. “This funding is another example of how our Office of Small Cities is helping smaller communities secure the resources they need to plan for projects that are vital to their future growth and development.” 

TA grants allow communities to apply for up to $25,000 to use in developing a strategic plan to identify steps to achieve specific community development goals and objectives. 

The application deadline for the TA grants is September 17, 2003, with the notification of award expected in the Fall. Applications are available by writing or calling the Governor's Office for Small Cities at Agency Building 4, 6th Floor, Empire State Plaza, Albany, New York 12223, (518) 474-2057. Applications may also be downloaded on the GOSC website at
www.nysmallcities.com.

The GOSC provides community development grants to towns, villages and cities with a population under 50,000 and to counties with an unincorporated population under 200,000 for housing, economic development, public facilities and comprehensive projects that improve the overall quality of life for residents. In accordance with national policy, Small Cities’
funds must be used to benefit low- and moderate-income persons, to fund activities that aid in the prevention or elimination of slums or blight or in activities designed to meet urgent community development needs. 

For more information on the Small Cities Program, please visit the Governor's Office for Small Cities’ website at www.nysmallcities.com or call (518) 474-2057. 

As stated in the July 2 Federal Register, the purpose of the funds is to increase opportunities for low-income individuals in the areas of homeland security, seniors in poverty, financial asset development, welfare to work, and children and youth.

The Corporation will award 5-15 grants, each one supporting 15-50 full-time VISTA volunteers for 1 year. VISTA volunteers are assigned to nonprofit organizations whose goals coincide with the AmeriCorps legislative mission. According to the AmeriCorps Web site, volunteers work to expand an organization's capacity to solve community problems and create the infrastructure needed to combat poverty.

Applicants should work within low-income areas to implement antipoverty measures. Proposed projects should focus on:

• Promotion of partnerships between public and private sectors.

• Organization of local volunteers.

• Mobilization of project resources.

Was your home weatherized under the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) 
after September 30, 1993 and currently ineligible for additional WAP services? 
There may still be ways to reduce your electric bills. 

Through the Weatherization Network Initiative, homeowners may receive free, cost-effective electric reduction measures, including:

• Energy-efficient hardwired lighting fixtures 
• Compact fluorescent lighting 
• Refrigerators
• Domestic hot water conversion from electric to gas
• Other cost-effective electric reduction measures
• Health and safety measures

For more information, visit the NYSERDA website
at: http://www.getenergysmart.com/

On Thursday, June 19, 2003, the Buffalo Branch, Federal Reserve Bank of
New York, in partnership with the Local Support Initiatives Corporation, the
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and Fannie Mae, will
sponsor a one-day conference titled: "Bringing Communities Together to Build
Stronger Neighborhoods." The conference will convene at the Buffalo
Convention Center at 7:30 a.m. and will provide attendees with exposure to
experts with the latest information and analyses supporting a holistic
understanding of the interrelated elements of housing and community
development.

Details on the conference are available at:  www.newyorkfed.org/buffalo/hsg.html

Not all mortgage loan settlements go as poorly as Vinny Worley's. But many do.   Check in hand, Worley went to a law office to close on a new home in Wilmington, Del. Only when the lawyer's assistant slid the settlement summary across the table did he learn he was $1,800 short.  It was the classic settlement table surprise -- the too-frequent chaotic climax of the biggest, most complicated type of business deal the typical American ever undertakes. Surging home sales and serial waves of refinancings have made such surprises routine.  Last year, Americans closed on 16.9 million mortgage loans and paid an estimated $80 billion in settlement costs. Record low interest rates this year have unleashed a wave of mortgage business that is expected to swamp last year's numbers. Across the USA, tales of botched settlements have become standard chatter at cocktail parties and backyard barbecues.

Responding to widespread dissatisfaction, the Bush administration last year proposed rule changes that would simplify mortgage deals and transform the way the industry operates.  The key change would encourage lenders to offer loan applicants upfront a single guaranteed price for closing the transaction. For lenders willing to do business on that basis, the government would eliminate the thicket of regulations that now make it impractical.  Supporters say improved efficiency from the pending changes would squeeze up to $1,000 from average closing costs. The changes also would let borrowers comparison shop for the first time on the basis of just two numbers: interest rate and the fixed closing cost.  But if the proposal is to become reality, the administration will have to bull its way through opposition from tens of thousands of small mortgage-related businesses that have a financial stake in the way business gets done.

In Worley's case, the lender and the settlement attorney had overlooked a local transaction tax. Worley eventually was permitted to close the deal with a personal check on a separate account intended as a reserve for the new home.  It wasn't just the extra expense but the sheer sloppiness of the transaction that offended Worley, 33, an electrical engineer and a self-described fanatic for orderliness. ''There ought to be a way to be precise about the numbers ahead of time,'' he says.  Settlement surprises can result from plain incompetence or honest misunderstandings. Or they can be fraud by any of the many players needed to close a deal.

John Courson, chairman of the Mortgage Bankers Association of America and a supporter of reform, told Congress this year that the complexity of the mortgage deal today is ''an invitation of bait-and-switch.''

Regulatory thicket
When Congress in 1974 enacted the law that governs real estate closings, a key objective was outlawing then-common kickbacks: lavish gifts and cash from lenders, title insurers, settlement agents, home inspectors and other industry players to real estate agents in return for delivering clients. The law also required extensive written disclosures so borrowers would know who was being paid what for services related to closing the mortgage.  Over time, the industry has successfully pushed government to ease the original anti-kickback provisions. Now, key players such as real estate agents and mortgage bankers can steer customers to related service providers if the link is spelled out in writing.
Critics say changes in the law over the years have produced a confusing jumble that does more to confuse borrowers than to protect them. Borrowers are not so much enlightened by the blizzard of mandatory disclosures as buried in them, critics say.  ''Disclosures have so much information that they're meaningless to most customers,'' says Ira Rheingold, director of the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

How the law now fails to protect:

• Lenders must provide loan applicants with a ''good faith'' estimate of closing costs early in the process. However, they are largely free to ignore their own numbers.
• Borrowers have a legal right to see their settlement sheet -- the document that itemizes all the costs -- a day before closing, but few know to demand it.
• Borrowers can cancel the loan for refinancing up to three days after settlement. It is rarely done because it means starting the painful borrowing process over and possibly increasing the interest rate. In a purchase, the borrower has no comparable cancellation right.

Dutch-owned ABN Amro has gone a big step beyond that. It rolls into one guaranteed fee not only the charges for its own services but those of third-party providers: appraisers, title insurers, surveyors, closing agents and the like. The only expenses to borrowers falling outside ABN Amro's guaranteed price are daily interest, mortgage taxes and pre-payments for property taxes and home insurance premiums.  Company executive Garth Graham says ABN Amro decided two years ago to guarantee one price to boost its Internet lending arm, Mortgage.com. Market research showed a recurring theme: Borrowers were frustrated and angry with ever-changing terms.  ''The thing they always came back to was 'Just give me a single fee,' '' Graham says.

The single-fee model
Mel Martinez, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (news - web sites), has been the most vocal advocate for making the single guaranteed fee the industry model.  Last summer, Martinez proposed changing federal rules to permit lenders to offer what HUD calls ''guaranteed mortgage packages.'' In return for offering such deals, lenders would be freed from burdensome disclosure requirements at settlement time.  Under the proposal, lenders who opt not to provide an upfront guarantee of closing costs would have to close the deal within 10% of the prices that they quote in the good-faith estimate issued to the borrower at application.  The proposed rule also aims to settle one of the most contentious issues in the current process: compensation for mortgage brokers.

Squeezing out savings
Few borrowers understand that a broker commonly is paid by the lender for delivering customers who are willing to pay a higher-than-market interest rate. The Martinez proposal calls for spelling out for borrowers the terms of broker compensation.  HUD officials estimate that proposed changes could squeeze about 20% from the cost of mortgage settlements -- $16 billion on the basis of 2002 business volumes. Much of the savings would come from regulatory changes that would permit lenders to seek volume discounts from service providers, such as appraisers and title companies. Under current interpretations, such discounts are thought to violate the anti-kickback provisions of the 1974 law.
HUD issued the preliminary rules for comment last summer. The agency's draft of final rules must pass review by the Office of Management and Budget. The final version could be issued this summer, officials say.  Several large mortgage lenders support Martinez's proposal for a guaranteed closing price. Anne Canfield of industry group Consumer Mortgage Coalition says the single-fee idea would quickly sweep the industry.  ''Everybody's champing at the bit. This is the biggest thing going in the industry,'' Canfield says.

Many fingers sharing the pie
Whether final rules bear much resemblance to the original proposal remains in doubt.  Brokers, title companies, settlement attorneys, appraisers and others who draw fees from the current way of doing business say all the proposed savings from Martinez's proposal will come from their fees.  During a recent HUD comment period, opponents unleashed 40,000 complaints. And they have enlisted members of Congress.  Stanley Friedlander, president of the American Land Title Association, sounded a typical complaint at a hearing in February: ''By squeezing the small (title insurance) agent, it would virtually put them out of business.''
Opponents also point to ABN Amro as proof that the rule change is unnecessary. But ABN Amro's Graham, who favors industry reform, rejects that.  His company is saddled with the same costly, inefficient disclosure requirements that inhibit broader industry adoption of the single-fee approach, he says.

A promise of strong rules
Martinez says the savings from the proposed rules will come from everyone in the industry, not just the small fry. By their nature, says Martinez, real estate transactions will always be local, assuring a place for small local businesses that provide closing services.  Martinez's initiative is the latest in a series of attempts at pro-consumer reforms in the mortgage business. Inevitably, they've stalled amid intractable differences among the various players.  Rheingold, the consumer advocate, predicts HUD's pro-consumer proposals as issued last summer will be watered down when finalized. He says Martinez stumbled into stronger opposition than he bargained for.  ''HUD didn't recognize all the people who get fees out of this process,'' he says.  Nevertheless, Martinez promises strong rules. ''Failed efforts of the past were rooted in people's attempts to reach consensus,'' he says. ''Consensus isn't possible in this case.''

Charles Hora, a commercial property manager in Delray Beach, Fla., is among those hoping for an industry transformation. Hora, 58, says he can't recall an instance in his half-dozen residential mortgage transactions when a deal didn't shift substantially between application and settlement.  Says Hora: ''If any other businessman acted this way, they'd call him a crook.''

Time Segment	Topic	Presenter
1:00 - 1:05pm	Welcome and Introductions	Carmelia Harrigan
1:05 – 1:20pm	Role of Housing Counseling In  Departmental Initiatives	Mary Ann Wilson
1:20 - 2:20pm	How to become an Approved Housing Counseling Agency	Carmelia Harrigan/John Niebieszczanski
2:20 - 2:30pm	Break
2:30 – 3:00PM	How to Become an Approved  Housing Counseling Agency    (continued)	Carmelia Harrigan/John Niebieszczanski
3:00 - 3:15pm	Homebuyer Testimonials	Video Tape
3:15 - 3:45pm	How to Develop Partnerships with Housing Counseling Agencies	David McCarraher
3-45 - 4-.00pm	0 & A and Wrap Up	Carrnelia Harrigan

  If you plan on attending this broadcast please contact your local HUD office

Click here for a brochure with all the derails about this conference.

The New York State Rural Housing Coalition, Inc. hereby invites technical assistance and training consultants to submit statements of qualification to provide technical assistance and/or training services to community development and housing entities within the State of New York.  The Rural Housing Coalition seeks experienced technical assistance and
training providers to join a team of subcontractor consultants to assist in improving the performance of local housing and community development practitioners, particularly in rural areas of the State.

The Rural Housing Coalition seeks technical assistance providers with a wide array of expertise, including but not limited to:  non-profit management; board development, legal services; construction management and design services; development finance; environmental hazard mitigation; real property management; accounting/bookkeeping and financial management; and grant writing and proposal packaging.  Technical assistance and training providers selected for inclusion in the Rural Housing Coalition’s team of subcontractors will enter into a master contract with the Coalition, with individual work assignments issued on a task order basis.  Task order assignments will be made on the basis of the closest match of required expertise of the subcontractor consultant and the specific needs of the client, such as:  years of experience, timeframe product or service must be completed, availability of consultant to complete the provision of services within the specified time frame, technical resources, and familiarity with the subject.

Respondents to this Request for Qualifications are asked to provide the following information:

1) Letter of interest in participating in the Rural Housing Coalition’s technical assistance and training program, including hourly and daily reimbursement rate that will be charged (including separate charges for individual staff, where applicable);

 2) Corporate resume detailing work experience relative to technical assistance and/or training, particularly in the community development setting, including representative examples of clientele served (with particular emphasis on community development-type clients);

3) Individual resumes of staff that will be working on assignments issued by the Coalition, including years of experience in the field;

 4)  A statement detailing the geographic area within New York State to be served (statewide, or if regional, detail which areas of the State);

 5) A statement detailing that hourly and daily rates to be charged are consistent with rates charged to otherclients, particularly on projects funded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.

 6) A minimum of 3 references.

 Please submit the above requested information to the attention of Mr. Blair Sebastian, Executive Director at the above address.  This Request for Qualifications is open-ended, there is no deadline for submission.  The RuralHousing Coalition reserves the right to reject any or all proposals submitted by responders.  Acceptance of aproposer is not a guarantee of work assignments being issued.  Minority and Women owned firms areencouraged to apply.

The RUPRI Rural Poverty Research Center is accepting applications for the 2003-2004 Undergraduate Leadership Program in Rural Poverty Research and Policy. Students chosen for the program will complete an individual research project focused on rural poverty during the 2003-2004 school year, provide leadership as part of an undergraduate advisory board, and participate in a national conference to craft a national rural poverty research agenda. The deadline for applications is May 30, 2003. More information is available at: http://arec.oregonstate.edu/rprc/ugflyer.pdf

The HUD Buffalo Community Planning and Development Division is pleased to announce the May 6, 2003 course, “Building HOME: A Program Primer.� The course, offered in Buffalo New York, will provide an overview of the HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Program, including changes made to the regulations in 1996 with the publication of the HOME Final Rule. Participants will become familiar with all program activities, including homeowner and homebuyer, rental housing, tenant-based rental assistance, and CHDO activities. This course is a comprehensive introduction to the HOME Program, as well as an important refresher on the basic elements of the Program. The course will be offered at:

    May 6-8, 2003

Hyatt Regency Buffalo
Two Fountain Plaza
Buffalo, NY 14202
800-233-1234

Registration for the course is FREE of charge, however, space is limited. No more than two participants per jurisdiction will be allowed to register. Additional staff members will be placed on a waiting list and admitted as space permits. You may register for the course online at www.icfhosting.com/hcd/cpd/hcdcpd.nsf. For more information call (703) 934-3392. 

The series of Community Planning and Development courses continues, with course listings through the end of the year.  The CPD online registration web site is an excellent source of information on course deliveries, course descriptions, and course agendas, as well as a convenient way to register for a course online.
http://www.icfhosting.com/hcd/cpd/hcdcpd.nsf/webpages/welcome.html