| TPCH Newsletter – June 2022 |
| President Biden Announces New Actions and Urges Congress to Make Housing More Affordable The Action Plan outlines a series of steps federal agencies either are taking or will take in the next year, including: -Reward jurisdictions that have reformed zoning and land-use policies. -Deploy new financing mechanisms to build and preserve more housing where financing gaps currently exist. -Expand and improve existing forms of federal financing. -Ensure that more government-owned supply of homes and other housing goes to owners who will live in them. -Work with the private sector to finish construction in 2022 on the most new homes in any year since 2006. The Action Plan also reiterates calls for Congress to pass Biden administration proposals, some of which have received bipartisan support, to: -Expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit -Create a Neighborhood Homes Tax Credit -Incentivize zoning reform -Increase Housing Trust Fund and HOME resources -Create a Housing Supply Fund -Expand resources for production and preservation of housing in rural and Tribal communities These combined actions, along with current momentum in the market and reforms at the state and local levels, will help close the housing supply gap in 5 years. READ MORE HERE. Perspectives on Rental Housing The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University has released its 2022 Report on Rental Housing. Rental housing is home to more than a third of US households, including a growing number of older and wealthier households. This report analyzes key trends and issues related to the changing nature of demand; the cost, character, and location of the stock; and the government policies that affect the supply of market-rate and subsidized units. Considering the challenge of a severe shortage of affordable housing stock, the National Alliance to End Homelessness suggests employing the strategy of master leasing. What is Master Leasing? A master lease is a type of lease that gives the lessee the right to control and sublease the property during the lease, while the owner retains the legal title. In this case, a housing authority or service provider would be the lessee, allowing them to sublease the property to its clients. There are various forms of master leasing, but most prefer a “triple net” agreement—which means that the lessee assumes all responsibility for maintenance, repairs, taxes, and insurance. Read more about master leasing in this blog post from the National Alliance to End Homelessness. Heat Relief Centers Open Download the 2022 Summer Sun Cooling Station flyer (English and Spanish) here. For a map of these cooling centers. hydration stations, pools and splash pads, see this link.   U of A Southwest Institute for Research on Women releases census updates to Housing Insecurity and Potential Homelessness Report The University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women has released its 33rd update to its report on Housing Insecurity Indicators and Potential Homelessness Estimates for Arizona and Pima County. This report measures current housing insecurity with newer census data.  Download the report here. Emerging into the New Normal – Planning Considerations for Emergency Shelter Providers in Congregate and Semi-Shared Settings Join TPCH, the Pima County Health Department, and the City of Tucson Housing and Community Development Department for this 90-minute webinar and community discussion regarding safety considerations in an ongoing pandemic environment. Many shelter providers are asking – when and how should we safely increase our shelter capacity again? This 90-minute webinar will help you answer this important question and more. June 23, 2022 – 2-3:30pm Click here to register.  Affordable Center of Hope Apartments Open on Tucson’s Southside The Center of Hope Apartments, comprised of affordable housing apartments meant to house those who have experienced homelessness, are officially open. La Frontera Arizona led the strategic collaboration to make this project possible. “You can’t have enough affordable housing. I think going through the COVID epidemic increased the problem proportionately,” said Dr. Dan Ranieri, President and CEO of La Frontera Arizona. Read more on this critical affordable housing development below. READ MORE HERE. City of Tucson Housing First Resource Line The City of Tucson Mayor and Council took action to create a dedicated Resource Line administered through the City of Tucson to be available 24/7. For folks who are in need of community resources but don’t know where to begin, this can be a great starting resource.  Call 24/7:  Free Bus Fares Continue Through December 31, 2022 Fares will remain free through December 31, 2022 on Sun Tran, Sun Link, Sun Van, Sun On Demand and Sun Shuttle. The City of Tucson suspended ride fees in March 2020, with the onset of the pandemic. For schedules and more information, visit the SunTran website. Call for Focus Group Participation – Homelessness and Housing Data Experts Needed The Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW) hopes to collaborate with TPCH and other local organizations on a two-year project seeking to identify and address gaps in information that are available and widely accessible about homelessness and housing insecurity in Pima County. People who work to end homelessness and who directly serve people experiencing homelessness are especially needed so researchers can learn more about where there are gaps in available data. There are multiple sessions to provide multiple opportunities for you to attend, but no one is expected to attend more than one session. June 16th 3:00-4:30 https://arizona.zoom.us/j June 21st 10:00-11:30 https://arizona.zoom.us/j/86450832010 June 30th 3:00-4:30 https://arizona.zoom.us/j/88900552648 Click HERE for more info. If you have any questions about this project, please do not hesitate to contact Keith Bentele (Associate Research Professor at SIROW) at keithb@arizona.eduor  Tucson Juneteenth Festival to Happen June 18-19th at Kennedy Park Fiesta Area The 157th anniversary of our country’s Juneteenth celebration happens in 2022. Celebrations in Tucson and around the USA aim to increase knowledge and appreciation of the roles, achievements and contributions of African Americans to our society and pay tribute to this important milestone in our nation’s history –the annual commemoration of the end of slavery on June 19, 1865. Enjoy historical presentations and exhibits, music and dance, arts, crafts and food vendors, at Kennedy Park Stage Arena. There will also be a Gospel Jubilee and Father’s Day luncheon at Dunbar Pavilion, 325 W 2nd Street from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Click on the image below to visit the event website for more updates.  Featured Blog Post: Progressive Engagement What Is Progressive Engagement? Providing effective services at a time of understaffing across all sectors is a challenge many organizations face. In a new blog post, the National Alliance to End Homelessness suggests using progressive engagement to approach the varying service demands for all involved. Progressive engagement is a person-centered approach to ending someone’s homelessness. It is based on tailoring assistance to each individual or household’s needs and assessing what works best for them, with their specific strengths, and in their specific situation. READ MORE HERE. Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) announces its annual Virtual Homeless Summit Save the Date: Thursday, July 28, 2022 This year’s SAVAHCS Virtual Homeless Summit will celebrate the theme of “Perseverance Through Difficult Times.” The summit will include remarks from the SAVAHCS VA Director, a discussion of the City of Tucson and Tucson community’s response to homelessness, as well as a focus on how special populations can best access employment, peer support, and other critical services. Access this meeting with the following information: ZoomGov Meeting Dial in: Meeting ID: 161 748 2786 Access the meeting using this URL, or click on the image below: https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1617482786?pwd=MWRILzFHa1BmSkh4cnIMb3BUdIRDUT09  Resource Corner: Tools, Conference Opportunities and Upcoming Trainings CENTERING RACIAL EQUITY IN THE WORK TO END HOMELESSNESS: ALIGNING VISION WITH PRACTICE AT THE SYSTEMS LEVEL Intractable as it may seem, figuring out how to center racial equity in the work to end homelessness can be effectively done with strategic planning, the right information, and investment. Systems leaders have a high level of influence over cultural norms, policy, and practice, making them well positioned to shape homelessness system design to promote racial equity. This webinar will offer some practical road maps for making profound and sustainable change at the systems level. Thursday, June 16, 2022. 1-2:15pm ET, register here. NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US: INVOLVING PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE IN COC DECISIONS Federal homelessness funding for the Continuum of Care Program prioritizes the input and inclusion of people with lived experience in local decision-making. Too often, this participation can seem tokenizing. This webinar will showcase speakers from three communities to discuss what genuine involvement looks like and how to include the voices of people who know homelessness firsthand. Happening Thursday, June 23 from 2:00 – 3:00 pm ET, register here. ARIZONA HOUSING COALITION HOUSING FORUM The Arizona Housing Coalition is hosting the 2022 Arizona Housing Forum, in partnership with the Arizona Department of Housing on August 17-19, 2022 at The Scott Resort & Spa in Scottsdale. This event attracts approximately 350 attendees representing public and private sectors and showcases speakers and sessions on innovations in housing, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) best practices, and timely topics in the housing industry. It is an unparalleled opportunity for networking among Arizona’s leaders in the affordable housing and ending homelessness fields. Register here. NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS PRESSURE POINTS SERIES The Alliance’s new Pressure Points Resource Series outlines specific strategies, practices, and philosophies that can help relieve the pressures experienced by providers and systems alike. PREPARING FOR THE NOFO WITH THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS SYSTEM SERIES The 2022 SYSTEM Series is a new collection of webinars, blog posts, and resources designed to help communities build more effective systems to end homelessness. The updated series addresses emerging priorities in the field, as well as insights on issues and areas the Alliance expects HUD to prioritize in the upcoming NOFO. JOIN THE WAITLIST – 2022 NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ENDING HOMELESSNESS Due to extremely high demand immediately when conference registrations became available, the 2022 National Conference on Ending Homelessness sold out very quickly. If you and your colleagues were hoping to attend the conference and were unable to, NAEH is taking names to add to a waitlist if a spot becomes available. If a spot becomes available, organizers will contact you by July 8, 2022. ALLYSHIP IN OWNERSHIP: HOW TO COLLECT RENT IN AN EQUITABLE WAY Allyship in Ownership is a 4 week course dedicated to discussing what it means to own property and collect rent in an ethical and equitable way. With rents going up dramatically and the increasing housing crisis, we look at how property owners can take action to mitigate some of the pressing issues, both current and historical. Trainings will happen on Tuesdays in July (5, 12, 19, 26) from 5:00-8:00pm (Mountain Standard Time). Find out more here. JOIN THE WAITLIST. JUNE EVENTS Meetings and events added regularly. Find details and locations on the TPCH calendar at https://www.tpch.net April 6, 9am Critical Time Intervention Training: First Session June 2, 3pm Homeless Youth Coalition June 8, 3pm Homeless Management Information System Meeting June 9, 5:30pm Youth Action Committee June 10, 9am Built for Zero Coalition June 13, 1pm Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee June 14, 1pm Community Outreach Coalition June 14, 3pm System Performance Evaluation Committee June 23, 1pm Coordinated Entry Committee June 23, 5:30pm Youth Action Committee June 28, 3pm Continuum of Care Board Meeting For the most up-to-date meeting information, visit the TPCH calendar at https://www.tpch.net. |