27 Apr

Fearing wave of evictions, advocates press Richmond City Council to up investment in affordable housing

Posted by in Affordable Housing, RISC

April 27, 2020. Richmond Times-Dispatch.

In the middle of a pandemic many fear will cost families their homes, advocates on Monday pressed the Richmond City Council to steer more dollars to affordable housing for residents.

In normal times, Richmond landlords evicted tenants at the second-highest rate of any like-sized city in the country, Princeton University researchers found. Advocates expect that trend to worsen with jobless claims mounting and the COVID-19 crisis increasing the economic strain on families that were already just getting by.

“COVID-19 has turned Richmond’s eviction and affordable housing crisis into a public health calamity,” said Marty Wegbreit, an attorney with the Central Virginia Legal Aid Society.

“Human lives and dignity are at stake,” said Aubrey Jones, a board member of Richmonders Involved to Strengthen Our Communities, or RISC.

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24 Jul

Hillsborough County Commission Eyes Affordable Housing Trust Fund

Posted by in Affordable Housing, HOPE

July 24, 2019. WUSF NEWS

Hillsborough County Board Commissioners held a public hearing last week about a proposed budget allocation for affordable housing.

In April, the commission directed the County Attorney’s Office to draft an ordinance for an affordable housing trust fund in an amount of $10 million a year.

There is a remainder of a $5 million budget that will be added onto the new budget for the 2019-2020 fiscal year, according to the commissioners.

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03 Jun

Topeka JUMP continues pressing city on low-income housing ordinance

Posted by in Affordable Housing, Topeka JUMP

June 3, 2019. WIBW

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Topeka JUMP raised its voice Monday night to advocate for people struggling to find low-income housing.

Before its celebration to thank members for their work, the organization emphasized the importance of city support for a low income housing ordinance.

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14 May

Commissioners lose patience with affordable-housing advocates’ tactics

Posted by in Affordable Housing, BREAD

May 14, 2019. The Columbus Dispatch.

Partway into the Rev. Charles Leister’s recitation on the parable of the wheat and the tares, the Franklin County commissioners had had enough.

Leister, senior pastor of the New Beginning Christian Center, spoke during the commissioners meeting Tuesday as co-president of the interfaith group BREAD, which stands for “Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity.” For months, members have appeared regularly before the commissioners and the Columbus City Council to urge more funding for affordable housing.

On Tuesday, Leister used his three minutes of public comment time to voice his disappointment that the commissioners did not attend a recent BREAD event.

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06 May

Interfaith group BREAD seeks more focus on housing crisis

Posted by in Affordable Housing, BREAD, Economic Opportunity, Minority Rights, Public Education Improvement

May 6, 2019. The Columbus Dispatch.

Ali Miller is an AmeriCorps VISTA worker who spends half of her paycheck on housing here in Columbus.

The job doesn’t pay much, she said — about $12,000 a year. That gives her no money for a car, or alcohol. She gets no money from her parents.

And a local social justice group says there are thousands more like Miller who can’t pay the escalating rents in a growing Columbus and central Ohio.

“We want affordable housing too,” said Miller, not new places with $1,000-a-month rents with granite countertops and fancy exercise rooms.

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