23 Jan

After a tussle over semantics, Miami city commissioners delay approval of housing plan

Posted by in Affordable Housing, PACT

January 23, 2020. The Miami Herald.

After a heated tussle over semantics and the legal repercussions of the words “approval” versus “acknowledgment,” the Miami City Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to accept the Miami Affordable Housing Master Plan prepared by Florida International University and reconvene at a special session at 10 a.m. on Jan. 31 to dig into its findings.

The wording on the meeting agenda asked the commissioners to vote on “approving” the master plan and authorizing the city manager to “negotiate and execute” all necessary documents related to the plan. The vote would have incorporated the plan “effective immediately.”

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29 Apr

Topeka JUMP gathering draws more than 1,200 people

Posted by in Affordable Housing, Criminal Justice Reform, Economic Opportunity, Public Transportation, Topeka JUMP

April 29, 2019. Topeka Capital-Journal

Religious fervor filled the Rev. Christine Potter’s voice Monday evening as she addressed more than 1,200 people from 23 Topeka-area congregations who packed into Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church.

“Oh people of God — this beautiful, diverse body of God — we are called together to work our justice muscles in unity,” said Potter, associate pastor of Countryside United Methodist Church. “We are called to jump with our voices, with our hands, with our feet and our legs, our entire bodies. Topeka JUMP — jump for justice!”

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03 Apr

Supervisors advance affordable housing policy update

Posted by in Affordable Housing, IMPACT

April 3, 2019. The Daily Progress.

Albemarle County will soon be starting a process for updating its affordable housing policy.

On Wednesday, the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors approved moving forward with the update using information from a regional housing needs assessment. The board was provided with a summary of Albemarle’s data.

Stacy Pethia, the county’s principal planner for housing, presented the data to the board, which showed that about 20% of all homeowners and 34% of renter households, or 10,700 of the county’s 42,479 households, are estimated to be cost-burdened, which is defined as paying more than 30% of monthly income on housing.

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25 Mar

Nineteen Congregations come together to discuss the affordable housing crisis in Sarasota

Posted by in Affordable Housing, SURE

March 25, 2019. WWSB ABC 7.

SARASOTA (WWSB) -How much of your income goes toward your rent or mortgage?

Experts say you should only spend a quarter of it. But, a new report says in Sarasota County, around 15,000 families pay more than half of their income on housing.

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12 Mar

Members of Congregations Gather to Advocate for More Affordable Housing

Posted by in Affordable Housing, IMPACT

March 12, 2019. NBC29.COM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) – People of all faiths in central Virginia are coming together to address a problem they say knows no religion.

On Tuesday, March 12, about 100 members of IMPACT (Interfaith Movement Promoting Action by Congregations Together) gathered at the Church of the Incarnation to advocate for more affordable housing in the city of Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

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