Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Affordable housing advocates fill in some blanks

  • Health
  • by Neena Satija
  • March 28, 2012
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

Washington — Researchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development stood in front of about 25 housing advocates from all over the country Tuesday morning with a question:

“What should we be focusing on our research attention on?” Todd Richardson asked. “Do you see research gaps? Things that we haven’t really looked at?”

He heard a resounding yes. The advocates were at the annual conference hosted by the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, which brings together public housing advocates, researchers and low-income housing residents.

“The fair market rent calculated by HUD is useless,” Michael Carbone, who directs an agency in North Dakota for the homeless, said HUD’s fair market rents are based on 2009 data. But in the past two years, that state’s demand for rental units has exploded as workers flood in to take advantage of the shale oil boom.

Richardson nodded and took notes. “So you’re saying the [fair market rents] should be more reactive to market changes,” he said, “and there should probably be more research on how to address supply issues due to market changes as well.”

“I have an issue with the definition of affordable housing,” piped up someone in the back of the audience, who said she lives in public housing in Boston.

Richardson agreed and said HUD would look more into whom its subsidy programs are meant to serve. “That’s an excellent point. You can ask five people for their definition and you’ll probably get five different answers.”

In the audience was Mike Hanley, a consultant for the Hartford-based Partnership for Strong Communities. Would HUD continue to collect good data on the effectiveness of a new housing strategy known as “rapid rehousing?” Hanley asked. “We’ve been successful [at rapid rehousing] because of the good data that’s backed up our advocacy work,” he said.

About 150 people work for HUD’s research arm, which has had a funding boost in recent years. After Barack Obama was elected president in 2008 and identified housing research as a priority, Congress doubled the office’s funding in 2010. It now receives $75 million to 100 million a year. Before starting new research projects, Richardson said the office needs input from the communities actually receiving HUD money.

The way HUD collects housing data has changed. “Some technologies are making it harder for us to collect data,” Richardson said. HUD isn’t permitted to call cell phones when it does surveys, and surveys on the Internet have a low response rate. “That increasingly means door-to-door surveys” – which are a lot more expensive.

But ultimately, better data pays off in better policy, he said. “It increases the awareness of what matters.”

In Connecticut, it’s sure to affect how Gov. Dannel Malloy’s new commitment to preserving and building affordable housing units will play out.

 

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neena Satija

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Grocery store workers ‘disgusted’ with Lamont’s new COVID-19 vaccine policy
by Keith M. Phaneuf

Grocery store workers are frustrated with Gov. Ned Lamont, who is no longer prioritizing them in the coronavirus vaccination schedule.

Breaking with national recommendations, Lamont says Connecticut’s vaccine rollout will now be prioritized by age
by Jenna Carlesso and Keith M. Phaneuf

People aged 55 to 64 will be next in line for the vaccine.

Medicare cuts payment to 774 hospitals over patient complications
by Jordan Rau | Kaiser Health News

Six Connecticut hospitals are cited in 2021.

Why we can’t make vaccine doses any faster
by Isaac Arnsdorf and Ryan Gabrielson | ProPublica

Vaccine supply chains are extremely specialized and sensitive, relying on expensive machinery, highly trained staff and finicky ingredients.

Boston Fed chief predicts strong economic recovery begins in 2nd half of 2021 if vaccine reaches enough people
by Keith M. Phaneuf

A strong economic rebound also depends on states helping those hit hardest by COVID-19, a federal reserve official said.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion Gas pipeline will threaten water quality, wildlife and wetlands
by Susan Eastwood

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has granted tentative approval of the 401 water quality certification for the Pomfret to Killingly natural gas pipeline. I urge DEEP to deny the 401 certification, as the proposed pipeline would violate the Connecticut’s water quality standards, and the conditions in the draft certification fail to protect our streams, wetlands, and wildlife.

Opinion Connecticut and the other Connecticut. Which will endure?
by Ezra Kaprov

What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘Connecticut’? Possibly, you think of a 43-year-old Puerto Rican man who arrived here with his family following Hurricane Maria. He works full-time as a machinist at the Sikorsky plant, and he coaches a prizefighter on the side.

Opinion COVID-19 increases urgency for legislature to pass medical aid-in-dying law
by Dr. Gary Blick

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed the profound tragedy of loved ones dying alone, in a hospital or nursing home, without the care and comfort of loved ones surrounding them. This pandemic also demonstrates the fragility of life, the limits of modern medicine to relieve suffering, and has magnified the systemic racial disparities in our healthcare system, resulting in higher hospitalization and death rates for people in communities of color. We must eradicate these disparities, so everyone has equal access to the full range of end-of-life care options.

Opinion Three fallacies and the truth about vaccines
by Kerri M. Raissian, Ph.D. and Dr. Jody Terranova

Connecticut’s Public Health Committee recently heard public testimony regarding HB6423 and SB568 --  bills that would remove the religious exemption (the medical exemption would rightfully remain in place) from vaccination in order to attend school.  The religious exemption allows parents to effectively opt their children out of vaccines. In doing so, these families can still send their children to Connecticut’s schools, daycares, colleges, and camps.  This places other children at risk of contracting vaccine-preventable illnesses, and it is imperative the Connecticut legislature remove this exception.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO