Housing Authorities Tackle Educational Improvements in Neighborhoods Across the Country

Recognizing the importance of access to good quality education for public housing residents to move up and out of poverty, housing authorities across the country are investing in education related initiatives that boost student academic performance and support the improvement of nearby schools. In a recent publication entitled “Bringing Education Home: Housing Authorities and Learning Initiatives”, the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities has explored a number of education-related strategies and approaches that are being implemented and supported by housing authorities. 

The publication profiles initiatives and programs in 14 different cities.  It groups the initiatives in to four categories:

(1)   A Strong Start.  Focusing on early childhood education programs and engaging parents when their children are infants and toddlers, this category includes examples from Boston, Akron and New York.

(2)   Partnering for Success. Including examples from Tacoma, King County and Washington DC, this category highlights housing authorities that have partners with school districts successfully to collaborate around data sharing and leveraging community resources.

(3)   Opportunities Outside of School. Under this category, efforts in Denver, Seattle, Cambridge, Camden and Chicago are lifted up because they have strong after-school programs that have resulted in positive outcomes for students living in and around public housing.

(4)   Creating a Culture of Success. Focusing on ways in which housing authorities incentivize a strong priority on education, this category highlights strategies being implemented successfully in Milwaukee, Vancouver and Atlanta.

Earlier this year, the Center for the Study of Social Policy, in partnership with HUD, released a promising practice guide on how the Seattle Housing Authority, a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation Grantee, has been placing school improvements and student achievement at the center of neighborhood revitalization in the Seattle’s Yesler neighborhood. The guide highlights similar strategies to those outlined in CLPHA’s publication around forging strong education partnerships, creating effective after-school programming, and partnering with the school district around data sharing.

TD Charitable Foundation 2014 Housing for Everyone Grant Competition Overview

The TD Charitable Foundation is hosting its ninth annual Housing for Everyone grant competition to create or preserve rental housing units for families with children. Many low- to moderate- income families are still dealing with the lingering effects of the Great Recession, the foreclosure crisis, and limited employment opportunities, which makes access to safe and affordable housing now more challenging than ever.

TD Bank will award $100,000 grants to the best 25 organizations located in a T.D. Bank, N.A. metro market area that can demonstrate the impact they have made to affordable housing efforts in their community and that meet other eligibility criteria.

Applications are due 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday, August 29, 2014. Notification of awards will be made by mid November 2014.

For the complete grant announcement, click here. 

Learn more about Community Improvements in Boston’s Choice Neighborhood

Choice Neighborhoods, a Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative program operated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, is designed to not only revitalize distressed public or HUD assisted housing, but to also transform the entire community in which the housing is located. The program brings together stakeholders such as residents, local leaders, schools, private developers, nonprofits and cities to create and execute a vision for the entire neighborhood surrounding public housing or HUD-assisted housing.

To ensure the holistic transformation of neighborhoods, Choice implementation grantees receive Critical Community Improvement (CCI) funds of up to 15% of their total award to create projects that will improve community assets and transform blighted conditions.

As we shared in a blog post in April 2014, the details of Boston Choice Neighborhood’s innovative use of the CCI funds through a consensus driven process was featured in a Choice Neighborhoods Promising Practice Guide. As a follow up to the guide, we will be hosting a webinar featuring presenters from the City of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development and the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative to discuss:

•         Choice Neighborhoods’ focus on community transformation, with revitalized housing as a central component

•         How Boston’s leveraged their Critical Community Improvement funds to develop creative neighborhood improvements

•         Identify “lessons learned” helpful for other communities

Register here to join this important presentation and discussion on July 16, 2014 at 2 PM EST.    

Urban Institute: Housing Assistance Matters Map

The Housing Assistance Matters Initiative at the Urban Institute has released an interactive map highlighting access to affordable housing throughout the nation. Using a mix of data from the American Community Survey, the Census and the Department for Housing and Urban Development, the map explores the affordability gap between the number of extremely low-income (ELI) renter households (defined as households that earn 30 percent or less of the area median income) and the number of affordable and available rental units.

Access to quality, affordable housing is a critical component of strong communities and families and can impact several factors, such as health, well-being and access to jobs or educational opportunities. A tool that can be used to inform public debate and strengthen policy, the Urban Institute’s map captures the struggles that ELI renter households face. According to the map, not a single county in the United States has an even balance between ELI households and affordable and available rental units. On average, there are only 29 affordable and available housing rental units for every 100 ELI renter household nationwide.

Want to learn more about access to affordable housing in your community? Check out the interactive map to take a look at the affordability gap by county.

HOPE VI Main Street Funding Announced

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced funding for the HOPE VI Main Street Program. The goal of the Main Street Program is to provide grants to small communities to help renovate their historic or central business districts (“Main Streets”) by replacing unused commercial space with affordable housing. Grant funds can be used to remake obsolete commercial space into, or build new, Main Street affordable housing units. The Main Streets Program aims to preserve historical business districts while creating affordable housing and improving economic development. There is a strong connection between affordable housing and the well-being of families and communities.

HUD plans on awarding one FY 2013 grant of up to $500,000, and intends to award one FY 2014 grant to applicants from this FY 2013 NOFA Please note that FY 2014 awards are contingent on Congressional appropriations. The deadline for applications is July 22, 2013. Eligible applicants are limited to local governments with a population of 50,000 or less that are not being served by a Public Housing Agency that administers more than 100 public housing units within the local government’s jurisdiction, excluding Section 8 Housing Voucher units.

HUD Announces Grants for Public Housing Family Self-Sufficiency Program Coordinators

Last week, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced funding for Program Coordinators for the Public & Indian Housing Family Self-Sufficiency (PH FSS) Program. The PH FSS program is intended to help develop local strategies for the coordination of resources, both public and private, to support families receiving assistance through the Public Housing program as they make steps toward improving their economic security. Examples of ways in which families can achieve this include increased income, improved financial literacy, and reduced need for welfare assistance. The Program Coordinator role funded through this recently announced opportunity will help to connect families who are HUD-assisted renters with services that will allow them to move toward self-sufficiency. The Program Coordinator will also work to support participating families through the development of relationships with employers and service providers located within the community.

Eligible applicants include public housing authorities and tribes that currently administer PH FSS programs as well as applicants seeking to start one, though preference will be given to applicants who are currently administering such a program. HUD anticipates awarding an estimated $15 million in FY12 funds in addition to any funds leftover from FY11. Each award for either a new or continuing position will not be greater than $34,500 for a part-time coordinator or $69,000 for a full-time coordinator. Additional information regarding the program and the application process, including the full announcement, can be found here. Applications are due May 30, 2012.

The types of supports referenced above, such as financial literacy programs, are essential to ensuring low-income families are able to achieve economic security in the longer term. If you are interested in resources that can help communities assist families in developing assets, such as savings accounts, please view our recent blog post on the issue here.

HUD to Award 3 to 5 Grants to Study Housing and Health

In recognition of the important connections between housing and health, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will fund research that examines the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of current or proposed efforts to promote healthy, environmental lifestyles through housing, particularly affordable housing managed by HUD. This initiative, Healthy Homes Technical Studies Program, supports HUD’s 2010- 2015 Strategic Goal to use housing as a platform for wellness. HUD expects to award three to five $300,000 to $700,000 cooperative agreements to academic, non-profit and for-profit institutions located in the United States, local governments and federally recognized Native American tribes.

Consistent with CSSP’s guidelines for effective community change, HUD requires researchers to incorporate meaningful community engagement into studies with significant resident interaction.

Research should be conclusive and applicable to on-the-ground work. Applications are due January 31, 2012. For more information on the application process, please click here.

Funders and Policymakers Increasingly Support Innovative Models to Address Housing and Health

Where we live, work, learn and play has a significant effect on our health and well-being. Recently, in a commentary from Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius discussed how the Obama Administration is working to address these interconnected needs.

As more funding and policy opportunities are developed to address the relationship between housing access and health outcomes, communities can use the growing wealth of research and best practices to both take full advantage of, and influence, these opportunities. Here are some of the ways that housing and health are connected:

1. Where you live affects your ability to access health-promoting resources, such as nutritious food, medical care, a safe environment and public transit.

“An apple a day may help keep the doctor away but that assumes you can find an apple in your neighborhood.” --Dr. James Marks in a 2009 Huffington Post article

Neighborhoods of concentrated poverty can fuel and exacerbate poor health and restrict the opportunities and mobility of residents. According to Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity’s Helping the Doubly Disadvantaged: The Role of Neighborhoods in Health, concentrated poverty and obesity/ diabetes rates have increased over the same time period, suggesting a correlation between deeply impoverished neighborhoods and poor health. Research on the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Moving to Opportunity program, which relocated poor families from high-poverty to lower-poverty neighborhoods, found that rates of extreme obesity and diabetes among female participants declined as they moved into more resource-rich communities.

According to a report released by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Segregated Spaces, Risky Places: The Effects of Racial Segregation on Health Inequalities, “segregation continues to be a predictor of significant health disparities.” For example, Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood, where less than 20 percent of residents live in poverty and nearly 70 percent are white, is directly across the street from Washington Park, where 52 percent of residents are poor and approximately 98 percent are African American. Washington Park’s mortality rate is roughly 1.5 times that of Hyde Park.

In the same Huffington Post article quoted above, Dr. Marks writes, “as it relates to health, our zip code may be more important than our genetic code.” The Boston Public Health Commission has appropriately launched the "What's your health code?" campaign. Investments in neighborhood infrastructure, amenities and safety can improve the health of families.

2. Housing instability (often due to the lack of affordable housing) can cause extreme stress, harm child development and result in poor health outcomes for all family members.

Families who spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing often cannot afford other basic necessities, such as healthy and adequate food, safe and developmentally appropriate childcare and healthcare.In Affordable Housing as a Platform for Improving Family Well-Being: Federal Funding and Policy Opportunities, a report by CSSP, we discuss how affordable housing access and well-being outcomes are connected. For cities with high rates of homelessness, this is particularly problematic. According to a new report released by DC Alliance of Youth Advocates, youth homelessness is on the rise in the District of Columbia. Research has shown that homeless children are more likely to develop mental and emotional health issues and developmental delays than children with a stable home. Homeless individuals of all ages access hospital emergency departments more frequently and stay in hospitals longer than housed individuals in similar health.

3. Housing can serve as a platform for cross-sector, place-based services

Linear models of service provision may require a homeless person to combat addiction, secure employment, or otherwise demonstrate “housing readiness” before they are placed in a stable home. In contrast, permanent supportive housing provides individualized and flexible workforce training, job search assistance, medical care, substance abuse treatment and mental health services, while ensuring housing stability. The latter model operates under the belief that housing is a primary need and it is impossible to expect a homeless person to get a job or overcome addiction.

Although permanent supportive housing may require initial investment, long-term pay-off is substantial and often mitigates program costs. A diverse array of studies and programs, analyzed in Ending Chronic Homelessness: Cost-Effective Opportunities for Interagency Collaboration, demonstrate the success of permanent supportive housing. For example, one study found that 88 percent of those enrolled in a New York City Pathways to Housing permanent supportive housing program remained housed after 5 years, as compared to just 47 percent of the individuals in a linear residential treatment program.

The benefits of permanent supportive housing are not limited to homeless populations. In the aforementioned report Affordable Housing as a Platform for Improving Family Well-Being: Federal Funding and Policy Opportunities, CSSP acknowledges the important role of stable housing as a means for connecting people to services and resources, including quality healthcare and grocery stores. PolicyforResults’ section on promoting affordable housing provides policy recommendations and best practices for supporting interagency partnerships and co-location of housing and services.

For example, in Vermont, the Support and Services at Home (SASH) program, highlighted in a series of case studies compiled for the recent How Housing Matters Conference, supports the health of elderly and disabled residents who are dually eligible for Medicaid and Medicare. Diverse funding streams include Medicaid and Medicare (public) and various private foundations. To expedite implementation and minimize costs, SASH services are integrated into preexisting affordable multifamily housing developments. Due to the pilot’s success, SASH has been fully integrated into Vermont’s statewide healthcare reform plan, Blueprint for Health, where it is expected to save $40 million in Medicare costs by the fifth year of implementation.

Fortunately, policymakers and funders increasingly support the important connections between housing and health:

Through Choice Neighborhoods, Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grants, Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) II and Community Challenge Planning Grants, the Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Obama is funding innovative, cross-sector initiatives to improve neighborhood resources and infrastructure and promote healthy residents. Additionally, the Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative (NRI), piloted by President Obama’s administration, represents a unique commitment from the Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Education, Justice, Health and Human Services and Treasury, as well as the White House Domestic Policy Council and the White House Office of Urban Affairs to revitalize disinvested communities through interdepartmental collaboration and resident engagement.

A number of private foundations also fund and support (through technical assistance and communities of practice) innovative, cross-sector, place-based neighborhood revitalization and health improvement efforts:

• Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies: Place Matters: 16 Place Matters teams throughout the country are working to improve health in their communities by addressing social determinants of health, including education, employment and housing. In recognition of each community’s unique needs and characteristics, the Place Matters projects vary significantly.
• The California Endowment: Building Healthy Communities: Through a generous 10 year grant, 14 sites in California are working to increase school attendance and access to quality healthcare and decrease youth violence and childhood obesity

For more on what policymakers can do to support affordable housing, see PolicyforResults’ coverage of this topic.

For more information, see also PolicyLink Center for Health and Place

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Is your community addressing place-based health disparities?

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HUD Awards $150 Million for Case Management and Supportive Services

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently awarded $100 million to help those in public and assisted housing find jobs and connect to needed services and for the elderly and people with disabilities to maintain independent living. The funding includes approximately $35 million through the Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency – Service Coordinators Program (ROSS-SC) Program; approximately $15 million through the Public Housing – Family Self-Sufficiency Program (PH-FSS); and $45 million through the Multifamily Housing Service Coordinator Program (MHSC). To see a breakdown of how these funds are being used locally, click here.

As highlighted in Affordable Housing as a Platform for Improving Family Well-Being: Federal Funding and Policy Opportunities, many communities are creatively leveraging investments like these to address resident needs and improve family well-being.  Adequate and affordable housing are a foundation for creating strong, stable communities.  Yet, we know that the lack of affordable housing has led to high rent burdens, overcrowding, substandard housing and housing insecurity for many American families, only making things worse for those in economically distressed communities. The lack of a stable home negatively affects children’s social development, and the frequent school changes that often result from housing instability are associated with poor academic performance and educational attainment.  In contrast, affordable and stable housing has been linked with improving health, education and economic outcomes for families and children. When housing is stable and affordable, families can spend more time and resources on medical care, nutritious food, transportation to and from work and quality day care services.  Ensuring these outcomes for families and children in all communities requires investments in comprehensive community development work that is place-based, focused on family well-being and addressing challenges to equity.

Communities should use their success stories and experience of what is working on the ground to continue influencing future funding resources and supportive policies.  For information on how state policy makers can promote affordable housing for children and families, visit our affordable housing section on PolicyforResults.org.

Enterprise Green Communities Offers Affordable Green Housing Development Grants

Enterprise Green Communities is offering Charette grants to help communities begin designing affordable, healthy and energy-efficient housing opportunities. Using an integrative approach that encourages engagement from residents, Enterprise seeks to develop housing opportunities that respond to the cultural and economic needs of a community. Charette grants will provide opportunities for affordable housing developers to collaborate with technical experts, funders, community stakeholders and residents during a Green Communities Charette.

Grants are awarded to communities that are interested in either a) rehabilitating residential units or b) constructing new residential units. Communities will be required to utilize a pre-qualified facilitator to begin the Charette process. A list of qualified facilitators can be found on the Charette grant website.

For communities that have already developed green-housing, Sustainability Training Grants are available to help communities implement a training curriculum that will engage residents in adopting a healthy and environmentally-friendly lifestyle.

Grant applications are accepted on a rolling basis with awards being made each month. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, tribal housing authorities and for-profits that are participating in housing development with another qualified applicant. Grant awards are $5,000 and require communities to provide a 3:1 grant match.

Grants to Support Case Management Services for Public Housing Residents

The Department of Housing and Urban Development announced more than $31 million in Resident Opportunities and Self Sufficiency (ROSS) grants. The ROSS Service Coordinators Program provides resources for public housing authorities, resident associations, or nonprofit organizations to hire service coordinators who can provide case management services to residents. ROSS coordinator can help connect residents with education, job training, and asset building services.

As we state in our recent policy brief, Affordable Housing as a Platform for Improving Family Well-Being: Federal Funding and Policy Opportunities, service coordination that connects housing and employment needs is critical for families of distressed communities who are often isolated from the resources and supports they need. This can be true even when the community is undergoing redevelopment as often revitalization efforts can have the unintended consequences of isolating families from their networks and supports as they are relocated until development is complete. In New Orleans, Urban Strategies is using ROSS funding to support a case management system that connects residents of the former C.J. Peete community, which is being redeveloped by McCormick Baron Salazar through HOPE VI funding, to services they need to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Through this system, Urban Strategies coordinates a network of more than 25 public, faith-, and community- based organizations, leveraging $27 million in public and private resources for resident services and supports. Those who are interested in connecting to other efforts, should connect with local ROSS grantees.

New CSSP Policy Brief: Affordable Housing as a Platform for Family Well-being

With homeownership at 66 percent, one of the lowest rates in years, and rental rates equivalent to more than 100 hours per week of minimum wage work* – the housing crisis is having a significant effect on not only the national economy but the social, emotional and physical well-being of children, youth and families.

Safe, stable and affordable housing plays a significant role in the prosperity of local economies and in the lives of families. It can be a factor in a number of issues, including health, educational achievement, economic prospects and more.

Recently, however, more and more public officials are recognizing the necessity of comprehensive housing policies and other supports to improve conditions for families.

CSSP has developed two new resources that focus on the role policymakers and community stakeholders have in creating places where all families can thrive.

The new materials make the connection between housing and family well-being, provide state policymakers with recommendations supported by research and data and offer examples of how states and communities are leveraging existing federal resources.

• Policy for Results: Strategies to Promote Affordable Housing

• Financing Community Change: Affordable Housing as a Platform for Improving Family Well-Being: Federal Funding and Policy Opportunities

HOPE VI Awards Announced

HUD announced the awarding of $152.7 million in HOPE VI Revitalization grants to eight cities. In light of the Obama Administration's focus on more comprehensive neighborhood transformation, high-scoring grantees were those whose plans extended beyond public housing and rather linked housing interventions with early childhood education programs.

The following housing authorities are being awarded grants through HUD's HOPE VI Revitalization Program:

• Boston Housing Authority will receive $22 million to revitalize the Old Colony public housing development;
• Housing Authority of the City and County of Denver will receive $22 million to revitalize the South Lincoln public housing development;
• Louisville Metropolitan Housing Authority will receive $22 million to revitalize the Sheppard Square public housing development;
• Housing Authority of the City of Paterson (NJ) will receive $18.4 million to revitalize the Alexander Hamilton public housing development;
• St. Louis Housing Authority will receive $7,829,750 to revitalize the Arthur Blumeyer public housing development;
• Taunton Housing Authority will receive $22 million to revitalize the Fairfax Gardens public housing development;
• City of Phoenix Housing Authority will receive $20 million to revitalize the Frank Luke Addition public housing development; and
• Home Forward (Portland Housing Authority) will receive $18.5 million to revitalize the Hillsdale Terrace public housing development.

Choice Neighborhoods Applicant List Available

The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently posted a complete list of applicants for Choice Neighborhoods Planning grants and Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grants. In total, there were 118 applicants competing for 12-15 planning grants worth up to $250,000 each and 42 applicants competing for  

2-4 implementation grants worth up to $31 million each.  

Last March, the Financing Community Change blog introduced the Choice Neighborhoods initiative to our readers. Congress appropriated $65 million for the effort, which like Promise Neighborhoods, was developed collaboratively across federal departments through the White House Office of Urban Affairs Interagency Working Group. Choice Neighborhood Funds are targeted in neighborhoods that meet three criteria: severely distressed public or assisted housing; concentration of poverty; and potential for long-term viability.

For more information. 

Resources:  

HUD Posts Choice Neighborhoods Applicant List, UNCA

Grant for Neighborhood Revitalization in Rural Areas Announced

The Rural Innovation Fund Notice is now available on grants.gov. Last month on the Financing Community Change blog, we introduced HUD's Rural Innovation Fund, which will support ground-breaking approaches to revitalizing rural areas.The fund seeks applicants with a demonstrated capacity to undertake projects that address both concentrated rural housing distress and community poverty. Applications are due February 23, 2011.

MacArthur Foundation Introduces Public-Private Partnership to Preserve Affordable Rental Homes

Over the past 10 years, the United States lost two million units of federal assisted rentals due to expired government subsidies, demolition, or conversion to condominiums. Another one million units are at risk in the next decade. The MacArthur Foundation has long supported affordable housing and community development through the Window of Opportunity Initiative, a $150 million dollar effort which seeks to preserve affordable rental housing in low-income communities across the country.

As part of this ground-breaking effort, the Foundation has announced an innovative public-private partnership bringing together financial institutions, philanthropy, and the federal government in order to finance the preservation of federally-subsidized rental housing in underserved markets. The MacArthur Foundation has pledged $20 million and aims to attract $100 million for non-profit developers working to preserve and renovate approximately 20 rental properties nationwide that will serve more than 2,000 low-income residents. Already, Minneapolis, Oklahoma City, Omaha, and Toledo are moving forward with renovations of affordable rental housing for low-income families and seniors.

According to the press release, the National Affordable Housing Trust and the Cornerstone Real Estate Advisers LLC jointly closed an investment fund through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, a program providing incentives for private investment in developments serving low-income renters. Major investors in the fund include JPMorgan Chase, MetLife, and United Bank.“This fund is an example of how public and private organizations working together creatively can engineer socially responsible investments that work for everyone involved, most notably the residents of the affordable housing that fund will preserve,” said David J. Reilly, Cornerstone’s president and CEO.

Rural Innovation Fund Addresses Poverty and Housing Distress in Rural Communities

Recently, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced details of the Rural Innovation Fund, which will support ground-breaking approaches to revitalizing rural areas. With an estimated $25 million in available funding, the Rural Innovation Fund seeks applicants with a demonstrated capacity to undertake projects that address both concentrated rural housing distress and community poverty. Local rural nonprofit organizations, community development corporations, federally recognized Indian tribes, and state housing finance agencies are eligible to apply.

According to the press release, applicants may apply for only one of three grant types:  

• Single Purpose Grants – At least $7.5 million will be awarded to certain applicants that identify a specific area of need, with maximum individual grants of up to $300,000. HUD is encouraging, though not requiring, applicants to address both housing and economic development needs within the defined ‘project area.’

• Comprehensive Grants – HUD will award up to $2 million to certain applicants that comprehensively examine the social, housing and economic needs of a target area and address those needs through activities that leverage other sources of public and private financing. Eligible activities under this category of grant are broader than those outlined in the Single Purpose Grant category. Highly ranked applicants can also be expected to work closely and leverage resources with regional entities in order to promote economic competitiveness beyond the local level.

• Economic Development and Entrepreneurship for Federally Recognized Tribes – At least $5 million will be awarded to support economic development and entrepreneurship opportunities for federally recognized tribes, with maximum individual grants up to $800,000.

HUD will not be accepting or soliciting applications until the Rural Innovation Fund NOFA is made available on grants.gov. For more information. 

HUD's New User-Friendly Website Provides In-Depth Economic and Housing Data

Last week, HUD launched a new website that consolidates housing and economic data on regional, state, and metropolitan levels. Incorporating data from the Labor Department, the Census Bureau, and  Local and State governments, HUD’s user-friendly data tool serves as a valuable resource for communities. For example, using the interactive map, visitors can access county level data on housing market trends as well as current unemployment figures for any region in the United States.

According to the press release , the website currently features the following reports:

• "Market at a Glance" reports contain economic and housing market data trends for every metropolitan area and county nationwide with employment data updated on a monthly basis.　 Employment data is provided from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and housing data is derived from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Some adjustments are made by HUD field economists based on regional information. The data are expected to be released on monthly basis for most of the metropolitan areas and counties. Eventually these reports will become "live" documents enabling field economists to include analysis as they complete more in-depth research for specific areas and monitor local conditions.

• "Regional Housing Market Profiles" are based on the quarterly U.S. Housing Market Conditions report and include non-farm employment, population changes, and building activity. These regional profiles also focus on the most recent housing rental and sales activity for the past two years. In addition, approximately 10-12 individual metropolitan areas are specifically profiled each quarter to provide these same data down to the metro area level. 

• "Regional Narratives" are broad overviews of economic and housing market trends within ten regions of the U.S. These narratives are based on information obtained by HUD economists from state and local governments, from housing industry sources, and from their ongoing investigations of housing market conditions 

• "Comprehensive Housing Market Analysis" – Periodically, HUD field economists focus on particular metropolitan housing markets to produce counts and estimates of employment, population, households, and housing inventory. Each housing market analysis considers changes in the economic, demographic, and housing inventory characteristics during three periods: from 1990 to 2000; from 2000 to the as-of date of the analysis; and from the as-of date to up to up three years in the future.

HUD's New Funding Opportunity Links Affordable Housing with Education Reform

HUD announces a new funding opportunity that links affordable housing with education reform. With $35 million in available funds, the Capital Fund Education and Training Community Facilities Program (CFCF) provides public authorities with the resources to develop facilities that can support early childhood education programs and job training programs for public housing residents. Through this exciting funding opportunity, housing authorities can apply directly for funds to either construct new facilities or rehabilitate existing structures. Funding may also be used to revamp an existing community center that offers services to public housing residents. According to HUD, CFCF further demonstrates the Obama Administration’s commitment to including education reforms in housing programs. Two other grant opportunities from HUD-Choice Neighborhoods and Hope VI-also require applicants to provide early childhood education opportunities.

Click here to visit HUD's 2010 grant opportunities page.

Choice Neighborhoods Deadline Extended

HUD announced that the deadline for Choice Neighborhoods (originally October 26, 2010) will be extended for at least 30 days. The deadline has been extended to allow HUD to make changes to the Mapping Tool used to determine neighborhood eligibility. HUD will post a notice with a new deadline date once the Mapping Tool has been revamped. Please see the announcement for further information.