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HUD MID-ATLANTIC REGION

September 2023 Newsletter

Regional Administrator Heckles' Message

It is an honor to serve in the Biden-Harris Administration under the leadership of HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge at this critical time when communities across our region face a housing affordability and homelessness crisis.  Secretary Fudge always says bringing people “Home” is at the heart of our work.   To address racial discrimination in the housing market, the White House and Secretary Fudge launched the Interagency Task Force on Property Appraisal and Valuation Equity (PAVE), the first federal interagency initiative to address racial bias in home appraisals.  In addition, the Biden-Harris Administration and HUD prioritized their commitment to strengthening fair housing protections and enforcement.  The Biden-Harris Administration recognizes the need for partnership, for they are essential to ensuring our help can reach those who need it most. HUD vows to be part of the solution! What a year it has been!  I have completed over ninety visits in the Mid-Atlantic Region!  Both Secretary Fudge and Deputy Secretary Todman visited us multiple times this fiscal year!  I saw firsthand the difference that we are making in our communities but as Secretary Fudge says, we have more work to do! Let's continue with the Biden-Harris Adminstration to move the proverbial needle to end homelessness and racial bias.  Thank you for being part of the solution by advancing HUD’s mission and making a difference in the Mid-Atlantic Region and our Nation.

Fiscal Year 2023 Highlights

Party with a Purpose... Home's the Goal!

Supporting the Secretary’s goal to increase homeownership in underserved communities, the Wilmington Field Office, in partnership with NeighborGood Partners and the Central Delaware Association of Realtist, rocked the house to promote homeownership at Delaware State University’s (DSU) annual Hornet Street Fair hosted last month.  This Party with a Purpose successfully built awareness among DSU’s community, including students, alums and staff, about the path to homeownership.   USDA, Habitat for Humanity, Stand By Me, the Delaware Federation of Housing Counselors and Delaware State Housing Authority joined HUD’s Offices of Housing Counseling, Single Family Housing/Homeownership Center, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity and Public Housing to provide homeownership resources. 

Home’s the Goal!  This chant rocked the house and set the intention for the day.  RA Heckles set the tone by sharing that HUD has been holding house parties nationwide to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to our mission – to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality, affordable homes for all.  His message is that HUD vows to be part of the solution! 

Approximately 500 attendees visited our tables to learn about homeownership readiness and listened to three DSU graduates who shared lessons learned from their homeownership journeys with RA Heckles. 

Our House Party launched NeighborGood Partners’ Learning Investing for Tomorrow (LIFT) Financial Education Workshops intended to equip the DSU community with investing now for tomorrow strategies.  The workshops include sessions on building and maintaining credit, making sound financial decisions and understanding the steps to homeownership.  The workshop series aims to debunk common misconceptions about becoming a first-time home buyer and the benefits of homeownership, including building wealth and equity for future generations.

Our House Party began with a chant and concluded with a bang: DSU’s Marching Band thrilled all.

To experience Mid-Atlantic’s House Party, visit us on Facebook. 

Davis Bacon Pocket Guide Distribution

Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Matt Heckles and Baltimore Field Office Director Stephanie Staats joined Labor Standards Specialist LaVaris Ross to distribute the Davis-Bacon Labor Standards Worker’s Pocket Guide (WPG) at a federally funded project in Baltimore, MD.  LaVaris also interviewed ten (10) construction workers across various trades.

The federally assisted project is the substantial rehabilitation of the Rosemont Community public housing development built in 1975 and consists of three (3) adjacent parcels.  The public units will convert to Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance after construction as part of HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration program.

The construction is over 22% complete, so the timing of the team’s visit was ideal.  The guide is a handy reference tool in plain language that explains workers’ rights when working on federally funded or assisted projects.  The team achieved its goal of empowering workers with information and confidence to advocate for themselves to ensure their pay is in accordance with the Davis-Bacon prevailing wage rates.

“Construction laborers and tradespersons are essential to HUD,” said Regional Administrator Matt Heckles.  “HUD’s mission to create affordable, attainable, safe, and sanitary housing rests in the hands of construction workers building, rehabilitating or renovating residential units.  Our Davis-Bacon colleagues ensure that those workers understand their rights.”

Climate Resilience Efforts

As part of the Climate Communities Initiative charter mission, the HUD Pittsburgh Field Office and Gannon University collaborated on the Erie Climate Communities Convening, highlighting and strengthening climate resiliency efforts across Erie, PA, and the larger Great Lakes area.  Federal agencies underscored programs designed to bring billions of dollars to communities through the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Kicked off by Gannon University’s President Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D., and Region 3 Regional Administrator Matthew Heckles, the day-long, hybrid convening hosted on Gannon’s campus started with five research presentations on topics as diverse as water quality, climate justice, or the role of plastics in climate change.  A common theme throughout the presentations was the disparate impact on low-income communities and communities of color and the need to connect those communities with assets to improve health and quality of life.  In the afternoon, Senior Advisor for Climate Alexis Pelosi provided opening remarks for state and federal agency representatives, who highlighted existing and upcoming funding and programs for green building and climate resilience.  The state agencies represented included: the PA Department of Environmental Protection and the PA Department of Conservation and National Resources.  Federal agencies represented at the convening included: the Federal Emergency Management Agency, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Health and Human Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The hybrid event welcomed over 70 attendees from Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and Michigan who represented local governments, non-profits, and affordable property owners and management agents.  Panel discussions focused on community needs, climate resilience strategies, technical assistance opportunities, and workforce development in Great Lakes communities.  The Pittsburgh Field Office looks forward to a continued partnership with the City of Erie and Gannon University.

Annual CoC Meeting

In May, the Charleston Field Office partnered with the Pittsburgh Field Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) to host their annual West Virginia CoC meeting in-person for the first time since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic at the Charleston-Kanawha Housing Authority and provided training to over 50 staff from the state’s four Continuum of Care (CoC) lead agencies and member organizations.  Julie Alston, Charleston Field Office Director, moderated the event and CPD presented about program components and the Housing First model; eligible costs and match; eligibility and the homelessness definition; and HUD systems.  Service providers engaged with one another, shared resources and best practices, and asked questions of and provided feedback to their HUD representatives. To determine the remaining session topics, Marisa González, Program Analyst in FPM, created and distributed a survey to the WV CoCs to gather data about their organizations’ existing partnerships, challenges, and needs in serving people experiencing homelessness.  The survey results revealed a need for strategies for landlord engagement, and resources to assist organizations in serving special populations experiencing homelessness, such as youth, veterans, domestic violence survivors, justice-involved individuals, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. The WV CoCs also expressed an interest in increased collaboration and communication between CoCs. To address these findings, FPM collaborated with external partners like the WV Coalition to End Homelessness and Fairmont-Morgantown PHA to present on their strategies for engaging prospective landlords.  Alex Alston, Director of the Office of Adult Behavioral Health at the WV Department of Health & Human Resources, also spoke about the State’s behavioral health care resources and upcoming comprehensive homelessness study.  To attend to the needs of different populations, FPM moderated a panel discussion with representatives from four organizations that specifically serve organizations provided valuable resources and sparked a robust discussion between attendees. FPM and CPD staff also facilitated small group discussions with representatives from each CoC.  In these collaborative sessions, staff answered programmatic questions and gathered feedback about topics like the CoC Interim Rule and how HUD can better support the training needs of their organizations.  This event provided a space for WV CoCs to network, share resources, and discuss future opportunities for collaboration in service of WV residents experiencing homelessness.

3D Concrete Printing & Affordable Housing

Regional Administrator Matthew Heckles and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for PD&R Solomon Greene joined their HUD colleagues at Penn State University to learn and discuss innovative 3D Concrete Printing (3DCP) approaches for affordable housing opportunities.  The day-long workshop included presentations from Penn State researchers and industry experts in finance, code and construction.  PDAS Solomon Greene provided keynote remarks touching on HUD’s support for innovation and the impact on HUD’s mission to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.  Afterward, a HUD panel and interactive discussion ensued where researchers and industry experts discussed the challenges and opportunities for 3DCP for affordable housing construction.    

3DCP technology has the potential to be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly by reducing build time and waste.  Advances in the concrete formulation will allow for locally sourced and recycled materials resulting in carbon-neutral and carbon-negative construction.  As a result, concrete structures are more robust, durable, and resistant to natural disasters and harsh weather conditions.  This technology allows for customizing housing designs to meet specific needs and preferences that its intended residents may need.  3DCP companies are already engaging with trade schools, colleges and universities on workforce development as high-paying, high-skill jobs expand in this industry.   

Capital Funds Infusion

The Richmond Field Office welcomed Regional Administrator Matthew Heckles to Richmond! 

Along with visiting the Richmond Field Office, Regional Administrator Heckles joined U.S Senator Mark Warner, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and Steven Nesmith Chief Operating Officer of Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority (Authority) for a check presentation and public roundtable of housing leaders and advocates. 

With Richmond’s public housing communities being some of the oldest in the country, the Authority will use the $14 million from HUD’s Public and Indian Housing Office of Capital Improvements to modernize and maintain its affordable housing in the city.   In the Richmond metro area, residents spend 30% and, often, more of their income on housing costs.  The Richmond region is facing a 23,000-unit shortage of affordable housing.  With this infusion of capital funds, the Authority will work with the City of Richmond and other housing partners to address and tackle the affordable housing crisis.

One of Many Fair Housing Events

In recognition of Fair Housing Month, the Western Pennsylvania Housing Directors Association (WPHDA) hosted HUD Region III Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) on April 5, 2023.

FHEO Region III Regional Director Carolyn Kornegay Punter welcomed more than 50 attendees representing dozens of housing authorities from across Western Pennsylvania.  FHEO presented various topics including reasonable modifications and accommodations, service and assistance animals, the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and sexual harassment.

There was robust discussion that included a review of settlement agreements and responses to hypothetical scenarios. The session equipped housing authorities with information and resources to ensure compliance with fair housing laws.  

Affordable Housing for Seniors

Philadelphia Field Office Director Robert Ford traveled to Collingdale, PA, to join Archbishop Nelson Perez as he blessed and dedicated St. Joseph Place. This new Section 202 property offers fifty units and receives Project Rental Assistance Contract assistance. 

Catholic Housing and Community Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CHCS) developed St. Joseph Place by transforming the former historic Saint Joseph Parish Elementary School and its annex building through substantial rehabilitation and the construction of a new addition that unified the two buildings.

St. Joseph Place’s unified building consists of one-bedroom apartments for income-eligible seniors aged 62 years and older.  It includes a community room, food cupboard, laundry facilities, resident lounges and on-site social services such as case management, health services, and recreational activities to assist residents as they age in their community.  CHCS’s affordable senior housing program enables seniors to remain active in their communities while enjoying comfortable, stylish apartment living.

“Seniors are among the most vulnerable populations we serve,” said Field Office Director Robert Ford.  “HUD’s mission is to create affordable, attainable, safe, and sanitary housing for our seniors, and St. Joseph's Place Apartments achieves that goal.”

One of Deputy Secretary's Visits...

One of SOHUD's Visits...

Secretary Fudge’s first stop was at the West End Neighborhood House in Wilmington to share highlights of President Biden’s State of the Union address, starting with the fact that over two million struggling homeowners are still in their homes because of HUD’s innovative foreclosure prevention and loss mitigation efforts during the first two years of the Biden-Harris Administration. 

Her message was apropos because West End Neighborhood House has helped improve the lives of an ethnically, economically and culturally diverse community since 1883.  The organization supports its community to achieve self-sufficiency by meeting its clients' financial, housing, educational, employment and social needs. 

Joining the Secretary on the podium were West End Executive Director Paul Calistro, Delaware State Housing Authority Executive Director Eugene Young, State Senator Darius Brown and Lourdes Maldonado, a homeowner who shared her story about how she averted homelessness because her bank worked with her to modify her loan terms when she fell behind during the pandemic.

Secretary Fudge then participated in Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League’s Stakeholder Engagement Roundtable discussion at the historic Bethel AME Church that focused on foreclosure prevention and loss mitigation programs and creative ways to remove barriers to accessing homeownership for underserved families. 

An array of stakeholders, including Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki, led a robust discussion of addressing the community’s needs fairly and equitably.  Also joining the conversation was new homeowner Angel Nieves, a first-generation homeowner who benefitted from innovative programs that Delaware offered.

Secretary Fudge’s final stop was at the Hope Center in New Castle County, the largest shelter on the East Coast.  The County used CARES Act funding to purchase the former Sheraton hotel to house the people experiencing homelessness and is collaborating with CARES Act partners to feed and care for them.  Secretary Fudge shared the benefits of the American Rescue Plan investments to provide supportive services to people experiencing homelessness.  Past and present residents shared their journey and how the Hope Center became their oasis, providing a helping hand and hope.

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