HUD Stories
Illinois
North West Housing Partnership Awarded $800,000 Through HUD’s Older Adult Home Modification Program
On August 15, HUD and North West Housing Partnership (NWHP) celebrated the new, $800,000 Older Adult Home Modification Program (OAHMP) with a ceremonial check presentation. NWHP plans to use the fund for safety and functional home modifications and limited repairs in 75 units in Illinois.
NWHP accepted the check at Nancy Leonard’s home, a resident with firsthand experience. “I had four falls in the last year and one of them was on the stairs,” Nancy explained, “I didn’t know I was falling.”
A certified occupational therapist and nurses from NWHP’s senior program came to investigate why Nancy had so many falls. A handyman installed handrails and provided Nancy with motion sensor lights as recommended by the OT and nurses.
Thankfully Nancy hasn’t had any falls since these home modifications.
“For seniors like Nancy who want to age in place, programs like OAHMP will allow them to do so,” said Paula Bush, Executive Director of NWHP. “The funding from the grant will allow us to continue to provide home modifications for seniors to reduce fall risk and hospitalization.”
 Left to right: Dr. Taneka Blue (Government Technical Representative for the Older Adult Home Modification Program Office of Lead Hazards and Healthy Homes), Paula Bush (NWHP Executive Director), Nancy Leonard (Resident), James Nelis (NWHP Board of Directors Chairman), Debbie Kiszkowski (NWHP Office Manager), Michelle Hill (NWHP Program Director)
The OAHMP provides grants to assist nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, and public housing authorities in undertaking comprehensive programs that make safety and functional home modifications repairs and renovations to meet the needs of low-income elderly homeowners. The OAHMP model relies on expertise from a licensed Occupational Therapist (OT) and supports licensed OT Assistants and Certified Aging-in-Place Specialists to evaluate the goals and needs of seniors and supports their participation in daily life activities.
HUD and VA Launch First of Series “Boot Camps” in Chicago
HUD Senior Advisor Dr. Richard Cho was in Chicago, IL to kick off the HUD-VASH Bootcamp series to accelerate homeless veterans' path to permanent housing and support services.
Over 100 representatives from public housing agencies (PHAs) and Veteran Affairs Medical Centers (VAMCs) from the region were eager to brainstorm ways to improve their processes and more quickly transition veterans from homelessness to permanent housing with wraparound supportive services. The HUD-VASH program combines HUD’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided by VA.
The series of workshops are taking place in 10 communities across the country to help connect more veterans to housing. #HUDontheRoad
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Indiana
This month, the HUD Indiana Field Office hosted four separate jampacked trainings on the National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate at the John Boner Center. Over 250 housing professionals attended from public housing authorities (PHAs), multifamily owners and management agents, and local government staff.
HUD REAC team members Cliff Kornegay, Senior Advisor to the Deputy Assistant Secretary and Team Lead for Inspection Standards and Kevin Laviano, NSPIRE Deputy Program Manager, shared information on the new standards: inspectable areas; fire, water, mold and moisture, lead, carbon monoxide alarms, infestation, and water safety; HVAC systems and property deficiencies. The training was informative and timely as the new standards went in effect July 2023.
For NSPIRE questions, please email NSPIRE@hud.gov.
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Michigan
Great Lakes Regional Administrator Diane Shelley attended the ribbon cutting of Kchi-noodin Kaamdaakiing, Michigan’s first low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) award to a tribal entity by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority.
The celebration of the award to the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians is the first in a series of affordable multifamily and single-family properties to be constructed at the site. Michael Polsinelli, Michigan Field Office Director; Neil Whitegull, Administrator, Eastern Woodlands Office of Native American Programs; and Tonya Walters from HUD also attended. Regional Administrator Shelley noted in her remarks, “HUD wants to continue to be a strong partner with the tribal entities in the Region and that the Biden-Harris administration has made this a priority for HUD.”
In addition to the award of LIHTCs, HUD provided a competitive Indian Housing Block Grant to the tribe in the amount of $5,000,000 to help with the financing and construction of 36 affordable rental units at the development in addition to a previous award of $700,000 to help fund infrastructure at the site.
Tribal Chairman David Arroyo and Housing Director Nicki Basch welcomed the HUD group and told attendees about the intricacies and layers of funding required to complete the development. The event was capped off by a ribbon cutting with the first family that will occupy one of the newly constructed units.
Plan Big – Talking Community Development and Affordable Internet Access in Detroit
The Detroit Field Office, Office of Community Planning and Development, held its annual All-Grantee Meeting at the Michigan State University Detroit Center, hosting over 100 attendees. CPD Director Keith Hernandez gave opening remarks, followed by presentations on HUD updates, planning for coordinated entry transitions, creating policies and procedures, an in depth look at matching requirements, and completing an Annual Performance Report for the CoC track.
Attendees also received updates on the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), an FCC benefit program designed to increase access to reliable broadband services for rural, urban, suburban and Tribal communities across the state, while decreasing their cost. Access to affordable and reliable internet can mean faster access to resources and opportunities. All households receiving HUD assistance are eligible for the ACP. Signing up will not impact the amount of rent that a tenant pays. Households can sign up for the ACP at https://www.getinternet.gov/apply.
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Minnesota
Welcome to Acting Field Office Director Marie Mazwi
Before beginning her detail as Acting Field Office Director (MN), Marie Mazwi was a Supervisory Account Executive for the Office of Residential Care Facilities, where her awesome team services a $5 billion portfolio of FHA-financed skilled nursing and assisted living facilities. Her HUD career has included various roles in Multifamily Housing and Field Policy and Management. FPM is where she began her HUD career as a PMF working on the Strong Cities, Strong Communities initiative in Fresno, California. Pre-HUD, Marie spent ten years in the nonprofit sector working on community organizing and community development, both in the US and abroad. Her work focused primarily on community-led, grassroots initiatives surrounding the issues of safety, human rights, and youth civic engagement. Marie has an MPA from the University of Southern California.
Marie and her husband, Khiza, have three children who keep them on their toes: Vusa (3), Balela (7) and Sakhile (10). Inja the Ninja, their 9-month-old puppy, makes sure they all spend their weekends going on adventure hikes around the great state of Minnesota.
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Minnesota Rural Broadband Connectivity Initiative Event Aims to Bridge Digital Divide
Thanks to the Minnesota Rural Broadband Connectivity Initiative event for bringing together a dozen federal and state agencies to discuss ways to bridge the digital divide. The event rounds out a series of collaborations across HUD Region V. Over 100 attendees representing public housing authorities, nonprofit groups, and local governments across Minnesota who learned about resources available to increase affordable and robust internet in rural areas and to provide access to quality digital literacy training and tech support.
Speakers included representatives from HUD, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Communications Commission, National Telecommunication and Information Administration, Health Resources and Services Administration, Social Security Administration, Minnesota Department of Health, and Minnesota Office of Broadband Development. Kudos to Margarita Rodriguez, Scott Smith, and to all involved for an informative and productive event.
Cleveland, Ohio
Welcome to New Cleveland Field Office Director Kevin Laviano
Kevin Laviano has over 34 years of experience in affordable housing in various leadership and management positions with HUD. Kevin began his career at HUD in 1989, including ten years as a special assistant and subject matter expert in HUD’s Recover and Prevention Corps assisting troubled public housing authorities (PHAs). He most recently served as Deputy Project Manager for National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE), Director for REAC’s Inspection Standards and Data for Vouchers division running the NSPIRE-V demonstration and Project Manager for the Remote Video Inspections.
During his time as Director of Public Housing in the Cleveland Field Office, Kevin received a Secretary’s Award and a Federal Employee Wings of Excellence award for his leadership in creating a “Home for the Holidays” initiative. By collaborating with PHAs, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), local service providers and other partners, the initiative housed over 75 homeless veterans using HUD-VASH vouchers from Thanksgiving through Christmas in 2015.
Kevin holds a Master of Business Administration, with an emphasis in project management from Ashland University, and a bachelor’s degree in finance from Kent State University.
A lifelong Clevelander, Kevin and his wife Diane have five children Jordan (30), Edward (21), Nicholas (19), Michael (18) and Gianna (12). He also has a 1-year-old grandson Bennett. Kevin loves spending time with his family, enjoys boating on Lake Erie, golfing and rooting for his favorite Cleveland sports teams and the Ohio State Buckeyes.
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Wisconsin
Wisconsin Field Office Director Participates at the Rural Partners Network Federal Partners Event
Left to right Cindy Axne, Senior Advisor for Rural Engagement, Delivery and Prosperity, Farah Ahmad, Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development, USDA, Dale Darrow, HUD Wisconsin Field Office Director, Zayn Siddique, Principal Deputy Director of The White House Domestic Policy Council, and Julie Lassa, Rural Development State Director for Wisconsin.
Over 100 attendees gathered in Osseo, Wisconsin for the Rural Partners Network Federal Partner Event in late July. The Rural Partners Network (RPN) is a White House all-of-government program that helps rural communities find resources and funding to create jobs, build infrastructure, and support long-term economic stability on their own terms. This includes both a breadth strategy to focus on all rural places and a depth strategy focused on designated “Community Networks” currently in 11 states, including Wisconsin, and Puerto Rico. Each RPN Community Network is led by a host entity organization through a collective response model that includes collaborating with local and state government and non-profit organizations.
HUD HQ, regional, and field leadership and staff participated in the selection process for the RPN Community Networks across the country. There are five RPN Community Networks in Wisconsin. HUD is leading a “signature project” effort for the RPN Adams County Community Network to help build more housing units in Adams County.
HUD’s Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Economic Development led by Deputy Assistant Secretary Robin Keegan and staff along with Office of Rural Housing and Economic Development Director Jackie Williams, PhD, and staff will work with HUD’s Wisconsin team to address the five RPN Wisconsin Community Networks community and economic development needs.
News You Can Use
Aug. 31: HUD released its Fiscal Year 2024 Fair Market Rents, which increased by 12% on average across the U.S. The Deaprtment also announced an additional $113 million in Housing Choice Vouchers available for public housing agencies.
Aug. 31: HUD announced $24.2 million in grants through its Fair Housing Initiatives Program, including $4.25 million toward organizations in Illinois and Ohio.
Aug. 30: HUD announced $128 million in funding for affordable housing within Tribal communities, including $7.5 million awarded to the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.
Aug. 29: During the month of September, HUD offices will host additional HUD House Parties across the U.S., including in Detroit on September 9. Over the summer, HUD has used these events — including one in Chicago in June — to promote homeownership and wealth-building.
Aug. 28: HUD and the Federal Communications Commission announced a new partnership to improve the reach and accessibility of the Affordable Connectivity Program among federal housing assistance recipients.
Aug. 24: HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge will convene with leadership from three other federal agencies — Office of Comptroller of the Currency, Federal Housing Finance Agency, and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — to discuss special purpose credit programs and their uses.
Aug. 22: Two new reports from HUD found homelessness declined in 2021 despite the historically high housing needs inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Research suggests this is to federal, state, and local pandemic relief efforts and tenant protections.
Aug. 22: Following a discrimination charge in February of this year, HUD has reached a settlement with tenants and the owner and manager of a duplex apartment in Salem, Oregon.
Aug. 17: HUD awarded nearly $140 million through its Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction grant program to 36 state and local governments, including over $28.6 million to governments in the Great Lakes Region.
Aug. 14: The Department announced $73 million for public housing authorities to fund new HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) vouchers.
Aug. 9: HUD announced $869,000 in funding for 14 public housing authorities, including $340,000 in the Great Lakes Region, as part of the Foster Youth to Independence initiative.
Aug. 8: HUD and the Department of Veterans Affairs have jointly launched the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) “Boot Camps,” which will help public housing agencies and VA medical centers better support veterans experiencing homelessness.
Aug. 4: HUD updated guidance to public housing authorities and HUD-funded multifamily properties on how to better utilize solar programs created by and preceding the Inflation Reduction Act.
Aug. 2: HUD announced a new partnership with the National Association of Real Estate Brokers to increase education, outreach, and other efforts to tackle home appraisal bias and discrimination.
HUD Funding Opportunities
Closing Grants
Capital Fund At-Risk/Receivership/Substandard/Troubled Program CLOSES 9/5/2023 – This funding supports the administrative and judicial receivership costs incurred upon public housing authorities n receivership, designated troubled or substandard, or otherwise at risk.
2022 Family Self-Sufficiency grant CLOSES 9/13/23 – The Family Self-Sufficiency program provides grants to public housing authorities to support salaries and training needs for program coordinators who assist participating families.
FY2023 Continuum of Care Competition and Renewal or Replacement of Youth Homeless Demonstration Program CLOSES 9/28/2023 – HUD’s Continuum of Care program provides funding to support and re-house homeless individuals, families, persons fleeing domestic violence, and youth. Grants are available to nonprofit organizations, state and local governments, Indian Tribes and their housing entities, and public housing agencies.
New Grants
Tenant Education Outreach grant program CLOSES 10/23/2023 – This funding is an annual Section 8 appropriation for improving tenant capacity and cooperation in preserving at-risk HUD Multifamily properties.
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