News and Notes
- On Tuesday, February 17th "King in Chicago: Dr. Martin Luther King and the Chicago Freedom Movement" will make its television premiere on WTTW (channel 11 in Chicago) at 10pm. Through interviews and an amazing photo archive the film explores Dr. King's time in Chicago and explores the accomplishments of his push for "open housing". Director, professor, and friend-of-MoveSmart.org Seth McClellan is a highly skilled filmmaker and interviewer; this documentary is not to be missed.
- From the NYT: A Homecoming for HUD’s New Secretary
"Looking ahead to the long term, Mr. Donovan outlined “five different areas where I believe HUD and this administration can begin to turn the direction of housing policy of this country, "And those five are remaking our mortgage system; dealing with the persistent rental-housing crisis that far too many low-income Americans face; beginning to use HUD and our housing policy as a force for broader sustainability within our economy and within our country; re-energizing efforts around fair housing [emphasis added]; and fifth, allowing HUD to become a leader on research and evaluation." - From Margery Austin Turner of the Urban Institute: Policymaking and the New President: Refocus On Rental Housing
"...the federal government could require metropolitan planning organizations to produce regional housing plans in conjunction with already-mandated transportation plans. It could provide incentive grants to jurisdictions that significantly expand the availability of moderately-priced rental housing in safe neighborhoods with good job access. It could help communities hit hard by the foreclosure crisis acquire vacant properties and make them available as affordable rentals. And it could expand and retarget the Low Income Housing Tax Credit to create rental options both in distressed communities (where the broadest possible mix of incomes is needed) and in opportunity-rich communities (where more housing affordable at low- and moderate-income levels is needed)." - From the Poverty and Race Research Action Council (PRRAC):
"Building Opportunity: Civil Rights Best Practices in the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program (.pdf) is now available on line.
This 50-state review of LIHTC "qualified allocation plans," published by PRRAC and the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, includes a discussion of LIHTC program features that can promote new housing opportunities for families, and help states meet their obligation to affirmatively further fair housing. Appendices include links to state-by-state comparisons of key program features." - Missed the "Can Public Housing Overcome Its History of Racial Discrimination and Segregation?" webcast? You can listen to a .mp3 of the event by following this link.
