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Housing Is Working Group 2023-2024 Calendar

Join the Housing Is Working Group to discuss special topics related to cross-sector initiatives and programmatic considerations particularly focused on the intersections of housing, health, and education.

This year’s public webinars cover topics such as the mobility asthma project, trauma-informed approaches to housing, resident-focused racial equity work, out-of-school time, and how FCC grantees are supprting voucher holders.

View Calendar
 

Elements of a Successful Partnership

With generous support from the MacArthur Foundation, CLPHA developed an in-depth report on regional housing-education collaborations taking place at housing authorities across the Pacific-Northwest.

Read the Multimedia Report
 
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Community:
The California Homeless Youth Project (HYP) is a research and policy initiative that highlights the issues and challenges faced by unaccompanied young people who are homeless or lack stable housing. This website provides state and local policymakers and others with information and policy resources specific to unaccompanied homeless youth, with a focus on young people in California.

Authored by: CA.gov
Topics: Education, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Research, West Coast
Shared by Housing Is on Mar 5, 2019
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Community:
Feb 28, 2019
In light of the many costs generated by child poverty for the United States, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides evidence-based policy and program packages that could cut the child poverty rate by as much as 50 percent while at the same time increasing employment and earnings among adults living in low-income families.

Authored by: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Topics: Child welfare, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Mar 1, 2019

Child Poverty Rate Could Be Cut in Half in Next Decade Following Proposals in New Expert Report

Publication
Feb 28, 2019
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
In light of the many costs generated by child poverty for the United States, a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine provides evidence-based policy and program packages that could cut the child poverty rate by as much as 50 percent while at the same time incre
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Community:
Feb 25, 2019
The 2019 state legislative season is in full swing, and SchoolHouse Connection is hard at work on 12 bills in 7 states (IN, KY, ME, NV, TN, TX, UT). We’re also supporting legislative advocates in 4 additional states (AZ, CA, MD, WA), and anticipate additional bills to be filed in LA, MO, NJ, and NC.

Authored by: SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Child welfare, Education, Funding, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Youth
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 28, 2019

A Dozen Bills and Counting to Help Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Publication
Feb 25, 2019
SchoolHouse Connection
The 2019 state legislative season is in full swing, and SchoolHouse Connection is hard at work on 12 bills in 7 states (IN, KY, ME, NV, TN, TX, UT). We’re also supporting legislative advocates in 4 additional states (AZ, CA, MD, WA), and anticipate additional bills to be filed in LA, MO, NJ, and NC.
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Community:
Feb 27, 2019
Over the past two decades, criminal justice reform has focused on evidence-based interventions to prevent arrests and incarceration and to facilitate community reintegration. These initiatives represent a movement toward a less punitive, more holistic approach to public safety, targeting critical social factors that lead to and perpetuate criminal justice involvement. Because housing problems are often a key underlying factor for people’s involvement with the criminal justice system, there are ways housing interventions can help lessen criminal justice involvement. Decriminalizing homelessness, for example, can reduce rates of initial arrest and incarceration, especially for people with low-level, nonviolent offenses. A sufficient supply of affordable housing and supportive services could help people stabilize after their release from jail and reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Policymakers, advocates, and practitioners in housing and criminal justice systems can partner to promote and evaluate housing strategies that divert people from the criminal justice system.

Authored by: Kimberly Burrowes for How Housing Matters (Urban Institute)
Topics: Criminal justice, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, Stability
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Feb 28, 2019
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Community:
Feb 15, 2019
Despite that consensus, the digital divide is about to get worse, and current policies will exacerbate it. We need to replace those policies with a coordinated approach that provides appropriate incentives for all stakeholders to bridge widening gaps.

Authored by: Blair Levin for The Brookings Institution
Topics: Broadband, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Racial inequalities
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Feb 28, 2019
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Community:
Feb 22, 2019
The development of new digital telecommunications capabilities combined with a persistent digital divide leaves the public sector with enormous responsibilities to promote network quality and deliver equitable access—but it can only do so by sensibly splitting regulatory responsibilities between the national and local levels. Unfortunately, news out of Washington, D.C. reveals the federal government has overstepped its appropriate role, constricting local governments’ abilities to craft locally tailored solutions.

Authored by: Blair Levin for The Brookings Institution
Topics: Broadband, Community development, Legislation & Policy, Low-income
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Feb 28, 2019

Mayors or the FCC: Who understand the broadband needs of metropolitan residents?

Publication
Feb 22, 2019
Blair Levin for The Brookings Institution
The development of new digital telecommunications capabilities combined with a persistent digital divide leaves the public sector with enormous responsibilities to promote network quality and deliver equitable access—but it can only do so by sensibly splitting regulatory responsibilities between the
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Community:
Feb 19, 2019
So, are the stars better aligned for an infrastructure bill this year? Unfortunately, rhetoric only goes so far, and Washington continues to suffer from the same elemental failure as it did in 2017—the U.S. lacks a clear infrastructure vision. Only when Congress is ready to truly debate what objectives the federal government hopes to achieve—and how to invest to advance those goals—can we begin to craft a transformative national strategy.

Authored by: Adie Tomer and Joseph Kane for The Brookings Institution
Topics: Community development, Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Transportation
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 28, 2019

New year, same debate? Washington needs a fresh infrastructure approach

Publication
Feb 19, 2019
Adie Tomer and Joseph Kane for The Brookings Institution
So, are the stars better aligned for an infrastructure bill this year? Unfortunately, rhetoric only goes so far, and Washington continues to suffer from the same elemental failure as it did in 2017—the U.S. lacks a clear infrastructure vision.
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Community:
We can imagine a future where everyone can find and afford a quality home. Where every neighborhood offers a diversity of housing options. And where people up and down the income ladder can enjoy housing security and build wealth through ownership. Achieving this vision requires more than incremental tinkering with today’s market institutions and public policies. It requires bold innovation by changemakers at all levels of government and in the private and nonprofit sectors.

Authored by: Urban Institute
Topics: Housing, Legislation & Policy, Mobility, Racial inequalities, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 21, 2019

What would it take to ensure quality affordable housing for all in communities of opportunity?

Publication
Urban Institute
We can imagine a future where everyone can find and afford a quality home. Where every neighborhood offers a diversity of housing options. And where people up and down the income ladder can enjoy housing security and build wealth through ownership.
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Community:
Jan 15, 2019
Zoning, a topic usually buried in the real estate sections of local newspapers or debated at community planning meetings, has recently taken the national stage. Zoning figures prominently in the debates over the value that Amazon HQ2 will deliver to Arlington, Virginia, and New York City, while coverage of the affordable housing crisis in states like California blames local zoning restrictions. Cities like Minneapolis, which is radically rewriting its zoning codes, are being hailed as national models.

Authored by: Graham MacDonald, Solomon Greene, and Emma Nechamkin for the Urban Institute
Topics: Community development, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Research
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 14, 2019
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Community:
Feb 1, 2019
While there are many examples of small-scale programs that have integrated care and financing for Medicare-Medicaid eligible individuals, implementation at large scale has been elusive, often limited by concerns that savings will not materialize. The Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office with its Financial Alignment Demonstration was specifically created to allow states to step forward and develop models that could substantially improve care for beneficiaries while delivering savings to states and the federal programs.We are now six years into this audacious set of pilots, which involve 12 states and nearly 440,000 people.

Authored by: Bruce A. Chernof for Milbank Memorial Fund
Topics: Health, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Medicaid / Medicare, Research
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Feb 7, 2019

Integrating Medicare and Medicaid: Success to Date, Lessons Learned, and the Road Ahead

Publication
Feb 1, 2019
Bruce A. Chernof for Milbank Memorial Fund
While there are many examples of small-scale programs that have integrated care and financing for Medicare-Medicaid eligible individuals, implementation at large scale has been elusive, often limited by concerns that savings will not materialize.
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Community:
Build success with effective enforcement. Someone who smokes where smoking is prohibited is violating the policy. Enforcement of the smoke-free policy is similar to enforcement of other building policies, like noise or pet restrictions. Be consistent, fair, positive, and pragmatic.

Authored by: Building Success
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 4, 2019
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Community:
Build success by helping smokers comply with the policy. Some residents who smoke may not be ready or able to stop smoking, but you can work with them to help them comply with the policy. Showing compassion to residents facing barriers to compliance may increase acceptance of the policy and willingness to comply.

Authored by: Building Success
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 4, 2019
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Community:
Build success by supporting cessation among smokers for whom a smoke-free housing policy may provide motivation to quit.

Authored by: Building Success
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 4, 2019
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Community:
Build success by partnering with local agencies and organizations. Community partners can advise during planning, education residents during implementation, and help support cessation.

Authored by: Building Success
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Partnerships, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 4, 2019
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Community:
Build success by training staff on how to effectively share information about the policy and the importance of consistent enforcement.

Authored by: Building Success
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 4, 2019
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Community:
Build Success by engaging residents. Residents can be a strong asset in planning, communication, implementation, and compliance efforts.

Authored by: Building Success
Topics: Health, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Place-based, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 4, 2019
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Community:
Developing effective smoke-free policies requires clear language about why the policy is being adopted, where smoking is and isn't allowed, who is responsible for reporting and investigating violations, and how the policy will be enforced.

Authored by: Building Success
Topics: Housing, Legislation & Policy, Place-based, Smoke-free
Shared by Housing Is on Feb 4, 2019
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Community:
Jan 7, 2019
Times are changing rapidly for families—our households, work and the workforce do not look like they did just a decade ago. Challenges and barriers for parents continue to grow – skyrocketing costs of health care and child care, lack of flexibility at the workplace, and less time at home. Working parents have to balance their budget and time across an ever-changing landscape of needs: from caring for themselves, their children, and older family members, to affording quality child care and paying household bills. Removing barriers so families can care for their loved ones requires us to rethink and update the supports in place for working parents to keep up with the realities of a changing workforce.

Authored by: Lindsay Broyhill for Ascend: The Aspen Institute
Topics: Child welfare, Dual-generation, Early childhood, Family engagement, Health, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Preventative care
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Jan 31, 2019

Family Prosperity: Value All Care, Value Every Family

Publication
Jan 7, 2019
Lindsay Broyhill for Ascend: The Aspen Institute
Times are changing rapidly for families—our households, work and the workforce do not look like they did just a decade ago. Challenges and barriers for parents continue to grow – skyrocketing costs of health care and child care, lack of flexibility at the workplace, and less time at home.
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Community:
Jan 24, 2019
Affordable housing campaigns are not new, of course, but what is unprecedented and transformative about Opportunity Starts at Home is the scope and diversity of the partners that are joining forces to advocate for more robust and equitable federal housing policies. The campaign is advised by a Steering Committee including leading national organizations representing a wide range of interests that are working shoulder-to-shoulder to solve the affordable housing crisis.

Authored by: Opportunity Starts at Home
Topics: Asset building, Child welfare, CLPHA, Community development, Early childhood, Education, Food insecurity, Funding, Health, Homelessness, Housing, Immigrants, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Mobility, Out-of-school time, Partnerships, Racial inequalities, Safety, Seniors, Stability, Substance abuse, Youth
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Jan 24, 2019

Within Reach: Ambitious Federal Solutions to Meet the Housing Needs of the Most Vulnerable People

Publication
Jan 24, 2019
Opportunity Starts at Home
Affordable housing campaigns are not new, of course, but what is unprecedented and transformative about Opportunity Starts at Home is the scope and diversity of the partners that are joining forces to advocate for more robust and equitable federal housing policies.
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Community:
Oct 9, 2018
Women with children, especially, stay hidden in fear of losing custody of their children. As a result, we will never see them camping in tents or in downtown parks.

Authored by: Mary Ellen Mitchell for SchoolHouse Connection
Topics: Early childhood, Homelessness, Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Safety, Stability
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Jan 11, 2019
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Community:
Feb 8, 2018
Homeownership often translates to wealth accumulation, and wealth grows generationally. As a result, the wealth gap between white and black families has grown over the past 50 years. In 2016, white wealth was seven times greater than black wealth. Even if black families own homes, home equity does not necessarily provide the same savings and wealth-building opportunity as it does for white families.

Authored by: Janae Ladet for How Housing Matters
Topics: Housing, Legislation & Policy, Racial inequalities, Research
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Jan 7, 2019

To Equitably Connect Housing and Economic Mobility for Black Americans, Tackle Structural Racism

Publication
Feb 8, 2018
Janae Ladet for How Housing Matters
Homeownership often translates to wealth accumulation, and wealth grows generationally. As a result, the wealth gap between white and black families has grown over the past 50 years. In 2016, white wealth was seven times greater than black wealth.
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Community:
Apr 10, 2018
State and local governments are debating and adopting new landlord-tenant laws and pilot programs, such as expanded legal representation and just-cause eviction requirements. Yet, few housing experts understand evictions well enough to channel the demand for change into clarity about specific eviction problems and potential solutions. Now is the time for policymakers and advocates to get smart. Here are five strategies for policymakers to consider as they address America’s eviction crisis.

Authored by: Maya Brennan for Urban Institute
Topics: Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Research, Stability
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Dec 21, 2018
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Community:
Dec 1, 2018
New York City’s UAC has generated substantial interest as other jurisdictions across the U.S. consider or implement similar programs. In June 2018, San Francisco voters approved a ballot initiative requiring the city to establish, fund, and run a program to provide legal representation to all tenants facing eviction regardless of income. The Los Angeles City Council approved a motion in August 2018 instructing the housing department to develop recommendations for a new eviction defense bill or program.

Authored by: Vicki Been, Deborah Rand, Nicole Summers, and Jessica Yager for NYU Furman Center
Topics: Housing, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Stability
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Dec 21, 2018
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Community:
Dec 20, 2018
The Trump Administration proposed draconian changes today in a key SNAP (food stamp) rule which, if implemented, would cut off basic food assistance for hundreds of thousands of the nation’s poorest and most destitute people. The Administration and House Republican leaders sought, but failed, to secure these changes as part of the farm bill that Congress just passed. The Administration is now proposing to implement, through executive action, what it failed to secure through legislation.

Authored by: Robert Greenstein for The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Topics: Food insecurity, Legislation & Policy, Low-income, Nutrition, Workforce development
Shared by Housing Is on Dec 20, 2018

Trump SNAP Proposal Would Cost Many of Nation's Poorest Their Food Aid

Publication
Dec 20, 2018
Robert Greenstein for The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
The Trump Administration proposed draconian changes today in a key SNAP (food stamp) rule which, if implemented, would cut off basic food assistance for hundreds of thousands of the nation’s poorest and most destitute people.
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Community:
Dec 17, 2018
Housing assistance plays a crucial role in stabilizing so many elements of a family’s daily life, including employment, education, and health. But despite its important role, our nation’s public housing program faces an uncertain future.

Authored by: Susan J. Popkin, Diane K. Levy, and Corianne Payton Scally for The Urban Institute
Topics: Funding, Housing, Legislation & Policy, RAD
Shared by Mica O'Brien on Dec 17, 2018

America's public housing program faces an uncertain future

Publication
Dec 17, 2018
Susan J. Popkin, Diane K. Levy, and Corianne Payton Scally for The Urban Institute
Housing assistance plays a crucial role in stabilizing so many elements of a family’s daily life, including employment, education, and health. But despite its important role, our nation’s public housing program faces an uncertain future.