Now Is the Time to Buy Land

In this Issue: Using Inmate Labor to Build Affordable Housing ● Housers: Now Is the Time to Buy Land ● Rent Control Promotes Racial Equity ● Help for Small Businesses ● Also: Jobs ● Industry News ● You Said It ● In Case You Missed It

Week of April 6 In this Issue: Using Inmate Labor to Build Affordable Housing ● Housers: Now Is the Time to Buy Land ● Rent Control Promotes Racial Equity ● Help for Small Businesses ● Also: Jobs ● Industry News ● Resources ● Events ● You Said It ● In Case You Missed It + Housers: Now Is the Time to Buy Land Randy Shaw, Tenderloin Housing Clinic The COVID-19 crisis has led to a slowdown/stoppage of for-profit projects. This can benefit affordable housing developers in three ways . . . Read Full Article Help for Small Businesses (Which Includes Nonprofits) Keli A. Tianga, Shelterforce Just this past week and a half, there is rapid movement toward creating the mechanisms for small business recovery. Read Full Article Rent Control Promotes Racial Equity Amee Chew, PolicyLink Established now, universal rent control alongside other needed measures would boost our country’s post-COVID-19 recovery by promoting equity. Study after study shows rent control does not harm housing production. Read Full Article Using Inmate Labor to Build Affordable Housing Terrence T. McDonald, Shelterforce How do we balance the need to provide job training to those incarcerated with the need to ensure that prisoners are not exploited for their work? Read Full Article Help Shelterforce bring you the stories you need now! Supporting us is simple and fast. You can do it on Patreon! In Case You Missed It HUD Urged to Make Tenant Income Adjustments Automatic by April 1 (Spoiler: They didn’t. But they still should.) Community Development Is Crucial in This Moment We Need a Rural New Deal Deciding Not to Rebuild After Climate-Related Disasters Raise Your Voice Although many groups have pushed for an extension, the comment period is only open until April 8, 11:59 p.m. ET on the substantial proposed rule changes regarding the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). Be sure to weigh in with your opinion.  See Shelterforce’s coverage of the CRA proposals here. Industry News Cindy Wu is the new executive director of Bay Area LISC. She was previously deputy director of Chinatown CDC. See Wu's writing for Shelterforce here. Looking for a Job? Scroll Down... You Said It On “ An Eviction Moratorium Is Not Enough—Suspend Rent” Tim: . . . No one wants to evict for lack of rent payment ever. Least of all in a health crisis. And most landlords did not need an eviction moratorium to know that . . . Read Full Article Jacob Woocher: . . .You don’t think most landlords want to evict? Have you ever dealt with tenants who need eviction defense? You don’t think landlords in LA who own RSO properties won’t want to evict the Latino family who’s been there for 30 years and is only paying $800 rent? I urge you to take the tenants’ perspective and not that of the “decent honest landlord” — a dying breed, if it ever existed. Read More Bobby: I totally agree with the premise of this article and as a landlord I am working with my tenant to keep them housed. Together we have come up with win-win solutions for both of us. You are correct, there needs to be more done and that is a solution that keeps the tenant and . . . Read More On “HUD Urged to Make Tenant Income Adjustments Automatic by April 1” Robert Robinson: It is time for the US government to step up and take decisive action. The recovery from this pandemic will take some time. Economic, social and cultural norms in this country will need to change. The people need to be bailed out with rent/mortgage forgiveness, utility forgiveness and assurance from government at all levels that– “everyone will have a right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family”, including . . . Read More Olivia R. Williams: Yes, and also: nonprofit housing providers that survive on thin margins (and usually make a habit of rent forgiveness) need additional Federal assistance right now beyond typical CDBG/HOME $$. Via Twitter Sign up for Shelterforce Weekly! Jobs Real Estate Specialist, BCL of Texas, Austin, TX ● The Specialist will assist with property and facilities management, resident relations and vendor relations. The Specialist will report to the Director of Community Development. The Specialist will support the Director on affordable housing and real estate development project activities including acquisitions, construction . . . Read Full Listing Publisher/Executive Director, Shelterforce, Montclair, NJ ● Shelterforce seeks a publisher/executive director to advance its mission, grow its audience and influence, and strategically and sustainably guide the organization through an evolving and dynamic media landscape. Read Full Listing Click here to post a job! More Jobs Policy Director, Washington, D.C., ● National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development Director of Impact and Evaluation, Tukwila, WA ● King County Housing Authority Editor, Miriam Axel-Lute Managing Editor, Lillian M. Ortiz Senior Editor, Keli A. Tianga Assistant Editor, Elizabeth Oguss Operations Associate, Sam Fields Publisher, Harold Simon Made possible by the generous support of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ● Kresge Foundation ● NeighborWorks America ● Kaiser Permanente ● Bank of America Foundation ● JPMorgan Chase Foundation ● Citi Community Development ● PNC Bank Foundation● BB&T ● Valley National Bank ... and with the support of readers like you.