Monarch Housing’s Blog!

The National Alliance to End Homelessness has released an analysis of proposed changes in the homeless definition. The following is an overview of their summary. to read all of the summary click here. To read the full analysis click here.

Congress is working on reauthorizing HUD’s homeless assistance programs. Numerous changes have been proposed to modify eligibility for assistance, including changing the definition of homelessness, creating funding to serve people who are at risk of homelessness, and expanding eligibility in rural and high performing communities.

Date: 24 Oct 2007
Author: National Alliance to End Homelessness
Files: PDF | 73 KB | 5 pages

The following update on the budget situation is Washington is from the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Capitol Hill
Memo to Members: Vol 12, No. 42, October 26, 2007

Although October 1 marked the start of FY08, Congress has not yet sent any appropriations bills to the president, who has threatened to veto domestic spending bills that exceed his budget request. The president has threatened to veto the Transportation, HUD and Related Agencies (THUD) spending bill, H.R. 3074 (see Memo, 7/27), among others. The combined bills that President Bush says he will veto exceed his total budget request of $933 billion by $23 billion.

Congressional leaders are expected to start sending FY08 appropriations bills to the president by Veterans Day on November 12. The first two spending bills - the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies bill, and the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies bill - are expected to be sent as one package. Packaging the two bills together is expected to make it harder for the president to veto. The president has said he would veto the Labor, HHS, and Education bill because it exceeds his spending request by $11 billion. The Veterans Affairs bill also exceeds the president’s request by about $4 billion, but he has not threatened to veto that bill.

The THUD bill is one of two spending bills expected to be acted upon soon after Veterans Day.

Read the rest of this entry »

On October 26, 2007, Robins’ Nest opened the last twenty units of permanent, affordable housing in Life Link Homes. Life Link Homes is a permanent, affordable and supportive housing development sponsored by Robins’ Nest, Inc. Now that it is completed, this project provides thirty (30) permanent, affordable and supportive housing units three buildings.  Each building  consists of ten (10) efficiency apartments, each with it’s own kitchenette and bathroom.  Additionally, each building will have common areas as well as a manager’s apartment.  The project will provide housing for young adults aging out of the foster care system.

view more images from this album

Read the rest of this entry »

For more details click here.

The Department of Community Affairs, Division of Housing has released it’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for Project-Based Assistance through the State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP). To read the entire RFP click here.  

Purpose and Description of Request
 
The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs announces the availability of rental assistance grants for the purpose of creating and/or expanding permanent affordable housing.  
 
This RFP invites eligible project sponsors to submit proposals for the purpose of awarding project-based housing vouchers through an open competitive process.  
 
Eligible Projects
 
Eligible projects include:  

Low Income Housing Tax Credit projects where the developer and/or general partner is a for-profit entity

Any permanent rental project where the owner and/or general partner is a nonprofit entity 

Read the rest of this entry »

On October 29, 2007, HUD announced the awards for the Section 202 and Section 811 programs.

In New Jersey five (5) Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities were funded for a total of thirty (30) units of permanent, affordable and supportive housing. The sponsors were:

Caring, Inc - two projects

Arc of Atlantic County

Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey/Community Enterprises Corp.

Cerebral Palsy of North Jersey

Monarch Housing Associates was the consultant for the last three organizations on the list. To read a full description of each project click here.

In New Jersey three (3) Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly projects were funded for a total of one hundred eighty-four (184) units of permanent, affordable and supportive housing. The sponsors and the projects were:

Read the rest of this entry »

The Project Live Efficiency Apartments is a permanent, affordable and supportive housing development sponsored by Project Live. When completed in January 2008, the Project Live Efficiency Apartments will provide twenty (20) permanent, affordable and supportive housing units for homeless individuals. Every unit will have it’s own kitchen and bathroom.

Read the rest of this entry »