U.S. House Reauthorizes Successful HOPE VI Housing Program

Press Release

U.S. House reauthorizes successful HOPE VI housing program

The U.S. House reauthorized the federal HOPE VI housing program that has provided over $56 million to revitalize El Paso's Alamitos Apartment complex and Kennedy Brothers development.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives reauthorized the federal HOPE VI housing program that has provided over $56 million to revitalize El Paso's Alamitos Apartment complex and Kennedy Brothers development. Congressman Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, voted in favor of the bill, H.R. 3524, the HOPE VI Improvement and Reauthorization Act.

"The HOPE VI program makes a difference in the lives of those who need it most," said Congressman Reyes. "Not only does this program provide safe, quality homes, it promotes confidence, self-esteem and self-sufficiency among those who live there."

Congressman Reyes has long supported and fought for HOPE VI funding. In the past, the Bush Administration has eliminated funds for HOPE VI in their yearly budget, and Congressman Reyes and his colleagues responded by successfully urging congressional appropriators to fund this important program.

H.R. 3524 reauthorizes the highly successful HOPE VI program for eight years, authorizing $800 million a year, and includes numerous improvements to the program:

* The bill requires that all public housing units proposed for demolition or disposition under a HOPE VI project be replaced on a one-for-one basis.

* The bill requires public housing agencies to provide a mixed-income housing development on the site of the original public housing location in a manner resulting in a decrease in the concentration of poverty.

* The bill requires remaining replacement units to be built in areas with low concentrations of poverty in the jurisdiction of the public housing agency and in a manner that affirmatively furthers fair housing. These units must be comparable to public housing units in terms of affordability, tenant eligibility, and income determination.

* The bill provides residents displaced by a HOPE VI project with three housing choices: a revitalized unit on the site of the original public housing location; a revitalized unit in the jurisdiction of the public housing agency; or a housing choice voucher, which can be used in areas with lower concentrations of poverty.

* The bill requires that all replacement housing as part of a HOPE VI project be built in accordance with the national Green Communities criteria checklist or a substantially equivalent standard as determined by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Green Communities is a well-respected, widely-utilized industry standard for green affordable housing and is already required or used by a number of cities and states across the country.

* The bill requires public housing agencies to monitor and track all households affected by HOPE VI revitalization plans. In addition, public housing agencies must develop a temporary relocation plan that provides comparable housing for all relocated residents, protects residents in transitioning to the private rental market with housing choice vouchers, provides for housing opportunities in neighborhoods with lower
concentrations of poverty, and extends the voucher search time to 150 days.

* The bill provides for the active involvement and participation of residents in the grant planning process, including public hearings and four notices to residents on: 1) the intent to apply for a HOPE VI grant; 2) grant award and relocation options; 3) grant agreement and relocation options; and 4) replacement housing.

* The bill establishes performance benchmarks to ensure the timely completion of HOPE VI grants and provides penalties for grantees that do not meet these performance benchmarks.

Source