February 13, 2013

It Took a Long, Long Road to Get Here

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For the 35 new residents of the recently restored Rosedale Community in Birmingham who gathered on a recent winter morning, there was a feeling a little like that expressed by Alicia Keys in her latest hit, “A Brand New Kind of Me,” which includes the lines, “It took a long, long road to get here.  It took a brave new girl to try.”

Many of these residents were residents of the original Rosedale Community that was destroyed by the storms of April 2011.  They could tell you stories of that terrifying day, when lives hung in the balance and nothing short of a miracle kept so many residents from harm.  Anyone looking at the rubble in the days after the storms knew what a miracle it was that so few lives were lost.  But those days were also the beginning of a long, long road to recovery.  Former residents will tell you how they drove or walked by the construction site almost daily to see the progress, to dream of the day when they could return to the community that some had called home for decades. Continue reading →

February 12, 2013

Daily Housing News Round-Up

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Photo courtesy of the Chicago Agent Magazine

“Home prices increase in 88 percent of U.S. Cities as recovery broadens,” reports the Courier-Journal.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes, “Foreclosure notices at lowest level in years.”

“Disparate Impact and Fair Housing: Seven Cases You Should Know,” says ProPublica via OPB.

The Washington Post prints, “Washington D.C. region is a seller’s market.”

Attractive, Affordable Housing Making a Difference in Atlanta

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The City of Atlanta is successfully restoring the Edgewood neighborhood to its former beauty while incorporating green building design through HUD’s Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).  The goal of the program is to stabilize communities that have suffered from foreclosures and abandonment.  Now, with the assistance of NSP, Edgewood is in the midst of a community makeover.

Atlanta chose to invest in the Edgewood community by developing the Retreat at Edgewood.  The Retreat at Edgewood sits on the former site of Edgewood Housing Apartments that was vacant for two years before it was demolished in 2008.  The Edgewood neighborhood is predominantly a residential community that is close in proximity to the downtown area, conveniently located near Interstate 20 and accessible to MARTA transportation lines.  As the community gentrifies, property values are rising, making quality affordable housing rare.

Often, affordable homes are built as high rises, however, the new affordable community in Edgewood consists of 100 stacked flats and townhouses which blend with the overall family style residential neighborhood.  The spacious one, two and three bedroom apartment homes are LEED for Homes certified at the Silver level and include: Energy Star certified dishwashers, washers and dryers;  eco-friendly carpet throughout the units; ceramic tile in the kitchens, bathrooms and entryways; and low-flow water sensors for toilets and faucets. The homes are also structured to allow solar panels to be added later.  Several homes are barrier free with zero step entrances. Others are accessible for mobility impaired and audio/visual impaired people.

The City of Atlanta, developers, and partners worked and continue to work closely with the community by keeping them involved with the design of this project.

Nikel is a Presidential Management Fellow in HUD’s Atlanta Regional Office.

February 11, 2013

Daily Housing News Round-Up

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Photo courtesy of CNN Money

Photo courtesy of CNN Money

CNN Money reports, “A sign the housing recovery just might stick.”

“The Path To Home Ownership Is Getting Smoother,” says Vatalyst.

The Street prints, “Obama Makes Renewed Push for Lower Rates on Refinancing.”

“Americans Are Tapping Into Home Equity Again,” reports CNBC.  

“Mold? Leaky Roof? Obama Administration Says All Americans Must Have ‘Healthy Housing,’” writes CNS News.

February 8, 2013

Reaffirming the Fair Housing Act

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Great strides have been made toward ending discrimination in housing since passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1968. Unfortunately, discrimination continues, often in subtle forms. I’m proud to announce that today HUD took an important step forward in our continuing efforts to expose and end discrimination in housing, through the issuance of a rule that formalizes a national standard for determining whether a housing practice violates the Fair Housing law based on an unjustified discriminatory effect.

As we’ve learned over the years, housing discrimination comes in many forms. Discrimination doesn’t have to be intentional in order to have a damaging effect. And it doesn’t have to be explicit in order to create, increase, reinforce or perpetuate segregated housing patterns because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin as the law prohibits.

HUD, which has the responsibility and authority to interpret and enforce the Fair Housing Act,  has long interpreted the Act to prohibit housing practices with an unjustified discriminatory effect, if those acts actually or predictably result in a disparate impact on a group of persons, or create, increase, reinforce or perpetuate segregated housing patterns.

Indeed, this well-established legal precedent has been critically important in helping HUD remedy discriminatory practices in home rentals, sales, and financing nationwide. The rule released today reaffirms and formalizes this existing legal framework of the Fair Housing Act.

I’m pleased not only that we have adopted this rule, but also that it was accomplished through a transparent and inclusive process. For more than a year, HUD sought, received, and incorporated input based on comments from individuals, fair housing and legal aid organizations, Attorneys General, state housing finance agencies, public housing agencies, public housing trade associations, insurance companies, financial institutions, and numerous other entities. It was a process that gives us confidence in this rule as a source of clarity and consistency for individuals, businesses, organizations, and government entities in understanding their responsibilities under, and compliance with the law.

Read the final rule.