According to the Washington Post, about $4 billion dollars has been set aside nationally by HUD to help ease the foreclosure problem and to target the hardest hit localities. The D.C. Metro area will receive approximately $95 million dollars of this money.
In this region, Prince George’s County is eligible for the biggest chunk: $10.9 million. Trailing in Maryland are Baltimore City with $4.1 million and Baltimore County with $2.6 million. In Virginia, Prince William County can tap into $4.1 million and Fairfax County into another $2.8 million, according to HUD.
But to get the money, states and communities have to act fast. By law, the funds must be committed within 18 months. It is up to each community to come up with a plan.
If the plan meets HUD’s requirements, states could receive their money within days, HUD Secretary Steve Preston told reporters yesterday. “It is our intention to push hard to get this money into the hands of these communities.”
It is critical for our BOCS to grab up this money as fast as possible by submitting a plan that meets with HUD’s approval. It seems appropriate that citizens immediately forward their ideas to their supervisor. Time is of the essence.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/26/AR2008092603329.html?nav=hcmoduletmv
“It’s all about integrity” Haha
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG6X-xtVask
Land of the Free.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWAB_OaAprQ&feature=related
I agree, Monday morning I will call to inquire about the plan PWC will put forward.
Shall we enlighten HUD where all our county money went that “enhanced” this crisis?
No, lets not risk losing the money by exposing someone’s appetite for power and control. We can do that at election time.
This is a glimmer of hope for those of is in PWC. I hope our BOS and others in the county have read this article and have already got their “thinking caps” on. Some serious citizen input would nice for a change. Here’s some of my thoughts.
Rehabilitation is the key for PWC. Loans to assist with down payments and/or closing costs is NOT the answer. Rehabilitation is the only practical and viable use of such money. There are foreclosure properties that have been vacant for going on two years now. They were left in poor condition, and have only gotten worse by sitting empty. Pipes have burst over the last two winters. In the “hard hit” areas of Woodbridge, Dale City, Marumsco (Hills, Woods, Acres & Village), and WestGate, all of these homes have gas base board heat. The water may be turned off to these properties. However, all of that water is still in the pipes. We’ve seen major problems over the past two winters of the pipes bursting. There’s not always a contact person to let the owners know what has happened. We will see this again this winter. There’s already a Rehabilitation program available in PWC. Credit is hard enough to get these. Most of these properties have tens of thousands of dollars in repairs, clean up, extermination, replace fixtures and appliances, etc. to return these houses to a habitable state.
I’m sure that Mr. Gerhardt is all over this one. I agree. Glimmer of hope. We are eligible for $4.1 million compared to $2.8 million in Fairfax. Hooray! We finally beat them in something. Just kidding.
Fairfax has a lot more homes and people in it. This tells me we have a lot more foreclosures per home in PWC. I guess you could say we’re way ahead of them. But I wonder just when we raced to the front of the pack in terms of foreclosures in the DC region? I wonder what else this might have corresponded with.
Is it possible for Habitat for Humanity to become involved in rehabilitating some of these houses? They have property that’s the center of some controversy in the mid-county area. Could a swap of some sorts be worked out – the Habitat owned land for funds to rehabilitate numerous residential properties in the county?
The recioient jurisdictions are currently laying off and furloughing emplloyees. I would imagine those that would develop these plans and manage them are among the first to go. Last thing anyone needs would be non compliance due to lack of staff oversight or inexperienced staff. These programs are tricky.
NGL – we might beat them in violent crime rates now that we are their ghetto.
Chris,
Great plan. I hope you are able to get someone to listen to that one. Perhaps you and censored could get your plans merged into something that would really work for our neighborhoods rather than a few getting assistance and many not. (which would happen with downpayment assistance or closing cost assistance).
Juturna, That is one race I would rather not be winning.
I am sure the Prince William Housing Authority and the City of Manassas/Manassas Park Housing Office have been advised about this HUD money. There are times they are the first to be notified.
Not sure that Habitat for Humanity would be allowed to use the funds for rehab. Usually these funds come with many strings attached and it appears these funds are to be used to address the foreclosure problem. I will check with the City of Manassas Housing Agent regarding the funds and how they can be used. However, It may be too soon to know.
This is really a good thing for our area. I do hope some of the funds can be used for rehab of properties. When homes are left vacant it is very destructive to the property. Houses begin to implode. Vacant homes will need repair before they can be sold.
Wendy,
I know several people in the Housing Offices in PW Co and Manassas. I certainly understand your concerns but the workers I know are experienced and knowledgeable about HUD and housing programs. I do not think we need to be worried about the implementation of the program, nor the disbursement of the funds.
Marie.
Not disputing their talent.
Wondering if they won’t be the first laid off.
Usually “quality of life” programs go first when govt layoffs begin.
Marie,
I curious would this money to PWC be shared with the two cities? Or are they elligible for their own funds? It seems like this would be shared with them.
Will see if I can find the HUD fact sheet. Typucally the state woul make the call on distribution of block grant funds with cities within PWC.
Censored,
I do that Habitat for Humanity will come in help people with zoning issues too. I turned in a house last year that this happened with. Some don’t realize reporting zoning/building code violations can have positive outcomes. The house had steps missing from a side door, and in no way was the door properly blocked off to ensure no would would exit out a door without steps. This was assigned to the best inspector I’ve ever worked with. After, visiting the house for the initial inspection it was clear this was not safe and needed to be fixed. As a result of zoning being notified then Habitat for Humanity became involved and put stairs on the house of the elderly woman living alone. Not all call to zoning for petty crap.
Wendy,
Of course no one can say if staff in the housing office will or will not be laid off. Since most of their funding comes from the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), I think many staff will stay on board.
Chris,
I know that the City does receive some of the Community Development Block Grant funds. They are also housing funds. The County administers the program but there are funds that go to the City. I will inquire tomorrow and let you know.
Marie –
If you say so.
It could be that Project Mend A House could help with some of the repair issues. They are another non-profit that repairs homes of the disabled, poor and elderly. Maybe they could take on some of these projects. Of course, they are all volunteers and they depend on contributions from the community and the local governments.
It may be a good volunteer opportunity for many of us if Project Mend A House is involved.
Wendy,
Don’t count me out. I just retired from a Human Service agency. I was in budget and finance and am very familiar with the many funding streams for housing and social services. The Federal Gov’t funds many initiatives in Housing programs and Social Services, including the administrative costs to implement the programs.
Not counting you out. Assume you know more than I. How much of the Housing $24M budget is federal pass through from the state? Since all HUD monies include salaries and benefits for all employees, what is the forecast? How much of that money is allocated in transfers to other programs as you mentioned? Contribution agencies were targeted last year. Housing has lost staff over prior grant administration problems, BUT they have been re-vamped and re-focused. However, they are short staffed as it must all be supporting revenue in order for them to function.
The state is preparing for a two year $2.9Billion dollar shortfall…….
Just don’t think this agency is immune to that – and since this is passed through the state, the question would also be what percent of the state budget is funded without state general funds to continue to support localities.
If PWC and others are going out of lines of business……. I think it’s a fair question.
Beginning Oct. 1 the Army deploys…stateside.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/
In addition to Habitat or Project Mend A House, what about vocational trade schools ( hands on training)? I can’t think of the program offered at the local High Schools where the students actually went out to the job sites for hand on training or even if it exists now.
I know that Cosmetology and Auto Mechanics are still offered.
….and then the schools would want a piece of the cash pie for their administrative time….. Sorry to be such a naysayer, but economics are doing to drive these issues with blinders from now on.
… economics are GOING to drive…
I’m not sure I support this. It’s more of the same artificial manipulation of the housing market rather than letting the free market set the price. This artificial manipulation will succeed in prolonging the pain.
Imho, the greatest tool to abolish the resolution is the foreclosure crisis. Surrounding counties will begin recuperating while we stay behind because minorities won’t move here and businesses won’t locate here.
When the economic pain grows large enough, the resolution will be abolished in order to bring people and businesses back into the county. The short term pain will be outweighed by the long term benefit to the county.
Then we can get on with the business of rebuilding the community.
It’s the feds bailout of the “little folks”. If I had my druthers, I’d ask them to bail out my son’s college fund.
Emma’s feeling lonely guys…..she and Elvis just can’t stop talking about us. But, it’s okay to trash us when we aren’t looking. Boy, I thought that’s what she preached here about? My pet peeve, expecting from others what you don’t/won’t expect from yourself….. 🙁
Emma said on 28 Sep 2008 at 10:42 am:
And you don’t have any clue about what many here have done to better their community, oh preachy Marie. Did you give kudos to HSM over on the anti site for the graffiti cleanup yesterday? I’m pretty sure you did not. That wouldn’t fit in with the poison you all enjoy frolicking in over there.
Federal Appeals Court decides: Driving With Money is a Crime
http://thenewspaper.com/news/12/1296.asp
Did you guys know that a large percentage of currency in circulation contains trace amounts of narcotics? How about the cash in your wallet/purse? How do you know that your cash wasn’t previously handled by a drug dealer?
And it is legal for the police to extend a traffic stop with a drug sniffing dog anytime they feel like it (drug sniffing dogs make mistakes 12-60% of the time).
Would a drug sniffing dog false alert if it came too close to your wallet or purse and you were carrying a large amount of cash? And what would happen to you if it did?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_v._Caballes
…and we thought the anti-immigrant resolution was bad. It is only more of a familiar trend. We haven’t been paying attention until now.
No conviction required. Guilty until proven innocent.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4191/is_/ai_n16733159
There’s a good chance you’re all carrying cocaine…and don’t know it.
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080411/NEWS/804110348
Sound familiar?
How China has created a new slave empire in Africa
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1063198/PETER-HITCHENS-How-China-created-new-slave-empire-Africa.html
Juturna, some people just enjoy being hypocritical pains in the ass. It looks like the double E team in no different. Why on earth does she expect recognition?
They should have gone to the study circles and learned how to interact as human beings. It is easier to sit back and lie about others I guess.
Is the E team led by Emily Sue or the E-man?
Wendy,
It sounds like you have quite a bit of knowledge and are well informed. I do not want give the impression that I know everything about all programs. Programs and funding are complicated to say the least and each locality has different programs.
I assume the $24M to which you refer is the Housing budget for PW Co. It is my understanding that housing funds are federal dollars. However, the locality can opt to supplement with additional funding. Prince Wm may have but I do not have a copy of their budget to determine if local dollars are included in the Housing Authority’s budget. As for the cuts the BOCS may make in staffing will depend on the receipt of revenue from all sources and if there are any local tax dollars supporting the Housing Authority.
I do know that the Housing Authority in Pr Wm did have some administrative challenges. Since then, as you say, the office has been re-vamped and re-focused. It will be hard to predict whether or not they will be immune to any more cuts. It will depend, again, on the revenue they bring in to support the program and if the County supplements their budget.
I know that the State planned to cut revenues to Pr Wm for the FY2010 by about 1,7M but that figure may be greater due to the current economic climate but none of those funds were for housing programs.
At this point it is really hard to say how much money Pr Wm will actually receive for this foreclosure initiative. If the Manassas/ Manassas Park Housing Program has been included in the figure, I am clueless as to what they would receive. In the past the Manassas/Manassas Park Housing Program and the Manassas Housing Trust Fund were the sub-recipients of some of the Federal CDBG funds that are administered by the County but it was not much.
I know this probably does not really answer your questions but at this point there are really too many unknowns. If I hear anything or get further information I will be sure to post it.
HSM cleaned up graffiti? They should have started with their BLOG, their NEWSLETTER and their piece of trash POLICY.
You know, it’s all very well and good to do public acts of kindness, and people generally appreciate them. Then again, there is something called hypocrisy. It’s kind of like Stewart claiming to be a “devout Catholic” and then hiring on Duecaster, the Catholic hater.
MH, I would never tell HUD what a bunch of wasteful, hateful politicians we have in this county and jeapordize money that should be going to needy people. Besides, with the lawsuit and complaints in Manassas, I am sure HUD is aware of the situation.
Juturna,
I got my a** kicked over there. I have got to quit trying to reason with some people and I need to stay away from BVBL. Did you read all the posts by TedKennedySwimInstructor, Emma, Billybob, USMCWife and concrete4?
All I did was post what I posted here and ask if more people would participate. Initially, Chris had invited many and I guess she got knocked around. I have such respect for her. We differ in our views but she is willing to listen and remain open as I am. You know we can all learn something new and sometimes our views are reshaped.
I found the Study Circle to be really much more than I expected with a variety of ideas and differences. It was actually nice to sit and talk to people with different opinions and feel some respect.
I really dislike my community being so polarized. I am hoping somehow we can find a common ground. I thought the Study Circle would head us in that direction.
Marie
Think we can agree that there are definitely too many unknowns at this point. Regardless of the funding source.
So, back to my point – if all the localities on the HUD list are in the midst of furloughing employees and contemplating layoffs it could spell trouble for working out strategies at the state level with an implementation schedule of 18 months.
Marie, the difference is that rational people with opposing opinions can discuss without hating. Irrational people cannot. The irrational people at BVBL and in HSM will never venture into a rational forum because they can’t hold up the a standard of logic and common ground rules. As much as they complain about people breaking the rules, they have no problem doing it themselves. They hit below the belt and expect people to say, “Hey. That’s okay.” It’s not okay.
Good idea to stay away from BVBL and their fans. All they do is spread toxic waste.
Marie
You did get kicked around – by a bunch of lazy loudmouths. They are devoid of the ability to reason and can only parrot what they are fed or feel. No thinking allowed.
You and Chris are on the record as being open and considerate. Two qualities they can barely comprehend based on their words. Perhaps they are different people in public.
Actually KG, I find them very pathetic these days. Very sad little group of ‘men’ clearly making up for what they don’t have in intellect and other areas…..
Wouldn’t you love to know the title of the last book (more than 150 pages) each has read.
Marie,
You extended the invitation and tried to reach out. If they cannot even entertain the notion of sitting down and talking, there is something wrong with them. If they were secure in themselves and their views, I think they would have declined in a mutually respectful fashion. These study circles sound interesting but I don’t think I’ll have the time to dedicate. I’ve also got some vacation coming up in october so unfortunately I won’t be available.
Wendy,
Your point is well taken. 18 months implementation is a pretty short time frame given reduced staff.
Marie,
Thanks for your positive review of the study circles. I will continue to reach to all. It is of the utmost importance all voices are heard. I was glad you pointed out there where very differing opinions. Those that choice NOT to participate would and will be the first to complain their views weren’t heard. Give me a break.
Also, I look forward to information regarding the HUD money with regards to the city.
Wendy,
I look forward to information as well. Thank you both in advance.
corr: Those that *CHOOSE* NOT to participate would and will be the first to complain their views weren’t heard.
Chris,
I want to thank you for making everyone aware of the Study Circles. I had received the information but until you mentioned it I had second thoughts about going. I am so glad that I did.
I will certainly update you on the HUD money as soon as I get the info. I have an e-mail in to a person I worked with in the City and am going to contact the person with whom I worked who is in the County office.
Have a good night.
The HUD requirement for a city to receive direct grant money is a population of 50,000. Since Manassas and Manassas Park don’t meet this requirement, they are “lumped” together with PWC in order to qualify. The money is then divided between the three. I’m not sure exactly what that formular is, but Block Grant applications must be first approved locally and then by PWC who administers the program.
Marie, give up the ghost on the other. I only go there when I’ve had a bad day and can engage in that sort of primal activity that helps relieve the tension……
I support what you and Chris are doing from a cerebal perspective. Don’t seek that same where it can’t be had.