Audio: OHCS Budget Hearing, Day 1.

I have posted audio from budget presentation from OHCS Director Van Vliet is HERE.

Documents for that hearing are HERE.  

Public testimony will be heard tomorrow and posted HERE.


Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Update: Video+Audio: LO Foothills Framework Plan Inches Forward, No Changes to Affordable Housing Action Plan Items.

Update: I have added a smaller MP3 Audio File (88 MB's) in a new Internet Archive web page HERE. You can listen online or download this file from this web page.
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Local Oregonian reporter story is HERE.

MS Word notes of my oral testimony provided to Council at meeting are HERE.

Council did not adopt any of my recommendations for changes/ additions to affordable housing Framework plan action items. My point about significant projected increases in land costs providing a potential source of private funding for affordable housing seemed to be lost on the Council, but I will continue to follow up on that issue, along with my other recommendations.

Extended 30 minute affordable housing discussion focused on costs of affordable housing, what "is" affordable housing, and consultant view that building TIF funding would take 10 years and require local political will/decision on what role LO wanted to play in providing affordable housing. (No discussion about Metro/state/federal legal obligations for doing so). Was some acknowledgement that "incremental" affordable housing actions could be taken before year 10. By far this was longest affordable housing discussion at City Council since 2005 Housing Task Force.

Video
I created a Iphone/Apple compatible video of entire 2 hour Foothills City Council discussion and posted it on the Internet Archive HERE. My short testimony occurs at 30:30 into video and a 30 minute plus affordable housing discussion starts at 1:03:30 into video. 

Video file can be viewed online or downloaded, but if you download, note that file is VERY large at 700 MB's. (On line viewing of video takes a moment or two to start. File loaded readily using Internet Explorer or Chrome browsers but I had some difficulty in getting it to load for online viewing using Firefox or Safari).

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Day 1 Audio of Today's Oregon Ways and Means Committee Hearing on OHCS 2011-2013 Budget.

This morning, the Oregon Ways and Means Subcommittee On Transportation and Economic Development held a hearing on the OHCS budget for the upcoming biennium.  A second session is scheduled for tomorrow.

OHCS had previously posted the exhibits used for the hearing HERE. 

I was able to create a MP3 audio file from today's 1 hour and 32 minute session and have posted it to the Internet Archive HERE. 

You can stream the file from the web or download it; if you download it is modestly sized at 64 MB. 

I think this is the FIRST time that OHCS Ways and Means budget audio has been quickly posted for easy public access [session ended at 10 AM today]. 

With the posted OHCS budget materials and this audio this is one of the most comprehensive briefings on OHCS programs and funding sources you will find anywhere.  

IF scheduling permits I will try to record and post day two of the hearing scheduled for tomorrow.

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog. 

Audio: MPAC Adoption of Affordable Housing Policy for Expansion Areas.

This is audio of 1 hour 10 minute discussion at Jan 12, 2011 Metro Policy Advisory Committee of affordable housing language for Title II expansion areas.  

Metro Council adopted this policy on the following day (My prior post HERE also includes audio of that meeting).  

I posted edited audio of the MPAC meeting to Internet Archive HERE.

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Video and Audio Posting of Metro Adoption of Capacity Ordinance, December 16, 2010.

I have posted to the Internet Archive both video and audio of the portion of the Portland Metro Council meeting of December 16, 2010 that relates to adoption of the Capacity Ordinance. File includes discussion of the adopted amendment to defer action on the Title II affordable housing provisions that would apply to urban growth areas. 

Video is HERE, Audio is HERE, both can be watched on line OR downloaded to your PC. [Caution, video download is  400+MB's and audio is 100+ MB's].

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

AUDIO: Hardest Hit Senate Testimony from Tuesday.

MP3 audio file of the Hardest Hit portion of the Oregon Senate Consumer Protection and Public Affairs hearing from Tuesday December 14th is HERE.(21 minutes, 15 MB file).

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog

Audio from Oregon House Consumer Protection Hardest Hit Briefing Wednesday May 26th

I have created and posted to the Internet Archive an MP3 audio file HERE of the Hardest Hit briefing before the Oregon House Consumer Protection Committee today, Wednesday May 26th.

(I have not yet listened to the file, and will try to add an observations about file IF I get a chance to listen Thursday or Friday. I encourage OTHERS to HELP me out and listen and if anything is new, add comments using the comment icon at the bottom of this post).

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Updated:Oregon Legislature: Two Hardest Hit Hearings Today, With Audio for One AND Some Significant News.

After listening to the audio again, I added the Treasurer's Office as another agency that may be represented on the Board of the new non profit being formed for the Hardest Hit program.
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I listened to the morning Hardest Hit briefing before the Human Resources Subcommittee of the Oregon Emergency Board of the Oregon legislature. In the afternoon I attended the Senate Committee on Consumer and Public Affairs briefing on the Hardest Hit program. 

Only thing newsworthy in the afternoon session was letter from Bend area legislative rep asking that 50%+ of the funding be allocated to hardest hit counties, those 16 counties with unemployment rates of 12% or higher. 

However In the morning briefing I thought there WAS significant news. 

I have created an audio file on the Internet Archive HERE that you can listen to on line or download for yourself. 

My notes of the news from Emergency Board comments made by OHCS staff:

1. OHCS is projecting they will hire 30 term limited staff to help administer the Hardest Hit program. Some of those will likely be hired between July and October with others coming later.
2. OHCS is projecting 80% of allocated resources will go to 20 counties with 20% going to the remaining 16 counties. The 20 counties include 16 with unemployment 12% or higher PLUS Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah, and Yamhill Counties. There was no mention of any allocations to specific counties.
3. OHCS continues to say that they plan to use a single 120% median STATEWIDE family income for eligibility. (As previously posted HERE, such a limit would disadvantage residents in Portland Metro counties, and Deschutes County).
4. Composition of the Non profit Board being formed may include OHCS staff, as well as staff from Governor's office, DCBS, the Treasurer's Office and possibly the Oregon Llegislature.

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Today's House Financial Services Preservation Hearing: PDF AND Audio/Video Recordings Posted.

The House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity held a hearing today (Wednesday March 24th) on a previously introduced housing preservation bill from Chair Frank (H.R. 4868).

I have assembled all the written testimony from that hearing into a single PDF file HERE. (Witness list is pasted below at bottom of this post).

Audio/Video Files (1 hour, 48 minutes):

• I have also created an AUDIO recording of the hearing and have posted it to the Internet Archive page HERE. (File is 74 MB's). [Notes; 1.You may also play audio file on line as streaming audio, look in left pane of the Internet Archive page. 2. I noticed that MP3 file not playing properly on my Iphone, but works fine when playing on PC. Have tried a couple of solutions but not fixed yet, so for now, play file on your PC].
  
• The VIDEO recording I created is posted on a separate Internet Archive page HERE. I posted as a MPEG 4 file,but it is HUGE at 465 MB's).
  

Some provisions of the bill were opposed by some of committee Republicans and by those testifying; look at the written testimony for details.

Witness list, in order of testimony:

• Ms. Carol Galante, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multi-Family Housing, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Ms. Tammye Treviño, Administrator, Rural Housing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Mr. George Caruso, Executive Vice President, Edgewood Management Corporation, on behalf of the National Affordable Housing Management Association
• Mr. Toby Halliday, Vice President for Public Policy, National Housing Trust, on behalf of the National Preservation Working Group
• Mr. Ricky Leung, Treasurer, National Alliance of HUD Tenants, and President of the Cherry Street Tenants Association
• Ms. Michelle Norris, Senior Vice President, Acquisitions and Development, National Church Residences, on behalf of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging
• Mr. Raymond K. James, Partner, Coan and Lyons on behalf of the National Leased Housing Association
• Mr. William C. Shumaker, President of the Board, the Council for Affordable and Rural Housing, and Vice President of The Provident Companies

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Updated:Audio/Video from Panel at Today's House Hearing on Choice Neighborhoods Legislation.

Updated: Alert that I noticed that the video has some synch issues between sound and video. Not sure why this is happening, and no easy way to correct, so keep that in mind before you download.

Some skeptics, and some supporters in this panel that followed the Secretary's lead off testimony that was the subject of my earlier post.

Committee members also expressed some skepticism in their questioning, especially Subcommittee Chair Maxine Waters.

One of primary concerns seemed to be that HUD dollars could end up spending for things other than housing, and that other federal commitments are necessary for education, etc. Another concern expressed was the lack of specificity about what would qualify as a"Choice Neighborhood".

• Internet Archive MP3 AUDIO file is HERE. (Can be listened to on line, if you download it's big at about 100MB's).
• Internet Archive VIDEO file is HERE. (It can be viewed on line or downloaded, and if downloaded file is also very large at 212 MB's).

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Link Corrected: METRO Housing Watch: Track What Portland Metro Council Has Seen, Heard, and Done About Affordable Housing.

I corrected the broken link to the Metro Housing Watch document....
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I decided to use the vast resources of one of my favorite sites, the Internet Archive, to post housing related Portland Metro Council materials.

The METRO Housing Watch PDF document I assembled HERE has links to edited audio and video, AND text files related to housing related discussions at Portland Metro Council meetings on the following three dates:

• December 10,2009.
• February 2,2010 (work session).
• February 11, 2010.

Audio and video files can be viewed on line OR downloaded and played on PC OR on portable devices, like an IPOD/IPHONE. If downloading video, be prepared for large files sizes, requiring a broadband connection.

These materials give anyone the opportunity to get up to speed on what recent Metro Council actions have been on affordable housing as we lead to key 2010 events:

1. 2010 ADOPTION of the Urban Growth Plan,[to date it has only been "accepted", and Metro Council says that policy choices will be made in 2010]
   
2. Adoption of new Framework and Functional plan housing policies.
3. A possible HUD Livable Communities Regional Planning grant application (due to HUD in early June 2010),

Future Updates/Navigation
As future meetings occur it is my intent to add to the video, audio, and text postings, and you will always find the most recent version of this document in the right pane of links under the name "METRO Housing Watch". (The latest update date will be shown at top of document).

To locate all of my Metro related posts within the Internet Archive, simply search using keyword "metrohousepdx", selecting "All media types" in box to right of search pane. [Use "housepdx" if you want to see ALL of my Internet Archive postings, including non Metro related postings].

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Audio of Dec. 10th Portland Metro Council Consideration of Urban Growth Report, With Testimony.

I have created an edit of the Metro audio file from the Dec. 10th Council hearing. The discussion of the Urban Growth resolution begins at about 45 seconds into the MP3 audio file HERE. (File is 62 MB's).

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

HousingPolicy.Org Has Posted Materials, Audio, and Wiki from Recent State and Local Housing Policy Conference.

Formal title of conference in Chicago was Solutions for Working Families: 2009 Learning Conference on State and Local Housing Policy.

Printed materials are posted from the page HERE.
Audio of various keynotes can be found HERE.
A communications focused Wiki from the conference is HERE.

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

Audio and PDF: House Preservation Hearing Yesterday.

IPOD/MP3 Audio HERE is from yesterday's House Financial Services Subcommittee hearing.

Hearing was very short, consisting only of written testimony and statements. (As file is about 68 MB's, I would not download unless you really want to hear oral version of written statements).

I have consolidated those written statements, and statements for the record, into a single PDF file HERE. (Use bookmarks symbol in left pane to navigate to testimony from specific organizations).

Originally created and posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.

IPOD/MP3 Audio: HUD MF Preservation Hearing this AM, House Financial Services Committee.

Was able to download and convert this to an audio file a day earlier than I anticipated.

IPOD/MP3 audio file is HERE; file is 74 MB's and and hour and 45 minutes in length.

IPOD /MP3 AUDIO: FHA Oversight Hearing from House Financial Services Last Week.

House Financial Services Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing last Thursday, June 18th, on FHA oversight.

I have consolidated all written testimony into single file HERE.

I have also created an IPOD MP3 audio file HERE of the hearing.(It's relatively short, 44 minutes).

ORIGINALLY CREATED AND POSTED BY OREGON HOUSING BLOG.

IPOD/MP3 Audio: House Financial Services Section 8 Voucher Reform Hearing.

An IPOD/Mp3 audio file from House Financial Services Committee hearing on a housing voucher (SEVRA) draft bill held Thursday May 21st is HERE.

File is 80+ MB.

Audio from House Financial Services Markup of Non Profit Down Payment Assistance Bill.

House Financial Services Committee markup hearing was held yesterday of bill that would reinstate non profit gift down payment assistance programs, now due to go out of business October 1st.  

Bill now will move to full House for consideration. (See my prior "Chucky" post below).

MP3 audio of section of the hearing dealing with this subject is HERE; its about 35 minutes long.

CORRECTED: Ways and Means SubCommittee Hearing on Alternate Poverty Measures Includes Audio File.

I blogged about NYC role in this recently, but Subcommittee of House Ways and Means Committee recently held a broader hearing on the subject HERE. (Wash. Rep Jim McDermott is chair of Subcommittee).

I compiled all of the written testimony into a single file HERE

{Reference to audio file deleted, as it was to wrong hearing).

AUDIO: NPR's Fresh Air Interview on New Mortgage Problems Book, Chain of Blame.

Tuesday's Fresh Air interview was with author of new book about mortgage problems, Chain of Blame.

Fresh Air website, which includes audio, is HERE; Amazon book site is HERE.

Direct download of 20 MB+ MP3 file, downloaded from Fresh Air website, is HERE.