Feb. 21, 2006, Sacramento – There’s a change in leadership at the California Debt Limit Allocation Committee (CDLAC), the agency responsible for the distribution of the state’s $2.9 billion in annual tax-exempt bonds.
Laurie Weir, who had led CDLAC since 2000, has been appointed deputy treasurer by state Treasurer Phil Angelides. In her new post, Weir will oversee CDLAC, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee, and several other state committees.
Joanie Jones Kelly has been named executive director of CDLAC. She has been with the California State Treasurer’s Office since 1986, most recently as executive director of the Industrial Development Financing Advisory Commission. During her tenure, she has coordinated the issuance of tax-exempt bonds for pollution control, higher education, student loans, library construction, public school financing and the Cal-Vet home loan program.
Beyond Housing/NHS reaches out to St. Louis families
AFFORDABLE HOUSING FINANCE • FEBRUARY 2006
St. Louis An estimated 600 children and their families live in the affordable scattered-site houses owned by Beyond Housing/Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS).
It’s not just shelter. As its name states, the nonprofit thinks beyond housing.
The organization provides a broad range of services to low-income families in the St. Louis area, especially the children who live in its 215 scattered-site, single-family rental homes. Rents range from about $500 to $800 per month, depending on size and location. Many of the families that the group assists were at risk of being homeless.
Affordable Housing Finance magazine has made homeless children one of its issues for the year and will periodically report on organizations involved in helping this often-forgotten group.
Beyond Housing/NHS offers every child living in its homes the opportunity to go to summer camp, according to Executive Director Chris Krehmeyer. The camps have the traditional activities, but often have an educational or life-skills component. Some children have also attended music or sports camp.
Seventy-four children are participating in a pilot program that helps students save money for college, according to Krehmeyer. Beyond Housing/NHS is one of a dozen community partners involved in the Saving for Education, Entrepreneur-ship and Downpayment initiative by the Corporation for Enterprise Development.
In addition, the nonprofit has several programs for families, including homeownership education, money management training, parenting classes and crisis intervention.
The organization is also helping the city of St. Louis administer a critical home-repair program for low-income families.
Beyond Housing/NHS was created in 2003 when two nonprofit organizations merged. Beyond Housing was established in 1980, and Neighborhood Housing Services of St. Louis began in 1975.
For more information, visit www.beyondhousing.org.
Media awards established in Dolbeare’s name
The National Low Income Housing Coalition and Affordable Housing Finance magazine have created the Cushing Niles Dolbeare Media Awards to reward print journalists who do an exemplary job of illuminating the affordable housing crisis in this country.
The awards seek to continue raising awareness about the plight of low-income individuals who lack access to safe and affordable homes while honoring those who have made efforts to bring these issues to the attention of the American people. The awards are named in honor of Cushing Niles Dolbeare, founder of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, who passed away in 2005.
The awards will recognize three first-prize winners in each of the two categories. The winners will each receive $2,500 and be honored during a luncheon at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Honorable mentions will also be awarded.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is committed to raising awareness of low-income housing needs and solutions by increasing and improving the quality and depth of media coverage over low-income housing issues. The awards are funded by Andre Shashaty, publisher of Affordable Housing Finance, which provides coverage of financing and development of multifamily housing for owners, developers and asset managers.
All entries must be published between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2006, and all work must focus on the issue of safe, affordable housing, its shortage or the struggle to attain adequate housing in the United States.
For more information or to download an entry form, visit http://www.nlihc.org/CNDMA/.
