
Friday, December 5, 2008

In This Issue

Register Now for Holiday Party, Annual Meeting

Foreclosures Topic of Affordable Housing Coalition Meeting

TCAC Maintains Two Credit Rounds for 2009

Energy Star Awards Applications Due

Affordable Housing Roundtables Back for 2009

Save the Date for Fair Housing Law Conference

Housing CA Conference Next Week

Join In Annual Meeting, Party Thursday

The San Diego Housing Federation's Annual Meeting will begin at 5 p.m. Thursday, December 11 at the law offices of Luce, Forward, Hamilton & Scripps. The offices are located at 600 W. Broadway, Suite 2600 (26th floor).

The meeting will be followed immediately by the Federation's annual holiday party. Come an enjoy an evening of networking, good food, and holiday cheer. Parking is available at the corner of West Broadway and Pacific Highway.

Foreclosures Topic of Coalition Meeting

The Affordable Housing Coalition of San Diego will meet with SD City Council Member Tony Young on Wednesday, December 10 at noon. Council Member Young will explain plans for use of the $9.4 million the City of San Diego received as part of the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) to address the foreclosure crisis. He chairs the San Diego City and County Reinvestment Investment Task Force.

The meeting will be held at the Malcolm X Library, 5148 Market Street, across from the Tubman/Chavez Center. Information on the City's plans for the NSP can be found on the City website, item #332 (page 12).

TCAC Maintains Two Tax Credit Rounds in 2009

In response to a recent survey about the possibility of having only a single round of tax credit allocations in 2009, the California Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) found that a significant majority of the 254 respondents to their survey did not endorse holding a single round in the summer of 2009. An even larger number did not endorse holding a smaller first round and a larger second round.

More than half the respondents also submitted written remarks, with many expressing a desire for continuity and predictability. Many supported a first round as an early opportunity for at least some projects to begin the process of engaging investors with a credit reservation in hand. Others believed delays would only hurt an already challenging situation.

In light of these results, TCAC will be conducting two competitive rounds as usual in 2009, with the specific schedule to be released shortly.

Energy Star Award Applications Due Friday

To honor those who have made an outstanding commitment to improving the energy efficiency of affordable housing, the ENERGY STAR Program offers recognition awards to organizations that have done so using ENERGY STAR as their platform. The application process for ENERGY STAR's Excellence in Affordable Housing Award is underway for actions taken during the 2008 calendar year. A description of eligible applicants is provided in the application form which can be found here.

Applications are due to ENERGY STAR by December 12. EPA and HUD will review eligible applications and select regional award winners as well as a national award winner who will be invited to attend ENERGY STAR's national award ceremony March 31, 2009 in Washington, DC. If you have any specific questions about the award please contact Brian Ng at Ng.Brian@epa.gov. Information on the Affordable Housing Award is available here.

Affordable Housing Roundtables Back for 2009

The first one on the schedule is January 8, 2009 and features new San Diego Housing Commission CEO Rick Gentry who will talk about his first 100 days with the Commission, his visions for the future of SDHC. It will provide a chance to share your concerns, expectations and ideas as they relate to your business with the Commission. The session will feature audience interaction and a lengthy Q and A period. The Roundtable is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2009. It begins with a continental breakfast at 7:30 a.m. at the NTC Command Center. To register, click here.

Save the Date for Fair Housing

The San Diego's Fair Housing Council's 16th Annual Laws & Litigation Conference is scheduled for February 12 and 13. The conference will commemorate the 50th anniversary of passage of California's Fair Employment and Housing Act. Dean Erwn Chemerinsky, founding dean and distinguished professor of law at the University of California - Irvine School of Law, will be the keynote speaker. He has been named "one of the top legal thinkers in America." For more information, click here.

Housing CA Conference Next Week