Latest news with #JHA
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'Roof over people's heads': Proposed cuts to HUD funding could impact local public housing programs
Editor's note: Federal Fallout is a Tribune-Democrat news series addressing the potential local impact of funding cuts. JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – President Donald Trump's proposed broad and historic cuts to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's discretionary funding could, if ultimately enacted, significantly transform the nation's public housing and Section 8 rental voucher programs that approximately 20% of Johnstown residents use. Trump, in his 'skinny' budget, recommended slashing HUD's funding by approximately $33 billion, including $26.7 billion for rental assistance programs, compared to this current fiscal year. For now, it is just an outline of a spending plan that, in its text, refers to the nation's 'dysfunctional rental assistance programs,' he said. 'The skinny budget and what I've seen, it isn't enough for us trying to make any kind of guess of what to expect,' JHA Executive Director Mike Alberts said. 'It's too early. There's been no good numbers coming out of the (U.S.) Senate and House (of Representatives) yet that would give us any kind of idea of where we might see cuts in specific programs. We just haven't seen anything to give us a good idea yet.' Alberts continued: 'Really, the only thing that's going to matter in the end is the budget that they pass that is in effect for Oct. 1, which is the federal government's beginning of fiscal year.' Federal Fallout logo Regardless of what budget changes may occur, Alberts said JHA's mission will continue to be helping people 'with the basic human need of housing.' 'With things being tougher than ever with the cost of living in general, affordable housing is absolutely needed, especially in Johnstown and Cambria County, where the poverty rates are traditionally so high,' Alberts said. 'It's important work, and we really rely on those federal dollars to keep the lights on and keep a safe roof over people's heads.' 'Where things stand' JHA operates 1,504 public housing units – with 1,400 being in the city proper – that are used to assist people in poverty or economically disadvantaged conditions, the elderly, and disabled. The dwellings are almost always filled to capacity. Johnstown Housing Authority | Prospect Homes Blueprints Johnstown Housing Authority executive director Mike Alberts with original blueprints for the Prospect Homes Housing Project. Photo taken at the Johnstown Housing Authority main office in the Cambria City section of Johnstown on Monday, May 8, 2023. Meanwhile, as of the end of May, the authority had 764 of its 960 Section 8 vouchers leased up, as part of the nation's rental assistance program. JHA has left vouchers unused due to funding uncertainties. For example, Alberts pointed out that JHA was told to expect $500,000 for the program in May, but only received $460,000 when the money showed up in its account. 'We've been extremely conservative with those vouchers because we don't know where the money is and what the value is, so we've been extremely conservative,' JHA Chairman Charles Arnone said. 'We probably won't be doing any more during the summer until we know where things stand.' In total, JHA has a total budget of just under $20.3 million for fiscal year 2025. The areas of spending are: • Public housing: $8,642,000 • Section 8 landlord payments: $5,675,903 • Section 8 administration fees: $722,233 • Capital Fund: $4,673,514 • Family self-sufficiency ('On The Rise') program: $72,840 • Choice Neighborhoods grant: $500,000. Alberts said the current situation is 'business as usual' with the next budget being 'a huge question mark.' Last year, JHA was awarded a Choice Neighborhood planning grant to develop an outline for stabilizing and improving Coopersdale Homes. The 30-month process is still ongoing. Alberts said the $500,000 grant is 'completely safe.' 'That (planning grant) money's already obligated to us and that's not in any danger of being taken away,' Alberts said. 'That's not all to us yet, since we have to kind of request it as we need it, but there's no danger of that going away.' 'More state control' The Republican president's plan would transform the funding system 'into a State-based formula grant which would allow States to design their own rental assistance programs based on their unique needs and preferences. 'The Budget would also newly institute a two-year cap on rental assistance for able bodied adults, and would ensure a majority of rental assistance funding through States would go to the elderly and disabled. 'A State-based formula program would also lead to significant terminations of Federal regulations.' 'With respect to cuts to housing, one thing that I would view as a positive is it would put more state control on some of these issues,' said state Senate Majority Whip Wayne Langerholc Jr., R-Richland Township. 'I know when we exposed some of the issues within HUD in the past with the (Section 8 voucher) porting, with the wait list, with the influx of individuals from Philadelphia that could not get a voucher in that area but were coming here to Johnstown, our hands were kind of tied. 'There wasn't a lot we could do from a state perspective, as it fell on the federal government. So if that does in fact change and come back, it will give our state much more discretion in shaping that policy and ensuring that it is done appropriately, and we would be able to have an impact on a lot of those areas, specifically that porting issue and the loopholes that we exposed for residency requirements.' Langerholc said the situation is currently 'in flux.' 'It's a fluid situation,' Langerholc said. 'I know it's something that we're watching very closely at the state level, what the federal government is doing across the board as well.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JHA hosts block party; ideas sought from residents to make neighborhood improvements
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Coopersdale Homes residents came together Wednesday to share some camaraderie during the West End Block Party and to also learn more about the community's ongoing Choice Neighborhoods planning grant program. The Johnstown Housing Authority received $500,000 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funding last September to develop a plan for stabilizing and revitalizing the public housing complex and surrounding area. JHA has 30 months from the time of receiving the award to complete the plan. It is currently soliciting input from residents, city officials, nonprofits and businesses regarding what improvements could be made. 'It's important to hear from the people what they need in their units, in their neighborhood because you can't, as an outsider, tell someone else what they need, so it's just best to gather input from people,' Jaden Bennett, manager for JHA's Choice Neighborhoods project, said. Bennett has noticed some common concerns among residents. 'One thing that really stood out to us was there was mention that there isn't enough lighting for individuals that are walking to (local supermarkets) Giant Eagle or Save A Lot from Coopersdale,' Bennett said. 'There was a big emphasis on getting better lighting so that in the nighttime it's easier to see people, pedestrians that are walking to those places to get essentials. Also, transportation is a big barrier for a lot of individuals.' Shaqueena Murphy, a project ambassador and Coopersdale Homes resident, also mentioned the transportation barrier. 'We don't have any stores to go to around here,' Murphy said. 'You have to go all the way to Richland. Everybody don't have cars to travel, to get around, so it's like kind of hard to like get around to do anything.' After the authority's plan is developed, it will attempt to acquire federal money for implementation of its ideas. But even if that economic support does not materialize, JHA and the city will have an outline to use when possibly pursuing funding from other sources. 'To have that in place means really everything because now we'll know what people want and what people need,' Bennett said. 'No matter what the outcome is, we're able to better understand where some of the struggles are as a community, as a whole and really come together to create ' Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
COJ and JHA break ground on 5 new affordable homes in Durkeeville
Five new affordable single-family rental homes are coming to Jacksonville's Durkeeville neighborhood. The city of Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Housing Authority, and First Coast Construction broke ground on the project on Grothe Street Friday. During the groundbreaking, Mayor Donna Deegan said they wanted to make a statement with this project. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< 'This is just the beginning,' said Mayor Deegan. 'We're investing in this neighborhood in affordable housing, especially because it is just so critical to bring this neighborhood back. And these five homes are just a great start.' The groundbreaking comes just days after a University of North Florida found that the number one issue concerning Duval voters is housing costs. It far outpaced any other issue on voters' minds this year. These 5 single-family rental homes will be available for people who are on the Jacksonville Housing Authority wait list. JHA said families' incomes will determine the amount they pay in rent. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] I spoke with Cheron Corbett, the CEO of the Jacksonville Housing Authority, about the bigger picture of affordable housing in Jacksonville. 'When we think about the bigger picture as it relates to affordable housing here in Jacksonville, we need to most definitely be strategic,' said Corbett. 'Our focus is on not just rental but long-term economic mobility as it relates to home ownership opportunities.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Roderick Dorsey has been living in Durkeeville for all of his life. He says this project is going to make a visible difference to the neighborhood. 'For years you would look over here and look over here, the lots been empty for 50, 60, 70 years. They were coming here, tearing it down, said they were going to rebuild, and never did. To me, this is like heaven,' said Dorsey. The JHA CEO told us the homes are expected to be completed by this September. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
JARI program grads laud workforce offering
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – When Robin Wright signed up for the first cohort of the Johnstown Housing Authority's workforce readiness program, she saw an opportunity to be lifted up not only for herself but for her daughter as well, she said. Now, Wright is set to graduate from the Greater Johnstown Career & Technology Center auto-technology program, and Sha'Nya Henry, her daughter, is wrapping up her credits at Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and was accepted to Drexel University for the upcoming fall term. 'This is a great program,' Wright said. 'I suggest everybody who can get into it, get into it.' She and Henry credit the offering for giving them the boost they needed to better their lives. Prior to participating last year, Wright was unemployed, and Henry had just moved back to the area after caring for her ailing father in Virginia. Wright was worried about her daughter, she said, and prodded her to join the workforce readiness program, which both agreed was a good choice. They also noted that participating in the first cohort of the program brought them closer together. 'I loved getting to do this with my daughter,' Wright said. Henry, 20, agreed, adding that they pushed each other during the multi-month classes and held each other accountable. 'Teamwork makes the dream work,' Wright said. The workforce readiness program started last year and is paid for with a federal appropriation of $250,000. JHA provides the opportunity through a partnership with Johnstown Area Regional Industries, Pennsylvania Highlands Community College and PA CareerLink. Those residing in JHA locations, such as Wright and Henry in the Oakhurst neighborhood, can sign up for the classes that focus on a variety of subjects, such as resume building, mock interviews, communication skills and digital literacy. Bus passes and child care are provided as well. Dave Grimaldi, JARI director of workforce development, said the program gives area residents that 'little push' they need to better themselves, and those involved are glad to lend a hand. 'We'll work with everybody in our JHA program and get them what they want,' he said. For Wright, that was leveraging the program for assistance through the JARI Neighborhood Assistance Program she used for tuition at GJCTC and in Henry's case, it was help getting into Penn Highlands. Henry can now continue her studies at Drexel, where she'll major in English with a focus on creative writing, and Wright can pursue her dream of owning her own auto body shop. Wright and Henry 'are just two great success stories of our program,' Grimaldi said. Cambria County Commissioner Thomas Chernisky said he was so impressed by the story about the mother and daughter team that he had to meet them. He did so Tuesday at a JARI event. He said he was inspired by the results of the JARI program and how it lifts up those involved. Chernisky congratulated Wright and Henry for their success, lauded their dedication and wished them well in future pursuits. The third cohort from the workforce readiness program is set to graduate in June with the fourth starting in September. Between those events, Grimaldi said JARI is planning mini-career fairs, workforce trainings and related offerings. For more information, visit Joshua Byers is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter @Journo_Josh.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SOURCES: Another Major Shake-Up at Jacksonville Housing Authority: Top leaders out
The leadership turmoil at the Jacksonville Housing Authority (JHA) continues. Multiple sources confirmed to Action News Jax Ben Becker that two high-ranking officials are no longer with the agency - a development a JHA spokesperson declined to confirm. Chief Operating Officer Victor Figueroa and longtime IT Director Evann Morris are out, sources say. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] According to Figueroa's LinkedIn profile, he had only been with the agency for about nine months. Morris, meanwhile, had served JHA for 17 years. In the wake of their departures, former interim CEO Roslyn Phillips is stepping back into a leadership role, this time as the agency's interim COO. This change comes just weeks after Cheron Corbett Waller took over as the agency's new CEO. She is the fourth person to hold the position since 2023, a period marked by instability and controversy at JHA. Related: Jacksonville Housing Authority acting CEO Vanessa Dunn resigning Related: Housing Authority CEO blames Mayor's office for 'pushing me out' amid HUD audit, new IG probe Since early last year, the agency has seen the arrest of a former Chief Financial Officer, the resignation of multiple board members, and several investigations by Jacksonville's Office of Inspector General including the misuse of $2 million in utility cards. In a statement, the Jacksonville Housing Authority said: 'In an effort to improve the performance of JHA, the agency will be making needed changes to our procedures, processes, and personnel. That includes making sure we have the right staff in the right positions to ensure that we are using the federal funds we receive to fulfill the mission of expanding access to affordable housing in Jacksonville in the most cost-effective manner. We will not comment on specific personnel issues.' As of now, the agency has not publicly confirmed the departures of Figueroa or Morris or Phillips current job title via a phone call, text message or written public records request to a spokesperson. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
