Welcome to CLPHA's Press Room
CLPHA experts welcome interview requests from print, radio, television, and online reporters and are happy to provide their insights on issues of public housing and related legislation and policy.
For media inquiries, please contact:
David Greer
Director of Communications
(202) 550-1381 or [email protected].
*Please let us know if you are working on deadline.
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To view all of CLPHA's press statements, click here.
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March 11, 2021
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(Washington, D.C.) March 11, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement upon President Biden’s signing of the American Rescue Plan Act into law:
“The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities applauds President Biden for signing into law the groundbreaking American Rescue Plan Act. When combined with the $25 billion in emergency rental assistance in the previous relief bill, the total $45 billion in emergency rental assistance and $5 billion to prevent homelessness is scaled to the enormous scope of the rental crisis with more than 11 million renters behind on rent. The law is also historic in nature as it represents the largest federal investment since the creation of the Great Society programs more than 55 years ago, which launched what is now known as the Housing Choice Voucher program. Estimates show that the American Rescue Plan Act’s war on poverty will reduce the projected poverty rate this year by half. This historic investment in alleviating poverty and expanding housing opportunities constitutes one of the most significant steps towards ending racial inequity since the legislation passed during the Civil Rights Era.
"The American Rescue Plan acknowledges that housing stability for all Americans is essential to the economic well-being, racial equity, and public health of the nation. While this legislation directs critical federal investment to pandemic relief, new transformational federal investments will be needed to address the affordable housing crisis that was only exacerbated by the pandemic, including a 10-year roadmap to recapitalize the public housing portfolio and a permanent and significant expansion of the Housing Choice Voucher program.
"CLPHA looks forward to working with the Biden-Harris administration to make stable housing a reality for all Americans."
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
March 10, 2021 |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities is a national non-profit organization that works to preserve and improve public and affordable housing through advocacy, research, policy analysis and public education. CLPHA’s 70 members represent virtually every major metropolitan area in the country. Together they manage 40 percent of the nation’s public housing program; administer more than a quarter of the Housing Choice Voucher program; and operate a wide array of other housing programs. Learn more at clpha.org and on Twitter @CLPHA .
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative
The Housing Is Initiative, led by the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, helps build a future where sectors work together to improve life outcomes. Housing stability is a critical first step to improve life outcomes for low-income children, families, and seniors; CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative is based on the premise that sectors can better meet needs when they work together. Housing Is establishes, broadens, and deepens efforts to align affordable housing, education, and health systems to produce positive, long-term results. Learn more at housingis.org and on Twitter @housing_is.
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(202) 550-1381
For Immediate Release
March 4, 2021 |
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(Washington, D.C.) March 4, 2021 – Sunia Zaterman, executive director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities, released the following statement urging the swift passage of the American Rescue Plan Act in the U.S. Senate: “The Council of Large Public Housing Authorities calls for the Senate to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, which includes desperately needed $30 billion in emergency rental assistance, $5 billion in single-use vouchers, and a significant extension of the eviction moratorium. “This legislation is critical to addressing the rental crisis facing the nation. The situation has only grown more dire since the Biden Administration announced the American Rescue Plan in mid-January. Renters have continued to accrue past-due rent at an alarmingly high rate. While the eviction moratorium has provided important protections for renters financially impacted by the pandemic, the moratorium has meant that millions of renters have accumulated significant arrears. Economists estimate that unpaid rent at the end of January 2021 totals $52 billion, which amounts to $5,600 for the average renter. “The $5 billion in emergency housing vouchers will help transition persons-at-risk and homeless persons to stable housing. Emergency rental assistance is not only vital to renters, but its impact on the economy and public health is far-reaching. The Senate must act swiftly to provide emergency rental assistance and prevent a wave of evictions and housing instability that will tragically disrupt the lives of millions of Americans.” |
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About the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
About CLPHA’s Housing Is Initiative |
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The Paterson Housing Authority received a $24,570 HUD Housing Counseling Program Grant. The grant will help the housing authority improve access to affordable housing and counsel residents on increasing their financial literacy, expanding homeownership opportunities, and maintaining homeownership.
Residents of the Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee’s Westlawn Gardens neighborhood completed the first urban pilot of the National Council on Aging’s Aging Mastery Program®. The five-week program offers comprehensive health and wellness education for individuals 55 or older to empower them to make small, yet impactful changes to their physical activity, nutrition, sleep, and other aspects of their lives.
The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority has joined with health consulting and programming group Evi-Base to bring diabetes education programs to its residents.
The Columbus Metropolitan Library’s Martin Luther King Branch opened this month in Columbus’s Near East Side neighborhood. The new library is a result of Partners Achieving Community Transformation (PACT), a partnership between Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority, Ohio State University, and other local stakeholders created in 2010 to transform and revitalize 800 acres of Near East Side.
The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) broke ground on Oso Apartments, a 48-unit apartment complex in Chicago’s Albany Park. Financed with help from $10 million in CHA RAD funds, 100 percent of Oso Apartments’ units will be affordable rental housing for individuals and families.
From NBC 4 News Columbus:
An affordable housing development designed to expand living options for adults with disabilities moved a step toward construction this month after receiving approval from Dublin planning officials.
The city’s planning and zoning commission recommended approval on Jan. 15 of the final development plan for All In Dublin, a four-story, 75-unit multifamily project planned for a 1.6-acre vacant site at the corner of Dublin Center Drive and West Dublin Granville Road. The development is expected to cost about $24 million.
All In Dublin is being developed by All Inclusive Living in partnership with TFG Housing Resources and the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority. Construction is anticipated to begin this summer, with residents expected to move in by fall 2027.
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Housing for residents with disabilities will be supported through Section 811 rental assistance, a federal program that helps low-income adults with disabilities afford housing.
“Projects like All In Dublin will serve individuals and families who desperately need affordable, inclusive housing, and we are proud to play a role in making this vision a reality,” said Robert Bitzenhofer, Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority vice president of planning and development.
Read NBC 4 News' article "Housing project for adults with disabilities advances in Dublin."
From the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles' (HACLA) press release:
The Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) has been named a 2025 Digital Inclusion Trailblazer by the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA). The award marks HACLA as a national leader in the fight to ensure that high-speed internet, devices, and digital literacy are no longer luxuries--- but fundamental tools to opportunity and success. This year, HACLA joins 58 other Digital Inclusion Trailblazers paving the way for digitally inclusive communities across the US.
“This recognition places our agency among national leaders who are committed to measurable action including connection to jobs, education, and healthcare,” said HACLA President & CEO Lourdes Castro Ramirez. “Being named a ‘Trailblazer’ reinforces our commitment that every HACLA resident has the tools and training necessary to thrive in a digital-first world. We aren’t just providing internet; we are providing a pathway to opportunity.”
HACLA achieved Trailblazer status by meeting rigorous national standards across seven categories of best practices. Key initiatives that drove the agency’s success include:
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The Digital Ambassador Program: A peer-led initiative that provides hands-on tech support and training directly within residential communities.
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Strategic ISP Partnerships: Collaborations with providers like Starry, Verizon, AT&T, and Spectrum to bring affordable, high-speed infrastructure to public housing.
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Device Access & Learning Centers: On-site Technology Learning Clubs (TLC) and Community Learning Centers that provide the hardware and space needed for digital growth.
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Inter-Agency Collaboration: Partnerships with the Mayor’s Office, the Economic & Workforce Development Department, and Cal State University Dominguez Hills to integrate digital skills with career readiness.
“Nonprofits, libraries, churches, and other community organizations can’t reach digital equity on their own. For everyone to thrive in today’s digital world, we need all hands-on-deck,” said Angela Siefer, NDIA executive director. “NDIA’s Digital Inclusion Trailblazer program exemplifies the key role of local governments in building digital opportunities for all of their residents.”
Trailblazers provide models for other local governments to aspire to as communities build digital inclusion ecosystems. Each applicant’s materials are verified for accuracy, assessed for community impact, and posted in an interactive map and searchable database on NDIA’s website. By sharing materials with open-sourcing, NDIA provides community advocates and local governments ways to continue learning, connect with trailblazing peers, and plan their own digital inclusion solutions.
From the Boston Housing Authority's press release:
Mayor Michelle Wu, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), and residents today joined federal, state, and local partners to celebrate the completion of The Amp, the third and final phase of Flat 9 at Whittier, a HUD Choice Neighborhoods redevelopment in Roxbury.
The milestone marks the full transformation of the Whittier Street Apartments in Roxbury, which launched with the support of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. In 2016, HUD awarded a $30 million Choice Neighborhoods grant to the City of Boston and the Boston Housing Authority as co-grantees, supporting housing redevelopment, resident services, and broader neighborhood investment.
“Whittier has long been a foundation for Roxbury families,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This redevelopment is transformational for the city, bringing even more affordable housing and deeper connections to the neighborhood than before the project began. I’m grateful to work with Congresswoman Pressley and our local, state, federal and nonprofit partners who helped deliver this project.”
“The completion of The Amp at Flat 9 is a powerful example of what’s possible when we commit to investing in our communities with intention and care,” said State Senator Liz Miranda. “The transformation of the Whittier Street Apartments represents more than new buildings, it reflects a promise to Roxbury families that they deserve safe, dignified housing and vibrant community spaces. I’m proud to celebrate this milestone with the residents, partners, and leaders who made this vision a reality and who continue to show what equitable development can look like in our city.”
Originally built in the early 1950s, the 200 public housing units at Whittier Street Apartments have been home to generations of low-income Boston families. The multi-year redevelopment has replaced those units with 210 deeply-affordable homes and created 262 additional mixed-income rental units across the site and within the nearby neighborhood, a total of 472 units of housing. The project also introduced new streets, retail space, play areas, and pedestrian-friendly design that integrates the development into the surrounding community.
“This celebration is more than a decade in the making. We could not be more proud to welcome our Whittier families home and to celebrate a project that brings new life and critical new housing opportunities to the Roxbury neighborhood,” said Boston Housing Authority Administrator Kenzie Bok. “This project is a reminder of what we can achieve when federal, state, and local partners work together to deliver the housing our families deserve.”
The Amp is a 12-story, mixed-income residential building located at the corner of Tremont, Ruggles, and Whittier Streets. Completed in September 2025, it adds 172 apartment homes ranging from studios to two-bedroom units, along with shared community spaces, roof decks, a fitness room, landscaped outdoor areas, and approximately 9,000 square feet of commercial space intended to support neighborhood-serving uses.
“We are thrilled to reach this important milestone in the comprehensive redevelopment of the former Whittier public housing site into a vibrant mixed income community with access to jobs and cultural amenities,” said Aaron Gornstein, President and CEO of Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH). “The Amp furthers Mayor Wu’s and Governor Healey’s goal to expand affordable housing production near public transit while providing much needed commercial space for local business so the Roxbury community can continue to thrive.”
Flat 9 at Whittier was developed in three phases. Phase One, completed in January 2020, delivered 92 family-sized apartments with a community lounge and playground and created 76 additional mixed-income apartments—including 43 BHA replacement units—nearby in Madison Park Village. Phase Two, completed in December 2021, added 52 mixed-income units with shared community spaces. Phase Three, The Amp, completes the redevelopment and introduces a high-rise residential building with modern amenities and commercial space.
All three phases were developed through a partnership among POAH, the Boston Housing Authority and Madison Park Development Corporation. All phases include both affordable and market-rate housing.
In addition to its transformational housing investments, the HUD Choice Neighborhood initiative invests in people and in community-based programs to help residents achieve their personal and financial goals. With the help of this programming, four Whittier families were able to purchase a home with support from BHA and the City of Boston, while others achieved new educational and professional milestones.
The City of Boston invested $8.8 million towards Flat Nine at Whittier, including direct investments in the first two phases, and significant infrastructure and neighborhood investments that supported the whole project. The State Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) invested more than $24 million in direct subsidy, and significant state and federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits towards the project.
Residents and community stakeholders were deeply involved in planning the redevelopment, which began in 2013. Community priorities—including open space, public art, bike infrastructure, and access to transit—shaped the final design.
From the Chicago Housing Authority's press release:
At its January 2026 meeting today, the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) Board of Commissioners took significant steps toward redeveloping Loomis Courts and ensuring continued renovations at the Lathrop and Robert Brooks Homes sites.
Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) selected as partner for Loomis Courts
The CHA Board approved the selection of Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH) as the developer on the mixed-finance redevelopment of Loomis Courts, a 126-unit, two-building affordable housing community on the Near West Side. CHA will contract with POAH on the comprehensive rehabilitation of the property, including a significant renovation of all units, replacement of major systems to ensure the buildings’ longevity, and the construction of new property management offices and resident amenity spaces. The exterior and interior upgrades will preserve affordability, improve safety and usability, and modernize apartments for residents.
Loomis Courts is currently operating under a Project-Based Rental Assistance contract, which limits CHA’s ability to access federal funding for major repairs.
Leaseholders who relocated from Loomis Courts as early as January 2020 will have a priority return after rehabilitation. This timeline was developed in collaboration with a Loomis Courts planning committee of current and former residents and community stakeholders.
POAH is a nationally recognized non-profit developer with extensive experience in renovation, redevelopment and new construction of affordable housing. POAH presently works with the CHA on the preservation and rehabilitation of Levy House, a 57-unit senior building in Rogers Park, as well as managing project-based voucher contracts at multiple properties.
Lathrop Phase 1C to move forward
The CHA Board of Commissioners has cleared the way for completion of the third phase of the Lathrop redevelopment project. The board has approved an additional $4 million in CHA loan funds. The third phase will preserve seven residential buildings and one new construction building, delivering a total of 309 new and renovated mixed-income residential rental units.
The overall revitalization plan is a multi-phased, mixed-income, mixed-use redevelopment effort. The first two phases delivered 179 CHA units and 488 total units. The CHA board previously approved a maximum loan of $37 million in March 2024 but since that time, construction costs have significantly increased, resulting in a financing gap for this phase of Lathrop development to proceed.
The financial closing for this project is anticipated in the Summer 2026 and construction is anticipated to start at the same time.
Robert Brooks Homes Retrofit moves to phase III and beyond
The Board also approved an Architect of Record (AOR) services contract to KOO LLC for the Robert Brooks Homes Retrofit (Phases III-VIII). Six two-story row home buildings are currently being renovated as part of phase II of that project. In the next phase of that work, 38 two-story buildings at Brooks Homes will undergo comprehensive renovations, including new plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems. The Robert Brooks Homes development was built in 1943 and consists of 44 rowhouses.
From HUD's Choice Neighborhoods Spotlight newsletter:
This month’s Spotlight article describes how Atlanta Housing partnered with Morehouse School of Medicine in its two Choice Neighborhoods sites to dramatically improve health outcomes for residents, many of whom have chronic health conditions. At University Homes, Atlanta’s first Implementation Grant awarded in 2015, this partnership resulted in the percentage of residents with medical homes (defined as having a regular place of healthcare other than the emergency room) increasing from 72% to 100%. Atlanta’s second Implementation Grant, awarded in 2023, is already demonstrating strong progress among former Bowen residents with medical homes rates rising from 50% to 86%. These results go beyond access to medical care and impact residents’ economic mobility. Choice Neighborhoods residents often report health conditions as a major barrier to employment and struggle obtaining or keeping a job due to major illnesses, lack of dental care, or chronic conditions. And for senior residents aging within public housing, providing access to care helps maintain their well-being and ensures they can remain in their homes as their health needs change.
Read HUD's Choice Neighborhoods Spotlight on Atlanta Housing's health partnership.