The Campaign to Discuss and Pass the Affordable Housing Bond Initiative in Los Angeles CoSponsored b

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The Campaign to Discuss and Pass the Affordable
Housing Bond Initiative in Los AngelesCo-Sponsor
ed by the Los Angeles Branch of the NAACP and the
Building Industry Association of Greater Los
Angeles
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Table of Contents

• About the Partnership
• About the Event
• Event Program
• City Councilmembers Remarks
• Dr. Geraldine R. Washingtonand Matt Breiner
• Chuck Hauptman
• Brian C. Catalde
• Christine Bischoff
• Keynote Speaker Raphael Bostic
• Los Angeles 2020
• Innovative Solutionsto Create an Affordable Los
  Angeles
• Barriersto Solving the Citys Housing Crisis
• Looking Forward

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• 4
• 5
• 67
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 1213
• 14
• 15

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About the Partnership

• On August 30, 2006 the NAACP and the National
  Association of Home Builders hosted a press
  conference to announce the key findings and
  policy recommendations contained in Building on a
  Dream, a joint housing report focused on the
  state of minority housing opportunity in America.

• The partnership between the Building Industry
  Association of Greater Los Angeles and the Los
  Angeles Chapter of the NAACP is part of a larger
  partnership between our national organizations,
  the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
  and the NAACP.
• The Los Angeles Town Hall Meeting is the first of
  several events, co-sponsored by the NAACP and the
  NAHB, to raise awareness of housing issues.
• As the nations oldest and largest civil rights
  organization, the NAACPs impact has rested upon
  the collective courage of thousands of people of
  all races, nationalities and faiths, united under
  one premise that all people are created equal.
• As the voice of the housing industry in the
  United States, the NAHBs chief goal is to
  promote policies that will keep housing a
  national priority, and provide and expand
  opportunities for all Americans to have safe,
  decent and affordable housing regardless of race,
  nationality or income.

Building on a Dream assesses the state of
minority housing opportunity, identifies the
barriers and benefits to affordable housing, and
offers a series of policy recommendations to
increase housing opportunities across the country.
The report is available at www.naacp.org/building
onadream www.nahb.org/buildingonadream
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About the Event

• The town hall meeting on October 30, 2006 marks
  the first time that the Los Angeles Branch of the
  National Association for the Advancement of
  Colored People and the Building Industry
  Association of Greater Los Angeles came together
  for a common cause to discuss affordable housing
  and Proposition H, which is a Los Angeles bond
  initiative that would provide 1 billion to
  affordable housing over the next ten years.
• The event featured a range of speakers and asked
  attendees to participate in working groups to
  identify the opportunities and barriers to
  solving the housing crisis. The event took place
  at Holman United Methodist Church.
• Los Angeles faces one of the most severe housing
  affordability problems in the country. Hundreds
  of thousands of families in Los Angeles are
  struggling to find housing that meets their needs
  at a price they can afford.

• Los Angeles has the largest homeless population
  in the nation. There are roughly 48,000 homeless
  individuals in the City of Los Angeles on any
  given night.
• Less than 2 of the homes sold in Los Angeles
  during the second quarter of 2006 were affordable
  to median income earners.
• Nearly two-thirds of L.A. renters cannot afford
  Fair Market Rent (1,189 a month for a
  two-bedroom apartment).
• But where there is challenge, there is
  opportunity, and Los Angeles can become a
  national model for providing quality housing that
  is affordable to low- and moderate-income
  families. Proposition H, for example, would
  provide 250,000 for homeless housing, 250,000
  for low-income housing, 250,000 for working
  family housing, and 250,000 for housing near
  areas of economic development.

For more information, contact The L.A. Branch of
the NAACP The Building
Industry Association of Greater L.A.(323)
296-2630 [phone]
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Event Program

• Master of Ceremonies
• Jamal WatkinsDirector, Region I, NAACP
• Keynote Speaker
• Raphael BosticAssociate Professor,University of
  Southern California

• Speakers
• Jan PerryCity Councilmember, Ninth District
• Bernard ParksCity Councilmember, Eighth District
• Dr. Geraldine R. WashingtonPresident, Los
  Angeles Branch of the NAACP
• Matt BreinerVice President of Land Acquisition,
  John Laing Homes, LA/Ventura Division
• Chuck HauptmanDirector, Region IX
• HUD, Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity
• Brian C. CataldePresident-Elect, National
  Association of Home Builders
• Christine BischoffNational Economic Empowerment
  Policy Manager, NAACP

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Jan PerryCity Councilmember, Ninth District
Bernard ParksCity Councilmember, Eighth District

• Your own children will not be able to live in the
  house you live in.
• To make housing more affordable, we have to
  improve the supply of housing.

• We all know the benefits of homeownership. We see
  how communities change as more families achieve
  homeownership.
• I hope we continue to work together to bring more
  housing opportunity to the South LA area.

Our young people have gone to other places.
Theyre asking Where am I going to raise my
family? Where is the environment better for the
ones I love? These are the questions that often
lead people to leave the community they grew up
in.
There is a lot of interest now in bringing new
housing and new jobs to Los Angeles. Proposition
H would help us get over the hump. This is our
greatest opportunity to rebuild our communities.
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Dr. Geraldine R. WashingtonPresident, Los
Angeles Chapter of the NAACP
Matt BreinerVice President of Land Acquisition,
John Laing Homes, LA/Ventura Division

• Housing affects every single family in America,
  and everyone you know.
• Housing opportunities remain unequal for the
  citys minorities.
• By working together, in cooperation with others
  throughout the city, we can make a real
  difference.

• Were very proud to support Proposition H, the LA
  housing bond. The bond has been endorsed by
  diverse organizations.

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Chuck Hauptman HUD, Office of Fair Housing and
Equal Opportunity, Director, Region IX

• At HUD, and specifically at the Office of Fair
  Housing and Equal Opportunity, we are very
  excited about this partnership between the NAACP
  and National Association of Home Builders.
• It is rare today to find such blatant
  discrimination as a sign saying whites only. It
  is more likely to be subtle, what we call
  discrimination with a smile.
• The dream of becoming a home owner is a step that
  many people see as a critical step in achieving
  personal freedom. Homeownership is more than a
  dream. It is a symbol of success.

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Brian C. Catalde President-Elect, National
Association of Home Builders

• This measure that comes before us Prop H is a
  solution that no other city, no other state, that
  has tried before.
• If Los Angeles can do this, then I can go to
  Florida, New York and other places that have
  housing affordability problems, and say look
  what we have done in California.

• This measure starts with transitional housing.
  Then it moves to rental housing, and finally to
  homeownership. Its a three-part solution to
  address housing affordability.
• It will also help provide jobs and will help the
  city improve its tax base.
• Were very excited about the partnership between
  NAHB and the NAACP.
• This is an exciting coalition that has been
  created in support of Prop H. The various
  partners in this coalition arent going to agree
  on everything, but we can agree on the need for
  affordable housing. We can agree on affordable
  rental housing. We can agree that it is important
  to reduce homelessness.

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Christine Bischoff National Economic Empowerment
Policy Manager, NAACP

• The first stage of the NAACP/NAHB partnership was
  to co-author Building on a Dream, which we urge
  you all to read. The report summarizes the state
  of minority housing in America andl obstacles
  that currently impede minority homeownership.
• The second stage of this partnership is to
  co-host several town hall meetings, like were
  doing tonight, in cities across the country to
  discuss housing issues at the local and state
  level.

• The purpose of these town hall meetings is
  three-fold
• To encourage discussion about housing issues.
• To help foster NAACP and NAHB partnerships at
  the local level.
• To work together to develop real solutions to
  housing problems that affect real people, like
  all of us here tonight.
• Our joint goals are ambitious and far-reaching
• Increase minority homeownership rates throughout
  the nation.
• Increase the availability of affordable housing
  overall.
• Decrease barriers to homeownership for all
  Americans.
• With your help, we are confident that we can
  achieve these goals so that every American family
  who desires to own a home can do so. Thank you
  for doing your part in this struggle, and enjoy
  the rest of the evening.

The NAACP and the NAHB are deeply concerned about
housing in our nation. Both organizations are
committed to providing and expanding
opportunities for all Americans to have safe,
decent and affordable housing regardless of race
or income level.
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Raphael Bostic Associate Professor, University of
Southern California

• Housing and homeownership are important issues
  for families and communities.
• The home is important for families in terms of
  building wealth. Its also important in providing
  a sense of self direction and self control.

• Housing is also important for neighborhoods and
  communities. Pockets of disinvestment are places
  where no one wants to invest, and that leads to a
  downward spiral.
• It is important that you, the consumer, be armed
  with information so you know where to go if you
  see a discrimination problem. You, the
  consumer, need to be educated about the
  home-buying process.
• Predatory lending is an issue. It used to be that
  if you were at a certain level of credit risk,
  they just wouldnt give you a mortgage. Now, at
  that same level of risk, theyll give you the
  mortgage, but at a much higher interest rate.
• Communities need to be more active in identifying
  predatory lenders, and more active in publicizing
  who the predatory lenders are.

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Los Angeles 2020 A Vision for a Changing City

• Participants were asked to describe their vision
  of an affordable Los Angeles in the year 2020.
• Noted USC economist Raphael Bostic provided an
  overview of the state of affordable housing in
  Los Angeles and explained how housing affects
  individual families and the local economy.
• Using this overview and the information provided
  by the other speakers, participants were asked to
  record their answers to the following questions
• Given everything you heard tonight, what are 3
  innovative solutions you would suggest to create
  an affordable Los Angeles?
• What are 3 barriers we will face in solving the
  housing crisis? How will we overcome these
  challenges?
• The following pages are the results of this
  exercise.

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Innovative Solutions To Create an Affordable Los
Angeles

• Incorporate more community input in developing
  the master plan for affordable housing
• Assist people and seniors from losing their
  homes through foreclosures
• Cut through red tape for housing projects / via
  info / funding / accountability
• Notify people who have a vested interest of new
  housing and employment opportunities
• Affordable housing should be cross-sector
• Adjustable income tax
• Lift freeze on staff of Building Safety

• Equitably distribute Proposition H money
• Rebuild projects that are 50 years old
• Create fee and impact waivers for affordable
  housing
• Integrate affordable housing throughout the
  community
• Create and incorporate diverse opinions
  regarding allocation of funds
• Develop joint-venture partnerships with
  community development organizations
• Maintain a committed partnership between the
  NAACP and Building Industry Association of
  Greater L.A.

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Barriers To Solving the Affordable Housing Crisis

• Educating the public about housing issues
• Equitable distribution of affordable housing
• Determining who qualifies for affordable housing
• Identify funding sources
• Public transportation / overcrowded freeway /
  too many mini malls / crime reduction / eminent
  domain
• Accommodating the increase in population
• High rate of foreclosures and predatory lending

• Finding available land
• Overcoming zoning restrictions
• Providing liveable wages
• Educating the population about the process of
  becoming a homeowner
• Setting guidelines regarding the allocation of
  funds
• Consequences for lending agencies who purposely
  deceive the consumer

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Looking Forward Past the 2006 Election

• On Tuesday, November 7th, 2006 Proposition H
  the 1 billion affordable housing bond was met
  with approval by a strong majority (62.18 ) of
  Los Angeles voters, but failed to receive the
  two-thirds majority it needed to pass.
• Hundreds of thousands of people voted in favor of
  affordable housing and Proposition H. The
  positive response to the bond the largest of
  its type for a municipality shows that Los
  Angeles is ready for innovative and creative
  solutions to the housing crisis that strains our
  city.
• As we look forward, we are inspired by the vision
  of an affordable Los Angeles and we are more
  committed than ever to advocating for affordable
  housing. Home is an integral part of the American
  Dream, and Los Angeles cannot truly reach its
  potential until that dream becomes a reality for
  all citizens. The Los Angeles Branch of the NAACP
  and Building Industry Association of Greater Los
  Angeles will continue our work together.
• Additionally, the NAACP and the NAHB will
  continue to co-host town hall meetings across the
  nation to address local and state housing issues.
  We look forward to working together to make a
  real impact in the area of affordable housing. It
  is time to move beyond the discussion. It is
  time to make good on our nations fundamental
  promise of equal opportunity for all.