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SAHA Hosts 2nd Annual House of Jazz Festival
 Once again the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) is inviting the general public to bring their lawn chairs and blankets to enjoy live music at the 2nd annual House of Jazz Festival. The event will feature free live music and food/drinks for purchase (coolers not permitted). There will be a “Kids’ Zone” for children including a moonwalk (inflatable play area), face painting and other fun activities. The San Antonio Fire Department is bringing a fire truck for attendees to explore as well as Sparky (SAFD dog). Officers from the San Antonio Police Department will be on hand too providing goodies and safety information.
The lineup includes headliner Henry Brun and the Modern Latino Band. Also included: Planet Soul, Los Kaballeroz, Artie V, Jimmy Spacek, and Spot Barnett and the Westside Horns*.
This community outreach event is sponsored by Trinity University’s jazz radio station, KRTU 91.7, and VIA Metropolitan Transit.
All proceeds, such as concession fees and the sale of event merchandise, will benefit SAHA’s Education Investment Foundation (EIF). The EIF supports the education of children who are residents of SAHA developments by providing college scholarships and perfect attendance awards.
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008
11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
WHERE: San Antonio Housing Authority
818 S. Flores St.
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Durango Midrise on the Rise
 We are pleased to share with you that, as anticipated, the financing has been approved for the third phase of the Victoria Commons project, Durango Midrise Apartments. This project is on schedule and moving forward, and we closed on the property in September. The Victoria Commons Project, which includes the Refugio Place Apartment Homes, Artisan Park Townhomes, Durango Midrise, and a future site for single-family homes, is a shining example of the changing face of affordable housing in San Antonio. Replacing the old Victoria Courts, this exciting and architecturally intriguing development is the gateway to beautiful downtown San Antonio. Located in District 1, Victoria Commons has proven to be more than just a residential community. Neighborhood groups such as the Conservation Society and the Lavaca Neighborhood
Association have utilized the conference room and green space in the area for meetings and other events.
SAHA is in the process of planning a groundbreaking ceremony for Durango Midrise that we hope you will attend. We will keep you posted on the details of the groundbreaking as it progresses.
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“Voting is Power” VIP Initiative
Decision 2008 is a pivotal election—not only nationally because of the presidential vote, but because many local and state government seats are contested. In addition, San Antonio residents will be voting on a change in term length for City Council. Included on the ballot is a proposed change allowing incoming council members to serve four, two-year terms rather than the current two, two-year terms.
Realizing the importance of this year’s election, the commissioners of the San Antonio Housing Authority (SAHA) undertook a bold initiative six months ago by asking staff to help residents get more involved in the political process by helping them get registered to vote.
In a joint effort with Bexar County Elections Division, 36 SAHA staff members were deputized this election season to be voter registrars in Bexar County. Now all public housing property managers and many affordable housing property mangers can register residents and their visitors to vote in the 2008 elections. We believe this tool is a valuable service to our residents, particularly in our elderly and disabled communities, where many residents are not able to leave the property to register to vote.
We’ve also instituted a new initiative called “Voting is Power” (VIP) to engage residents in voter participation efforts. VIP stickers and buttons are provided at RSC meetings and other SAHA events to remind the community of the importance of voting.
SAHA hosted voter drives at all “Big 6” properties: Alazan-Apache Courts, Cassiano Homes, Lincoln Heights, Wheatly Courts, San Juan Square, and Sutton Homes in conjunction with a local non-partisan voter advocacy group, Southwest Voter.
Resident Services Committee (RSC) meetings are held on-site at various public housing developments. At each of these RSC meetings, an intergovernmental affairs representative from SAHA hosts a “voter registration” table which enables residents in attendance to register to vote while attending an RSC meeting. Additionally, SAHA held a drawing at the most recent RSC meeting for a $30 gift card for groceries. Participants were eligible if they showed staff his or her voter registration card or registered to vote at the meeting. This meeting’s winner was a new registrant!
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Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act
On October 2, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing (HEARTH) Act. The legislation, H.R. 7221, substantially improves the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program. The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (PL100-77) was the first -- and remains the only -- major federal legislative response to homelessness. The Act has created valuable programs that have saved lives and helped hundreds of thousands of Americans to regain stability, attain self-sufficiency and get on the path to success.
If it passes into law, this will be the first reauthorization of HUD’s McKinney programs since 1992. This bill can provide communities with new resources and better tools to prevent and end homelessness.
The bill:
8 Increases priority on homeless families with children;
Significantly increases resources to prevent homelessness for people who are at risk of homelessness, doubled up, living in hotels, or in other precarious housing situations;
8 Continues to provide incentives for developing permanent supportive housing and provides dedicated funding for permanent housing renewals;
8 Provides rural communities greater flexibility in utilizing McKinney funds; and
8 Modestly expands the definition of homelessness to include people who are losing their housing in the next 14 days and who lack resources or support networks to obtain housing, as well as families and youth who are persistently unstable and lack independent housing and will continue to do so.
For more information about this bill, please visit this Open Congress link
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H.R. 3221: Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008
 The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which became law on July 31, is likely to affect most owner-occupied housing in the United States through a variety of channels.
The act creates a new, stronger, unified regulator for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banks (the housing GSEs). As a result of various provisions in the act, the secondary mortgage market is likely to be broadly affected. For example, the Secretary of the Treasury is given (until December 31, 2009) the authority to lend or invest in the housing GSEs on whatever terms the Secretary determines to be appropriate. Starting in 2009, the maximum high cost conforming loan limit is increased to 150% of the conforming loan limit; based on 2008 limits, this would be $625,500. For the first time, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can go into receivership.
The act also modernizes many aspects of the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). In high-cost areas, the maximum loan that the FHA can insure is identical to the maximum mortgage amount that the housing GSEs can purchase. The minimum downpayment on FHA-insured mortgages is increased from 3% to 3.5%, seller-assisted downpayment assistance is prohibited, and there is a moratorium until October 31, 2009, on the FHA’s implementation of risk-based insurance premiums.
HOPE for Homeowners authorizes the FHA to insure up to $300 billion in mortgages that refinance homeowners who are unable to pay their current high interest rate mortgages. As a condition of the borrower being eligible for the program, the current lender must agree to write down the principal of the existing mortgage to achieve a 90% loan-to-value ratio.
Other provisions lengthen from 90 days to 9 months the stay of foreclosure on service members’ homes and provide additional support for disabled veterans with special needs. The act appropriates $4 billion for state and local governments to purchase and rehabilitate abandoned and foreclosed housing. This housing would be sold or rented to low- and moderate-income individuals and families.
Tax provisions in the act include a refundable tax credit based on 10% of the price of a home purchased by a first time homebuyer. The maximum tax credit is $7,500 and the homebuyer pays back the credit over 15 years. This is roughly equivalent to a price reduction to one-third of the amount of the credit ($2,500). Homeowners who do not itemize on their tax returns can deduct state and local property taxes up to $500 ($1,000 on joint returns).
For more information about H.R. 3221, and a link to the Congressional Research Service Report above, click on this GovTrack link.
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Neighborhood Association Meetings
 We have been incredibly busy attending meetings of our Neighborhood and Homeowners Associations in various districts throughout the City. In the last few months, SAHA has had a representative at meetings with neighborhood representatives throughout the city; additionally, we have come on-site to many of your offices and our properties to visit with your constituents at locations convenient to our elected officials.
These forums give your constituents an opportunity to discuss SAHA and HUD regulations, community initiatives, concentration of subsidized/ public/ affordable housing in their neighborhoods, and tools available to SAHA, your offices, and your constituents to reinforce positive working relationships between all stakeholders. Contact Intergovernmental Affairs at 477-6131 for more information.
San Antonio Housing Authority
Department of Corporate Relations
Monica L. Quiroga
Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison
(210) 477-6131 ofc
(210) 477-6127 fax
(210) 336-6766 cell
Monica_Quiroga@saha.org
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