NYSPHADA UPDATE
Created: 2009-05-01 10:42:38
Dear NYSPHADA Members:
Congress and the Administration continue their hurried pace to develop legislative and administrative proposals to mitigate the financial crisis. The oversight focus continues to be on proper distribution and use of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus funds and Troubled Asset Recovery Program monies.
Latest Administration Action:
The Administration continues to proceed in the selection of candidates for important posts at the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Most recently, President Obama nominated Ms. Sandra Brooks Henriquez to be the Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing. Her next step is a nomination hearing before the Senate Banking Committee, which has not yet been scheduled. Following the hearing, her nomination must be voted on and passed by the Senate Banking Committee and then the full Senate. After the final vote, which is heartily expected to be affirmative, she will be Senate confirmed and may begin her HUD tenure. (All high-level Presidential appointments must be accompanied "by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.")
NYSPHADA supports her nomination and, with NYSAHRO, will be sending a joint letter of endorsement to the Senate. Her official biography is below:
Sandra Henriquez assumed her duties as the Administrator and Chief Executive Officer of the Boston Housing Authority in April 1996. Ms. Henriquez is the Chief of Public Housing for the City of Boston, which is a Cabinet position within the administration of Mayor Thomas M. Menino. She previously served at the Boston Housing Authority in various capacities from 1977 to 1983. Sandra returned to public housing after ten years as a Principal of Maloney Properties, Inc., a full service real estate property management firm specializing in the delivery of services to resident-controlled and non-profit sponsored housing. Prior to her time with Maloney Properties, she served as the Director of Housing Management and Tenant Services for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts' Department of Housing and Community Development. Ms. Henriquez is a Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA). She is the immediate past Chair of the Board of Directors of the YWCA Boston. As a Trustee for nine years, and now an Honorary Trustee of the New England Baptist Hospital, Sandra also sits on the Buildings and Grounds Committee and participates on the Compensation Committee. In addition, she is a Director of the Massachusetts-based Citizens Housing and Planning Association. The Rental Housing Association of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board honored Sandra Henriquez in 2000 with the Excellence in Public Service Award. In 1997, Ms. Henriquez received the Abigail Adams Award from the Massachusetts Women's Political Caucus and was recognized by Banker & Tradesman as a "Leader Making A Difference". Sandra was also named Executive Director of the Year in 2002 by the National Organization of African Americans in Housing. Ms. Henriquez has three children, two sons and a daughter.
Latest Congressional Action:
This week the House of Representatives and Senate passed a Fiscal Year 2010 $3.4 trillion budget conference report. The report emphasizes the President's priorities of health care, education and energy reduction. The budget provides overall spending parameters to the Congressional Appropriations Committees, who then make specific funding allocations.
The conference agreement states broad support for funding for important housing assistance programs for low-income families, the elderly and the disabled. It also suggests the need for full funding for the Community Development Block Grant Program.
The President's detailed budget is expected to be released next week. At that time, we expect the Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations process to begin in earnest.
ARRA Capital Fund Stimulus Grant Information:
For up-to-date guidance from HUD, you may want to visit its Office of Capital Improvements web page entitled Recovery Act Information. It provides access to frequently asked questions and other clarifications regarding formula grants and the competitive process. Here is the link:
http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/programs/ph/capfund/ocir.cfm
Please contact me at any time for more information. I am looking forward to seeing each of you at NYSPHADA's Spring Conference!
Sincerely,
Melody Fennel
NYSPHADA Consultant
Melody H. Fennel
Fennel Consulting, LLC
101 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Suite 900 East
Washington, D.C. 20001
phone: 202.742-4557
fax: 202.315-3045