Saturday, March 10, 2007

When did it become a 3 year program?

I read this in "Press Release" today:
WASHINGTON, March 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The NHP Foundation (NHPF) announced
today that it has received $3 million from the Ford Foundation for
acquisition, rehabilitation and construction of low- and moderate-income
housing in New Orleans. This program-related investment (PRI) loan will
significantly aid in NHPF's three-year recovery program of the Gulf Coast
region-currently well underway at an estimated cost of $300 million.
I didn't know that the National Housing Partnership was involved. According to the press release, they have their hands in 1400 units with another 1600 in the pipeline. However, the website lists 284 units in New Orleans (Forest Park?) and 384 in Westwego.

According to the mission statement regarding the Gulf Coast Region:
The NHP Foundation's (NHPF) objective is to create 3,000 quality affordable housing units at a cost of $300 million of which 2,500 housing units will be located in New Orleans and vicinity, and the remaining 500 units will be in other parts of the State. Four of our properties totaling 952 units were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and vicinity. Immediately after the Hurricane, NHPF arranged for over 300 evacuee families to relocate in our properties in Texas.
If my math is right (there is a reason I teach Latin), 284 + 384 = 668. That's less than half of 1400. Is this more lip service and deceptive math? Does anyone know where this is happening?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Monday Apr 2
Dear Latinteacher,
I now had a chance to read your bio and glad to learn that you are living in the East coast. I graduted from Haverford College and in fact will be receiving an honorary degree in May 2007. I have responded to your comments about the NHP Foundation plan to create and preserve affordable housing.(Below). However, I have not heard any responses from you or a correction of your comments.

I want to respond to your comment concerning the NHP Foundation current activities and plans for the creation of quality and affordable housing in the Gulf Coast region.

In the press release we cited some examples (Forest Park, Walnut Square and Tangelwood) that are either under construction or rehab. We did not list the other properties which bring the total to 1,400 units in the Gulf Coast region.

As you know, the Region is not short of people or organizations that are paying lip services. Neither NHPF nor our staff is interested in joining the lip service crowd. Our interest and commitment is to participate in the recovery of the region.

Again, I want to thank you for taking the time to respond to our press release.

LatinTeacher said...

Mr. Mehreteab,

The reason I commented on this press release is that it mentions numbers of housing units and money and they didn't seem to add up. You now say 1400, the press release mentions 668, so I ask where are the other 1,000 (or 932) units? I am glad the NHPF is helping.
My real issue is that the Housing Projects in New Orleans (some of which were not effected by the Federal Flood) are still not opened.
Also, why is it taking/will it take three years to do this? When did you start? Will there be a need for 3000 units in three years? Just asking.

LatinTeacher said...

Oh yeah, thanks for helping and trying to clear this up for me. I appreciate you following up, too.