Day: July 19, 2016

NAHRO Publishes New RAD Toolkit

~ Jenny Hsu

Last week, NAHRO published the “RAD Toolkit,” a new online resource that serves as a primer for PHAs interested in HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. This educative tool will provide PHAs with a background on RAD, a step-by-step outline of the conversion process and compliance, as well as links to additional resources important to understanding how to close a RAD transaction.

The RAD Toolkit was developed by the NAHRO Community Revitalization and Development (CR&D) Committee Redevelopment Task Force.

NAHRO members can access the toolkit here: www.nahro.org/RAD.

RADTOOLKIT2

MTW Research Advisory Committee – Conference Calls

~ Tushar Gurjal

The Moving to Work (MTW) Research Advisory Committee will be holding two public conference calls. The MTW Research Advisory Committee will advise HUD on how to move forward with the MTW expansion, especially with respect to specific policies to test in the expansion. The calls are open to the public, but members of the public must register to provide comment.

The calls are at the following dates and times [edit: the calls are until 4 pm; previously this post stated they were until 3 pm]:

July 26, 2016 – Increasing Housing Choice for Low-Income Families (1 pm to 4 pm); and

July 28, 2016 – Cost-Effectiveness and Incentives to Increase Self-Sufficiency for Families with Children (1 pm to 4 pm).

Use the following numbers to call-in:

  • United States –  (800) 230-1766;
  • Outside the United States – (612) 288-0329; and
  • Persons with hearing impairments – (800) 977-8339 and providing the FRS operator with the conference call toll-free number: (800) 230-1766.

To register, please click here.

Additional information on the call agendas can be found here.

Our prior blog post on these calls can be found here.

Importance of Grade Level Reading, NAHRO Signs MOU

~ Georgi Banna

On Friday July 15, NAHRO and the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading (CGLR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU.) NAHRO and CGLR are committed to ensuring that children living the communities that NAHRO members serve are set up for success in schools — by arriving ready to learn, maintaining consistent attendance and gaining access to enrichment over the summer so they don’t fall behind.

An important predictor of school success and high school graduation is grade-level reading by the end of third grade. Currently 80 percent of children from low-income families are missing a milestone that is a major predictor of high school graduation and success in life — reading proficiency by the end of third grade.

NAHRO believes that schools need a 24/7/365 partner and understands that Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) and community development organizations are uniquely positioned to fill this role. Through our Housing and Education Task Force and our Housing America campaign, NAHRO raises national awareness of the need for and importance of safe, quality, affordable housing in addition to advocacy and ensuring that children receive the education they need and deserve. NAHRO shares the CGLR’s desire to help PHAs and community development organizations become learning enablers by ensuring that the young learners in affordable housing can read proficiently by the end of third grade and to promote grade-level reading as a step on the path to future success.

More information on the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading is available on their website – www.GradeLevelReading.net. Updates on this new and exciting NAHRO – CGLR partnership will be posted on this blog and the NAHRO website – www.nahro.org – over the coming weeks and months.