Quick Assortment of News

A quick assortment of housing-related news as we head into the weekend:

• The National Low-Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) has released a preliminary estimate of how much each state would receive from a National Housing Trust fund funded at $1 billion. Wisconsin would receive 1.5% of the total funds, or $15.5 million. If you have not already contacted your Senators and your Representative to request that the Trust Fund (which has already passed, but is unfunded) be capitalized with at least $1 billion. It's not too late to contact them. More details here.
• The latest newsletter for Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) is out with an announcement from Executive Director Anthonio Riley that more than $100 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the "stimulus funding," will be used to jump-start 36 developments around the state, creating over 2,000 jobs. The newsletter also has a nice description of the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). It doesn't, however, answer the most pressing question I have: Why is it HPRP not HPRRP as is logical?
• Speaking of WHEDA, they are being criticized by Senator Grothman (R-West Bend) for spending $1,400 on "floral decorations for holiday reception." The Senator suggests that WHEDA donate the money to the Madison Salvation Army shelter. I wonder, though, why didn't he suggest instead that the money be given to a homeless organization in his district, Hebron House?
• IndependenceFirst's newsletter, Breaking Away is available online with four housing-related items.