Public housing

'It's soul-destroying': how people on a housing wait list of 175,000 describe their years of waiting

Retrieved on: 
Monday, August 7, 2023
Poverty, Housing, Violence, Life, Disability, Anxiety, Perception, Domestic violence, Hope, Research, Public housing, Confidentiality, Interview, Running, Grammatical mood, Child, Mental health, Trauma, Frustration, Health insurance, Real estate, Nursing, Environmental remediation, Residential care, Risk management, Fashion design, NSW

This is especially so if an applicant is put on the general waiting list and not the priority list.

Key Points: 
  • This is especially so if an applicant is put on the general waiting list and not the priority list.
  • In New South Wales in June 2022, for example, 57,550 were on the waiting list: 51,031 on the general waiting list and 6,519 on the priority list.
  • Thirty interviewees were on the general waiting list and 49 on the priority list.

Lives on hold

    • Tania* in Queensland, who had escaped domestic violence, powerfully captured the perception of her life being put on hold:
      It sucks.
    • […] They [state government housing department] just give you no answers […] It’s stopped our whole life.
    • Running from him [her ex-partner] was hard enough, but asking them [the housing department] for help is ten times worse […] They don’t care.
    • […] They [state government housing department] just give you no answers […] It’s stopped our whole life.
    • Running from him [her ex-partner] was hard enough, but asking them [the housing department] for help is ten times worse […] They don’t care.

A traumatising wait

    • But when I’ve got three little people that I’ve got to care for and provide for, that’s when it gets hard.
    • But when I’ve got three little people that I’ve got to care for and provide for, that’s when it gets hard.
    • She has a child with a disability and had been on the NSW general waiting list for several years.
    • I feel like so many thoughts that I have in my head I’m just trying to pick the best one.
    • Read more:
      'Getting onto the wait list is a battle in itself': insiders on what it takes to get social housing

Losing self-esteem and hope

    • It is like that loss of, you know, self-esteem and loss of hope […] So I think my words [to describe the wait] is my continual shame.
    • You feel shame every day and other than that […] you have to deal with a loss of control over […] your position on the wait list.
    • It is like that loss of, you know, self-esteem and loss of hope […] So I think my words [to describe the wait] is my continual shame.
    • You feel shame every day and other than that […] you have to deal with a loss of control over […] your position on the wait list.
    • Geoff in Sydney has to use a wheelchair and the house he was renting was totally unsuitable.
    • The shocking aspect is that the huge shortage of social housing means a substantial proportion of people on the general waiting list could be waiting forever.

Sunrun Reports Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Shift, Revenue stream, National Forest Foundation, Housing, Energy Community, AHJ, Electricity, Tree, Congress, Inflation, The Electric Company, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Asset, California Energy Commission, Environment, Q1, Solar energy, Primary energy, Energy efficiency, Growth, US Treasury specimen book, Pressure, Public housing, PG, Home, ITC, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, PG&E, Guild Education, Acceleration, Partnership, Ford, Woman, IRA, DOE, Weather, Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, City, United States Department of the Treasury, CO2, Renewable energy, Mobile phone, Cryptocurrency, Q2, Sunrun, Energy, Subscription business model

Customers grew 20% in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the second quarter of 2022.

Key Points: 
  • Customers grew 20% in the second quarter of 2023 compared to the second quarter of 2022.
  • Total revenue was $590.2 million in the second quarter of 2023, up $5.6 million, or 1%, from the second quarter of 2022.
  • Net income attributable to common stockholders was $55.5 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, in the second quarter of 2023.
  • Sunrun is hosting a conference call for analysts and investors to discuss its second quarter 2023 results and business outlook at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time today, August 2, 2023.

Baicells, Alef, and Sky Packets Team up to Offer Solution Program to Connect Unserved Communities and Neighborhoods

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 26, 2023
Digital divide, Education, Internet, Public housing, Access, CBRS, City, LTE, Economics, CPE, Mobile phone, Tourism, MDU

PLANO, Texas, July 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Baicells Technologies, a leading provider of LTE and 5G cellular solutions, has partnered with ALEF Edge and Sky Packets, to launch a turnkey private LTE solution package that will provide connectivity to support unserved communities. CommunityConnect is a scalable offering that leverages CBRS spectrum and fixed wireless to deliver advanced broadband connectivity under new economics and across multiple environments – supporting both outdoor and indoor use cases.

Key Points: 
  • The digital divide is increasingly recognized as a critical barrier that can hold back families and communities all too often.
  • Lacking internet access today hinders economic opportunity, education and job prospects, critical communications, and much more.
  • CommunityConnect, a solution program for digital equity, helps communities leverage this available funding and identify a clear path to closing the digital divide.
  • Understanding that the myriad of programs and technology options can be confusing, this program is intended to offer guidance to deliver a successful outcome for the community, efficiently.

Building houses in factories for the Commonwealth Games was meant to help the housing crisis. What now?

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 24, 2023
Housing, Arm, Construction, Commonwealth Games, Industry, RMIT, Olympic Games, Leadership, State government, Public housing, Attention, COVID, Carbon, Government, Athlete, Time, Shepparton, City, Weather, Prefabrication

After Melbourne hosted the 1956 Olympics, about 600 houses in the athlete village became public housing in West Heidelberg.

Key Points: 
  • After Melbourne hosted the 1956 Olympics, about 600 houses in the athlete village became public housing in West Heidelberg.
  • After Melbourne hosted the 2006 Commonwealth Games, the athlete village in Parkville was largely sold off, with 320 houses going to social housing.
  • Victoria’s now cancelled 2026 Commonwealth Games were meant to have the same effect in the state’s smaller cities.
  • New dwellings were intended to help boost social and private housing supply amid the ongoing housing crisis.

Building the prefab profile

    • This rapid time frame was why Victoria’s government looked to prefab to provide the thousands of dwellings needed for officials, athletes and workers.
    • Leading prefab jurisdictions like Scotland and Sweden have needed government support to get to where they are, with prefab accounting for 84%.

Why look to prefab homes at all?

    • Waste can be cut by precise standardised measurements and the use of low-carbon materials like timber or hybrid steel-timber reduces environmental impact.
    • You might think prefab homes would all look the same or lack quality.
    • Prefab factories can reduce the impact of weather on construction, though it does create another challenge – transporting the dwelling to the site.

Boosting prefab without the games

    • In a recent report led by Master Builders Victoria, we examined how experiences of the Birmingham 2022 and Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in the UK helped the construction industry innovate in areas like prefab housing.
    • Preparations for the Birmingham games faced the unprecedented challenge of the COVID pandemic.

Why isn’t Australia embracing these techniques?

    • To make prefab housing mainstream in Australia will mean major changes to the way things are done at present.
    • But Australia has an urgent need for more housing.
    • Louise Dorignon has received funding from various organisations including the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute and various industry partners.

‘They weren’t there when I needed them’: we asked former prisoners what happens when support services fail

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 24, 2023
People, Well, Buprenorphine/naloxone, Department, Prison, Housing, Parole, NUAA, Friends, Pharmacy, Prisoner, Trust, Woman, Substance dependence, Rehabilitation, Public housing, History, Imprisonment, Heroin, Switchmen's Mutual Aid Association, Philosophy, Man, AIDS, Work, Canadian International Council, Time, Risk, Drug policy, Empathy, Substance use disorder, Health, Mental health, Psychedelic literature, John Hodgman, Drug, Online shopping, Residential care, Nursing, Creative industries, Maintenance (technical), Centrelink

Like you know transitioning to housing, even help with you know finding work and that, but […] none of those promises were met.

Key Points: 
  • Like you know transitioning to housing, even help with you know finding work and that, but […] none of those promises were met.
  • Like you know transitioning to housing, even help with you know finding work and that, but […] none of those promises were met.
  • Getting this kind of pre- and post-release support can drastically reduce the risk of the person re-offending.

System failure


    In 2019‑20, 46% of prisoners released in 2017-18 had returned to prison within two years. People who inject drugs are disproportionately more likely to return to prison. This suggests a systemic failure; something is going wrong in the way we provide services to this group of people. For this analysis, “service providers” include actors such as:
    • For example, when Jidah got out of prison, he needed crucial medication for his opioid dependence.
    • And I was that frustrated that it caused me to relapse and get back on the heroin.
    • And I was that frustrated that it caused me to relapse and get back on the heroin.
    • Khish told us he was given some support in getting set up for post-prison life but the help was limited.

Trust is key

    • Being able to trust a service provider is crucial and can enable a smoother transition to community.
    • Ben, however, didn’t find his parole officer “useful”, saying:
      They’re not really there to help you.
    • They’re there to watch over you, but they say they can help.

Getting the right support can be ‘life-changing’

    • Under this new philosophy, Maine’s prisons focus on rehabilitation and growing respect between correctional officers and people who are incarcerated.
    • It can help reduce the chances the prison system is simply reproducing disadvantage and replicating the problems it is ostensibly supposed to solve.
    • If you or someone you know needs help with exiting prison, you can find a list of resources here.
    • The NSW Users and AIDS Association (NUAA) PeerLine on 1800 644 413 may also be helpful.

FHLBank San Francisco Awards $4.8 Million in Grants to Nevada-Based Affordable Housing Groups

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 10, 2023
National Low Income Housing Coalition, Clearing house, Partnership, Housing, Golden Rule, Disability, NA, AHP, Public housing, Rehabilitation, Veteran, Federal Home Loan Banks, SAN, NHC, Rome, Bank, Toyota Financial Services, Substance abuse, Casino, Renewable energy, Property management

SAN FRANCISCO, July 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today announced $4.8 million in affordable housing grants to Nevada-based groups through its newly established Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Nevada Targeted Fund. This Targeted Fund – a first of its kind in the country – is an important component of the Bank’s AHP and represents a significant commitment to addressing the critical shortage of affordable housing in the state. The grants will be distributed to six qualified projects to create or revitalize over 260 units of affordable housing throughout Nevada.

Key Points: 
  • SAN FRANCISCO, July 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today announced $4.8 million in affordable housing grants to Nevada-based groups through its newly established Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Nevada Targeted Fund .
  • The grants will be distributed to six qualified projects to create or revitalize over 260 units of affordable housing throughout Nevada.
  • Grants are delivered through FHLBank San Francisco member institutions partnering with nonprofits and affordable housing developers to submit applications for grants for specific projects in an annual funding competition.
  • Since 1990, FHLBank San Francisco has contributed over $1.14 billion in AHP General Fund and Nevada Targeted Fund grants, making them the largest privately-owned source of affordable housing funding in their three-state region.

FHLBank San Francisco Awards $32.9 Million in AHP Grants to Address the Region’s Significant Affordable Housing Shortfall

Retrieved on: 
Monday, July 10, 2023
Woodlands, NLIHC, Partnership, Housing, Senior, Disability, Native, View Point, AHP, Rehabilitation, Public housing, USA House, Veteran, GAP, Federal Home Loan Banks, Washoe people, National Trust Community Investment Corporation, Hope, SAN, NHC, City National Bank, National Low Income Housing Coalition, Region, Pomo, Substance abuse, Renewable energy, Airline, Grant

SAN FRANCISCO, July 10, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco) today announced $32.9 million in Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants have been awarded to fund 38 projects that will create 2,825 units of affordable housing throughout Arizona, California, and Nevada. FHLBank San Francisco is the largest privately-owned source of affordable housing funding in its three-state area and collectively with the other Federal Home Loan Banks, one of the largest privately-owned grantors in the country.

Key Points: 
  • FHLBank San Francisco is the largest privately-owned source of affordable housing funding in its three-state area and collectively with the other Federal Home Loan Banks, one of the largest privately-owned grantors in the country.
  • According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) report The GAP 2023 , less than 4 million affordable rental homes are available nationwide for 11 million extremely low-income renters.
  • Grants are delivered through FHLBank San Francisco member institutions partnering with nonprofits and affordable housing developers to submit applications for grants for specific projects in an annual funding competition.
  • Learn more about the communities, families, and individuals that have benefited from access to AHP-funded housing on the Bank’s website.

Canada invests in climate action projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Northwest Territories

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, June 29, 2023
Carbon, Atmosphere, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Indigenous peoples, Climate change, Public housing, Government, Parliament, Wind, Organization, Regeneration, Greenhouse gas, Indigenous self-government in Canada, First Nations, Heat, Environment, Tourism, California Latino Leadership Fund, Biomass, Investment, Renewable energy, Indigenous, Woman

The Northwest Territories' Greenhouse Gas Grant Program is designed to support projects and initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions for Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, community governments, municipalities, government departments and agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations.

Key Points: 
  • The Northwest Territories' Greenhouse Gas Grant Program is designed to support projects and initiatives that reduce greenhouse gas emissions for Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, community governments, municipalities, government departments and agencies, businesses, and non-profit organizations.
  • – The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
    "Everyone has a role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to a low-carbon economy.
  • The six projects announced today are:
    This funding is part of an agreement between Canada and the Northwest Territories under the Low Carbon Economy Leadership Fund.
  • The enhanced Low Carbon Economy Fund will support climate action by Indigenous peoples with a new $180 million Indigenous Leadership Fund.

AARP Awards Grants to 10 New York Organizations as Part of its Nationwide Program to Make Communities More Livable

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, June 28, 2023
Volunteering, Town, Wi-Fi, Housing, Toyota Motor North America, AARP, Disability, Farmer, Secondary suite, Quality of life, Transportation Alternatives, Community engagement, Fordham University, Public housing, Transport, Organization, LED, Walking, Community, Cooking, Economic development, City, Health, African American Engagement Office, Safety, Pedestrian, Nursing, Road, Airline

"AARP New York is committed to working with local leaders to improve residents' quality of life through tangible changes," said AARP NY State Director Beth Finkel.

Key Points: 
  • "AARP New York is committed to working with local leaders to improve residents' quality of life through tangible changes," said AARP NY State Director Beth Finkel.
  • AARP is also bolstering its investment in rural communities, mobility innovation, transportation options, and health and food access.
  • "These grants continue to lead to long-term, positive changes in communities across the country," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP Executive Vice President and Chief Advocacy & Engagement Officer.
  • Since 2017, AARP NY has awarded 37 grants and $469,113 through the program to nonprofit organizations and government entities across the state.

56 Homes Now Fully Electric Through ComEd Low Income Whole Home Electrification Program

Retrieved on: 
Monday, June 26, 2023
Family, Energy, Consumer, Other Energy, Utilities, Commonwealth, Commonwealth Edison, Partnership, Housing, Overalls, Electricity, Gasoline, Carbon, EVS, Exelon, HVAC, Multi-family office, EXC, Climate change, CEJA, Public housing, Elevate, AMI, EESP, Natural gas, Renewable energy, Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning

ComEd today announced a new milestone achieved in a program to advance the electrification of low-income homes across northern Illinois.

Key Points: 
  • ComEd today announced a new milestone achieved in a program to advance the electrification of low-income homes across northern Illinois.
  • To date, 56 single family homes have been retrofitted as part of ComEd’s Whole Home Electrification program, a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to convert single family and multi-unit homes to energy-saving, all-electric heating and cooling systems and appliances.
  • Through the Whole Home Electrification program, ComEd is investing $40 million to deliver no-cost retrofits to qualifying low-income customers through 2025.
  • Since launching the program last year, ComEd has fully electrified 56 homes in Chicago, with hundreds of additional single family and multi-family units signed up to receive full home retrofits through the program.