Historically, landlords of multi-unit housing rental properties have been required to include 15% of “affordable” units for low and very low-income tenants. That is changing, in part due to a 2009 landmark court decision in Los Angeles (Palmer/Sixth Street Properties, L.P. v. City of Los Angeles). The court found that forcing landlords to provide low-income units without subsidies violated the Costa-Hawkins Act, which allows landlords to raise rents after tenants move out, effectively eliminating rent control. Why is a lack of Affordable Housing important? Consider… The jobless rate in Sacramento rose slightly last week to 11.4%.* About 93,000 jobless workers were recently notified tha

The nonprofit Sacramento Area Animal Coalition (SAAC) is offering a deal too good for pet owners to pass up. For just $15, male cats can be neutered and receive core vaccinations, a dose of flea preventive, and permanent microchip identification -- services that typically cost as much as $250. SAAC has more than 150 appointments available for male cats as part of Spay Day Sacramento, which takes place at 18 area veterinary clinics and animal shelters on Sunday, February 26, 2012. Residents of Sacramento and Yolo Counties who receive public assistance and/or have an annual household income of $35,000 or less can have up to two cats neutered at participating veterinary clinics and animal

SACRAMENTO, CA | U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Regional Administrator Ophelia Basgal joined Congresswoman Doris Matsui in Sacramento announced on January 10 that Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency will receive a $300,000 Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant. Sacramento is one of 13 cities nationwide receiving this funding to begin grassroots efforts to revitalize the Twin Rivers Community Housing, a distressed public housing development at 321 Eliza Street, and transform the Sacramento River District-Railyards neighborhood. “All across the country, local planners are serious about rolling up their sleeves to transform distressed neighborhoods into choice n

  SACRAMENTO, CA | For the first time in its history, the Housing Authority of the City of Sacramento has received a High Performer designation on the Public Housing Assessment System Score Report from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Housing Authority received a PHAS total score of 90 out of 100. The assessment period covered the fiscal year ending December 31, 2010. “This is a great accomplishment for the Housing Authority,” said La Shelle Dozier, Executive Director of Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency, a Joint Powers Agency which includes the Housing Authority. “We redoubled our efforts to improve our performance in all of the scoring categories and

With the Check Before You Burn season underway, the Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District wants to let the public know about its Wood Stove & Fireplace Change Out Incentive Program. Low income residents or landlords of low income rental properties may be eligible to get a voucher for up to $1,500. To find more information about the Wood Stove & Fireplace Change Out Incentive Program please visit the following link http://airquality.org/woodstove/SpecialNotice.shtml ###

Sacramento, CA | The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today announced that Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency is a recipient of a $150,000 Community Challenge Planning Grant from the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities. The Agency will administer the grant on behalf of the Housing Authority of the County of Sacramento and is one of only two grantees in the state of California. The highly competitive 2011 Sustainable Communities grants totaled $97 million. Only 27 communities and organizations will receive the Community Challenge grants. The goal of the Sustainable Communities grants is to help communities improve their economic competitiveness by connect

Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency (SHRA) has been named a 2011 recipient of the prestigious National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) Merit Award for its efforts to reorganize electronic database waiting lists for the Sacramento region. SHRA received the award for the Access Code for Wait List in Administrative Innovation category. The award recognizes outstanding achievement in housing and community development programs throughout the nation. “I am very proud of this unique model that the Sacramento Public Housing Authority has developed for our applicants,” said SHRA Executive Director La Shelle Dozier. “This process has created greater efficiency and

TEAM assists low-income residents with affordable spay/neuter services; pre-registration is required Sacramento, CA –TEAM (Teaching Everyone Animals Matter), the nonprofit affiliate of the Sacramento County Animal Shelter, has scheduled its next low-cost spay/neuter clinic for Sunday, July 10, and space is still available. The bi-monthly clinic is open to the community on a first-come, first-served basis. Pre-registration is required. The cost is $20 per pet, including vaccines as may be needed, with proof of income. The clinic will be held at the Sacramento County Animal Shelter, 3839 Bradshaw Road (between Highway 50 and Kiefer), in Sacramento. Check-in is at 8 am. The TEAM clinic is

Officials from the County Redevelopment Agency (www.shra.org) and developer BRIDGE Housing Corporation broke ground today on a new 138-unit apartment complex for low income seniors in the Old Foothill Farms community at 5400 Auburn Boulevard, the site of a former Kmart retail center. “I think this project is going to be a great synergy for the community and for this corner,” said Supervisor Susan Peters whose district includes the Old Foothill Farms community. The development is the first project that BRIDGE Housing will build in Sacramento. President and CEO Cynthia Parker says the apartments will be a catalyst for revitalizing the area. “This is a first step to attracting other develo

While local nonprofit clinics The Effort and the Health and Life Organization are not as well-known as major hospitals like Sutter Health or UC Davis Medical Center, they each serve tens of thousands of people in Sacramento County and play a major role in health care for the region’s low-income and homeless residents. The Effort and the Health and Life Organization allow patients to pay for medical services on a sliding fee scale. About six community health organizations run 29 clinics in Sacramento County, according to Chris Patterson, a media relations consultant for the Capitol Community Health Network. About 14,000 patients made about 35,000 visits to The Effort’s medical sites last

Upcoming Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic Set for January 30 As February is Responsible Pet Owner Month, TEAM (Teaching Everyone Animals Matter), the nonprofit affiliate of the Sacramento County Animal Shelter, has scheduled its upcoming low-cost spay/neuter clinic for Sunday, January 30, in recognition of the importance of responsible pet-ownership, which includes spaying and neutering family pets. The bi-monthly clinic is open to the community on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $20 per pet, including vaccines as may be needed, with proof of income. The clinic will be held at the Sacramento County Animal Shelter, 3839 Bradshaw Road (between Highway 50 and Kiefer), in Sacramento

Wooden boxes of chard, kale and collard greens on Charles Mason’s front yard in Oak Park are likely to be installed at dozens of spots in Sacramento next year and into 2012. Mason, the founder of environmental nonprofit group Ubuntu Green, is organizing a project to place up to 60 small gardens in an area that includes the neighborhoods of Oak Park, Tahoe Park, Lemon Hill and Fruitridge Manor. The home gardens project, funded by the California Endowment, is one of three programs Ubuntu Green will focus on in 2011. Ubuntu Green will work next year on a land-use environmental project with eight neighborhoods as well as host an annual event in September on environmentally friendly living.

La Shelle Dozier, Executive Director of the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency has been named Business Woman of the Year by the Sacramento chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. “I am truly humbled to be chosen for this wonderful award,” said Ms. Dozier. “I feel privileged to be in a position that allows me to make a positive difference for people who are most in need of help to better their lives. I could not have achieved this honor without the support of my wonderful family and the dedication of those with whom I am fortunate to work with SHRA.” Ms. Dozier oversees redevelopment and community development strategies in the City and County of Sacramento, and the

Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press is not affiliated with The Sacramento Housing Authority. Please visit http://www.sacwaitlist.com for more information. The Sacramento Housing Authority will open wait lists for Public Housing and Downtown Elderly Project Based vouchers in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV/formerly Section 8) programs for online applicants at 12:01 a.m., Monday, November 29, 2010. Wait lists will open for public housing that is owned and managed by the Housing Authority. Another wait list will open for project based vouchers in housing designated for Elderly families. The head of household spouse or the co-head of household must be at least 55 or older to apply and prior

Despite a stagnant economy, Sacramento area veterinary clinics and animal shelters are poised to give away as much as $160,000 in services to pet owners in need as part of “Spay Day Sacramento” on February 28. Operated annually by the nonprofit Sacramento Area Animal Coalition (SAAC), Spay Day Sacramento is the largest one-day spay/neuter event in the country. This year, approximately 800 dogs and cats will receive spay/neuter surgery for just $20 per dog and $15 per cat. According to SAAC board member Kim Kinnee, spaying and neutering is one of the most effective ways to reduce the number of homeless and unwanted pets in the Sacramento area. About half of the 40,000 animals entering Sac