Senator Mikulski continues to champion HOPE VI

Source: Public Housing Authorities Directors Association

Legislation introduced in Senate would reauthorize program.

Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), who created the HOPE VI program in 1992, is sponsoring legislation that would reauthorize the program through 2011 at $600 million. A bipartisan group of senators has cosponsored the bill: Senator Kit Bond (R-MO), Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD). Mikulski says her proposed legislation "integrates the lessons learned" from the history of the program, "both in terms of best practices and needed reforms."

The legislation, which is currently in committee, starts by setting forth five clear goals for HOPE VI:

* End concentration of the poor in distressed neighborhoods
* Create healthy, sustainable communities with an emphasis on high performing schools
* Create mixed-income communities
* Develop communities though public private partnerships
* Provide adequate supportive resources to help residents achieve self-sufficiency

Secondly, the bill aims to connect HOPE VI with local school revitalization. It requires that every HOPE VI grant recipient establish, in partnership with local schools and the school superintendent, a comprehensive education reform and achievement strategy to turn the school that serves the HOPE VI development into a high performing school.

Thirdly, the bill ensures that grantees make best use of federal dollars. Grant criteria now include the strength of local government support for the HOPE VI proposal, including, at a minimum, the signature of the locality's chief executive and financial assistance of at least 5 percent of the HOPE VI grant. This lets HUD conduct site visits to HOPE VI applicants to assist in making funding decisions and requires that housing authorities set new performance benchmarks for each component of their HOPE VI project, including benchmarks for linkages with schools, relocation of residents and achievement of self-sufficiency.

Fourthly, the bill would improve relocation and supportive services for residents. HOPE VI applications are selected in part based on the effectiveness of the plan for temporary and permanent relocation of existing residents, making sure that residents are fully aware of their relocation choices and are supported throughout the process with case management and counseling. Applicants are judged on the extent to which their HOPE VI proposal provides effective relocation of existing residents, meaning residents are fully informed of their choices, and are given the choice to relocate to an area with a lower concentration of poverty, residents are offered comprehensive and ongoing supportive services to achieve a successful relocation and self-sufficiency, residents are offered the option to return to the newly revitalized HOPE VI development, minimal impact is had on children and relocation is coordinated with school calendars.