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NEWS AND UPDATES
The NHP Foundation Announces Launch of New Affiliates Program,
With Falls Church Housing Corporation as First Affiliate
July 12, 2011
In keeping with its commitment to preserve and create affordable housing for low- to moderate-income families and seniors throughout the United States, The NHP Foundation (NHPF) is pleased to announce the launch of an NHPF Affiliates Program, as well as its first affiliate under the new program-the Falls Church Housing Corporation (FCHC).
Richard F. Burns, the Chief Executive Officer of NHPF stated:
"The NHP Foundation has a rich history of creating, preserving and managing affordable housing for working families and seniors. In 2011, we believe that NHPF has an expanded and valuable role to play in strengthening the affordable housing field in this country. With our depth of experience, we feel NHPF can come to the aid of struggling local housing groups that might not otherwise be able to go on in this challenging, post-Recession period. We feel we could help local groups-and most of all their constituencies-- by focusing on greater regional missions and visions."
The NHPF Affiliates Program will bring NHPF's managerial strength in finance, asset management, resident services, and fundraising to local programs that cannot support the breadth or depth of staff to sustain their programs. The housing programs that affiliate with NHPF will thus realize cost savings and gain the expertise needed to sustain and in many cases, grow, their operations. NHPF will focus on sustainability and sound fiscal and asset management.
The Falls Church Housing Corporation is the first affiliate to align with NHPF. Its agreement with NHPF took effect on June 28, 2011. A 30 year-old organization with a history of public/private partnerships, FCHC operates properties with a total of 87 units for seniors and low-to-moderate income residents of Falls Church, Virginia.
Dr. Steve Rogers, former Chair of the FCHC's Board said: "We are delighted to become the first affiliate in The NHP Foundation's new program. It allows us to continue to serve our region- centered in Falls Church, Virginia - while our staff and newly expanded Board of Directors benefit from the expertise and resources of NHPF. This is an exciting time in the long history of Falls Church Housing and one in which I am privileged to participate. We are happy to do all we can to facilitate the success of our new affiliation with NHPF in Northern Virginia. To that end, we have pledged FCHC assets and expanded action plans to pursue our affordable housing mission. We are grateful for their help at this time of ever-greater demand for affordable housing. We will continue to depend on the financial and 'people power' support of our friends and neighbors."
The NHP Foundation is headquartered in New York City, and has an office in Washington, DC. It currently owns 21 properties in 10 states, comprised of approximately 4,300 affordable housing units serving over 20,000 residents. These properties are located in Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia.
NHPF was launched on January 30, 1989, as a publicly supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to preserve and create affordable multifamily rental housing for low- to moderate-income families and seniors. NHPF also has a robust resident services program. By building partnerships with major financial institutions, the public sector, and other nonprofit entities, it seeks to preserve existing buildings as affordable housing and to invest strategically in properties that improve and stabilize neighborhoods.
As Thomas Carr, the Chairman of the NHP Foundation's Board of Trustees emphasized: "In formalizing this NHPF Affiliates Program we are bringing energy, relationships, fiscal know-how, and expertise to those who might not be able to continue without it. This is a meaningful way of meeting our mission, making an even deeper commitment to the field of affordable housing, and acknowledging, as our slogan says: "where you live matters".
For more information about becoming an affiliate of The NHP Foundation, please contact Thom Vaccaro, 202-312-2507 or tvaccaro@nhpfoundation.org
For more information about The NHP Foundation, please visit its website at: http://www.nhpfoundation.org/mission.html
As the Falls Church Housing Corporation embraces the exciting new affiliation changes in our future, we must also accept sad changes. Mary Lynn Hickey has decided to take this crossroads opportunity to leave our organization to start a new adventure in her career. She has been an incredible asset to our team and has made a visible impact in the five years she has been with us. She has pioneered two dynamic and vital roles on behalf of our local housing mission as the part-time Resident Relations Coordinator and was an incredible advocate for our residents. The programs she put into place are still thriving and providing a positive impact in our residents lives. She was promoted to a new position as Associate Director of the Housing Corporation in 2008 and worked with us to grow our support network in line with the community based relationships that we will work hard to continue in her absence. We will miss her and wish her much success in her new venture. We welcome Laura Gerlach to our team to help fill the void that Mary's leaving has created. Her background in operations and non-profit work will be an asset to our team. We welcome Laura to hit the ground running and she looks forward to meeting you!
MAY 2011
FALLS CHURCH HOUSING CORPORATION IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE
ITS AFFILIATION WITH THE NHP FOUNDATION
As announced last month, the Falls Church Housing Corporation Board of Directors voted to commend to its full membership a new Majority Voting Member, The NHP Foundation (NHPF). NHPF will bring its national expertise and resources to help expand FCHC'S goal of including the City of Falls Church within a greater regional mission and vision.
At FCHC's Annual Meeting held on May 17th, eligible voting members endorsed the proposed alliance with a unanimous vote in favor from all present and by proxy designation, according to FCHC By-Laws. The vote set off a series of celebratory events to be culminated when FCHC commemorates its 30th Anniversary in November.
Dr. Rogers spoke for the Board of Directors and staff, "The Yes vote by FCHC members empowering our local housing group to solidify an on-going working relationship with NHPF is now the most satisfying experience I have enjoyed as President of FCHC since 2006. We will retain our community-based territory centered in Falls Church while our staff and newly expanded Board of Directors will enjoy enhanced expertise and resources to pursue the housing activities clearly stated in our affordable housing mission throughout the region. This is an exciting time in the long history of Falls Church Housing and one in which I am proud to participate."
Headquartered in New York City with an office in Washington, DC, NHPF was launched on January 30, 1989, with $6 million in contributions from 24 major corporations as a publicly supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to preserve and create affordable multifamily rental housing for low- to moderate-income families and seniors. NHPF also has a robust resident services program. By building partnerships with major financial institutions, the public sector, and other nonprofit entities, The NHP Foundation currently owns 19 properties in nine states, comprised of approximately 4,300 units serving over 20,000 residents. These properties are located in Connecticut, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Dr. Rogers went on to say, "We look forward to introducing NHPF to those with whom we have had the privilege to work collaboratively during 30 years of private/public housing efforts. As an example, most people don't know that when FCHC purchased Winter Hill Apartments in 1987, it was a joint effort between the leadership of the City of Falls Church and Fairfax County Housing Authority working with the Virginia housing finance agency, VHDA. Our history is one of cooperative partnerships across the Commonwealth. We are happy to do all we can to facilitate the success of our new affiliation with NHPF in Northern Virginia. To that end, we have pledged FCHC assets, people and expanded action plans to pursue our housing mission. We will depend on the continued financial and 'people power' support of our friends and neighbors."
For more information about The NHP Foundation, please visit their website at: www.nhpfoundation.org
APRIL 2011 - FCHC'S ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, MAY 17, 2011 AT 7:30 PM
After a unanimous vote by the FCHC Board of Directors vote at its April 14 meeting, Board President Dr. Steve Rogers, announced FCHC's plans to take on a new voting member, The NHP Foundation (NHPF), who will be an important contributor to the future of the FCHC affordable housing mission and vision.
In a recent statement, Dr. Rogers detailed these plans. "Upon a favorable vote by FCHC members at their annual meeting next month to establish an on-going working relationship with this group, FCHC will be positioned to encompass a multiplication of its resources within an expanded territory centered in Falls Church, to pursue the housing activities clearly stated in its affordable housing mission."
The NHP Foundation was launched on January 30, 1989 with $6 million in contributions from 24 major corporations as a publicly supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to preserving and creating affordable multifamily housing for low to moderate income families and seniors.
By building partnerships with major financial institutions, the public sector, and other nonprofit entities, NHPF has leveraged its initial philanthropic support into a portfolio of properties with an aggregate book value of $180 million by operating with the management and financial discipline of a for-profit enterprise. The NHP Foundation currently owns 22 properties in ten states, comprised of approximately 5,000 units serving over 20,000 residents. These properties are located in Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Dr. Rogers went on to say that "we are excited to be welcoming The NHP Foundation as a Contributing Member to FCHC. Once our existing members vote to have NHPF join us, we will mutually pledge assets, people and action plans to pursue our mission in our home territory and to support housing activities in the nearby region."
For more information about The NHP Foundation, please visit their website at: http://www.nhpfoundation.org/mission.html
MARCH 2011 - FC CITY MANAGER BUDGET IN SYNC WITH FCHC'S VOLUNTARY OPT OUT
In his presentation before the Falls Church City Council on Monday, March 14, 2011, City Manager Wyatt Shields detailed his recommended Fiscal Year 2012 budget. Among the recommended cuts proposed by Mr. Shields was the total elimination of the City's annual appropriation to Falls Church Housing Corporation. As per the longstanding Cooperative Agreement between the City and FCHC, the City has made a standing annual appropriation of $55,000 to FCHC for ongoing operations to advance the shared mission and desired public function of sustaining and increasing the range of affordable housing options in our community.
The most recent FY 2010-11 appropriation to FCHC was cut by $10,000 from the standing appropriation granted in previous years to $45,000. In the spirit of FCHC's public/private partnership with the City of Falls Church and with mindful recognition of the challenging budgetary constraints facing the City, the FCHC Board of Directors voted at their November 2010 monthly meeting to proactively opt out of the Housing Corporations' appropriation request from the City's General Fund for FY 2012 entirely.
Click here to read FCHC's letter detailing its decision to voluntarily opt out of the 2011-12 appropriation from the City of Falls Church.
DECEMBER 2010 - FALLS CHURCH HOUSING CORPORATION LOOKS FORWARD
In answer to questions our FCHC supporters may be asking after reading about FCHC's recent decision to forego our FY 2012 City budget appropriation, we want to affirm the following about our future plans:
- YES, FCHC's Board volunteered to forego beginning July 1, 2011, the annual award FCHC receives from the City in response to our cooperative responsibilities for unmet housing needs.
- YES, we decided that the City needed a show of solidarity for the budget shortfall the City is currently experiencing.
- NO, we are not ending our solid working relationship with the City and its Housing and Human Services staff department.
- NO, we are not giving up our mission to leverage our resources to meet the increasing rental housing needs facing income-challenged residents in and all around Falls Church.
- YES, we are retaining our organizational structure and
- YES, we need your continuing support for the challenging year ahead as prices rise, incomes remain flat and jobs are scarce.
PRESS RELEASE - NOVEMBER 30, 2010
FALLS CHURCH HOUSING OPTS OUT OF CITY FY2012 BUDGET
In a letter sent to Mayor Nader Baroukh and City Manager Wyatt Shields this week by Dr. Steve Rogers, Board President of the Falls Church Housing Corporation (FCHC), FCHC announced its intention to forgo any operating appropriation from the City for the 2012 fiscal year.
With full recognition of the City's challenging fiscal constraints and in advance of staff and Council FY 2012 Budget deliberations, FCHC's Board of Directors voted at their November meeting to opt out of the Housing Corporation's annual appropriation request from the City's General Fund for FY 2012.
Prior to fiscal year 2011, FCHC had been receiving a $55,000 appropriation from the City consistent with the terms of FCHC's Cooperative Agreement which dictates that the City will support FCHC for a critical part of its operating funds. In the current fiscal year 2011, that appropriation was cut to $45,000. In keeping with FCHC's voluntary request, the 2012 City appropriation will be zero.
November 18, 2010, marked the 29th anniversary of Falls Church Housing Corporation. As Dr. Rogers stated in his letter, "in these ensuing years, our not-for-profit organization has been privileged to be part of a dynamic public/private partnership with the City of Falls Church. Throughout, FCHC citizen members and institutional donors have provided consistent financial and advocacy support to match the City's long-standing financial contribution to our mission which serves a desired public function. We work to educate our citizens about on-going housing needs while spending project-directed funds to improve housing opportunities, specifically, privately operated rental housing for households with low and moderate incomes in Falls Church. The City's collective commitment is essential to maintaining affordable housing in our community and, for this past commitment, we thank you."
Under FCHC's current Cooperative Agreement signed in 2006, FCHC is charged with executing the City's stated goal to create 50 affordable rental units every 5 years. However, the 66 unit Wilden Senior Apartments new construction housing project was permanently derailed over the summer after FCHC's request for the early disbursement of $1 million of the $2 million loan approved in March by the City Council was disapproved by the current City Council. In the present leadership climate, demonstrated by a September Council vote to eliminate an unfunded "place holder" capital improvements budget item for future creation of affordable housing units, FCHC will not undertake any new development projects within City of Falls Church boundaries. Instead their remaining project resources will be targeted to leveraging permanently affordable rental housing in the greater Falls Church area where lower paid workforce families are struggling to meet their housing costs in order to live near service industry employment centers inside the Beltway.
Dr. Rogers went on to say in his letter that "FCHC has worked hard to continue our partnership commitment. We have engaged local residents and organizations to protect and promote affordable housing by reaching out to increase our new members tally at the halfway mark of our 2010 campaign. We have successfully solicited the City's 2012 CDBG grant -- larger than requested -- for energy saving measures at Winter Hill Senior Apartments. We have also received pledged grants for 2011 from loyal faith communities, banks, businesses and national foundations, including $10,000 from the Rouse Company Foundation's Enterprise Community Partners and $20,000 from the Community Development division of PNC Bank.
In making the generous PNC Bank grant award last week, Terri J. Copeland, PNC's Community Development Market Manager for the Greater Washington Area, issued the following statement: "PNC is excited for the opportunity to support the Falls Church Housing Corporation in its efforts to develop affordable housing in one of our region's close-in communities. Falls Church is a community close to job centers and where the demand for affordability is great. We understand the value of mixed-income, diverse neighborhoods and the financial challenges inherent in developing them; challenges that are magnified in the current economic environment. We are confident in the organization's continued success and pleased to be one of its partners."
FCHC's 2010 ANNUAL REPORT NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Please click here to view the FCHC Annual Report.
AUGUST 2010 - PRESS RELEASE
The Falls Church Housing Corporation regrets to report that The Wilden Senior Housing Project scheduled to break ground this summer has come to an end. Please click here to read the statement issued by Carol Jackson, FCHC's Executive Director.
A COMMUNITY GARDEN GROWS AT WINTER HILL
The Winter Hill Apartments community is already home to a large group of avid and very dedicated gardeners. A quick stroll around our buildings on West Annandale Road, James Street and South Virginia Avenue offers a bounty of evidence in the form of beautiful flower gardens and even a few herb gardens.
Taking this naturally occurring enthusiasm a step further, plans are now in the works to start a community garden for residents in the spring of 2010. This planned garden will be growing herbs and vegetables while also demonstrating sustainable gardening best practices. In addition to the community plots, smaller box gardens will also be offered to interested residents. All units have either a front porch or a back deck where these box gardens can be located.
A sun map of the potential growing sites was recently completed and garden sponsors who will help underwrite the cost of this exciting new project are being solicited.
The Winter Hill Community Garden has already attracted the interest of several local community groups. If you or your group would like to get involved in this exciting community project in the Winter Hill neighborhood, please contact Mary Lynn Hickey at FCHC at (703) 241-5402.
FCHC ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
TO BE HELD ON JANUARY 28, 2010
Falls Church Housing Corporation (FCHC) members and guests are welcome to attend the FCHC Annual Meeting on January 28, 2010 at 7:30 PM in the Winter Hill Clubhouse. Active Members (dues paid beginning September 1, 2009) will elect Board members and conduct other matters of Corporation business.
The meeting will also feature a detailed update on the progress of FCHC's new affordable housing development, City Center South Senior Apartments.
FCHC OPTS OUT OF SECTION 8 CONTRACT
FOR WINTER HILL APARTMENTS
Winter Hill Apartments, located in the City of Falls Church and owned and operated by the Falls Church Housing Corporation (FCHC) terminated it's longstanding Project Based Section 8 contract with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) effective June 30, 2009.
FCHC's decision to terminate the Section 8 contract with HUD was prompted by HUD's own rental housing policy changes that had resulted in a greatly reduced Section 8 program budget over the last 8 years. Also, HUD's policy of issuing one year only contracts precluded opportunities to refinance or to find other supplemental sources of revenue. In addition, HUD's relatively flat subsidy budgets have averaged a less than 2% annual increase while all other costs incurred in the ongoing operation and maintenance of Winter Hill Apartments, especially utilities, have increased by more than 5% per year over the last 10 years.
HUD's declining financial subsidy of the Section 8 Project contracts resulted in a significantly depleted resource availability for the Housing Corporation even as FCHC has continued to maintain the highest standard of maintenance and upkeep the tenants residing at the Winter Hill Apartments have come to expect over the last 22 years.
All current Winter Hill residents were certified to be eligible by Fairfax County, using HUD Sec 8 standards, and have subsequently received their own Enhanced Housing Choice Voucher appropriated by HUD that affords them the opportunity to continue paying no more than 30% of their household's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) for rent. The rent paid will remain inclusive with no separate additional charge to Winter Hill residents for utilities or amenities. Income eligible, prospective tenants who do not presently possess a Housing Voucher may also apply for vacant units to be rented at the rate of $1,134 per month, all inclusive.
The Falls Church Housing Corporation will continue it's mission as the community-based, charitable non-profit affordable housing provider in cooperative agreement partnership with the City of Falls Church. No outward changes will be apparent as WInter Hill Apartments will maintain it's longstanding set aside to provide affordable, one bedroom apartments to income eligible residents ages 55 and older as well as up to fifteen (15) one bedroom apartments set aside for income eligible residents of any age with disabilities. A preference will be extended to new tenants who possess a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and are presently challenged to find landlords who will accept Voucher subsidies in lieu of private rental direct payments.
For more information about rental opportunities at WInter Hill Apartments, please call (703) 237-0341.
IN TRIBUTE: Bob Wilden - Our Own Man for All Seasons
On behalf of the Falls Church Housing Corporation, I would like to take this opportunity to voice the many like-minded thoughts and prayers that have been lifted up in sorrow, commingled with immense gratitude for the privilege to have known, worked with and loved Bob Wilden. For a few brief years, Bob chose to leave his personal mark on our community - quietly and strategically initiating communal efforts to create, grow and sustain caring enterprises that will leave a legacy - any one of which the normal civic minded citizen would be proud to claim.
Bob was a seed planter who not only challenged us with his "think impossible" ideas, but then stayed to put his money, personal talents and sacrificial time where his mouth was. Inside the Housing Corporation, we called him the prophet as he was always one step ahead with undeniable truths that made some of us squirm and many of us take leaps of faith and jumps through hoops we would have undertaken in no other atmosphere.
Even in the last year of less than optimal health conditions, Bob was still stirring up new plans and wanted nothing more than to stay around to see them take flight under his experienced and pragmatic wings.
Bob was all about leveraging small steps for big results. As an example, some of us are pledged to carry out his very simple and elegantly multi-faceted plan to boost our Falls Church community to take baby steps to help "green up our community". Here's the deal: Signers-On will pledge to convert X number of their home and office use incandescent bulbs to LED. With the funds they expect to save in one year, they will donate the same number or more of LED bulbs thru their faith community or civic group to Homestretch. Homestretch will provide the bulbs to their client families who will experience a savings in electric bills at the same time we are each reducing our carbon footprint by small, but multiplied amounts. Simple, educational, community involvement: Bob Wilden style. We will not forget his legacy nor his challenge to "make things better all the time".
God bless and keep you, Dear Bob.
Carol Jackson, a grateful Friend
Imogene Wilden Housing Legacy Fund
FCHC Directors are thrilled to announce that they are authorizing preliminary development expenditures for City Center South Apartments from the recently donated funds assembled by the following list of donors to the Imogene Wilden Memorial Seed Capital Fund to benefit our project development efforts in the "quick strike" early development phase when equity capital is most needed. To be competitive in the commercial real estate arena in Northern Virginia, any serious developer requires a significant bank account or access to immediate cash in order to act decisively in the pursuit of properties designed to accommodate permanently affordable rental housing development.
To control these type of funds was the inspired plan initiated by Bob Wilden, FCHC Vice President, who used his own assets combined with those of his own family to honor his wife, Imogene's, memory and establish a challenge grant that FCHC Directors were privileged and motivated to match. Thanks to the vision of a few and the generosity of many, FCHC now has more than $1 million in liquid assets and short term pledges which is now under supervision of Wilden Fund Trustees and dedicated to providing revolving fund cash advances in the pursuit of projects in the very first site control and study phases of land redevelopment. Needless to say we are excited and honored to have this resource available as we work hard to bring into being our first new site since the creation of the Imogene Wilden Memorial Fund.
Imogene Wilden Housing Legacy Fund Donors
Founder and Challenge Grant Initiator
Robert Wilden
Benefactors ($100,000+)
Atlantic Realty Companies
John and Marilyn Duke
Evelyn Ann Freed
Robert Wilden
Stakeholders ($25,000+)
Acacia Federal Savings Bank
Falls Church Presbyterian Church
Jack McClendon
Philip L. Graham Fund
Richard and Susan Stoll
F. Chapman Taylor
The Falls Church
Investors ($5,000+)
BB&T
Christopher W. Elrod Trust
Daniel Elrod
Kathryn J. Elrod
Bernard and Denise Hains
Mercantile Potomac Bank/aka PNC
Washington Forrest Foundation
Contributors ($500+)
Thomas and Patricia Meyers Hemphill
Heritage Property Company LLC
Charles and Carol Jackson
George Snyder
Richard and Linda Spence
Village Preservation and Improvement Society
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Patrons ($50,000+)
Akrige Real Estate
City of Falls Church
Columbia Baptist Church
Commonwealth of Virginia
Partners ($10,000+)
The Acacia Foundation
Dulin United Methodist Church
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc.
PNC Bank
Temple Rodef Shalom
The Young Group
Shareholders ($1,000+)
Donald Campbell
Clark Construction Group, LLC
Enterprise Community Investment, Inc.
Falls Church Animal Hospital
Thomas and Phyllis Kelley
The Doris Elrod Ramsey Trust
Stephen Sprague
St. James Catholic Church
The Wollenberg Foundation
James Edmonson, UniDev, LLC
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Supporters
Michale Ankuma
Walter and Mary Bodling
Chester and Carol DeLong
Eugene and Peggy Dolan
Robert and Cynthia Donaldson
Falls Church City Education Association
Jenny Ferry Robles
Margot Fixx
Michael and Kathleen Glover
Louis and Janice Greenberg
Ruth Kaufman
Paul and Susan Lannon
Hank and Joan Lewis
Jeffrey Lybrand
Richard and Susan Dovell Maynard
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Larry and Beverly McNickle
Cindy Mester
Vaughn and Michele Moore
Mary Frances Prothro
Richard and Anne Rodgers
Stepen and DIana Ruth
Diana Sedney
Tom and Edie Smolinski
Michael thursam
Lilla Wise
Sara Fitzgerald and Walt Wurfel
Rosemary Ziskind
Honorary
Meredith Morrison
Jim Scott
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