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Solar Panel Event at Crescent Park Village

MHP will join with the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, New Columbia Solar, and District of Columbia leaders at a solar panel installation event on Saturday, Sept. 18 at Crescent Park Village (CPV) Apartments in the Bellevue neighborhood of Southeast Washington, DC. The (CPV) community was developed by MHP and provides 110 quality affordable homes.

The event kicks off National Clean Energy Week and celebrates the community’s participation in the DC “Solar for All” program. That program is dedicated to bringing the benefits of solar to DC residents, providing clean energy and reducing utility bills.

A media release on the event is here.

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Long Branch Festival Is Back!

The popular Long Branch Festival in Silver Spring kicks off on Friday, September 10, at 5 pm. Highlights include music, dancing, two streeteries with beer and food, and activities and performances for the whole family.

The chance to come out to celebrate the community and culture of Long Branch is especially welcome after the many challenges that small businesses faced during COVID. It is also a chance for people unfamiliar with the Long Branch neighborhood to become new fans.

“The festival celebration is a great opportunity for the businesses and the community to connect on a personal level and recognize that we are together in these difficult times,” said Carlos Perozo, owner of ZP Tax preparation service and president of the Long Branch Business League. “It is also an opportunity for the community to know all the services the business community has to offer so they don’t need to go elsewhere to receive those services.”

Ada Villatoro, owner of the popular Latin restaurant El Golfo, said, “This is an opportunity to come together and celebrate our diversity.” She also noted, “It’s an opportunity to promote our businesses to people who have never been to this part of Silver Spring.”

The festival is a collaboration involving MHP, Discover Long Branch/Long Branch Business League, Montgomery Planning, Montgomery Parks, and Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs.

Dates:  Friday, Sept. 10, 5-9 pm

Saturday, Sept. 11, 1-8 pm

And Sunday, Sept. 12, 4-6 pm

Location:  various locations near the intersection of Flower Avenue and Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring

Get a map and detailed schedule here. Park at 8740 Arliss Street.

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MHP Supports County Efforts To Seek Additional Emergency Rental Funds

MHP President Robert A. Goldman praised Montgomery County’s plan to seek additional funding for emergency rental support due to COVID-19. In Sept. 29 testimony to the Montgomery County Council, Goldman said, “We appreciate the County Executive and County Council pursuing every available option to provide rental assistance to residents, and keeping every resident stably housed during this public health crisis.” The County is expected to pursue state Community Block Development Grant money to fund emergency rental assistance. Goldman described many residents’ ongoing financial distress, noting, “Despite all of the public and private resources that are available to our residents, many continue to be multiple months behind in their rent and will never be able to pay their back rent if not for outside assistance.”

Read his full statement here.

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Back To School Smiles!

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Students Create Rainforests in MHP Summer Program

Students enrolled in MHP’s Great Hope Homes summer enrichment program were tasked with researching and recreating a rainforest of their choice, depicting ecosystems that included South America, Africa and Asia. Lead teacher Corles Fredericks said, “The project had to be solely their creation,” adding, “I decided to keep all work private to allow students to create freely without peer pressure from seeing the work of their peers.” She noted this gave the students an opportunity to express themselves freely, making their work creative and age appropriate.

Students built dioramas populated with vegetation and animals. They were asked to present to their classmates and teachers what they had learned by sharing details and fun facts, with the number of required facts geared toward the age level.

Abigail, a second grader, was the first place winner. First graders Haronie and Amne came in 2nd place. Kidus, a 3rd grader, shared a 2nd place win along with his brother Haronie. Ms. Corles noted that older brother Kerod, a graduate of the enrichment program who now is in middle school, was so excited while watching his brothers build their project that he asked if he could join in! Kerod added a finishing detail to his brothers’ project along with a few facts. Helen and her brother Leke, 4th and 6th graders, placed third, and Mercedes, a 2nd grader, also placed third.

All students, including big brother Kerod, will receive a gift bag of goodies for participating no matter where they finished in the competition. Ms. Corles noted, “There are no losers in our program!”



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MHP Students Enjoy Summer Programs


With some help from community partners, MHP teachers developed creative programming to provide young learners with an enriching summer camp experience while meeting requirements to socially distance. Take a look at the video to learn more.

One of those experiences for MHP Great Hope Homes students was creating their own rainforests. Learn more here.

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MHP Opposes New HUD Rule on Housing Discrimination

MHP stands with a national coalition of affordable housing organizations that oppose a final US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) regulation that represents a significant retreat from the Federal government’s responsibility to address housing discrimination. The new rule terminates Obama era requirements to affirmatively further fair housing.

Read the statement by fair housing advocates here.

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Action Needed: Protect Renters Before It’s Too Late

Montgomery County is staring down an impending wave of potential evictions within the next month.

On July 25, evictions and foreclosure proceedings are set to resume. At the end of the month, the weekly $600 unemployment benefit supplement provided in the CARES Act will expire.

The County can take action now to make additional rental/mortgage assistance available to households, helping to stabilize thousands of families at risk of homelessness during a public health emergency.

We call on the County Executive and County Council to provide an additional $6 million in emergency rental/mortgage assistance before the end of the month.

Recently before the Maryland General Assembly, County Executive Elrich reported that approximately 20,000 households in the County are unable to pay their rent, which amounts to $30 – $40 million in delinquencies every month.

While the County has begun the process of reopening, many low-wage workers remain unemployed or underemployed and are not able to earn enough to pay their rent. Like many other aspects of the coronavirus pandemic and related economic crisis, people of color are expected to be hit hardest.

We applaud the County for making resources available to renters who have been most impacted by the pandemic, but those initial resources have been depleted. Governor Hogan’s announced $20 million fund for eviction prevention assistance is a statewide program, and not focused on Montgomery County. We don’t know when the funds would flow to local government or to people who are in desperate need now.

Please email the County Executive and County Council and give voice to the people who lack any constituency. Tell your officials to dedicate $6 million for rental assistance before it’s too late and people begin losing their homes.

A letter you can update and personalize to communicate with elected leaders is here.

Click here for a list of County Councilmember email addresses.

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MHP Student Essay Wins Honors: ‘If I Was Mayor’

“I will make a place where medicine and health care can be easily attained no matter how much money people make.” Alirio Abarca, a sixth-grader in MHP’s Greenwood Terrace afterschool homework club, was selected as a runner-up in an essay contest sponsored by the nonprofit Housing Association of Nonprofit Developers (HAND). Students were invited to explore the theme “If I Was Mayor.” Congratulations on expressing your bold vision so well, Alirio!

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Connecting and Nurturing

Despite the many challenges, MHP teachers have been innovating to remain connected to their students. “We’re a really big figure in their lives,” says Jenny Mendez-Guerrero. Take a look.

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