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MHP’s Artie Harris Featured in Bisnow Housing Story

A Bisnow panel focused on how to spur development and job growth in Montgomery County included MHP Vice President of Real Estate Artie Harris.

Harris noted that the Montgomery County officials are ramping up efforts to expand affordable housing access through specific initiatives. These include offering county-owned sites for redevelopment and offering Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) options for projects that reserve a portion of housing units for moderate and low-income residents. “I think it’s a big priority now,” Harris said.

The full Bisnow story is available here.

You can view the story online here (free but registration is required).

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MHP, Montgomery County Share NACo Honors

MHP has been recognized by the National Association of Counties (NACo) for our work helping residents improve their homes’ efficiency and reduce their energy costs.  In collaboration with Montgomery County’s Montgomery Energy Connection (MEC), we provided more than 4,000 income-qualifying residents with in-person and virtual presentations, resources, and energy efficiency devices/technology to help them love where they live.

MEC and MHP created two programs to help residents: the Happy, Healthy Homes initiative hand-delivered 1,700 welcome bags of resources to help residents keep money in their pockets and live happier and healthier lives; and the “Love Where You Live” initiative provided customized home comfort kits to residents along with virtual energy education.

Read more about it here.

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MHP Recognized as 2022 Housing Partner of Year

MHP is proud to be recognized by the Affordable Housing Conference (AHC) of Montgomery County as 2022 Housing Partner of the Year.

The award is presented to individuals or organizations who have demonstrated leadership in developing safe, decent and affordable housing, and dedication to meeting the full needs of residents and families in Montgomery County. AHC Executive Director Diana Eisenstat said, “Rob Goldman and his team are fierce advocates for their residents and leaders in the affordable housing development community in Montgomery County.” She noted, “Government leaders across the state seek MHP’s input on policy matters.  This perspective has been invaluable in helping elected and other housing officials respond to the housing crisis during COVID.”

MHP President Robert Goldman accepted the award at the 31st Annual Affordable Housing Summit on May 20. Chris Gillis, MHP Policy and Neighborhood Development Director, participated in a panel, “Looming Eviction Crisis in Our Own Backyard,” along with other affordable housing industry professionals and elected officials.

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Fire Relief Fund Wraps Up May 31

Nearly $500,000 in funds have been distributed to families affected by the catastrophic March 3 explosion and fire at the Friendly Garden Apartments in Silver Spring through a collaborative effort involving governmental agencies and nonprofits, including MHP.

The dedicated relief fund, which totals more than $700,000 thanks to generous donors, is being managed by MHP. One hundred percent of donations are going to affected families to cover costs and damage resulting from the explosion/fire.

MHP anticipates closing the Friendly Garden relief fund by the end of May. Those interested in contributing to the fund should complete their donations by May 31. Learn more here.

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Washington Business Journal Features Goldman Remarks

The Washington Business Journal recently covered the policy debate in Montgomery County over proposals to fund an expansion of affordable housing preservation and construction. The article cites the observations of MHP President Robert A. Goldman during a County Council Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee hearing.  The full article is here (behind a paywall).

“There’s unbelievable need for resources to do affordable housing,” Robert Goldman, CEO of Montgomery Housing Partnership, a developer, who favors a $100 million fund, told PHED Committee members last week. “Interest rates are rising, construction costs are going through the roof. … We need as much resources as possible.” 

 

 

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TD Charitable Foundation Grant Supports MHP Workforce Development Efforts

Silver Spring, MD, March 2022 – Montgomery Housing Partnership (MHP), a non-profit developer of affordable housing in Montgomery County, MD, was recently awarded a $150,000 Housing for Everyone grant from the TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®. MHP is one of 33 organizations selected from more than 357 applicants to receive a Housing for Everyone grant as part of the TD Charitable Foundation’s annual grant program helping to provide affordable housing since 2005.

The grant will support the expansion of MHP’s work to help unemployed and underemployed residents secure new careers and better paying jobs by creating the infrastructure necessary to make workforce development a permanent component of MHP’s mission. Building on existing community partnerships, trusted relationships with small business owners and residents, and ongoing neighborhood revitalization efforts, MHP will scale existing activities to grow a focused workforce development program that incorporates residents’ feedback. MHP will expand current outreach activities to launch a comprehensive systemic workforce development program designed to ensure long-term housing stability. With the efforts of MHP’s existing outreach team, MHP will bring a large-scale workforce development program directly to its residents across Montgomery County and in Southeast Washington, DC.

Many of the more than 4000 residents MHP serves are at risk of falling, or have fallen, through the cracks as they struggle to navigate systems, face racialized assistance programs, and/or lack the technology to locate employment opportunities. These underserved individuals, already vulnerable to economic downturns, have been placed at greater risk to income and housing stability in the wake of the pandemic. At the onset of the pandemic, MHP launched a community outreach team to assess the needs of our residents. Repeatedly staff heard that residents had tried several times to connect with assistance programs and economic supports only to give up when they met with no response. As a result, MHP began providing workforce development and navigation assistance, helping to increase the economic well-being and overall stability of our residents.

“We are incredibly grateful to the TD Charitable Foundation for their support of MHP’s expanded place-based workforce development initiative. We look forward to working together to ensure unemployed and underemployed residents of our affordable housing properties have the tools to secure new careers and increased income, especially as many of our residents have been the most vulnerable to the economic fall-out of the pandemic,” said Robert Goldman, MHP President.

Read the full media release here.

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