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Advocacy Action Alert: Support Expanded Housing Trust Fund

The Montgomery County Council’s budget deliberations are in full swing and we need you to be a champion for programs that support affordable housing in the county.  Access to quality, affordable housing serves as an important source of stability for our neighbors who face economic challenges. 

On Wednesday, April 24, the Council’s Planning, Housing and Economic Development (PHED) and Health and Human Services (HHS) committees will take up the budget for the County’s housing trust fund, known as the Housing Initiative Fund (HIF). The County Executive has recommended a total of $27 million for housing production, a decrease of $1 million from last year. Even more concerning is that approximately 75% of the funds have already been committed to projects, leaving the county with very few resources to build or preserve affordable housing in the coming fiscal year. To ensure preservation and creation of affordable housing remains a top priority in Montgomery County we are requesting the County Council increase funding for the HIF by $8 million.

At the local level, emails from residents often prove to be the deciding factor in budget decisions. It is critical that Councilmembers hear from YOU on this issue before Wednesday as the committee’s recommendation will carry substantial weight with the full Council.

We want all Montgomery County residents to have the chance to flourish. Expanding affordable housing in mixed income, high opportunity areas provides access to better economic, educational, and health outcomes for community members who have been historically shut out of thriving neighborhoods.

Please email the Council to let them know that you care about residents having access to affordable housing and support additional resources for the HIF.

TAKE ACTION:

We’ve made it easy for you; all you have to do is click here and a pre-populated email will open. Simply add your name and address to the bottom of the email and press ‘Send’!

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Karaoke Time at The Bonifant

Residents of The Bonifant, MHP’s quality, affordable senior housing in downtown Silver Spring, have access to a wide array of activities and celebrations that help create a sense of community. Residents recently celebrated National Sing Out Day with a rousing karaoke session:

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MHP Advocates for Funds for Affordable Housing, Student Programming

MHP President Robert Goldman asked the Montgomery County Council to provide more funding for acquisition and preservation of affordable housing in the FY2020 budget. He also asked the council to consider supporting MHP’s Play & Learn preschool program, which he noted “directly aligns with the county’s goal of ensuring that all of our children enter school ready to learn.” Goldman made his comments in April 10 testimony before the Montgomery County Council.

Read the complete text of his testimony here.

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In the News: Goldman Discusses MoCo Affordable Housing Future

MHP Robert Goldman, a member of County Executive Marc Elrich’s transition team, talked with Bethesda Beat about the transition team’s recommendations to increase residents’ access to affordable housing in Montgomery County.

Advisers Recommend Doubling Funding for Housing Program

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Coming Attraction: Parkview Manor

Parkview Manor Apartments, MHP’s only property in Prince George’s County, is undergoing a full renovation with exciting new features and upgrades. These include brand new kitchens, bathrooms and flooring. The 53-unit Hyattsville property will be more inclusive, with two accessible units as well as an accessible management office and community room. Parkview Manor will have an artistic flare too: an artist has been commissioned to create sculptures for the property’s courtyards to provide a unifying effect and connect it aesthetically with the nearby Hyattsville art district.  Parkview Manor is in an attractive, convenient location about a mile from the Metro and within walking distance to amenities that include a grocery store, pool, and restaurants.   Stay tuned! We will announce a date for a ribbon-cutting ceremony later this year. 

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Parent Meetings Highlight Partnerships

MHP Community Life staff regularly schedule meetings with parents of students in our preschool and afterschool enrichment programs to share information.  Two recent meetings highlighted a high level of parent engagement and underscored great community partnerships that provide important resources to parents and students.

Emmanuel Jean-Philippe, principal at Arcola Elementary in Wheaton and a member of the MHP board, met with more than two dozen parents of pre-kindergarten students. He walked them through the kindergarten registration process and answered questions. Cleydi Pacheco, MHP Community Life Senior Programs Manager, said parents were very grateful for the opportunity to understand the process better, and the conversation seemed to lift some of the anxiety that can come from that big transition, not just for the student but for parents as well.

Parents of elementary students in after-school enrichment programs at MHP Wheaton properties participated in a fun, educational evening with help from MHP partners Amerigroup (special thanks to Robert Martin) and Manna Food Center. Amerigroup presented information about living a healthy lifestyle and provided a short Zumba class for parents (see photos). The Manna “Manny” bus — a mobile pop-up food pantry — was parked in the parking lot, and parents were invited to stop in a pick up a bag of vegetables to take home. Partnerships like these are a crucial part of MHP’s strategy to provide enhanced programming and information-sharing to empower families who live in MHP residences.

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Join Us for an Earth Day Cleanup on April 13

As part of MHP’s work helping strengthen neighborhoods, we once again are collaborating on an Earth Day cleanup in the Long Branch community on Saturday, April 13. The Long Branch Earth Day cleanup has become a local tradition, bringing together neighbors to pick up trash that pollutes a tributary to the Anacostia River.  This year there also will be the opportunity to help remove invasive species (under the guidance of a trained weed warrior). Free gloves and bags supplied on site, as well as snacks.  Hurry to register if you want a free Earth Day t-shirt!

When: Saturday, April 13, 2019, from 9 a.m. – noon

Where:  Long Branch Community Center, 8700 Piney Branch Road, Silver Spring

Registration:  anacostiaws.org or by email to pgrenier@mhpartners.org

Note: You can also just show up without registering, but please let us know in advance so we can have enough supplies on hand.  To reserve a free t-shirt, you must register at the anacostiaws.org website.

 

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Meet MHP Instructor Kyle Brown

Character education is a key component of MHP’s Community Life enrichment programs, which are offered to preschool, elementary and middle-school students at locations across Montgomery County. Lead Instructor Kyle Brown, who works with young students at Arcola Elementary in Wheaton, talks about the importance of the after-school program and the impact it has on his students. You can learn more about MHP’s Community Life programs here.

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MHP Celebrates 30 Years of Providing Quality Affordable Housing

MHP has been preserving and creating quality affordable housing for 30 years. Montgomery Community Media talked with MHP President Robert Goldman about the organization’s history, mission and vision.

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Food Security Assistance Volunteer Program

Nearly 6% of Montgomery County residents — almost 64,000 people — are considered food insecure. To help address this, MHP is piloting a Food Assistance Volunteer Program, developing a team of volunteers to help our residents connect to food assistance resources including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps). If you would like to volunteer with this opportunity, please check out the information below.

This program is made possible in part by the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, the Montgomery County Food Council, the Community Action Agency and Maryland Hunger Solutions.

Learn more from these fact sheets about the program:

Apply to become a Food Assistance Volunteer here.

Apply to become a Food Assistance Volunteer Advisor here.

Contact Information 

Naudia Porter
AmeriCorps VISTA, Health and Housing Coordinator
Montgomery Housing Partnership
Phone: (301) 812- 4146
Email: nporter@mhpartners.org 

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