Housing
In 2015, the City of Memphis was selected by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as one of nine finalists for this grant after a multi-year effort by Congressman Cohen, Mayor Wharton and others in the city, to encourage the Obama administration to designate Memphis as a Choice Neighborhood. President Obama’s Choice Neighborhoods program aims to transform neighborhoods of poverty into viable mixed-income neighborhoods with access to economic opportunities through revitalization of severely distressed public and assisted housing by investing and leveraging in well-functioning services, effective schools and education programs, public assets, public transportation and improved access to jobs. The nine finalists were ranked on how well their vision addressed Choice Neighborhoods’ three core goals: transforming distressed housing, supporting positive family outcomes and employment, and improving neighborhoods on a variety of levels.
To win this Choice Neighborhood grant, Memphis completed a comprehensive local planning process and developed a Transformation Plan to redevelop its target neighborhood. After being selected as a finalist in July, HUD evaluation teams visited the city’s targeted housing and neighborhoods to meet with the applicants and partners to get a clear understanding of their individual Transformation Plans. The city received a $250,000 Choice Neighborhood Planning Grant in 2011.
More on Housing
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) released the following statement today regarding the Social Security Administration’s announcement that there will only be a 0.3% increase in the annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients in 2017.
Dear Friend,
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today attended the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development’s hearing on the Oversight of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Inspection Process. This hearing was inspired by the deplorable living conditions at Global Ministries Foundation properties in Memphis, Tennessee, Jacksonville, Florida, and elsewhere across the country.
[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) and Congressman Dennis Ross (R-FL) today introduced the bipartisan Housing Accountability Act of 2016 to hold property owners of low-income housing accountable for poor living conditions. This legislation would require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to survey tenants living in subsidized housing twice a year about property conditions and management performance and create new penalties for property owners who repeatedly fail the tenant surveys.
[WASHINGTON, DC] – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09) today announced that Memphis has been selected as a finalist for President Obama’s “Promise Zone” program but was not designated a “Promise Zone” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). As a finalist, Memphis will have the opportunity to participate in the Community Needs Assessment (CNA) Initiative.
Dear Friend,
Dear Friend,