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Advisory Council Spotlight: Jackie L. Newman, Executive Director, Springfield Housing Authority
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In this Advisory Council Spotlight, we introduce Jackie L. Newman, Executive Director of the Springfield Housing Authority, which has been providing quality housing for low- and moderate-income families in Springfield, Illinois, and the surrounding areas for over 75 years. As Newman points out, the organization goes far beyond “putting heads in beds”—for example, its Family Self-Sufficiency program meets needs related to education, transportation, and childcare that can otherwise be barriers to independence. Here, Newman explains how her organization is working to expand the possibilities of what a housing authority can accomplish.
Some people may not think of a housing authority as a developer, but the Springfield Housing Authority has used the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago’s competitive Affordable Housing Program (AHP) and other complex financing sources for the development of affordable housing. What would you tell other housing authorities that are considering developing affordable housing?
We are certainly living in a climate where you have to look beyond the resources provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and while the financing portion might be complex, it is doable. If you look to partner with other affordable housing programs that are out there, you’re not just able to accomplish your housing authority’s goals for providing affordable housing, you’re able to create partnerships with banks and other institutions that also have a mission to make a difference in the community through neighborhood revitalization initiatives. So, I would say, look outside the box of HUD funding and take advantage of the partnerships available for developing affordable housing today.
Housing authorities often serve the most vulnerable individuals and families. How has the Springfield Housing Authority been able to maintain this critical “safety net” in spite of funding reductions and program eliminations?
Working with others to create partnerships—through Continuum of Care programs or United Way organizations, sometimes unconventional partnerships—allows us to ensure that our families and individuals remain in a stable environment. We have to continue to manage tight budgets and the reduction or even elimination of programs. Sometimes we may continue a program, maybe not at its full capacity, but at a level where the families continue to be helped. Partnerships at a local, state, regional, and even national level help us identify those resources that keep the most vulnerable families safe.
Why is the word "choice" in Housing Choice Voucher so important?
It’s important because it allows families the opportunity to reside where their support system is. If a family or church support system helps an individual to be a better person or to be able to provide for their family in a better way, then I think it’s important that they have the opportunity to exercise their right and their choice to live in an environment that helps them move forward, get ahead, and be a productive citizen.
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