Besides PHA getting these funds, Peninsula Housing Authority is switching to a section 8 program. The reason that housing announced this in December for those who live in these public housing including me, was so PHA could be put on a more stable funding stream, and would make it easier for them access funding for repairs and improve the properties either now or in the future.
No one, according to housing will have to move, and the rents will remain based on income of the renters.
This week Housing held virtual meetings for tenants who live in the Villa, Manor, and the Terrace (where I live). So, this is good news, I suppose.
As long, as they will continue to base rent on income I'm okay with it. At first when the tenants of these building were concerned, is my rent going sky high we cant live here? Will I have to move out? Fortunately, we don't have to move out, and our rents will still be based on income.
Related press release...
HUD AWARDS $2.7 BILLION TO IMPROVE, PRESERVE NATION'S PUBLIC HOUSING
Housing authorities will use funding to modernize housing for families, seniors.
HUD press release issued 2/23/21
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded more than $2.7 billion in funding to nearly 2,900 public housing authorities (PHAs) in all 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to make capital investments in their public housing units. View all local grants announced today.
The grants announced today are provided through HUD's Capital Fund Program, which offers annual funding to all public housing authorities to build, renovate, and/or modernize the public housing in their communities. Housing authorities can use the funding to complete large-scale improvements such as replacing roofs or making energy-efficient upgrades to heating systems and installing water conservation measures.
For more than 80 years, the federal government has been investing billions of dollars in developing and maintaining public housing, including providing critical support through the Capital Fund grants announced today.
More related press releases...
Senator Murray Announces More Than $30 Million in Federal Awards to Improve Public Housing Infrastructure Across Washington State.
(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) today announced Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awards totaling more than $30.7 million for communities across Washington state. The federal investments come from the Capital Fund Program, which provides annual funding to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) for the development, financing, and modernization of public housing developments. As COVID-19 continues to pose an increased risk to people experiencing housing insecurity across Washington state, and climate change continues to challenge public housing infrastructure, this funding will enable PHAs to build new public housing and make critical repairs, which will improve living conditions for residents and help preserve essential parts of the state’s affordable housing infrastructure for the future.
“As so many in our state and across the country are struggling to keep a roof over their head, it’s critical that our Public Housing Authorities have the resources they need—not just to build and provide shelter, but to ensure that families already in public housing have the safety and the security they need to thrive,” Senator Murray said. “These federal awards move us closer to ensuring that no family is left out in the cold, or without a safe place to self-isolate during this pandemic.”
As a senior member of the Senate subcommittee responsible for housing appropriations, Senator Murray has consistently fought to strengthen funding for programs, such as the Capital Fund Program, to combat the housing crisis and improve public housing developments in Washington state and across the country. Last year, Senator Murray helped secure over $100 million in Emergency Solutions Grants for Washington state through the CARES Act, which provided a critical lifeline for people and families experiencing or facing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, and last month Senator Murray announced more than $84 Million in federal awards to combat housing insecurity across Washington state.
(Peninsula Housing Authority
Port Angeles
Public Housing Capital Fund
$646,831.00)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, questioned Wally Adeyemo, President Biden’s nominee for deputy secretary of the U.S. Treasury Department, about how he would deliver on Biden administration promises—and longtime Cantwell priorities—regarding affordable housing and transportation infrastructure.
President Biden has proposed expanding the Affordable Housing Tax Credit, also called the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, with a $10 billion investment to increase housing supply and make the credit more efficient. Senator Cantwell has led the fight to expand and strengthen the credit, including introducing legislation last Congress to help build nearly 10,000 new affordable housing units in Washington state. She secured a $5.8 billion housing provision in the omnibus bill passed by Congress in December that is estimated to increase affordable housing production by 130,000 units nationwide over the next decade. In 2018, she secured a nearly $3 billion down payment toward addressing the affordable housing crisis, helping to build over 28,000 units. Washington faces a severe affordable housing crisis, with only 31 available affordable rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income renter households.
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THIS WEEK'S HEADLINES...
Kilmer, Fitzpatrick Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Fix America’s Election Watchdog.
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Derek Kilmer (WA-06) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) introduced the bipartisan Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act to reform the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) and enable it to more effectively carry out its mission to oversee and enforce campaign finance laws.
The FEC has increasingly become deadlocked on critically important decisions because of the even partisan divide of its six commissioners. In 2016, nearly 40% of regular enforcement cases deadlocked, compared to 4.2% in 2006. Worse yet, those votes that did not deadlock were nearly all housekeeping matters or minor violations. The Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act will revitalize the FEC by breaking the deadlock of its leadership structure and strengthening its enforcement actions through faster and more efficient processes. U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“The Federal Elections Commission was set up to be the referee, tasked with blowing the whistle on politicians and groups that cheat and undermine the interests of ‘We the People’,” said Rep. Kilmer. “Unfortunately, in recent years, the ref often hasn’t even been on the field with the Commission often seeming more dysfunctional than even Congress. It’s time to get the referee back on the field. That’s what this bill is about. Meaningful, substantial reforms at the Commission need to happen so it can get back to weeding out campaign finance abuse and holding those who skirt the rules accountable.”
“The very foundation of our democracy is based upon the American people’s faith in our electoral system. Now, more than ever, it is vitally important we take steps to rebuild that faith,” said Rep. Fitzpatrick. “Ending the partisan gridlock at the Federal Election Commission will both increase transparency and re-instill confidence in the American people that all campaigns are held accountable and adhere to the same set of rules.”
“Free and fair elections are a central principle of our democracy. But the FEC has been mired in gridlock, leaving a campaign finance free-for-all that allows the voices of big corporations and special interests to drown out everyday Americans. It’s past time we put an end to it. Restoring power to the FEC is crucial to providing fair and transparent rulings on campaign finance violations and an important first step to overhauling our campaign finance system,” said Senator Van Hollen.
Under the Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act the number of appointed commissioners would be reduced from six to five, with two members from each major party and one independent. This change would bring the FEC more in line with how most other independent agencies are structured and end deadlock, while ensuring the president’s party would not hold the majority. Additionally, the legislation creates a Blue-Ribbon Advisory Panel, convened by the president to recommend individuals for appointment to the Commission. A fact sheet on the legislation can be found here. Bill text can be found here.
The legislation is endorsed by: Democracy21, End Citizens United, Common Cause, and Public Citizen. Yesterday, two former FEC Commissioners, Trevor Potter and Ann Ravel, endorsed provisions of the Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act in the For the People Act in a letter to Congressional leadership.
“Democracy 21 applauds Senators Van Hollen and Lujan and Representative Kilmer for introducing the Restoring Integrity to America’s Election Act which would repair the hopelessly ineffectual Federal Election Commission,” said Fred Wertheimer, President of Democracy21.
“Americans deserve to know who is trying to influence their voices and their votes. However, Mitch McConnell has ensured gridlock at the Federal Election Commission by promoting a bloc of FEC commissioners with records of working against the very laws they are charged with upholding,” said Beth Rotman, Director of Money in Politics & Ethics at Common Cause. “It’s long past due for the FEC to work for everyday Americans who can’t start a super PAC or make a big political contribution, and we applaud Senators Van Hollen and Lujan for introducing the Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act to help ensure the FEC works for all of us.”
“The FEC is broken, roiled in partisan gridlock. Under the current system, the party leaders of the senate select commissioners, which has carried over the same party polarization that has plagued Congress to the FEC. Deadlocked votes along party lines have gone from fewer than 2 percent through most of the agency’s history to a stifling 34 percent today, rendering the FEC toothless and dysfunctional. Restoring the Integrity of America’s Elections Act is critically-needed legislation that would end these partisan deadlocks and bring the campaign finance cop back on the beat,” said Craig Holman of Public Citizen.
“There has never been a more critical moment in our nation’s history to restore faith in our elections and bedrock institutions. Our country depends on a functioning Federal Election Commission that will actually enforce our nation’s campaign finance laws and meet the challenges of the 21st century. Passing the Restoring Integrity to America’s Elections Act is a necessary first step to address political dysfunction, and we commend Rep. Kilmer and Rep. Fitzpatrick for their bipartisan support on this important issue,” said Meredith McGehee, Executive Director of Issue One.
Related news story:
New Cases in Election Fraud Database Show Vulnerabilities in System--Daily Signal
State legislatures, take note: Americans have legitimate concerns over election integrity, as amply demonstrated by the many proven instances of voter fraud that we continue to add to The Heritage Foundation’s Election Fraud Database.
In unexpected second day of Senate questioning, Cantwell secures Haaland’s pledge that funding for national parks backlog and LWCF will be spent as Great American Outdoors Act intended.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – At a Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources hearing this morning to consider the nomination of Representative Deb Haaland to be U.S. Secretary of the Interior, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) spoke about the importance of responsible stewardship of public lands. This was Haaland’s second appearance before the committee after yesterday’s hearing was cut short for votes before all of the committee members had a chance to ask their questions for the nominee.
Cantwell emphasized the historic nature of Haaland’s nomination—if confirmed she would be the first Indigenous Secretary of the Interior—and what it means for Tribal communities across the country: “There are people in Indian Country all over the United States that are so proud of her nomination. And they are—I don’t even know how we can explain adequately enough how much they are tuning in and looking at this moment. They feel like they have been good stewards of public land for centuries before us, and so, they are so excited about her nomination.”
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IN OTHER STATE RELATED STORIES THIS WEEK:
Senator Murray Presses for Answers on Overcoming Vaccination Challenges for Washington State Veterans
Inslee updates proclamation on truck driver hours.
PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR
AMENDING AND EXTENDING
PROCLAMATIONS 20-05 AND 20-22, et seq.
AG FERGUSON FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST GOOGLE FOR REPEATEDLY VIOLATING WASHINGTON CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW.
OLYMPIA — Attorney General Bob Ferguson filed a campaign finance lawsuit today against Google for unlawfully failing to maintain key information regarding state political ads that it sold, and failing to provide that information to individuals who requested it.
AG FERGUSON: JUDGE FINDS STARKIST LIABLE FOR PRICE-FIXING, CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT VIOLATIONS.
SEATTLE — Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced a judge ruled that StarKist, a canned tuna manufacturer, engaged in a price-fixing scheme from November 2011 through December 2013. In a prior and unrelated federal case against StarKist, a federal judge sentenced the company to pay a $100 million criminal fine — the maximum allowed by law — for its role in a nationwide conspiracy to manipulate the price of canned tuna to benefit the company and its executives.
FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UNANIMOUSLY RULES IN FAVOR OF AG FERGUSON’S CHALLENGE TO TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S ERASURE OF STATE TRAIN-STAFFING REGULATIONS.
SEATTLE — A federal court of appeals ruled that the Trump Administration violated the law when it attempted to override state regulations governing the number of crewmembers needed to safely operate a train. Attorney General Bob Ferguson, along with two other states and national workers’ unions, brought the challenge in 2019 — when the Trump Administration published its deregulatory rule without any notice, and in the wake of a catastrophic and deadly derailment involving a crude-oil train staffed by only one crewmember.
Secrets of the dead: Using dead-shell assemblages to reconstruct past conditions at the bottom of Puget Sound.
Our Marine Sediment Monitoring Team (MSMT) recently entered into a partnership with paleontologist Dr. Susan Kidwell of the University of Chicago, and her PhD candidate Broc Kokesh, to squeeze every last bit of environmental information out of the sediment samples the MSMT collects from Puget Sound. --DOE
https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/February-2021/Secrets-of-the-dead-Using-dead-shell-assemblages-t
Preventing a Dust Bowl in Washington
In school, most of us learned about the Dust Bowl that swept the southern plain states in the 1930s. But did you know, Washington has vulnerable regions as well? --DOE
https://ecology.wa.gov/Blog/Posts/February-2021/Preventing-a-Washington-Dust-Bowl
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(2) IN OTHER HEADLINE NEWS THIS WEEK.
WORLD NEWS:
Condemnation over new attack on Nigeria school, ‘more than 300’ girls missing
An attack on a secondary school in northwest Nigeria on Friday in which several hundred girls are still missing has been condemned by the UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF. --UN NEWS CENTER
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085822
USA: Rights experts call for reforms to end police brutality, systemic racism.
Independent UN human rights experts appealed on Friday for the new United States Government to adopt wide ranging reforms to end police violence and address systemic racism and racial discrimination. ---UN NEWS CENTER
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085872
Côte d'Ivoire takes delivery of latest COVAX vaccine shipment, in further boost for Africa.
Côte d'Ivoire received 504,000 doses of lifesaving COVID-19 vaccine on Friday making it the second African nation in a week to benefit from the first shipments of shots from the UN-backed global COVAX initiative, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has reported.
https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/02/1085852
Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Situation in the Middle East (via VTC)--USUN
NATIONAL NEWS:
FACT SHEET: 441 Federally-Supported Community Vaccination Centers in First Month of Biden-Harris Administration---WH
Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Mexican Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard Before Their Meeting--US STATE DEPT.
Two Doctors Charged in Illegal Opioid Distribution and Health Care Fraud Conspiracy
Opioid Prescribing Conspiracy Allegedly Contributed to at Least Six Overdose Deaths--DOJ
Education Department Amplifies USDA Expansion of SNAP Benefits to Help Students Pursuing Postsecondary Education During Pandemic---Dept. of Education.
BUSINESS & FINANCE:
USDA Invests $42 Million in Distance Learning and Telemedicine Infrastructure to Improve Education and Health Outcomes--USDA
The Dirty Little Secret About Litigated Mergers-- US CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
https://www.uschamber.com/series/above-the-fold/the-dirty-little-secret-about-litigated-mergers
US DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AWARDS $5M GRANT TO REDUCE CHILD LABOR IN ETHIOPIA’S COFFEE FIELDS USING A GENDER-FOCUSED APPROACH--US LABOR DEPT.
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/ilab/ilab20210225
Editor's note: This has nothing to do with the US, waste of money! Clearly, Biden's administration focusing on foreign issues, less on US Labor issues.
Tax Time Guide: How to do taxes for free and get refunds fast.---IRS
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-time-guide-how-to-do-taxes-for-free-and-get-refunds-fast
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(4) Commentaries and local meetings.
APPARENTLY GOD'S WILL BE DONE MEANS NOTHING TO LOCAL CONGRESSINAL DELEGATE.
What is God's will? Repent turn from sin, and sin no more. This Equality Act in my opinion only encourages sinful acts.---Peter Ripley
Related stories...
Kilmer Votes for the Equality Act
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06) voted to support H.R. 5, the Equality Act. This legislation, which received the support of 224 Members of the House, ensures LGBTQ Americans are guaranteed full protections of federal civil rights laws by extending anti-discrimination protections with regard to employment, education, access to credit, jury service, federal funding, housing and public accommodations.--Press release from Congressman Kilmer.
https://kilmer.house.gov/news/press-releases/kilmer-votes-for-the-equality-act
6 Reasons to Oppose the Orwellian 'Equality Act'
"The bill would amend federal law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, among other things. It would expand the arenas in which non-discrimination law applies and explicitly gut religious freedom protections.
In true Orwellian fashion, the Democrats have crafted an Equality Act that will promote inequality, enabling the government to privilege LGBT ideology over the Americans who disagree, for religious or other reasons. The Equality Act opens the door to a host of governmental actions to stifle dissent and enforce orthodoxy on LGBT issues, particularly the divisive claims of transgender activism."---PJ MEDIA
Dick Morris to Newsmax TV: Feminists Should Be 'Repulsed' by Equality Act--NEWSMAX
https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/morris-sadler-spicer-equalityact/2021/02/26/id/1011731/
'Equality Act' Creates New Persecuted Class
The Left's assault on religious liberty and science continues apace with this House bill.--Patriot Post
https://patriotpost.us/articles/78021-equality-act-creates-new-persecuted-class-2021-02-26
5 Things You Need To Know About The Extremist ‘Equality Act’ House Democrats Just Passed
Adding ‘sexual orientation’ and ‘gender identity’ to the list of protected classes may seem straightforward enough, but the proposed law does more—much more.--The Federalist
House Passes Bill to Force Schools to Let Biological Males into Girls’ Restrooms, Locker Rooms, Dressing Rooms---CNSNEWS
LOCAL MEETINGS
Clallam County Meetings:
Clallam County Commission work session for 3/1/21
https://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1252
Clallam County Commission regular meeting for 3/2/21
https://clallam.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=7254
Homeless Task force meeting for 3/2/21
City of Port Angeles Council meeting for 3/2/21
https://www.cityofpa.us/DocumentCenter/View/9602/Council-Packet-03022021
OMC COMISSION MEETING FOR 3/3/21
https://www.olympicmedical.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/AGENDA-March-3-2021.pdf
JEFFERSON COUNTY MEETINGS
Jefferson County Commission meeting for 3/1/21
PORT TOWNSEND CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS MEETING AGENDA
For 3/1/21
https://cityofpt.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?view_id=4&event_id=1672
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