Senate Majority Leader Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, is the lead Senate sponsor of SB396. The bill would establish the organizational framework of the housing trust fund, which is a vehicle to distribute a dedicated source of public revenue to address the affordable housing needs of a community. Arkansas is one of just 12 states without a state housing trust fund.

The coverage of the news conference is below:

Channel 4 - http://arkansasmatters.com/content/fulltext/news?cid=196712
Channel 11 - http://www.todaysthv.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=80932&catid=2
Arkansas News Bureau - http://arkansasnews.com/2009/03/02/bill-would-create-state-housing-fund/
Arkansas Business - http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aid=112818.54928.124947
The Legislative Beat - http://arkledge.wordpress.com/2009/03/02/legislators-push-for-housing-trust-fund/

LITTLE ROCK, ARK.-Housing Arkansas, a coalition of affordable housing advocates in the private, government and nonprofit sectors, held a news conference today to highlight legislation that would create a statewide housing trust fund for Arkansas. The trust fund would allow access to quality housing for a broad range of Arkansans.

Senate Majority Leader Joyce Elliott, D-Little Rock, is the lead Senate sponsor of SB396. The bill would establish the organizational framework of the housing trust fund, which is a vehicle to distribute a dedicated source of public revenue to address the affordable housing needs of a community. Arkansas is one of just 12 states without a state housing trust fund.

The legislation, Senate Bill 396, is expected to be presented this Thursday, March 5, to the Senate Insurance and Commerce Committee. The committee meets at 10 a.m. in Room 171 of the state Capitol.

During Monday’s news conference, held at the Old Supreme Court Room in the state Capitol, Sen. Elliott said that the current economic downturn should make establishing a state housing trust fund even more of a priority.

“Lack of access to adequate and affordable housing is much more than a housing issue; it’s also an educational, economic and public health issue,” Sen. Elliott said. “Thirty-eight of our 50 states operate housing trust funds, and Arkansas has a great opportunity this legislative session to become the 39th.”

Housing Arkansas Co-Chair Mike Leach, Director of Southern Good Faith Fund’s Public Policy Program, said SB396 is the product of inclusion and dialogue among many organizations. A complete list of organizations endorsing SB396 is included in the press kit, which also can be downloaded at www.housingarkansas.org

“Housing Arkansas brings together an unprecedented and wide-ranging coalition of key stakeholders on this issue: non-profit and for-profit developers, community development corporations, advocates for the elderly, disabled, homeless, and against domestic violence, local housing agencies, banks and the Arkansas Development Finance Authority,” Leach said. “Senate Bill 396 will empower our state to make decent, affordable housing a reality for many more Arkansans.”

In the current economic downturn, an increasing number of lower-income Arkansans struggle to afford housing. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and other housing authorities recommend that families spend no more than one-third of their income on housing. The most recently available U.S. Census data shows that almost half of moderate-income families in Arkansas-for example, a family of four earning $40,000 a year or less-spend more than one-third of their income on housing.

Many Arkansans have troubles beyond just affording their rent or mortgage. The Arkansas Legislative Task Force to Study Homelessness reported that more than 20,000 Arkansans were homeless in 2008; almost 20 percent of them (4,300) were children.

Numerous studies demonstrate that low quality housing significantly diminishes the health and educational attainment of children. Children living in inadequate housing have increased hospitalization and respiratory infections, and school and residential changes can reduce the chances students will graduate by 50 percent.

A housing trust fund also can leverage additional investment in Arkansas communities. Each $1 in housing trust fund money leverages, on average, about $7 more in public and private housing money, according to a 2007 report from the Housing Trust Fund Project of the Center for Community Change of Frazier Park, Calif. Additionally, improved housing attracts other community revitalization investments.

Additionally, housing trust funds contribute to economic growth through increased housing production, employment, and tax revenues. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that in a typical U.S. metropolitan area, building 100 units generates up to 284 local jobs in the first year alone, $1.8 million in local tax revenue, and $16 million in local income.

The Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA) will administer the Arkansas Housing Trust Fund. A Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee comprised of affordable housing developers, advocates and beneficiaries will work with ADFA staff to draft program rules, regulations, compliance issues and funding priorities. Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee recommendations will be submitted to the ADFA Board for final approval.

Under SB396, the Arkansas Housing Trust Fund will:

o Target families at or below 80 percent of the state or area median household income. Area median household income ranges depending on location and family size. For example, 80 percent of area median household income for a family of four currently ranges from $33,600 a year in several rural counties to $42,500 in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). Attention will be given to serving rural areas and very low income populations, including, but not limited to, the disabled, the homeless, victims of domestic violence, and the elderly.
o Provide grants, loans, loan guarantees, and/or loan subsidies to eligible applicants to fund residential housing and/or related activities. Eligible activities will include new construction, rehabilitation, rental or homeownership housing, rental assistance, land acquisition, predevelopment costs, infrastructure, transitional housing, down payment assistance, housing and foreclosure counseling, and technical assistance.
o Make eligible for funding local governments, local public housing authorities and agencies, non-profit organizations and non-profit and for-profit housing developers. Funds will be awarded through a competitive process based on review criteria to be established by ADFA in collaboration with the Housing Trust Fund Advisory Committee.

“Quality housing that is accessible and affordable for our members is a large part of what makes a community livable for a lifetime,” said Lou Tobian, Co-Chair of Housing Arkansas and Associate State Director-Outreach for AARP Arkansas.

CONTACT: Mike Leach (501) 661-0322 ext. 24

The event, dubbed Super Saturday, was a joint effort by volunteers from the Pine Bluff/Jefferson County Earned Income Tax Credit Coalition, Association for Community Organizations for Reform Now, IRS Stakeholder, Partnerships, Education and Communication Disability Initiative, St. James United Methodist Church, Southern Good Faith Fund and Pine Bluff Weed & Seed/Interested Citizens for Voter Registration Inc.

Blake Williams, special projects manager for Southern Good Faith Fund, said that by about 1:30 p.m. Saturday, volunteers had served roughly 40 people.

“Overall I think we’ve had a very strong turnout,” he said. “We’re very pleased and very glad to be able to help all of the people who we’ve helped … And we still have people coming in.”

The Department of Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service and community partners nationwide on Saturday kicked off EITC Awareness Day events to promote the refundable tax credit for low-wage workers and options for free tax preparation.

Saturday also marked the deadline for employers to send W-2 Forms to employees. More than 60 percent of tax returns claiming the EITC are filed during February, according to an IRS news release.

People began arriving at the center before the event started at 9 a.m., Denise Grace, executive director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, said.

“We’ve got about close to 20 here now,” she said at about 9:30 a.m. “We had some who came really early.”

Grace said they had to turn a few people away because they didn’t have all of their paperwork or didn’t have a spouse present to file a joint return.

Grace and the Rev. Jesse Turner, coordinator of Weed and Seed, were among several volunteers gathering initial information before clients were sent to one of six tax preparers to complete their returns.

“So far things are going great,” Turner said. “There’s a pretty steady flow of traffic.”

Volunteers completing “intake forms” asked questions like whether clients were itemizing or taking the standard deduction and what their filing statuses were.

The 15 chairs in the middle of the meeting room were full of people waiting. And there were about 10 other chairs around the room where people were completing intake forms and having their taxes prepared.

Patricia Jones of Pine Bluff said as she was waiting in the hall that she heard about the event when she sought credit counseling from Southern Good Faith Fund. She and her fiance are trying to buy a home.

“I usually pay a tax preparer and it usually costs me between $100 and $200,” Jones said. “I need all the money I can get.”

David and Mary Bolden, who were waiting inside, said they arrived at 9 a.m. sharp to take advantage of the free service. They, too, usually pay a tax preparer.

“I think it’s good of them to do this,” Mary Bolden said. “You might have to wait a little longer but still it saves you from having to pay big prices at H&R Block or Jackson Hewitt.”

And that comes in handy, David Bolden said, because he’s retired now. “We never get anything back.”

Benita Rauls of Pine Bluff said after her return was completed that she was happy with the result.

“She called out the numbers to me to make sure they were correct and everything,” Rauls said. “I am very satisfied, especially since I don’t have to pay that $100 to get my taxes done.”

Maxine Nelson, Arkansas chairman of ACORN, expressed that thought Friday during a press conference for Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Awareness Day, a nationwide effort to increase public awareness about the EITC and the availability of free tax preparation services.

Officials also announced the Super Saturday Free Tax Preparation Event, which takes place today from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Donald W. Reynolds Community Services Center, 211 W. 3rd Ave., in meeting rooms A and B. Certified tax preparers will be on hand to prepare and e-file tax returns.

Nelson, along with Gene Higginbotham of Rep. Mike Ross’ staff, the Rev. Jesse Turner of Pine Bluff Weed & Seed/ICVR Inc., and Blake Williams of Southern Good Faith Fund, announced the event.

Taxpayers need no appointment for this affair. They should bring all W-2 forms for 2008, photo ID, Social Security cards for themselves and dependents. They should also bring all applicable tax forms, such as 1099-MISC, 1098-T (out-of-pocket college payments) and 1098 (mortgage interest payment). Other information to bring includes proof of childcare payments from the provider, 2007 tax returns and bank account information, interest income (from your bank or other investments) and statement(s) of charitable/church contributions.

In addition to today’s event, the coalition offers four sites where tax preparations can be done free for families with an annual earned income of $42,000 or less. However, appointments are necessary. These are the sites and their hours through April 15:

# ACORN Tax and Benefits Center, 104 S. Main St.; 536-6300; Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5 to 9 p.m., and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

# ICVR Inc./Weed and Seed VITA Center, 2003 N. University Drive, UAPB Plaza Suite 5; 536-7274; 10 a.m. to noon and 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Wednesday, and 2 to 5 p.m. Thursday.

# Southern Good Faith Fund, 2304 W. 29th Ave., 535-6233, ext. 0 or 10; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; by appointment only.

# St. James United Methodist Church, 900 University Drive, 536-6366; Monday through Friday by appointment only, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, walk-ins accepted.

Ross, in a statement read by Higginbotham, said that the earned income tax credit is one of the largest benefit programs for working taxpayers, but it is also one of the most overlooked. The Internal Revenue Service estimates that 20 percent to 25 percent of eligible taxpayers fail to claim the credit, which could net as much as $4,824 for a family with two children.

According to the IRS Website (irs.gov), to qualify for the EITC, taxpayers must meet these thresholds for 2008: earned income and adjusted gross income of $38,646 to $41,646 with two or more qualifying children; $33,995 to $36,995 with one qualifying child; $12,880 to $15,880 with no qualifying children. The higher income in each category is for couples filing jointly. The maximum credit ranges from $4,824 to $438. There are also restrictions on allowable investment income.

In addition to the EITC credit, the tax preparers can also help those who did not receive their rebate recovery credit, Nelson said.

“I see this as a positive outreach for the citizens of Pine Bluff, especially low-income citizens,” Nelson said.

- Blake Williams, special project manager serving earned income, tax credit and 2008 stimulus package, Southern Good Faith Fund…

Southern Bancorp and its nonprofit affiliate Southern Good Faith Fund have partnered with the Internal Revenue Service to provide the service to families with an annual income of $42,000 or less.

“Some folks, if they did not earn enough income, did not get the full amount of the economic stimulus payment last year and that’s something they need to watch for and can pick up this year,” Blake Williams, Southern Good Faith Fund special projects manager, said.

The volunteers, Williams said, have been trained to recognize all tax credits due to taxpayers. The program’s IRS-certified volunteers will file tax forms electronically allowing families to receive returns quickly.

Last year, the first year Good Faith’s Pine Bluff office participated in the assistance program, the organization and volunteers helped bring over $190,000 worth of refunds back into the community, Williams said.

The program, known as VITA (volunteer income tax assistance), is scheduled to continue until the end of tax season.

To make a tax filing appointment, call Williams at 535-6233, ext. 17, or visit Southern Good Faith Fund, 2304 W. 29th Ave. The program will operate weekdays 8 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Whether a person qualifies for free filing assistance or not, electronic filing is an option to consider.

The IRS announced recently that it is opening an expanded electronic filing (e-file) program.

The e-file program, according to IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman, includes new improvements that will allow nearly all taxpayers to file electronically for free.

“These are tough times, and e-file is the best way for people to get cash in their pocket quickly,” Shulman said. “Filing electronically with direct deposit can get refunds to taxpayers in as few as 10 days.”

To learn more about filing a return electronically, visit www.irs.gov and click on the blue ‘e-file’ link on the left side of the page.

Computer programs such as TurboTax may be useful in simplifying the filing process, whether submitted electronically or by mail.

Students at both schools have been praised for their academic achievements. In October, KIPP Delta College Preparatory School, the middle school, was one of only three schools in the state to be named a 2008 Blue Ribbon School by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. In 2008, 86 percent of the middle school’s eighth graders scored proficient or advanced on the Arkansas Benchmark Exam in math, compared to just 23 percent of students in the Helena-West Helena School District.

Now, the KIPP program has been awarded a $2.6 million grant from the Charter School Growth Fund, a national investment fund. With that support, KIPP Delta will increase its operation from two schools in Helena-West Helena to 12 schools across the delta region by 2019. FM 89’s Malcolm Glover talks with KIPP administrators, teachers and students about the program and its future.

Listen to the complete story from National Public Radio affiliate KUAR

The Arkansas Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Check Cashers Act violated the state constitution, according to the Associated Press.

In a 6-0 decision, the court overturned a Pulaski County judge who last year ruled that the act was constitutional after justices sent the case back to his court without ruling on the law itself.

The state’s constitution limits the interest rates on loans to 17 percent.

Justice Paul Danielson wrote in the court’s decision that the act “clearly and unmistakably conflicts” with the state’s constitution.

Newly sworn-in Justice Elana Wills, who previously worked in the attorney general’s office, did not participate in the court’s ruling.
The ruling comes after the state Attorney General’s office cracked down on check cashers operating in Arkansas. The largest check casher operating in the state, Advance America, recently shut down operations in Arkansas after the AG’s office threatened legal action.

Critics have accused check cashers of charging exorbitant interest on loans. The attorney general’s office said the high interest violated the state’s laws against usury.

The number of payday lenders in Arkansas has dropped since the AG’s office took on the lenders.

The 1999 Check Cashers Act was designed to provide payday lenders legal cover to operate in the state.

Early this year, the Arkansas Supreme Court issued two major rulings against payday lending in the state. Responding to these rulings, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel on March 18 ordered all 156 payday lenders licensed and regulated by the Arkansas State Board of Collection Agencies to stop making loans. Following McDaniel’s order, 101 of the 156 stopped making loans.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The Clark County Office of Emergency Management has acquired $450,000 worth of training equipment and the Clark County Fire Association owns an extensive library of training materials; however, due to limited space, the equipment and training materials are not fully utilized. The Clark County Office of Emergency Management and the Arkansas Department of Emergency Management will provide instructors for state-required training free of charge to participants. More than 200 emergency responders in Clark County and approximately 500 responders located within a 50 mile radius of Clark County will utilize the trainings.

Construction of the facility will help address needs identified in the Clark County Strategic Plan, a public-private, comprehensive community development initiative unveiled in October 2007 that was developed by more than 500 Clark County residents during an 18-month planning process.

In 2007, the Arkansas General Assembly passed Act 362, which requires firefighters to “maintain a minimum of 24 hours per year of certifiable training.” The training center will help firefighters meet this mandated requirement by offering at least 25 annual trainings with capacity to accommodate 60 trainees per session.

“This grant from the Arkansas Department of Rural Services will help provide Clark County with the critical resources necessary to fulfill this important state training requirement,” Senator Malone said. “Most significantly, the training center will enhance the safety and security of thousands of residents of Clark County and south Arkansas.”

“The public-private partnership that will make this much-needed training facility a reality reflects the vision behind the Clark County Strategic Plan,” Baldwin said. “We thank Senator Malone and all the other elected officials, individuals and organizations who helped develop this successful proposal.”

Individuals and organizations involved in developing the proposal were Senator Malone; State Representative Johnnie Roebuck; Jim Burns, Director of the Clark County Office of Emergency Services; the Clark County Quorum Court; Clark County Judge Ron Daniell; the Clark County Fire Association; Baptist Medical Technicians; the Clark County Strategic Plan; Clark County Industrial Council; and representatives of Southern Bancorp and its affiliated nonprofit, Southern Financial Partners.

The Clark County Strategic Plan is modeled after the successful Delta Bridge Project in Phillips County, which was spearheaded by Arkadelphia-based Southern Bancorp and its family of companies.

More information on the Clark County Strategic Plan is available at www.clarkcountyplan.org

A PDF of the full 47-page Strategic Plan document is available online at www.clarkcountyplan.org/documents/CCSPFINALDOCUMENT.pdf