On July 14, 2009, HUD Secretary Shaun Donavon outlined the administration's plans to reform the Hope VI program and the goals for the new Choice Neighborhoods Initiative. The initiative aims to include private and nonprofit partners in local projects to extend neighborhood transformation efforts beyond public housing and link housing developments more closely with school reform and early childhood innovation.

Representative Barney Frank recently released a discussion draft of comprehensive legislation to preserve affordable housing. The legislative proposal aims to prevent displacement of low-income, elderly, and disabled tenants. It will focus equally on both rural and urban housing needs. Rep. Frank stated that these policies will move in conjunction with other efforts to promote the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and voucher program.

Last month the Section 8 Voucher Reform Act was introduced in the House. H.R. 3045 would streamline and make improvements to the Housing Choice Voucher program and authorize 150,000 new vouchers in fiscal year (FY) 2010.

A new report from the Federal Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics tracks 40 key indicators measuring children’s economic circumstances, health, physical environment and safety, family and social environment, behavior, and education. Some troubling statistics include: In 2007, the poverty rate for children rose from 17% to 18% from the previous year and 12.4 million children in America - or 17% of all kids - live in households that are food-insecure.

Check for data on families with kids: HUD’s new report provides a point-in-time estimate of the total number of homeless persons on a single night, as well as a one-year estimate of the total sheltered homeless population. The point-in-time survey showed that on a single night in January 2008, over 664,000 persons were homeless nationwide.

Congress passed the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, which includes the HEARTH Act reauthorizing the HUD McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act programs. Is it good for children and youth? Yes—but there's a major missed opportunity, according to an analysis from the nonpartisan advocacy group First Focus.

October 2008, President Bush signed into law two bills aimed at keeping children safer and healthier: the Protect Our Children Act and the Reconnecting Homeless Youth Act. The latter provides a funding increase for programs serving homeless youth and "mandates a study on runaway and homeless youth every five years in order know how to serve this group properly," Youth Today reports.

Despite the emphasis on homeownership, one-third of all U.S. households (nearly 36 million households) rent. This report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition offers a state-by-state and community comparison of the hourly wage someone must earn to be able to afford rent and utilities in local housing markets.

Caitlin Crane of Portland, Oregon has put homelessness and addiction behind her, and is reaching for a bright future with her young son. With help from a non-profit dedicated to steering teen mothers towards success, Crane is beating the odds, and reaching out to help other young mothers do the same. Linda Baker asked Crane to talk about what teen moms need to get ahead.

The National Student Campaign Against Hunger and Homelessness will host its 18th Annual Conference on Hunger and Homelessness from November 11-13, 2005, at Seattle University in Seattle, Washington. The conference will help student leaders and advocates improve campus programs and strategic planning. Administrators are also encouraged to attend. For more information, contact: