Denver Hosts First-of-Its-Kind Institute to Address Rocky Mountain Housing Needs

NeighborWorks
January 18, 2005
Contact: Becky Fleischauer, 202-220-2360 or 202-270-9350; bfleischauer@nw.org

Denver Hosts First-of-Its-Kind Institute to Address
Rocky Mountain Housing Needs

NeighborWorks® Network Triples Homeownership Education and Counseling Capacity

Denver, February 7-11–Denver will host the first-of-its-kind institute devoted to creating a training force of housing and community development advocates prepared to take on the unique needs of the Rocky Mountain region. The NeighborWorks Training Institute convenes hundreds of community development leaders from business, nonprofit, and state and local governments to become certified and trained in the most effective ways to close the homeownership gap between white and non-whites; improve financial literacy; empower families to get the most out of the home buying process; and use community development strategies to improve safety and build wealth. This is the first time the Institute has taken on a regional focus.

Speakers at the institute titled “Diverse Cultures, Common Needs” include former HUD Secretary and founder and chairman of American CityVista Henry Cisneros; Federal Reserve Board Governor Edward Gramlich; Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper; Center of the American West Board Chair Patricia Nelson Limerick; Director for the Center for the Rocky Mountain West Dan Kemmis; and Fannie Mae Foundation managing director of policy and leadership Sheila Maith.

The Rocky Mountain region boasts the largest number of NeighborWorks organizations producing the highest productivity rates in the nation. Thirty-two NeighborWorks organizations provided valuable services to residents, helping them achieve homeownership, greater financial strength, and revitalized communities. In the last year alone, Rocky Mountain NeighborWorks organizations provided more than 10,000 residents with homeownership counseling, rehabbed and improved more than 3,000 homes, managed more than 8,000 rental units and invested more than $272 million in Rocky Mountain communities.

Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation CEO Kenneth D. Wade called Denver a prime location for participants, who want to learn how to close the homeownership gap and revitalize neighborhoods. “The Rocky Mountain region faces enormous affordable housing challenges and has some of the nation’s finest leaders in helping to close the homeownership and wealth gaps and strengthen community,” Wade said.

A survey of consumer finances found that low-income homeowners had a net worth twelve times that of renters at the same income level. To ensure more families in the Rocky Mountain area have those opportunities to gain independence and personal wealth, the NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling (NCHEC) set a goal to triple the number of counselors certified across the nation—increasing national capacity to serve more than two million potential homeowners each year by 2007. As part of this effort, the institute also will feature eleven different courses aimed at fostering sustainable home ownership.

Twelve organizations from across the nation will become NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center® and Campaign for Home Ownership® members during the five-day institute. Within the Rocky Mountain Region, Colorado Rural Housing Development Corporation (Westminster, Colo.) will become a NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center. Thistle Community Housing (Boulder, Colo.) will become a new member of the Campaign for Home Ownership. These organizations have met rigorous standards and are staffed with counselors who are certified to help residents through all stages of homeownership – pre- and post-purchase. Their training includes coursework in homeownership education and counseling, financial fitness, community lending, and post-purchase programs. These organizations have also agreed to provide eight hours of homeownership education per participant, along with counseling and lending services.

In addition, the institute will feature a specialized homebuyer education track for trainers serving Native American communities. The Rocky Mountain region has 82 federally recognized tribes and a total single-race Native American population of more than 682,000 people. Their housing needs vary from severe overcrowding (32 percent of homes are overcrowded), lack of plumbing (29 percent of homes lack complete plumbing), to homeownership. Nationally, only 55 percent of Native Americans are homeowners and, of those living on reservations or trust land, only 40.7 percent are homeowners.

Dozens of institute courses have been customized for Rocky Mountain communities covering rural and urban neighborhood revitalization, community organizing, economic development and asset management as well as workshops on management and leadership. Courses are facilitated by nationally recognized faculty who in many cases will be joined local subject area experts.

If you would like to receive media credentials to attend and cover the institute, which will be held at the Hyatt Regency Denver and the Marriott City Center, please contact Becky Fleischauer before Feb. 6 at bfleischauer@nw.org or 202-220-2360. After Feb. 6, call 202-270-9350.

About Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
The NeighborWorks network is a nationwide network of more than 235 community development organizations working in nearly 2,700 urban, suburban and rural communities across America. These organizations engage in revitalization strategies that strengthen communities and transform lives. Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation provides financial support, technical assistance and training for the NeighborWorks network. In the last year alone, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $2.2 billion in reinvestment and, in the last five years, helped more than 500,000 families of modest means purchase or improve their homes or secure safe, decent rental or mutual housing.

Denver NeighborWorks® Training Institute At-a-Glance
All events are taking place at the Hyatt Regency Denver and/or the Marriott City Center, please call Becky Fleischauer at 202-220-2360 or 202-270-9350 after Feb. 6 for more details.

February 7-8
8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Institute courses: tracks include affordable housing; asset management; community building and organizing; economic development; construction; homeownership and community lending; management and leadership; and neighborhood revitalization.

Highlights:

Affordable Housing Development
Working in Diverse Communities
Native American Homebuyer Education Methods
Navigating Environmental and Infrastructure Challenges of Rural Affordable Housing Projects
Teaching Financial Management Skills

11:45 p.m. (February 7)

Luncheon speaker: Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary and founder and chairman of American CityVista Henry Cisneros.

February 9
8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Participants can choose to attend courses or the larger symposium

Institute courses: tracks include affordable housing; asset management; community building and organizing; economic development; construction; homeownership and community lending; management and leadership; and, neighborhood revitalization.

Highlights:

Greening Affordable Housing

Affordable Housing Strategies in High-Cost and Resort Areas

Building Organizational Capacity of Native Nonprofits

Tools and Strategies for Self-Help Housing

Symposium: “Transforming Your Organization and Community to Thrive in 2010: Understanding Trends, Challenges and Opportunities”

Opening Plenary Speakers and Panelists:
• Federal Reserve Board Governor Edward Gramlich will discuss economic trends and projections
• Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper
• Director of the Center for the Rocky Mountain West Daniel Kemmis will discuss restoring civic commitment and a sense of place and local control, as well as present research on the importance of a local economy and local civic engagement.
• Fannie Mae Foundation Managing Director of Policy and Leadership Sheila Maith will discuss trends in affordable housing and public policy.

February 10-11
8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Highlights:

Credit Counseling for Maximum Results
Getting Things Done in Neighborhoods Through Strategic Collaborations