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Housing Remains
“Out of Reach” for Millions
As housing costs
increase faster than wages, decent, modest housing is increasingly
out of reach for millions of Americans, a report released
by the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows.
Responding to the report, Tom Lay, the executive director
of Neighborhood Housing Services Inc. of Boise, an Idaho-based
NeighborWorks network member, told The Times-News
that Boise residents must earn $11.40 an hour to afford a
modest two-bedroom home. That leaves as many as 28 percent
of Idaho renters making less than the housing wage, Lay estimated,
and means that minimum-wage workers would have to work about
79 hours a week to pay the rent.
The National Association
of Realtors (NAR) also just reported that two out of three
Americans in major metropolitan areas worry that teachers,
police officers and firefighters in their towns can't afford
to live where they work. Half worry that their children and
grandchildren won't be able to live near them. The NAR poll
further showed that concern over affordable housing isn't
limited to the poor and unemployed.
BET
Nightly News Broadcasts Segment on Minority Homeownership;
Interviews NR's Ken Wade
A BET Nightly
News segment on minority homeownership aired August 20.
The segment featured Neighborhood Reinvestment senior manager
Ken Wade and footage from the Minority Home Ownership Symposium
luncheon held at the NeighborWorks Training Institute in Washington.
Visit the member login area of http://www.nw.org
to view the video.
Neighborhood
Reinvestment Corporation's Search for Executive Director Underway
Neighborhood Reinvestment
Board Member Debbie Matz, a member of the National Credit
Union Administration Board, chairs the selection committee
that is leading the search for Ellen Lazar's successor. The
Boston-based national executive placement firm of Isaacson,
Miller is conducting the search.
See
executive director job description.
Sears
Staff Works With Chicago NHS to
Conduct Free Assessments for Chicago Homeowners
“Repair
technicians from Sears and other service personnel fanned
out over a square block of Chicago's South Side as part of
a national, $100 million community outreach program designed
to promote the benefits of regular home maintenance,” reported
CBS MarketWatch on September 12.
View
article.
Margo
Kelly Welcomes CHWC, Inc. of Kansas City to NeighborWorks
Network
Catholic Housing of Wyandotte County successfully
merged with the NHS of Kansas City, Kansas, in July 2002 to
form CHWC, Inc. In recognition of its achievement, Neighborhood
Reinvestment’s Chief Operating Officer Margo Kelly,
Kansas City's Mayor/CEO Carol Marinovich and other officials
welcomed CHWC as a chartered member of the NeighborWorks network
at a ceremony held this month. View
photo and article.
Illinois
Governor Sets Housing Plan in Motion
Gov.
Rod Blagojevich signed an executive order to create a plan
to facilitate the creation of affordable housing in Illinois.
Bruce Gottschall, executive director of Neighborhood Housing
Services of Chicago, was appointed to a task force to develop
the plan.
Pocatello
Neighborhood Housing Services Hires New Executive Director
Cary Jones has been hired as the new director for Pocatello
NHS. He replaces Richard Stallings, who retired on June 30.
Jones was selected from a field of more than 75 candidates
nationwide who applied for the position. View
article.
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| Community Strategies represents the shared experience of the NeighborWorks network and Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation in various topics of community development and affordable housing. |
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| The NeighborWorks Training Institute is dedicated to providing the highest quality training for community development practitioners. Learn about the latest classes and symposia on leading-edge topics. |
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| Neighborhood
Reinvestment, working closely with members of the NeighborWorks
network and partners, produces a wide-variety of publications.
Most are free and others cost a nominal fee to order.
For a complete listing, go to NeighborWorks
Publications Catalog. |
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| Find lists and charts on Neighborhood Reinvestment and the NeighborWorks network organizations. |
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Black Enterprise
Magazine Features NeighborWorks Network Home Maintenance
The September issue of
Black Enterprise magazine (p. 79) includes a feature article
on increasing the value of a home through maintenance and other
improvements. One of the homeowners interviewed for the article
is Johnnie Mae Atkins, who received assistance from Beyond Housing
in St. Louis through a grant from the National Insurance Task Force.
NITF Director Todd Pittman is quoted in the article. Todd mentioned
that www.nw.org provides a directory of NWOs that people could contact
in their area for information they may have on home maintenance
and related programs.
Essense
Magazine Article on 'Ms. Fix-It" Lists NeighborWorks as Resource
The September issue of Essence magazine contains an excellent
article, “Ms. Fix-It,” that shows women where they can
find information about basic home repairs. The writer, Ingrid Sturgis,
is the magazine’s online editor, and she lists NeighborWorks
organizations as a resource for home repairs.
African-American
Insurers Learn More About NeighborWorks Partnerships
The National African-American Insurance Association's national conference
held this month included a seminar on how national and local community-insurance
partnerships within the NeighborWorks system have focused successfully
on urban and low-to-moderate income markets; and ways to grow insurance
businesses, by focusing on emerging profitable business opportunities
in urban, inner-city and diverse markets.
Atlanta Insurance
Professionals Honor NeighborWorks National Insurance Task Force
The Atlanta Association
of Insurance Professionals (AAIP) recently bestowed their 2003 Partner
of Distinction Award on the NeighborWorks National Insurance Task
Force. The award is provided to an “individual or organization
whose support and efforts have directly and significantly assisted
AAIP in their vision to develop successful partnerships that benefit
the community they serve.” NITF Director Todd Pittman said
the NITF collaborated with NR’s Southern District office by
supporting the first ever Atlanta Insurance Education Day.
Rutland West NHS Taps Tax Credits for Old Dress
Factory Renovation
NeighborWorks member Rutland
West Neighborhood Housing Services is converting an old dress factory
into affordable housing and office space. The $1.2 million project
got a boost late last month when the Agency of Commerce and Community
Development approved up to $57,500 in tax credits for it. “It
is very satisfying because it helps us not only achieve the building,
but do that part of the building that keeps its historical value
and the story of its historical contribution to West Rutland alive
and visible and a constant for the future,” Rutland West director
Ludie Biddle told a local newspaper. Rutland West bought the building
for $185,000 and has been raising money from private and government
sources.
Korean Church Leaders Hold
Community Development Conference in Washington
Representatives of the White House, HUD, Fannie Mae, and Freddie
Mac are among the participants at a conference of Korean church
leaders, meeting September 29-October 1 in Washington, DC. Sponsored
by Korean Churches for Community Development (KCCD), the conference
includes workshops on home ownership, asset development/IDA's financial
literacy, homelessness, senior housing, youth programs, and more.
This year's conference theme highlights the Korean-American community's
celebration of a dual centennial: the first wave of Korean immigrants
arriving in the U.S. and the establishment of the Korean church.
KCCD's Web site states: "More than 4,000 Korean-American churches
provide the support and social network necessary for newly arrived
immigrants to achieve economic independence and greater civic participation.
As a result of this relationship, the Korean Americans have emerged
as new leaders of urban renewal, reviving crumbling inner cities
into vibrant commercial centers taking the lead in redeveloping
key metropolitan centers nationwide." To learn more about KCCD,
click here.
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House Passes Charitable
Giving Act
The House of Representatives
passed the
Charitable Giving Act by an overwhelming vote of 408 to 13
on September 17, reports the Independent Sector. "The
bill provides a number of important incentives designed to
encourage charitable giving, including the nonitemizer deduction
and the IRA rollover provision. The nonitemizer deduction
allows nonitemizing taxpayers to deduct giving over $250 up
to a ceiling of $500 (joint filers can deduct giving over
$500 up to $1,000). The IRA rollover provision allows individuals
who are at least 70½ years of age to make direct or
deferred gifts from their individual retirement accounts without
suffering adverse tax consequences." More
information from the Independent Sector.
Senate Appropriations
Committee Allocates $70 Million to the CDFI Fund in Fiscal
Year 2004
On September 4th, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved
$70 million for the CDFI Fund in FY 2004, including $5 million
for programs targeting Native American communities. This is
$19 million more than was approved by the House of Representatives,
which only matched the Bush Administration's recommended funding
level of $51 million for FY 2004. In FY 2003, Congress approved
$75 million for the CDFI Fund, $5 million of which was earmarked
for Native American programs.
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The Verizon Foundation
The
Verizon Foundation focuses on literacy, community technology
development, workforce development, and employee volunteerism.
The foundation is committed to "venture philanthropy"
-- "investing in the development of capacity infrastructure
to create new leadership models for our communities." In
addition to cash donations, the foundation offers inkind donations,
volunteer support, and web application services. Apply online
at the Verizon
Foundation Web site.
The
Public Welfare Foundation
The Public Welfare
Foundation funds programs that actively involve low-income
residents in addressing issues including homelessness, affordable
housing and economic participation, and in providing direct
service to low-income people in these and other issue areas.
The foundation has a particular interest in community organizing
and leadership development and community and capacity building
efforts. The foundation has funded financial literacy efforts.
Most grants range from $25,000 to $50,000. For more information,
go to the Public
Welfare Foundation Web site.
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NeighborWorks
Training Institute in San Francisco to Feature 70 Courses,
Rural Symposium, and Native American Training Program
Mark your calendars
for the next NeighborWorks Training Institute, which will
take place in San Francisco, California, December 8–12, 2003.
This Institute will feature more than 70 cutting-edge community
development courses and plenty of networking opportunities.
Join us on December 10
for a special symposium
on "The New Rural America." This exciting symposium
will bring together people from all facets of American rural
life to explore such topics as:
- New economic development approaches to rural development
- Status and future of rural American policy
- Housing issues in rural areas
- Best practices of rural community development corporations
- Lessons learned from private sector models
- Use of regional strategies and collaboration
- Challenges of rural development project finance
For more information, click
here.
National
Congress for Community Economic Development 33rd Annual Conference,
October 8-11
"Investing in Communities" is the theme of the upcoming annual
conference of the National Congress for Community Economic
Development (NCCED). The conference, held at the Detroit Marriott
Renaissance Center, October 8-11, will focus on rising to
the challenge of obtaining funding in an era of competing
priorities. For more information visit the NCCED
Web site.
Fannie
Mae Foundation's Annual Housing Conference, October 17
Held in Washington,
DC, this year’s theme is: “Unleashing Assets:
Strategies to Maximize Investment and Promote Local Development.”
For more information, click
here.
National
Community Capital's 19th Annual Training Conference, October
15-18
"Strengthening Bridges: CDFIs in Partnership," National Community
Capital Association's 19th Annual Training Conference, will
be held October 15-18, 2003, at the Crowne Plaza Times Square
Manhattan Hotel in New York City. The conference will feature
a video address by U.S. Treasury Secretary John W. Snow as
well as a curriculum and neighborhood tours highlighting the
collaborations taking place in the city. The conference will
also offer many new technical skills training sessions and
panels. Online registrations are accepted. For conference
details and to register, log on to National
Community Capital's Web site.
UNC: Multidisciplinary
Perspectives on Affordable Home Ownership
October 30 - November 1
The University of
North Carolina's Center for Urban and Regional Studies will
host "This House is Home: Multidisciplinary Perspectives
on Affordable Home Ownership" in Chapel Hill, North Carolina,
on
October 30 through November 1. The conference offers an opportunity
for practitioners in community development to converse with
academia, social scientists and others around affordable housing
(issues, best practices, etc.) Michael Collins, a Neighborhood
Reinvestment staffer, is among the conference speakers, and
Henry Cisneros is the keynote speaker. Neighborhood Reinvestment
is a sponsor of the conference, which features a traveling
gallery of photos and stories about people and communities
positively affected by community-based housing efforts. To
learn more, click
here.
National
Community Land Trust Conference, November 13 - 15
The Institute for Community Economics (ICE) will be presenting
a conference in Syracuse, NY, November 13-15, 2003. To learn
more, click here.
The
Fourth Annual CHAM Asset Management Professionals' Conference,
December 5-6
The Consortium for Housing and Asset Management (CHAM) Conference
— hosted by a collaboration of LISC, the Enterprise Foundation,
and Neighborhood Reinvestment — is scheduled for December
5-6 in San Francisco. Join asset and property managers, investor
partners, and agency officials for the only conference for
nonprofit asset managers. For further information, visit the
CHAM Web site, or contact
Lisa Deller at (212) 455-1619 or mail to:ldeller@liscnet.org.
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Individual
and Neighborhood Impacts of Neighborhood Reinvestment's Home
Ownership Pilot Program
The final report, produced by the University
of North Carolina, included a range of quantitative analysis
of neighborhoods and households, including a survey of nearly
500 families. The analysis revealed:
• even controlling for income, education, savings and
other variables, African-Americans were less likely to buy
homes, suggesting continued discrimination in housing markets;
• controlling for income, education, age and other differences
between homebuyers and continuing renters, homebuyers were
more satisfied with their lives and were also more likely
to have larger social-support networks;
• homebuyers, compared to renters, are more likely to
see gains in the size of their dwellings and maintain health
insurance;
• 48 percent of low-income homebuyers in the sample
have experienced major unexpected costs associated with the
home;
• only a small group of homeowners seem to be having
issues managing their finances—15 percent of homebuyers
have refinanced their mortgages, 22 percent of whom refinanced
to take cash out or catch up on mortgage payments; and
• overall, homeowners reported that the greatest advantage
of home ownership was building equity, while the greatest
challenge reported was increased monthly expenses, followed
closely by finding time for home maintenance.
'FieldWorks'
Issue Focuses on Home Ownership
HUD
recently released the latest issue of "FieldWorks,"
focusing on innovative programs that promote home ownership
for low- and moderate-income communities. To view, click
here.
The
Fannie Mae Foundation Releases Personal Finance Case Studies
A new collection of personal finance case
studies released by the Fannie Mae Foundation examines innovative
practices that connect unbanked, underserved low-income households
to the financial mainstream. The collection, titled "Innovations
in Personal Finance for the Unbanked: Emerging Practices from
the Field," looks at 10 organizations offering consumers
low-cost alternatives to check-cashing outlets, payday lenders,
and other fringe providers. The collection groups the case
studies under three categories of product and service offerings:
transactions and basic banking, access and second-chance accounts,
and alternative payday lending and basic banking. To view
the case studies, click
here.
"Beyond the Housing Headlines"
Here’s
an insightful article in the current issue of ShelterForce
by Eric Belsky (of the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies)
called “Beyond the Housing Headlines: State of the Nation's
Housing 2003” that provides a perspective about current
housing trends. View
article.
Community
Problem Solving Site Launched
From
the Art and Science of Community Problem-Solving Project at
Harvard comes a Web site designed for public policy and management
educators and students. It includes problem solving tools
for community development, negotiation, urban politics, social
policy, collaborative strategy, and community organizing--as
well as training programs and planning and civic organizing
initiatives. www.community-problem-solving.net
AHEAD
Seeks Web Site Advice
Affordable Housing Education and Development (AHEAD) Inc.
is looking to expand its new Web site capacity through the
use of web-based marketing as part of a strategy for increased
organizational exposure and cost recovery. AHEAD is researching
the possibilities of including local real estate listings,
area rental property availability and construction professionals
onto their site. If anyone has any experience with leveraging
an organizational Web site in this fashion, please contact
Mark Desbrow, resource development director at AHEAD at 603-444–1377,
x12 or mailto:Markd@aheadnh.org.
Rehab
Writer Sought for NeighborWorks bright ideas
Neighborhood
Reinvestment’s quarterly magazine, bright ideas,
has been running a regular, practitioner-focused column on
the problems and opportunities in rehabbing affordable housing.
Now, our columnist, Management Consultant Jack Jensen of the
New York/Puerto Rico District, has left Neighborhood Reinvestment.
We want to continue the column, and we’re searching
for a new columnist – or series of columnists. What
better resource, perhaps, than rehab specialists in high-producing
NeighborWorks organizations? For an example of Jack's rehab
column, see
back issue under "Practitioner's Toolbox." Interested?
Contact bright ideas editor Prentice Bowsher, mailto:pbowsher@nw.org.
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