On Friday, June 17^th, 49 youth whose families have low incomes will celebrate their success in saving money with District Court Judge Ancer Haggerty, long-time advocate for youth. The young people are all part of Youth$ave, a nationally recognized program started by REACH Community Development in 1996. Youth$ave uses education, peer support and matching funds to cultivate successful goal setting and money saving habits in young people from families with low incomes.  This was the first year that REACH expanded the program beyond youth living in REACH housing to include youth living in affordable housing owned by the Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) and ROSE Community Development Corporation.  Twenty-five of the graduates are part of new Youth$ave programs at HAP and ROSE.

Financially at-risk youth between the ages of nine and eighteen apply for Youth$ave by identifying an academic, artistic, athletic or entrepreneurial activity they want to do. They set a goal for the money needed. Rosanne Marmor, Tenant Services Program Manager at REACH, attributes part of the program’s success to connecting learning how to save with goals determined by the youth. “It’s easy to teach money management when kids are motivated to save for things they want.” This year REACH youth saved over $2,500 for computers, musical instruments, bikes, summer camps and college. 

One of the program’s benefits has been to inspire the parents of Youth$ave kids to start saving money themselves.  Many have paid off credit card debt, and two families have saved enough to buy homes.  The success of the Youth$ave Program has prompted REACH to initiate a series of adult financial literacy classes.  

Both HAP and ROSE asked REACH to help them start their Youth$ave programs.  HAP’s Youth$ave program focuses on at-risk youth, who can save up to $600 over three years. Their savings are matched 1:1 for education after high school.  REACH staff administer and conduct the classes for the program. ROSE CDC has started a pilot program with consultation assistance from REACH and the same saving goals. Both REACH and ROSE match savings 2:1 up to $600 per year.  Youth$ave’s financial partners include Washington Mutual, the Juan Young Trust, the Enterprise Foundation and a federal block grant.

After receiving their plaques from Judge Haggerty, the young graduates plan to unwind with food and games of golf and laser tag at Bullwinkle's.

REACH is a private, nonprofit community development corporation with a mission to develop and maintain a permanent resource of affordable housing, promote healthy neighborhoods, and provide opportunities for low-income people through partnerships and community involvement.  Started in 1982 by community activists concerned about housing conditions in their neighborhood, REACH now has a staff of 49 and an annual budget of $4.9 million, with 988 units of housing for low-income residents of Portland in its portfolio.  Youth$ave is part of tenant services for those living in our housing.

For more information contact Kay Hutchinson at 503-231-0682 ext 140 or email: khutchinson@reachcdc.org.

City to Vote on Adopted Budget June 23; $2 Million in New Housing Funds

The Portland City Council will vote on the City’s 2005-2006 adopted budget on June 23 at 2 pm in Portland Building Auditorium, 2nd floor. The City Council unanimously adopted the proposed budget on May 18. The adopted budget is expected to pass with $2 million in new, one time funds for affordable housing.

The new housing funds will be used as following: $1 million allocated to the priorities for 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness, and $1 million for other existing housing priorities such as preservation of existing affordable housing, No Net Loss, family housing and special needs housing, especially focusing on households with the lowest incomes.

"Portland, along with the entire region, continues to experience unprecedented increases in the cost of housing,” said Commissioner Erik Sten. "The Portland City Council recognizes the tremendous impact this has on families, businesses, schools and our neighborhoods. We believe that investing this $2M in housing for our most vulnerable citizens - very low income families with children, seniors, and people with disabilities is the right thing to do.  I wish we could do more but the budget is just too tight."    

Supporters of Affordable Housing NOW!, a coalition of 40 organizations whose goals are to secure new resources to meet affordable housing needs of the Portland Metro area, are also happy with Portland’s commitment to housing.  Beginning in 2003, Affordable Housing NOW! has been lobbying the Portland City Council to create a $30 million Housing Investment Fund.  With the passage of the 2005-06 budget plus the $11 million allocated in the 2004-05 Budget, the City Council will have identified $13 of the needed $30 million.

“We are pleased that for the second straight year the City Council has  dedicating funding to help  Portlanders who are in the greatest need of affordable housing,” said Teresa Huntsigner of the Coalition for a Livable Future, a founding member of Affordable Housing NOW! “It is simply wrong that hardworking families in Portland, as well as seniors and people with disabilities living on fixed incomes, are being forced every month to choose between paying rent and paying for groceries. The City of  Portland is taking action so fewer people will have to make that horrible choice.”

Affordable Housing NOW! is a movement of affordable housing advocates and tenants whose goals are to secure new resources for affordable housing for the Portland Metro area by building a movement large enough to make funding for affordable housing for low income people a political priority in the Metro area.

To learn more about Affordable Housing NOW!, go to: http://www.cdnportland.org/ahn.html

Multnomah County Passes Resolution Opposing Federal Housing Cuts

The Multnomah County Commission unanimously supported a resolution opposing proposed the Federal cuts to housing and the White House’s proposed State and Local Flexibility Act of 2005 last Thursday, June 9.  Introduced at the request of Affordable Housing NOW!, the resolution affirms Multnomah County’s commitment to families, seniors and people with disabilities, the three groups of people who will be hurt most by the proposed cuts and policy changes pending in Congress.

Multnomah County joined the City of Portland in passing a resolution against the proposed cuts and policy changes.  The Portland City Council passed a resolution on Wednesday, May 25, the day prior to the Rally for Housing Justice.

For more information on the proposed Federal Housing cuts and the State and Local Flexibility Act of 2005, click here.

Representatives Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) and Rep. David Obey (D-Wis.), chair and ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, released 302(b) allocations to the appropriations subcommittees May 5 (their share of the total FY 06 spending).

The Transportation, Treasury and HUD (TTHUD) subcommittee received a $66.9 billion allocation, higher than last year's enacted level for these agencies ($63.2 billion) and the President’s request for FY 06, $60.7 billion. This allocation anticipates keeping the community development programs at HUD rather than transferring them to Commerce. However, housing and community development programs face a long road ahead.

It is encouraging that the House Appropriations leadership has rejected the Strengthening America's Community Initiative proposal, but HUD programs remain in competition with Transportation and Treasury programs, in addition to one another, for funding. Further, legislation for SACI is being drafted, which will put the proposal back on the table.

The Senate Appropriations committee leadership has not yet released its 302(b) allocations to the subcommittees.

Senators, House Members Call for Community Development Funding

In early May, 55 senators signed a letter to the leadership of the appropriations committee.  This letter requests full funding for HUD programs slated for elimination under the Strengthening America’s Communities initiative proposal without cutting other HUD programs, including Section 8.

In a letter dated May 23, 181 members of the House of Representatives made a similar request for the House appropriators to provide level funding from fiscal year 2005 for the Community Development Block Grant and other impacted programs. The letter also supports the Administration’s funding levels for Section 8 vouchers and homeless programs while requesting adequate funding for all other HUD programs.

Rose Community Development presents Where I Live:  Images of our Community today,Thursday June 16th from 6:30pm-8pm at the centerRing, 5339 SE Foster Rd. Please enter through the centerRing back door). For the past 10 weeks, the Where I Live program has been teaching ROSE kids to think about how we can make our community a better place. Come see the final photographs and writings.

Refreshments will be served.

Questions:  Please call Rachel at (503) 788-8052 x 103 or e-mail rachel@rosecdc.org

Big thanks go out to the supporters of the Where I Live Program:  The Regional Arts and Culture Council, Pro Photo Supply, ROSE Community Development's Board of Directors, Laura Roholt, Sara Gummere, Alex Volpe, and Rachael Torchia.

Hacienda CDC and WaMu Hold ‘El Poder Del Si’ Homeownership Fair June 18

Hacienda CDC and Washington Mutual are co-sponsoring a one day event for Hacienda’s resident community and the general public to provide them with tools and information on financial literacy, banking transactions and homeownership opportunities. In addition to workshops on lending basics, qualifying for a home loan, and financial literacy skills, there will be informational displays by Washington Mutual, Hacienda CDC, Portland Community Land Trust, HOST Development, Habitat for Humanity & Point West Credit Union, El Hispanic News, Metro Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, REACH CDC and Mosiac Soccer Club.

Hacienda would love to see you at the noon hour to take part of a small conviviencia to mingle with friends, neighbors. There will be a tent in case of rain or shine, food and entertainment. Hope to see you then!

Questions? Contact Pietro Ferrari at (503) 595-2111 ext. 17.

Community Partners for Affordable Housing Inc. (CPAH) will be selling general admission Portland Beavers tickets in order to raise money for their summer youth program.  Each ticket will be sold at face value ($7) and will be good for any Portland Beavers home game for the remainder of the 2005 season, with $3 of every ticket sold going to CPAH.  There is also and opportunity to purchase tickets for CPAH residents for an additional $4 each.

The June 24^th game at PGE Park will be CPAH Community Builders night.  At the Community Builders game, CPAH residents will be invited to attend using the tickets purchased for them through the fundraiser.  Also, CPAH will throw out the ceremonial first pitch, hand out information about their program along the concourse, and be recognized for its contributions to the community.  Tickets will be sold now through the end of the season, with the last home game being on September 5^th, and are available by calling CPAH at (503) 968-2724, or on their website www.cpahinc.org. 

Community Partners for Affordable Housing, Inc. (CPAH) is a non-profit community development corporation serving the Tigard, Tualatin, and Southwest Portland area. With an existing portfolio of 143 units, CPAH provides safe and healthy housing along with support and skill building activities for individuals and families of modest means. CPAH is dedicated to building housing, building hope, and building lives.

2005 Community Land Trust Conference to be held in Portland August 17-19

For the first time ever, the 2005 Community Land Trust Conference will be held in our beautiful Pacific Northwest---Portland, Oregon from August 17-19, 2005.  The Conference is being hosted locally by Clackamas Community Land Trust (CCLT), Portland Community Land Trust (PCLT), Sabin CDC, and SW Washington CLT.  There are other organizers across the country listed on the conference website.

Registration for the conference is $100 (after July 1st, $125).  It pays to register early!!!  More information is available on the conference website:  www.communitylots.org.  The theme for this conference is "Building Community...Learning Together". This will be an informative yet FUN conference with a great venue from networking to tours.  We welcome the participation of those already working in the Community Land Trust arena and those who may be thinking about it or just want to learn more about it. 

TechSoup: Use Online Surveys to Get the Feedback You Need

How do you know when your programs are working, or which new programs a donor is likely to fund? Online surveys are a powerful research tool for asking clients, members, and donors what they want from your nonprofit. Learn how to use them.

To read full article, go to: http://ga0.org/ct/6116yKS1WRuL/