The Community Development Network

Oregon’s two successful community development associations counted the ballots from their members and approved a merger on June 20^th. The Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations and the Community Development Network unified to from a new organization: The Oregon Opportunity Network.

“The Opportunity Network will help create healthier communities throughout Oregon. Having a safe, stable place to call home makes stronger families, and that is the root of all healthy communities,” says Jim Tierney, president of the Association of Oregon Community Development Organizations and Deputy Director of the Community Action Team in St. Helens.

The merger creates a statewide association of 38 non-profit community development organizations. These member groups represent communities across the state. They have developed 13,324 rental homes and 1,538 homes that are now owned by families with low and moderate incomes.

“As housing costs have risen in communities from Medford to Redmond to LaGrande, the work of these nonprofits becomes all the more important in lending a hand to working families, seniors and others left behind by the market, ” said House Speaker Jeff Merkley. “The Oregon Opportunity Network will bring a unified voice to speak for the housing needs of all Oregonians.”

Having a stable place to call home is the key to unlocking opportunity: Kids do better in school, parents perform better in the workforce, seniors can enjoy the fruits of their golden years, and people with disabilities can live with independence and thrive. Oregon’s community development organizations not only open the doors to housing opportunity, they are leaders in economic development and self-sufficiency programs.

“The future for Oregonians looks brighter with a focused, collective voice for affordable housing and economic development,” says Sam Chase, Executive Director of Oregon Opportunity Network. “We anticipate being able to support more ‘green’ development and to make positive changes in financing to keep housing affordable in perpetuity. This is an exciting moment.”

The newly merged organization has made a strong commitment to improving the delivery of affordable housing in rural areas throughout Oregon. Meyer Memorial Trust has granted $240,000 over 3 years as a partner in this effort. In addition, Oregon Opportunity Network has dedicated itself to addressing disparities for traditionally underrepresented populations, such as communities of color.

“Housing costs and quality continue to be a major issue for Oregonians,” says John Miller, president of the Community Development Network and Executive Director of HOST Development in Portland. “Too often to keep a roof over their heads, families have to skimp on food and heat. Unfortunately, affordable housing has not received adequate attention from policy makers. We are hopeful that one strong organization representing urban, suburban and rural communities will be able to gather the support that hard working families deserve on this issue.”

The Oregon Opportunity Network would like to thank our funders and supporters who lent crucial financial support to make the merger possible: Meyer Memorial Trust, Ford Family Foundation, US Bank, Enterprise, Oregon Housing and Community Services, National Equity Fund, Wells Fargo, Geller Silvis Associates, Walsh Construction, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, Seabold Construction, Lane Powell Spears, JD Fulwiler, NOAH, Key Bank, Princeton Property Management, Housing NW, Oregon Bankers Association, and CASA of Oregon.

Workgroups composed of a cross-section of public and private stakeholders have been meeting to create program guiding principles that the Economic and Community Development Commission will consider during its July meeting.

Tim McCabe, Acting Director of OECDD is leading a tour around the state to hear stakeholder feedback through eight, two-hour forums throughout the state as follows:

Click here to register for a forum. If you have any questions regarding the Feedback Forums or registration process please call or email Mindee Sublette of the OECDD staff at 503-986-0166 or email.

TACS Board of Directors is delighted to announce the appointment of Cathey Briggs as Interim Executive Director for TACS, effective July 7, 2008. Cathey brings tremendous skill and experience to her interim leadership role at TACS. She will draw upon her deep knowledge of TACS and the nonprofits TACS serves, and her highly successful experience in six previous interim executive director positions.

Kay Sohl, TACS founder and long-term Executive Director, will step out of her role as Executive Director on July 7, 2008, take a great break over the summer, and open her consulting and training practice in the fall.

TACS' Board and staff have worked together over the past six months to prepare for this great new chapter in the life of TACS. We've learned from the experiences of nonprofits moving through leadership transitions all around the country. Early in the transition planning process, the TACS Board committed to using an Interim Executive Director for up to 6 months as a key component of successful leadership transition. Drawing on national research and TACS' experience helping over 100 nonprofits with leadership transition through our Executive Transition Services program, the Board concluded that TACS will benefit tremendously from an opportunity for both Board and staff to work with a skilled Interim leader during this transition period.

Cathey Briggs will serve as Interim Executive Director while the TACS Board conducts the search and selection process which will result in the appointment of a new executive director for TACS by the end of 2008. TACS staff will work closely with Cathey during the interim period to continue our 31 year history of service to nonprofits throughout the Northwest.

Newly elected Portland City Council Commissioner Nick Fish participated in the Community Development Network (CDN) Forum on June 19th. Councilman Fish, who stayed for the duration of the forum, opened by expressing his commitment to work closely with affordable housing providers for the duration of his term. He also promised to ‘win’ the praise of affordable housing providers in the audience who might not have voted for him.

CDN Voting Members presented general information about their organizations and delivered news about new developments. The Commissioner listened closely, asked questions and gave feedback to various voting members.

Commissioner Fish also heard brief presentations about the statewide Housing Alliance agenda, the Owner’s Group Recommendations, the Clegg Study and a brief update on the 30% TIF Set aside for affordable housing. Nick Fish assured us that the 30% TIF Set aside was very important to the City of Portland.

Additionally, Commissioner Fish said that he would like to make the practice of attending the CDN Forum “a regular occurrence” and proposed that we begin setting up dates soon. The councilman also asked to follow-up with specific CDN Voting Members on some of the information that they presented.

Portland Habitat for Humanity and Mt. Hood Habitat for Humanity are joining forces to become a single, larger, and more effective organization. This newly formed affiliate, "Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East," will serve the cities of Portland and Gresham including all of Multnomah County and North Clackamas County.

The two affiliates collectively have created homeownership opportunities for more than 150 families in Portland and Gresham. The merger, which was recently approved by both boards of directors, "will enable us to do a much better job of serving Portland, Gresham, and the Metro East area as one united Habitat," according to Meghan Pollard, the executive director of Mt. Hood Habitat for Humanity. The organizations will officially merge on July 1, 2008.

Judith Huck, previously board chair of Mt. Hood Habitat for Humanity, will serve as chair of the newly formed affiliate. Steve Messinetti, executive director of Portland Habitat for Humanity, will continue as the executive director of the new affiliate. Pollard will be leaving to start a family.

"United as Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East, we will be a stronger developer of affordable homes by increasing capacity to acquire more land, build more homes, partner with more families, and expand our commitment to green building," said Messinetti.

While Habitat's mission remains the same, the vision has grown larger. Combining the expertise of the staff and board members will eliminate duplicate overhead and allow Habitat to achieve greater impact and ultimately serve more families in need of a simple, affordable place to live. Furthermore, the rapidly changing economies of our community have made a compelling case for a united approach to help more families earn and own a home of their own.

The deadline for Housing Choice Voucher FSS is now July 16 and for SHOP July 18. The deadline for local affiliates to apply to HAC (not HUD) for SHOP funds is unchanged. Corrections affect consultants’ rates, several lead programs, the Voucher FSS program, ROSS, and SHOP. The notice also tells applicants how to address a technical issue with the Grants.gov SF-424 form. See Federal Register, 6/12/08, pp. 33446-51 or http://www.grants.gov. Contact HUD, 1-800-HUD-8929.

Nominations for The Collaboration Prize due July 21, 2008

The Collaboration Prize, created by The Lodestar Foundation, a Phoenix-based philanthropic organization, is a $250,000 prize that recognizes collaborations among two or more nonprofit organizations that each would otherwise provide the same or similar programs or services and compete for clients, financial resources and staff.

To be eligible, a collaboration must:

· Be designed to be permanent or to operate for an infinite period of time; because grants or federal or state programs have time limits, a collaboration formed for these purposes would not qualify

· Involve two or more nonprofit organizations that each would otherwise provide the same or similar programs or services and compete for clients, financial resources and staff

· Have a structure that is evidenced by a formal agreement that uses the resources of each party in a more effective way; this agreement could be a memorandum of understanding (MOU), a letter of agreement, a contract, or a merger agreement

· Have begun operation at least 18 months prior to nomination and must have been in existence no longer than eight years prior to the date of nomination (refers to the collaboration, not the individual organizations)

· Be registered as a 501(c)(3) organization, or all participating members of the collaboration must be registered as 501(c)(3) organizations

· Be in good standing with all regulatory authorities

· Be located and conduct work in the United States

Nominations are accepted starting June 1, 2008. For more information, click here for details.

Kresge Foundation Green Awards for up to $100,000

Kresege Foundation awards planning grants ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 to organizations located in the United States and Canada to support the integrated design process for the following projects:

· Renovation

· Historic preservation

· New construction designed to achieve LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – certification at the Platinum level from the U.S. Green Building Council

· New construction designed to meet the Cascadia Region Green Building Council’s Living Building Challenge (also endorsed by the U.S. Green Building Council)

· New construction designed to be net-zero energy efficient (the facility produces as much energy as it consumes each year)

· Eligibility guidelines are listed below.

· Just what is a green building? Technically, a green building is one that is designed, constructed and operates using a minimum of non-renewable resources. Practically, it is a high-performance facility, with all systems operating as efficiently as possible.

· The integrated design process, now a best practice in the design field, is essential to achieving maximum building efficiency. Our planning grants cover the additional costs associated with implementing the integrated design process. We recommend you apply for your green building planning grant as soon as you have your design team in place.

· Planning grants cover the following costs:

· Professional services to facilitate the design planning meetings or charrettes during the pre-design period. These meetings, which involve stakeholders and all members of the design team, are highly collaborative and structured to focus on specific outcomes.

· Energy analysis and modeling

· Water use analysis and modeling

· Ecological site planning

· Commissioning expenses associated with the planning process

· Initial documentation and LEED registration with the U.S. Green Building Council

Eligibility

All organizations applying for grants must have annual financial statements that have been prepared and certified by a certified public accountant (the auditor) in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) or Government Accounting Standards (GAS). The foundation does not accept compilations or reviews.

Who may apply?

· 501(c)(3) organizations that are not classified as private foundations

· Government entities

· Community colleges, colleges and universities that are fully accredited associate, baccalaureate and/or graduate degree-granting institutions

· Elementary and secondary schools that serve predominately students with physical and/or developmental disabilities

· Hospitals that are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations

· Religious organizations that are operated by or within religious institutions and serve secular needs, have space formally dedicated to their programs, and have financial and governing autonomy from the parent religious organization

· Canadian organizations that would qualify as charitable organizations under United States law and have an independent audit prepared in accordance with their recognized local standards

· Who may not apply?

· Organizations without independently audited financial statements as outlined above

· Elementary and secondary schools that do not serve predominately students with physical and/or developmental disabilities

· Religious organizations except in the circumstances noted above

· Organizations with no paid staff

NOTE: Only one application per organization accepted. If your organization has applied for a planning grant in the past, it is not eligible to submit a second request.

What types of projects are eligible?

· Renovation (may include some new construction; primary square footage must be devoted to renovation)

· Historic preservation

· New construction designed to achieve certification from LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – at the Platinum level from the U.S. Green Building Council

· New construction designed to meet the Cascadia Region Green Building Council’s Living Building Challenge (also endorsed by the U.S. Green Building Council)

· New construction designed to be net-zero energy efficient (a facility that produces as much energy as it consumes each year)

· What is required before submitting a planning grant request?

· A formal commitment by the organization to renovate or construct a facility

· Site control of the property

· An architect and mechanical engineering professional has been hired

If you have questions, e-mail Grants Inquiry Coordinator or call 248-643-9630.

“Ownership, Rental Costs and the Prospects of Building Home Equity: An Analysis of 100 Metropolitan Areas,” a new report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research and the National Low Income Housing Coalition, demonstrates the wide diversity of housing markets across the country and emphasizes the need to stray away from one-size-fits-all solutions to the housing crisis.

The bubble that developed in the U.S. housing market from the years 1996 to 2006 pushed prices in many markets far out of line with fundamental values. The correction that began in the middle of 2006 has helped to bring house prices back in line with their long-run trend growth path. Nonetheless, house prices in some of the most inflated markets are still hugely out of line with rents and income.

This paper compares ownership and rental costs in the 100 largest metropolitan areas. It also makes projections for the potential for accumulating home equity in these markets, assuming that a homeowner remains in their home for four years, the median holding period for moderate income households.

The latest issue of "Rural Voices," the quarterly magazine of the Housing Assistance Council, explains the impact of the foreclosure crisis on rural America and describes programs that have helped rural families keep their homes. Articles explore the subject from several angles. For example, statewide organizations present data they have collected showing the extent of foreclosure problems in Minnesota and Ohio. A housing counseling center's staff describes the issue in Washington state and resources available for homeowners. The National Consumer Law Center provides tips for organizations creating foreclosure prevention counseling programs. And other national organizations summarize legislative, regulatory, and programmatic activities to address the crisis. To access the magazine, click here.

Expert Chat: Weatherization, Rehab and Asset Preservation Partnership July 10

On Thursday, July 10 at 2 p.m. ET, KnowledgePlex and Energy Programs Consortium team up to sponsor this online discussion of the Weatherization, Rehab and Asset Preservation Partnership. WRAP, a multi-year project sponsored by the Ford Foundation, develops new and innovative strategies and models to help sustain low income-home ownership by integrating energy, housing and mortgage refinance options. The program is completing its fifth year, and has piloted in 11 cities across the country. Phase two of the program will be pilot-tested this fall in Maine, Massachusetts and New York, and will be expanding to additional states later in the year. This discussion will detail some of the strategies WRAP used to meet the needs of the target population, relate stories about families that benefited from the program, how the next stage can benefit the target population and how we believe this program can be replicated on a local, state and federal level. For more information and to join the chat, click here.]

Many of the families that are participating in the pilot program are spending more than 40 percent of their monthly income to pay their basic mortgage, energy, insurance and real estate taxes. One of the essential lessons being learned from the WRAP pilots is that a more systematic approach to delivering these services in needed. WRAP is moving towards two strategies: a state focus for this initiative guided by the fact that decisions to support a more systematic approach are made at the state, and in some cases, local governments, rather than by local non-profit agencies, and the development of a low income Energy Star level energy efficient mortgage product that will build on weatherization and other energy efficiency grant and loan subsidy programs. The program is being pilot-tested this fall in Maine, Massachusetts and New York and will be expanding to additional states later in the year.

This discussion will detail some of the strategies WRAP used to meet the needs of the target population, relate stories about families that benefited from the program, how the next stage can benefit the target population and how we believe this program can be replicated on a local, state and federal level.

Panelists

Spencer Cowan, Senior Research Associate, Center for Urban and Regional Studies
Howard Banker, Executive VP, Financial Services, Opportunity Finance Network
George McCarthy, Senior Program Officer, Development Finance and Economic Security, Ford Foundation
Mark Wolfe, Executive Director, National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association (Moderator)

Questions? Please contact Andy Stone via email.

National Charrette Institute Presents Three Training Session July 14-18

Join the National Charrette Institute for some important seminars and workshops in Portland!

"Introduction to NCI Dynamic Planning," which takes place on the morning of July 14, is Module 1 of all NCI certificate programs, and describes how a charrette works within the context of NCI Dynamic Planning, a comprehensive project management process that begins with the project vision and ends with the plan's implementation. Those who stay for "Continuing NCI Dynamic Planning," the afternoon of July 14 through July 16th, will receive the NCI Charrette Planner® certificate and learn the fundamentals of designing and running a successful project using an NCI charrette. Depending on skill and experience level, upon completion course participants will be able to host or conduct an NCI charrette, a powerful tool for creating healthy communities through effective stakeholder involvement and collaboration. "NCI Charrette Management" on July 17th and 18th is an advanced course that focuses on the tools and techniques necessary to manage a multiple-day charrette.

Portland, OR · July 14 -18

"Introduction to NCI Dynamic Planning," "Continuing NCI Dynamic Planning" and "NCI Charrette Management"

NCI Charrette Planner® certificate program

NCI Complete Charrette Manager™ certificate program

For more information and to register, visit: http://www.charretteinstitute.org/programs/reg_current/pdx_reg_july08.html

NCI offers a 10% discount on all public trainings in Portland to current members of the Congress for the New Urbanism and Oregon/Washington APA Chapters. Students, faculty and non-profit employees can attend "Introduction to NCI Dynamic Planning" at a reduced rate of $45 at trainings in Portland.

For more information on NCI's certificate trainings, please visit our website at http://charretteinstitute.org/programs.html.