The Community Development Network

In the opening presentation, “Walking the Green Path”, Kate Allen of Enterprise Community Partners brought attention to the variety of green building practices CDN members are using. From safer building materials to ecoroofs and stormwater treating landscapes, no aspect of building and rehabbing escapes the opportunity to make a better environment for our residents. CDC housing even has toilets that use rainwater!

The featured speaker Denis Hayes from the Bullitt Foundation highlighted the Pacific Northwest, and Portland in particular, as leading the way into a greener future. Denis was a key organizer of the first Earth Day inspiring changes in people and institutions that profoundly affect our lives. In her introductory comments Kate Allen shared a story from Doris Koo whose lifepath was changed by the ideas central to Earth Day: Stewardship of the earth and a livable planet for everyone. Denis continued to challenge and inspire the crowd to keep “Walking the Green Path.”

The Industry Partner Award goes an organization or individual that is an invaluable partner in strengthening nonprofit community development organizations or helping provide a collective voice for healthy, diverse communities.

CDN’s executive director Sam Chase said that Sam Adams “isn’t a politician at heart, but someone who knows how to navigate the political system. He seems to have a unique understanding of community needs and certainly understands that in order to succeed in life, people need stable and affordable housing.”

During his council race, Adams spoke about the importance of affordable housing. His committment proved much deeper once he assumed office. Adams’ support for affordable housing was in large part what sparked the momentum that led to the passage of Portland’s 30% affordable housing set aside.

The Washington Mutual Award for Property and Asset Management Best Practices: Housing Northwest, Inc.

The Washington Mutual Award for "Property and Asset Management Best Practices" is awarded annually to a CDN member organization for outstanding and innovative achievements in the field. This award honors the CDC that, during the last two years, has shown particular merit in the field of property and asset management, for example, working through a troubled acquisition-rehab project, developing new tracking systems or other innovations.

Housing Northwest, Inc. distinguishes itself as one of the only not-for-profit property management companies in the state. Their mission is to provide housing opportunities in a way that allows their residents to attain their personal goals. They have been actively managing affordable housing in Oregon just since 2006. In that period of time they have made a huge impact on the performance of many communities throughout the state, By improving occupancy and income, HNW allowed a project that had been paying construction loan interest for more than two years to be able to convert to permanent financing, have created resident service programs where they previously did not exist, including a computer lab for a project for disabled residents, They have taken over numerous projects that have struggled with compliance issues and cleaned up resident files and bought them back into compliance. HNW has taken on the hardest property challenges and the toughest resident populations and has created a portfolio that is 97% occupied, has received satisfactory or better scores from all governing bodies on inspection, has beaten every lease up schedule and impacted the property management industry by giving non-profit owners a new option in fee management services.

Gilman Award for Exemplary Achievement: Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, Inc.

In 2004, Albina Community Development Corporation’s Board of Directors sought out Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives, Inc (PCRI) to acquire its 310 unit affordable housing portfolio. Albina CDC’s and PCRI’s Board of Directors along with their staff worked to ensure that these units would continue to be available to address the affordable housing needs of lower income NE Portland residents, most of whom were potential candidates for displacement. The acquisition took over 2 years of dedication and determination. During this same time period the Urban League of Portland approached PCRI to acquire the Urban League Plaza. Led by PCRI’s Board and staff, the vision and belief that this could be accomplished created an avenue for success for all parties involved, including the residents. The portfolio’s future was secured on March 31st, 2006, when PCRI took over ownership. PCRI is thrilled that it was able to preserve this affordable housing stock. PCRI plan to manage these additional units in-house, culminating a major project that began 3 years ago.

If PCRI had failed in acquisitions, Portland would have lost 334 units of affordable housing. Since safeguarding these units, PCRI has been recognized by the Enterprise Foundation as a national model for how other CDCs can successfully preserve affordable housing.

Hacienda CDC started on the concept for Clara Vista Townhomes in 2003 with the need to rehab and financially restructure our 178-unit tax-credit project, Villa de Clara Vista. Several proformas and strategy meetings with PDC, OHCS, Fannie Mae and our limited partner later, we conceived a plan to “extract” 45 units from the Villa de Clara Vista limited partnership and rebuild 44 new units as the Clara Vista Townhomes. This unusual arrangement allowed Hacienda to bring 44 units of new housing to a community that was better suited to meet the needs of our residents while still providing a limited rehab to the original project, now 133 units.

Creating a new tax credit limited partnership in the midst of a 15 year compliance period of a project is not the only unique aspect of the Clara Vista Townhomes. This project utilizes all of the popular green building techniques but goes a step farther with the addition of solar hot water heaters to help offset rising utility costs for residents. We also installed ecolawns and bioswales for further efficiencies in water use and treatments. Clara Vista is registered as the first LEED certified multi-family housing development.

Finally, the new units at Clara Vista Townhomes replaced a surplus of one and two-bedroom with three and four-bedroom apartments to better serve the large families in our community. The project also offers 14 Project-based Section 8 units and is part of our Bridges to Housing partnership with Portland Impact. These additional “subsidies” help to further alleviate the economic burdens for our families, increase the number of apartments available at 30% AMI, and bring long-term social services.

With over $10 million in resources invested, Clara Vista Townhomes truly represents community revitalization, sustainable building and affordability.

The People’s Program Award: REACH CDI for its Trio of Financial Literacy programs

The People’s Program Award is presented in honor of an outstanding program that effectively addresses the needs of low income families or individuals through stabilizing housing, providing employment or skills training, increasing income or assets, supporting innovative solutions to family or neighborhood problems, offering homeownership opportunities, developing programs for children and youth, reaching un- or under- served populations, or implementing creative solutions to other community needs.

REACH has created a “Trio of Financial Literacy programs” -- Budget Buy and Save , STARTS and the IDA program to provide three innovative approaches to help low-income residents in REACH housing gain financial self-sufficiency.

Budget, Buy and Save was created to provide basic money management skills to adults living in REACH housing. Since we began the program in 2005, 152 residents have graduated from the program, gaining skills in budgeting, saving, using credit wisely, and asset development. Because residents were coming to Budget, Buy and Save with very different levels of knowledge, skill and income, we expanded our services to offer STARTS, a class targeted to zero-income residents and an IDA program to help our more financially stable residents achieve bigger financial goals.

REACH began the IDA program in May 2007. The program enrollees set a savings goal—college, job training, starting or expanding a small business, or buying a home—and save each month towards the asset they chose. After completing Budget, Buy and Save, potential enrollees meet with staff to develop a personal savings plan and set goals. They must save successfully for three months before enrolling in the program. We collaborate with Portland Housing Center and Mercy Corps NW to provide home-buying and small business training.

STARTS (Support and Training with Action to Realize Triumph and Success) began with an enthusiastic group of 14 residents living in our housing for formerly homeless. Based on the curriculum of Budget, Buy and Save but modified to meet the needs of residents with little or no income, the members of the class each set specific goals around achieving an income, whether it was applying for SSI/SSDI, looking for work, or going back to school. The program was extremely successful giving the participants new skills and the opportunity to have a more secure financial future.

REACH realizes that to best meet the financial literacy needs of residents living in affordable housing it is necessary to create a range of programs that fit their particular circumstances. REACH’s Trio of Financial Literacy Programs is a model approach to how this can be achieved.

Jean DeMaster, Executive Director of Human Solutions, received the coveted Gretchen Kafoury award for Outstanding Achievement in the field of community development. The winner of the Kafoury Award is chosen by the past winners. Jean was happy to celebrate those who have gone before her, and she singled out Ms Kafoury who was in the audience and still inspires accomplishment in the affordable housing industry. Jean traces her own roots in affordable housing to her work in resident services. Transition Projects "Jean's Place", named for our honoree continues to provide shelter to women transitioning out of homelessness.

The Community Development Network would like to thank all of the Banquet Sponsors:

Emerald Sponsors: Citibank Community Capital and Portland Development Commission

Ruby Sponsors: Enterprise Community Partners, Homestead Capital, Housing Northwest, National Equity Fund, and Walsh Construction.

Topaz Sponsors: Bank of America, Bateman Seidel Miner Blomgren Chellis & Gram, Carleton Hart Architects, Cascade Management, Bureau of Housing and Community Development, Gales Creek Insurance. Guardian Management, Housing Authority of Portland, Income Property Management, JD Fulwiler, Key Bank, Metro, Miller Nash, Myhre Group Architects, NOAH, PNC MultiFamily Capital, Portland Bureau of Planning, Schwabe Williamson & Wyatt, Seabold Construction, US Bank, Wells Fargo, and William Wilson Architects.

A special thanks also goes out to the volunteers who committed their time and energy to the Awards Banquet Planning Committee: Kate Kealy, Jeff Jewel, Melissa Petersen, Kristen Godkin, Anastasia Howard, and Andrew Ayers. Without all of your hard work, the banquet would not been nearly as successful. CDN greatly appreciates your help.

Earlier this month, the Oregon Center for Public Policy (OCPP) participated in the Oregon Center for Christian Values' (OCCV) fall Conference Poverty & Politics: Responding to God's Call for Action. At the host's request, OCPP prepared charts illustrating the growing income inequality in Oregon. The trends are alarming to say the least. Click on the link too view the OCPP’s slides. Feel free to copy and disseminate them.

PAMWG Report Highlights Challenges, Opportunities for Affordable Housing

The owners of Portland’s publicly funded affordable housing released a report that highlights some of the challenges they face to preserve and maintain their vital niche in the housing market. While the primary challenge is a shortfall in public funds to meet the housing need, downward economic trends and systemic inefficiencies have the potential to destabilize the housing of many of Portland’s most vulnerable residents.

Portland’s affordable housing owners released their report at the Community Development Network’s Public Forum on Thursday, October 18^th, at Genesis Community Church. About 100 people attended and listened to an hour-long presentation put together by eighteen Community Development Corporations (CDCs) and the Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) which own and operate affordable housing. The meeting was called to discuss successes and challenges for affordable providers housing in the Portland area.

Economic trends including the rapid inflation in Portland’s housing market, the increasing cost of construction of new housing, and flat or reduced growth in household income for families, seniors and people with disabilities in Portland, have exacerbated the already challenging fiscal environment for owners of affordable housing. Burdensome and duplicative reporting systems to government, foundation and private funding sources have created added costs that strain the long term financial viability of the subsidized housing.

Combined, the CDCs and HAP operate approximately 15,000 units of affordable housing reserved for working families, seniors and people with disabilities in Portland. Affordable housing helps to prevent homelessness, reduces the displacement caused by gentrification, and helps to ensure that families have a comfortable and secure place to call home.

According to the presenters, when CDCs receive public funds to develop affordable housing they must commit to maintaining the housing for 40 to 60 years. Though the majority of households currently living in this housing earn less than 30 percent of Portland’s median family income ($20,350 for a family of four), the financial structure of affordable housing projects assumes residents who earn more. The result of this difference in income is the rental income is lower than the basic operating expenses of the project. Compounding the problem, in recent years, the average household income in the Portland area has remained relatively flat while the cost of housing has risen. This has impacted the amount of rent CDCs can charge their tenants in spite of rising costs.

“We all have a stake in addressing these challenges. Although the CDCs and the housing authorities are the stewards of this housing, the whole community benefits from affordable housing,” said Molly Rogers, Asset Manager from the Housing Development Center and facilitator of the presentation.

The presenters concluded by discussing the growing difficulty in financing new construction. Most new affordable housing developments require 10-12 separate funding sources including public entities such as the Portland Development Commission as well as private lenders. Each of these funders requires a unique oversight process to ensure the units are being operated responsibly and are reserved for families who are truly in need. Representatives from the CDCs in attendance recommended that funders combine their oversight processes to reduce the cost and time involved with the current system. They released survey results that said this could save the industry millions of dollars annually. Representatives from the Portland Development Commission and Oregon Housing and Community Services pledged to work together to streamline the oversight process and received a round of applause from the crowd.

To download a copy of the report presentation, go to: http://www.hdc1.org/asset_management.html

The National Housing Trust Fund Campaign scored a hat trick in the U.S. House of Representatives with the passage of three bills that established and funded a National Affordable Housing Trust Fund, H.R. 2895.

In the Senate, passage of a bill presents a different and tougher set of challenges. Given the one-vote majority in the Senate and a Senate process that is based largely on consensus, success in the Senate will require an even greater degree of bipartisan support than was achieved in the House. The backing of Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and cooperation of ranking member Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) are key elements of a Senate strategy. The National Housing Trust Fund Campaign is focusing on development of this consensus. The first goal is to have a Senate trust fund bill with bipartisan co-sponsorship introduced in 2007 prior to the Senate adjourning for this session.

Manufactured Home Park Report on Closure Dynamics, Preservation Strategies

CASA of Oregon and the Community Development Law Center (CDLC) have just released a comprehensive report entitled “Manufactured Home Parks in Oregon”. The study was funded under a grant from the Corporation for Economic Development (CFED), with additional funding provided by Oregon Housing and Community Services.

Manufactured housing is one of the largest sources of affordable unsubsidized single family housing in the state and in the nation. 65,469 Oregonians live in the state’s 1,300 manufactured home parks. Two-thirds of park residents are low-income: more than one in ten households earned less than $10,000 and 62.9 percent have annual household income of less than $30,000.

As a result of rapidly appreciating land values, population growth and aging park infrastructure, many Oregon manufactured home parks are being closed and redeveloped. Since 1995, 2,736 families have been displaced by the closure of 71 manufactured home parks, approximately five percent of the parks in the state. Forty-seven of these closures occurred between 2004 and 2006, when land prices increased at an extremely rapid pace.

At the heart of this crisis is the nature of property ownership in manufactured home parks. The park owner owns the land and leases it to the tenant, who owns the home. In a redevelopment or conversion, residents’ and owners’ goals can be in direct conflict.

The report provides a wide range of information about manufactured housing in Oregon and outlines strategies to preserve parks in Oregon. Included are discussions of park preservation through (1) resident-owned communities, in the form of cooperatives or mutual benefit nonprofits; (2) nonprofit ownership by community-based organizations like community development corporations, community action agencies or community land trusts; and (3) public ownership, through local housing authorities.

Copies of the report are available on the websites of the Community Development Law Center, www.cdlcweb.org and CASA, www.casaoforegon.org. Hard copies of the report are also available. For additional information please Kristin Smith, CDLC Legal Assistant, at 503-471-1173, or via email.

OALUAH Recognizes the Housing Alliance for Leadership in Legislative Advocacy

The Oregon Alliance for Land Use and Affordable Housing (OALUAH) presented an award to the Housing Alliance for its leadership in affordable housing advocacy during the 2007 legislative session at the 2007 Oregon Land Use and Housing Affordability Conference on Friday, October 26th. The Housing Alliance, a coalition of over 50 organizations dedicated to increasing the resources available for meeting Oregon’s housing needs, helped secure an additional $26 million in housing resources, increased the cap on the Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credit, and passed a bill to protect the rights of renters whose units are converting to condo’s. OALUAH wishes to thank the Housing Alliance for its great work and its leadership on behalf of Oregon’s most vulnerable citizens. To learn more about the Housing Alliance, go to www.oregonhousingalliance.org.

Counting Syllables to Earn Dollars: PCLT Annual Meeting and Haiku Inferno Nov 7

Wednesday, November 7, 5:30-8:00 at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center (5340 North Interstate Avenue). RSVP's are encouraged to via email.

On Thursday, November 8, ROSE Community Development Corp. will celebrate 15 years of service to Southeast Portland with its annual breakfast. The event begins at 7:30 am at OMSI.

A sign of a healthy community is the sight of children playing outside, secure in their surroundings and free from the concerns of survival. It sounds simple, it seems basic, yet so much stands in the way. A better world is built a brick at a time, and ROSE housing gives working families a secure place to build lives, raise children, and become part of a neighborhood.

The event’s theme, “Dawn of a New Day”, marks the new beginnings that ROSE’s work makes possible for families and neighborhoods. The organization’s supporters will be celebrating ROSE’s good work and the people who are making outer Southeast neighborhoods a great place to live.

ROSE takes its name from its mission. Since 1992, ROSE has worked to “Revitalize Outer South East” Portland neighborhoods. Building on the belief that a stable home is a keystone for a successful life, ROSE works to create affordable housing in four Portland neighborhoods characterized by aging housing stocks and household incomes that are well below the city’s averages.

Beginning with the acquisition of a single house, ROSE has used housing improvement as a strategy to jump-start community revitalization. To date, ROSE has produced an inventory of over 300 rental and homeownership units. Over 130 of these units have been specifically designed for special-needs occupants, such as seniors or those confined to a wheelchair. By the end of this year, ROSE will have opened 52 new housing units -- the 37-unit Leander Court Apartments on SE 122nd Avenue, and Woodmere Homes, 15 condominiums located on SE 81st.

Amy Jacobs, Store Manager of the Johnson Creek Fred Meyer Store, will serve as the master of ceremonies. Amy is one of the founder’s of Shop with a Cop, a program that enables ROSE residents and others to buddy with a cop for back-to-school shopping. As part of the ceremonies, ROSE will present awards to the following partners: Community Leader – Rosanne Lee, Crime Prevention Coordinator with the Office of Neighborhood Involvement; Community Partner – Portland Impact; Business Partner – Walsh Construction; and Outstanding ROSE Volunteer – Ana Zamudio, ROSE resident.

Why: To support ROSE’s expanding homeownership efforts and community programs.

Notable: Breakfast is free but donations are welcome. RSVP required, please contact Mackendree Thompson at 503-788-8052 x100 or via email

The Clackamas Community Land Trust invites you to our Annual Fundraising Reception on Thursday November 8th. We will be celebrating from 6 pm to 9 pm at the Historic Broetje House in Milwaukie.

Enjoy the beautiful historic surroundings of this classic 1889 Victorian Estate while exploring very modern architectural models of environmentally responsible pre-fabricated homes designed for CCLT by architectural students at Portland State University.

Meet our new Executive Director, Sarah Buckley and bid farewell to Nancy Yuill, our outgoing Executive Director.

Hearty appetizers and a hosted bar will keep you satiated as you bid on fabulous silent auction items. You could win a weekend at a house on the coast or a fabulous dinner at a local restaurant!

Tickets are $25 and are on sale at www.clackamasclt.org or send your check to CCLT, 2316 SE Willard Street, Milwaukie, Oregon 97222. For more info: (503) 654-1007 x112

Manufactured Home Park: Gentrification in the Urban Fringe and Beyond Nov 14

The School of Urban Studies and Planning at Portland State University with Planning Includes Equity (PIE) proudly presents: The Fall 2007 Brown Bag Series "Manufactured Home Park Closures: Gentrification in the Urban Fringe and Beyond" on Wednesday, Nov 14, 12:00pm- 1:00pm. College of Urban and Public Affairs, School of Urban Studies and Planning, Urban Center Building, Room 270, 506 SW Mill Street, Portland, Oregon. Admission is free.

Featured presenter: Andre Tremoulet, Portland State University, Urban Studies PhD Candidate. Join us for a conversation about housing diversity and changes in the urban fringe. Ms. Tremoulet will speak on the loss of a major source of affordable housing in the Portland area.