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| AHR Breaks Ground on 'Signature'
Mixed-Use Development in Downtown Nashville |
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Affordable Housing Resources, a NeighborWorks organization in Nashville, Tennessee, recently held a groundbreaking on
its 5th and Main mixed-use development, according to an article in The Tennessean. The development will feature 129 lofts, flats and townhomes along with 30,000 square feet of retail and commercial space — all within a clear view of the downtown Nashville skyline.
"This project is one of the largest and more complex in our network," said NeighborWorks America CEO Ken Wade. "It will be a signature project and a gateway into the city."
More on 5th and Main Development
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| NeighborWorks America Receives Partnership Award from Social Compact |
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NeighborWorks America received Social Compact's Partnership award for providing "strong, forward-thinking" support at the national level for projects like the "DrillDown" that have a demonstrated track record of revitalizing communities. Social Compact's DrillDown uses tools to measure the demographics of inner-city neighborhoods to develop a more comprehensive approach to attracting retail businesses. CEO Ken Wade accepted the award at the event attended by policy, corporate, and community leaders.
Federal Reserve Governor and NeighborWorks America Board member Mark W. Olson, in the evening’s keynote speech, noted “Hard data on results are important in establishing the credibility of projects. With data, and results, investments can also serve as catalysts for additional private investment in underserved areas.”
He recognized that there were a variety of measures available but as a member of the NeighborWorks America board he said he was most familiar with the Success Measures Data System. The system, he said, "quantifies the effects of housing, economic development, and community building programs at the personal, organizational, and community levels."
NeighborWorks news release.
View Mark W. Olson speech.
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| Community
Strategies represent the shared experience of NeighborWorks
America and its member organizations 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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| NeighborWorks America produces a wide variety of publications. Most
are free and others cost a nominal fee to order. For a complete
listing and order forms, go to NeighborWorks Publications. |
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| NeighborWorks Charters Wyoming Organization, Marshall Heights in Washington, D.C. |
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Wyoming Housing Network received an official charter from NeighborWorks America, June 1, at the newly acquired Spring Hill Apartments in Casper, Wyoming. The ceremony was attended by Wyoming Senator Craig Thomas, Ken Wade and other officials. View article.
The Marshall Heights Community Development Organization was chartered into the NeighborWorks Network, June 10. Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan, a NeighborWorks America board member and Washington, D.C. native, was on hand not only for the chartering, but he and some of the OCC staff painted transitional family housing apartments as part of a NeighborWorks Week event at Marshal Heights. View article.
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| Comerica Bank Grants Made for Low- to Moderate Income Buyers in California |
Comerica Bank announced
$910,000 in grants to four California nonprofits that provide financing
and consulting to small businesses and first-time homebuyers. NeighborWorks member Los Angeles Neighborhood Housing Services received $250,000 in revolving loan funds earmarked for loans to low- and moderate-income
homebuyers. View Newswire article.
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Self-Help Enterprises Expands Services in California’s Central Valley
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At a June 1 ceremony, NeighborWorks America awarded a $150,000 grant to network member Self-Help Enterprises in support of the organization’s expansion into the City of Bakersfield, a fast-growing California Central Valley city.
Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hill, and Councilmember Jacquie Sullivan attended the June 1 ceremony to show their support for Self-Help Enterprises. View article.
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| Community Housing Services, Wichita, Kansas, Celebrates 10th Year |
| Community Housing Services, a member of the national NeighborWorks network and a NeighborWorks Homeownership Center, celebrated its 10th year at a special event in April that was attended by more than 150 community members. CHS received more than $300,000 at the event from NeighborWorks America, State Farm, and other partners. U.S. Congressman Todd Tiahrt
(R-KS) helped celebrate the organization's successes. View article. |
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| NeighborWorks America Selects New Orleanean for Hurricane Rebuilding Work in Louisiana |
| For James Ross, working at NeighborWorks America is more than a job: it’s a chance to participate in the rebuilding of his beloved hometown, New Orleans. His duties will include identifying resources and coordinating activities in support of NeighborWorks America’s effort to rebuild communities devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. View article. |
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| NeighborWorks Commends IRS Steps to Curb Abuse by Some Credit Counseling Groups |
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The Internal Revenue Service completed audits of 41 of some of the nation's largest nonprofit consumer credit counseling agencies and decided to rescind the tax-exempt status of every one of them—mainly because they provided little if any education and operated mainly like for-profit businesses often for the benefit of officers, directors and related parties.
"NeighborWorks America applauds these actions by the IRS," said Steve Tuminaro, director of public policy and legislative affairs for NeighborWorks America. "While the revocations may cause temporary problems and confusion for legitimate nonprofit credit counseling agencies, in the long run they will help consumers. This action will weed out sham nonprofit organizations and give added assurance to consumers so they can expect to receive real benefit from legitimate nonprofit organizations that are working solely on their behalf." View article.
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| NeighborWorks Comments on IRS Ruling Targeting Down-Payment-Assistance Scams |
Organizations that provide seller-funded down payment assistance to homebuyers do not qualify as tax-exempt charities, according to recent IRS guidance. Revenue Ruling 2006-27
[PDF] also addresses whether the assistance received for down payment is treated as a gift and included in a home buyer’s basis.
"This ruling doesn’t affect legitimate charities (including NeighborWorks organizations), which receive contributions that go into a capital fund or revolving loan fund rather than being applied to a specific property designated by the contributor of the funds," said Steve Tuminaro, director of public policy and legislative affairs for NeighborWorks America. "There is sure to be some confusion for all nonprofits that provide downpayment assistance until the dust settles on this ruling." View article.
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| Comptroller Dugan Urges Congress to Provide Increased Authority for Banks and Thrifts to Invest in Low- and Moderate-Income Communities |
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Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan urged Congress to adopt legislation that would increase the authority of banks and thrifts to invest in projects that provide housing, community services, and jobs for low- and moderate-income communities and families across the nation. View article.
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Nominations Sought for NeighborWorks
Government Service Award
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| This August, at the NeighborWorks Training Institute in Washington, D.C., three government officials will be honored with a NeighborWorks Government Service Award for their significant contributions toward strengthening communities and expanding the supply of affordable housing. Nominations will be accepted for three categories (federal, state and local) from NeighborWorks organizations. Please take this opportunity to nominate someone who demonstrates commitment to the NeighborWorks mission and has made a profound difference in your community. Application information. |
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| Awards for Heroes of the Gulf Coast Disaster, June 30 |
The Robert Wood Johnson Community Health Leadership Program is offering five $120,000 awards to people who have shown exceptional leadership in bringing health services to those affected by the Gulf Coast Disaster. Nominees can be from all significantly affected areas, including communities that have offered shelter and support to people displaced from the Gulf Region. The deadline is June 30, 2006.
More information.
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| Bank of America Charitable Foundation Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, June 30 |
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Bank of America Charitable Foundation Neighborhood Excellence Initiative is offering up to $200,000 in grants to recognize, nurture, and reward organizations, local heroes, and student leaders helping to rebuild and revitalize communities in 38 of the bank's major markets across the United States.
More information.
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| Terner Prize for Successful and Innovative Affordable Housing Projects, September 18 |
| “Recognizing successful and innovative affordable housing projects and their leadership teams, the Terner Prize is being inaugurated to commemorate Don Terner on the tenth anniversary of his death. One $25,000 prize will be awarded biennially to the affordable housing project and leadership team that best exemplifies the spirit of Don Terner's work, commitment to affordable housing, and practice principles. In addition, five finalist teams will be awarded leadership stipends of $5,000. Applications are due September 18, 2006. More information. |
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NeighborWorks Training Institute ~ Washington, DC ~ August 14-18
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Register by July 5 and save $50! Join us in our nation’s capital for more than 80 professional courses in a range of affordable housing and community development topics. Of special note:
For a full list of course offerings and registration information, visit us online at www.nw.org/training.
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NeighborWorks Training Institute ~ Kansas City, Missouri ~ June 26-30
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Pre-event registration is closed, but if you are still interested in attending courses at this training institute, on-site registration will open at 3 p.m. on June 25 at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. Featured at this training institute include Green Building and Healthy Homes courses, a new
Resident Services course, the Spanish-language version of the Homebuyer Education Methods: Training the Trainer's course, and a symposium on June 28 — All in Good Measure: Building Your Toolkit to Evaluate Capacity, Performance and Impact. Get more information online at www.nw.org/training.
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2006 Innovations in Homeownership Contest ~ Applications Due July 7
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NeighborWorks America and the NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling (NCHEC) are pleased to announce the Third Annual Innovations in Homeownership Contest—Innovative Strategies in Foreclosure Intervention to Preserve Homeownership, sponsored by the MetLife Foundation. Qualifying nonprofit organizations could receive a cash prize for a winning strategy within one of four categories. For contest details, click here.
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| Advanced Housing Asset Management Course ~ Registration Deadline July 6 |
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Advanced Housing Asset Management is the final course in the educational series leading to the Certified Housing Asset Manager (CHAM) professional designation. Designed around the professional needs of asset managers, CDC staff and directors of property management, the intensive five-day course is built around case studies and participants’ “real world” challenges. The course, and the entire series, is offered by the Consortium for Housing and Asset Management, a collaborative effort of NeighborWorks America, Enterprise Community Partners and LISC. To learn more about the agenda of the course and how it can help advance your career, download a course brochure at www.nw.org/training, or visit www.cham.org.
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| 'Keys to My Home' Web Site – A Comprehensive Counseling and Education Resource for Housing Counselors and Their Clients |
| NeighborWorks Center for Homeownership Education and Counseling (NCHEC), in partnership with E*Trade Financial, has launched an exciting and highly useful new Web site to support homeownership education and counseling efforts across the country. Based on the nationally recognized curriculum from NCHEC’s prepurchase consumer manual Realizing the American Dream, Keys to My Home (www.keystomyhome.org, or accessible through www.nw.org/nchec) has calculators, learning modules, and comparison tools that are easy to use, clearly designed, and free to practitioners and their clients. Keys to My Home is poised to become a cornerstone educational resource for housing counselors and their clients. |
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| Guide for Cleaning Flood-Damaged Homes Released |
| The National Center for Healthy Housing and Enterprise Community Partners have published an instructional guide for cleaning flood-damaged homes. The manual documents a protocol tested on four homes in New Orleans by the two organizations in partnership with NeighborWorks America and Neighborhood Housing Services of New Orleans. The guide targets do-it-yourselfers and contractors who need to remove mold before rebuilding or renovating. View guide. [PDF] |
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Fort Wayne, Indiana, Web Site Links Volunteers
to Neighbors in Need
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| On third Saturday of every month, dozens of Fort Wayne, Indiana, residents show up at 9 a.m. to devote three hours of their time to help a neighbor. A community-based Web site called NeighborLink Fort Wayne http://www.nlfw.org makes the connections between people in need and hundreds of people willing to assist them.
Although recent trends show that the fastest growth in Internet usage is among social networking sites, NeighborLink’s brand of connection has little in common with such popular sites as MySpace, Blogger, or Facebook. In fact, the Fort Wayne site appears to be one of the first in the nation to connect local volunteers to people needing help. View article. |
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| Paper Explores Neighborhoods' Influence on Well-Being of Families |
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Authors Margery Austin Turner and Deborah R. Kaye of the Urban Institute use the latest data from the National Survey of America's Families (NSAF) to explore variations across types of neighborhood environments in the well-being of families and children.
How Does Family Well-Being Vary across Different Types of Neighborhoods?
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| How Much is That House Worth? Ask Zillow.com |
| Just type a street address into Zillow.com, and you will get an instant estimate of the current market value
of a house. You’ll also see a bird’s-eye view of the property, taken from satellite images, and you can learn the estimated value of nearby homes. Aside from appealing to one’s natural curiosity about a major personal asset, Zillow.com also provides valuable information to community-based organizations in their dealings with other real estate professionals. View article. |
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| Harvard's 2006 State of the Nation’s Housing Finds Affordability Problems Escalating Even As Housing Market Cools; More Growth in Minority and Immigrant Households |
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Despite the recent cooling of the housing market, five years of unprecedented house price appreciation and decades of land use restrictions that make building affordable housing difficult are adding to widespread housing affordability problems, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard. “Strong household growth, combined with record incomes and wealth, will lift housing investments to new highs next decade,” remarks Eric Belsky, executive director of the Joint Center.
View press release. Download report.
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