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MACDC Advocacy Succeeds: Division of Banks Issues Opinion Letter to Ease Licensing Burden on Nonprofits
In response to aggressive advocacy by MACDC, its members and allies, the Massachusetts Division of Banks (DOB) has issued an Opinion Letter clarifying how the new licensing provisions in the recently passed Foreclosure Prevention Law impact nonprofits. Nonprofit organizations that administer publicly funded programs are now exempt from the new licensing requirements; without this exemption nonprofits would have been subject to stringent and costly requirements relating to net worth, financial disclosure and bonding. The full text of the Opinion Letter can be accessed at the DOB website at www.ma.gov/dob.The exemption does not cover all loan programs run by MACDC members; certain types of mortgage lending (by nonprofit and for profits alike) are still covered by the new licensing requirements. However, the DOB recognized that essential publicly funded programs (such as lead paint abatement, home repair for low and moderate income households, septic repair, modifications to improve access to homes for people with disabilities, and down payment assistance programs) were not intended to be covered by the licensing provisions in the new law- and its Opinion Letter explicitly exempts such programs The key paragraph from the DOB’s Opinion Letter reads as follows: "For all of the above reasons, it is the position of the Division that the provisions of said chapter 255E shall not apply to a nonprofit agency or corporation incorporated under the laws of the Commonwealth which has a tax exempt status granted under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, which exclusively makes or issues commitments for mortgage loans on residential property to be financed with public funds, or negotiates, places, assists in placement of, finds, or offers to negotiate, place, assist in placement of, or find mortgage loans on residential property to be financed with public funds only under a contract with a federal, state, or municipal government, any instrumentality thereof or any quasi-government entity as determined by the Commissioner. The making of a mortgage loan includes being named as the lender or mortgagee on the note, mortgage or other loan documents. The exemption provided herein applies to a nonprofit entity whose residential mortgage making or brokering activities are solely limited to government programs and the use of public funds." If you have questions about whether particular programs you run or loans you make are covered under this exemption, please contact the Division of Banks directly. If you have general questions about the licensing exemption, or other provisions of the new foreclosure law, you can contact Don Bianchi at donb@macdc.org.
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Community Development Innovation Forum
In January 2007, Carl Nagy-Koechlin, the executive director of the Fenway CDC in Boston, was working with his staff and board of directors to address some of the serious challenges facing their organization and their neighborhood. With the neighborhood substantially revitalized, property values rising and little land available for development, the CDC was having trouble finding new real estate deals and was questioning its traditional role in neighborhood. As a 34-year-old organization with 400 units of housing in its portfolio, this was unsettling to say the least. At the same time, the CDC was increasingly seeing private developers with more resources entering the neighborhood, while universities and hospitals in the area were seeking to expand. As Fenway CDC was about to embark on a strategic planning process, Carl called a couple of his colleagues to get together for a conversation – were other CDCs facing similar challenges or was Fenway CDC unique? One meeting led to another with new people joining the conversation each time and a number of themes and trends emerged that highlight the dramatic change occurring in our field. Changes in real estate markets, public policy, private investment, philanthropy, the non profit sector, generational leadership and other areas are forcing a major rethinking of the community development field and how it needs to evolve to meet the challenges and opportunities of today and the future. After several months, these informal conversations and meetings suggested the need for a more intentional, inclusive and robust process to examine major changes in our environment and to develop strategies for response. Thus was born the Community Development Innovation Forum. The Community Development Innovation Forum is a one-year process sponsored by MACDC and LISC, and involving many other stakeholders, to examine where the community development field is now, to look deeply at the challenges facing the field, and to think about how we can be more effective in creating healthy communities. The Forum will convene stakeholders from the public, private, non-profit and academic sectors to challenge old orthodoxies and identify creative new opportunities. The Forum will be organized into several working groups that will explore specific issue areas and develop tangible recommendations for how the field can best move forward. Fortunately, we have secured initial funding to launch this effort from the Boston Foundation, the Hyams Foundation, and the Massachusetts Housing Partnership. This has allowed us to hire John Cleveland, a consultant with vast experience in social sector innovation, to guide our process. The Forum will hold its kick-off event on Wednesday, June 11th from 9:30 to 12:30 at Boston Private Bank, 10 Post Office Square in Boston. Our key note speaker will be Jim Capraro, the Executive Director of the Greater Southwest Development Corporation in Chicago. Jim is a nationally known community developer, and one of the guiding spirits of the ambitious and successful New Communities Program, an initiative of the McArthur Foundation and Chicago LISC which has supported comprehensive community building in 16 Chicago neighborhoods. The Fenway CDC has embarked on a new strategic direction that seeks to leverage its deep community roots, its real estate and programmatic competencies along with a deepened commitment to forge strong relationships with local institutions to achieve its vision for an economically and racially diverse community that can thrive for years to come. Many other CDCs are embarking on their own innovative paths to redefine their role and expand their impact. We believe that the Community Development Innovation Forum will help these CDCs and the entire sector create an environment where such innovations are supported and successful ones are replicated and expanded. It represents MACDC’s commitment to ensuring that the community economic development field is able to grow and successfully meet the needs of our communities.
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MACDC Plays Key Role in Foreclosed Properties Task Force
The active role MACDC and its members are playing in helping families and communities across the State deal with the foreclosure crisis takes many forms: our successful advocacy for passage of a strong State foreclosure prevention law, the counseling provided by many of our members to families to help them avoid foreclosure, and the work we are doing to help communities address the devastating effects that the wave of foreclosures is having on them. Our collective work to address the impact communities are facing has led to the formation of The Foreclosed Properties Task Force. The Task Force, which includes our allies in the nonprofit, for profit, state and local government sectors, is charged with accomplishing the following by this summer: creating a network of programs, policies, products and best practices to enable local entities to implement local strategies to promote neighborhood stabilization and minimize displacement of existing occupants through the sound disposition of properties that are in foreclosure, or at- risk of foreclosure. The Foreclosed Properties Task Force is Co-Chaired by Ann Houston of Chelsea Neighborhood Developers, and is doing the bulk of its work through five active committees: Acquisition Strategies, Acquisition Funding, Holding Period Strategies, Exit Strategies, and Matching Properties to Homebuyers. MACDC is involved in all facets of this effort, and particularly in the Exit Strategies Committee, which is charged with the following: model best practices to develop foreclosed property as affordable or mixed income homeownership developments, bundled rental properties or demolition as part of a revitalization plan. The Governor's recent announcement of a $20 million funding pool for nonprofit acquisition of foreclosed properties is a response to the work of the Task Force, but is only one piece of a comprehensive strategy needed to effectively intervene in this crisis. Anyone interested in finding our more about the work of the Task Force or MACDC's various efforts to address the foreclosure crisis should contact Don Bianchi at donb@macdc.org.
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Policy Link Conference – New Orleans LA 2008
Earlier this month, the MACDC staff joined dozens of colleagues from Massachusetts and over 1,500 people from around the country at the National Summit for Regional Equity in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Summit was sponsored by Policy Link, a national research and action institute that advocates for economic and social equity. (www.policylink.org) The Summit provided a tremendous opportunity to learn about exciting initiatives and programs from across the country and to explore how local community development efforts can better link up to regional strategies and vice versa. The Summit also emphasized the need to connect across disciplines so that local communities can access all of the things they need, including housing, transportation, education, health care, public safety, job creation, business development and parks. MACDC staff attended workshops, plenary sessions, film documentaries and tours of New Orleans’ neighborhoods, and met dozens of people from other cities and states who are doing both similar and different work. For many of us, the most meaningful experience was being in the neighborhoods. The devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita is still very evident, especially in the lower income communities. It was genuinely heartbreaking to see block after block of abandoned homes that had not been touched in more than two years. All of us experience real anger that our country and our government have not been able to do more for this city. At the same time, it was inspiring to see the resilience of the people – their capacity to channel their anger and grief into positive action is truly remarkable. New homes are being built. Old homes are being renovated. 70% of the residents have returned and more are coming home every day. At one session, a local New Orleans resident attending the conference spoke about how her anger made it hard to get involved and take action. She asked one of the panelists, Barbara Major a resident leader from New Orleans, how she was able to overcome her anger and be so effective. Ms. Major replied by talking about how she wants to be effective and make a difference and no one wants to listen to an “angry woman.” She talked about her determination and her hope for a better future. She offered to help the young woman. And she shared a little story – “When I was leaving my home during the storm, I took my four best pieces of jewelry, some photos and my Bible. I’m not so much a praying woman so I knew that I might not read it, but I was damn sure that I would need it.” Many of us had a tear in our eye as we pictured her leaving her home. Ms. Major did not. The only thing in her eye was determination. Thanks to Ms. Major and the courageous people of New Orleans, all of us at MACDC came home with a renewed sense of determination to work for our local communities, our Commonwealth and indeed our entire country.
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Methuen Arlington Celebrates New Community Center
Methuen Arlington Neighborhood Celebrates New Community Center The Methuen Arlington Neighborhood, Inc. celebrated the grand opening of its new Lena Lahey Community Center at 141 Tenney Street in Methuen on February 12th. A standing room only crowd of about 100 neighbors, friends and supporters, and a palpable spirit of community filled the third floor of the Center, as M.A.N.’s Founder and Safe Haven Coordinator Linda Soucy officiated over the ceremonies and gave accolades and awards to members of the community, donors, contractors, public officials, and others who helped make the project come to fruition. Joan Mejia, M.A.N.’s Youth Programs Director, opened the event with poignant remarks about his experience working with children and teens in the community at M.A.N.’s old community center. Among the several distinguished guests in attendance were the Honorable State Reps. Robert DeLeo of Winthrop, who is Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, and the Honorable State Reps. Linda Dean Campbell and Barbara L’Italien, who both represent Methuen. Mayor William Manzi and several other local Methuen officials were also present. Soucy also honored three present family members of the center’s namesake, the late Lena Lahey. M.A.N. Inc. Board President Richard Dewhirst concluded the ceremony with a warm tribute to Soucy for her selfless, dedicated service to the people of Methuen’s Arlington neighborhood and the community at large. One woman in the audience was heard joyfully saying of Soucy "She does God’s work, she really does." The 1,630 square-foot, 3-story community center houses educational and recreational opportunities, health outreach, social services, an after-school homework center, and a satellite library. The building is a modular construction that was delivered to Methuen and installed on the foundation. Much of the labor and materials needed to build the center was donated by local contractors, even during the Christmas holiday season. For photos on the Lena Lahey Community Center while it was under construction, visit http://www.methuenarlington.com/pictures.htm.
CDC Transitions 2008
Transitions in the field! MACDC would like to acknowledge some career transitions and new staff at our member organizations. Congratulations to: ALLSTON BRIGHTON CDC - Bob Van Meter, (formerly the Executive Director), recently accepted a position as the Executive Director for Boston LISC. ABCDC’s new Executive Director, MH Nsangou, was formerly the CDC’s Deputy Director. LAWRENCE COMMUNITYWORKS - Kristin Harol, former LCW Deputy Director, is now the Vice President and Loan Officer at the Life Initiative. NUESTRA CDC - Evelyn Friedman was selected by Mayor Menino as the next Chief of Housing and Director of the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND). She has served as the Executive Director of Nuestra for the past 17 years. URBAN EDGE – the Board of Directors recently implemented a new executive leadership structure creating two new positions: Chrystal Kornegay will serve as the CEO and Mossik Hacobian the President. Please Welcome: COALITION FOR A BETTER ACRE – Robyn Long-Navas started as the new Community Organizer last month MADISON PARK DC - Sophia Cotton who joined the MPDC team as the Marketing Manager. WATCH CDC - Erica Schwarz, former WATCH Director of Organizing and most recently from the City of Medford Office of Community Development, began as the new Executive Director on February 13th. She is replacing Alex Marthews who left the CDC last fall. Do you have movers and shakers at your organization? Send any updates to webpostings@macdc.org
Legislative Learning
MACDC staff members Pam Bender and Allison Staton have taken advocacy on the road this fall. The two hour dinner workshops in Northampton and Worcester led to lively discussions about the role state government plays in the work of CDCs and how community members play a role in shaping state government. One board member of a Western MA CDC commented that she had stopped calling her legislators because she didn’t feel she made a difference. After the workshop, she committed to calling the next morning in support of the foreclosure prevention bill pending in the legislature. Later in November the bill became law - due in part to her phone call. In Worcester Pam and Allison co-presented with the Oak Hill CDC’s HOPE Coalition, a group of youth addressing public health and tobacco use issues in their neighborhoods. The youth re-enacted an actual meeting they had with their State Senator earlier in the year. A small business owner from Fitchburg commented he had no idea all this advocacy went into making sure there were services for him to access at his CDC. He committed to helping advocate for small business funding and other LIFT campaign items. Both Pam and Allison are enjoying going out to meet community leaders and CDC staff and making legislative advocacy another useful tool in supporting the communities we care about.
Alliance Meeting, February 12, 2008
Please join The Alliance for a Discussion on The Hiring Processin the Community Development Field: Planned or Panicked?When you need to hire new staff, do you have a plan or are you panicking? Come share your experiences in recruiting and hiring professionals of color. February 12, 2008; 9:30-11:30aHosted by: Boston Private Bank & Trust Company, Grand Room; 10 Post Office Square, Boston We will explore the steps organizations take to recruit, hire and retaindiverse community development professionals. We will share resourcesand strategies for increasing and sustaining diversity.Please feel free to bring your stories, strategies and resources to sharewith the Alliance Network.RSVP with Shirrondaa@macdc.org if you plan on attending. All are welcome.
Power Journal: Reception and Readings
Reception and ReadingsJanuary 23, 2007 at MACDC The Power Journal, includes stories from the community development field written by staff, board members, leaders and program participants. In the current issue, we explore: empowerment. Seven writers responded to the call for papers and several will be present on January 23rd to read from their essays. For more information on the reception or to order a copy of the journal, please contact Shirrondaa@macdc.org
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The-Alliance-E-News-Update---June-2008_htm.txt
December 2007 MACDC ENews
Legislative Activity on the MACDC LIFT Campaign Is Heating Up