Community Development Partnership Act

News Briefs

December 17th, 2018 by

December 2018

  • LISC Boston and the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) are excited to offer grants to fund 50% of the cost of comprehensive energy audits and kickoff design meetings for up to 60 multifamily affordable housing projects approaching rehab (or pursuing adaptive reuse) in Massachusetts. We are targeting projects in design development so audits can fully inform the scope of your project. Click here for more info.    Questions: ejones@lisc.org

  • The Kuehn Charitable Foundation is launching the third round of its two-year Kuehn Fellowship in 2019. Kuehn Fellows serve in positions with vetted nonprofit affordable housing organizations located in Greater Boston, acquire hands-on experience working with committed supervisors and have access to an experienced mentor. Fellows also attend monthly gatherings sponsored by the Foundation to share experiences and learn more about the field from practitioners and policymakers. Expected or recent graduates (within the last five years) from relevant Masters' degree level programs are encouraged to apply.  The Fellowship stipend starts at $68,000 for the first year with additional financial support for training and professional development courses.  Full application materials for prospective 2019 Fellows will be available via the Kuehn Charitable site on January 7, 2019 with an application deadline of February 11, 2019.  More information can be found at: www.kuehncharitable.org

November 2018

  • Check out NACEDA's 10th Anniversary Publication: Talking Values: Soulful Conversation within Community Economic Development

  • From Massachusetts Public Health Association: "Funding Available to Healthy Food Retail Projects in Low to Moderate-Income Communities through the Massachusetts Food Trust Program
    Loans, grants, and business assistance is now available through the Massachusetts Food Trust Program!  Learn more and apply today: https://massfoodtrustprogram.org/"

September 2018

  • The Trump’s administration’s proposed changes to the Community Reinvestment Act could mean “A Green Light for Banks to Start ‘Redlining’ Again,” according to this New York Time’s Op-Ed.

  • Boston University’s NIMBY study finds that the vast majority of residents who oppose developments are “older, whiter, and wealthier than their neighbors.” Their opposition raises prices by pushing for changes to the scale of the projects, parking, and expensive reviews which delay projects.

  • BU’s Political Science department hopes NIMBY study “provides some empirical evidence for policymakers who are thinking about how to make public participation in development more democratic.”

  • The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and the Mel King Institute for Community Building, in collaboration with Henry Joseph, Development Consultant, invite your organization to participate in the next LISC Project Manager Seminar, scheduled to begin this fall.  We are pleased to offer this seminar once again to project managers and give them the opportunity to develop their knowledge of real estate development and their project planning and problem-solving skills, through a peer learning experience. For more information about this program and to apply, contact Marilyn Sanchez.

June 2018

  • CHAPA is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for new communities to join its Municipal Engagement Initiative.

    CHAPA’s Municipal Engagement Initiative seeks to build support for affordable housing production in communities across the Commonwealth. CHAPA's Municipal Engagement staff works with local municipalities and community groups to conduct public education efforts in support of housing production, with an emphasis on affordable housing. Strategies will be developed to work within the context of each community.

  • Congratulations to Peter Munkenbeck for being recognized with the Mayor of Cambridge with a Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteer Service. Peter, Board Chair at Just-A-Start, is a long-time champion of Cambridge-based causes and supporter of the community development movement statewide.
     
  • The Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University recently released The State of the Nation’s Housing 2018 report. The study finds that while some gains have been made since the publication of the first report in 1988, several challenges have exacerbated. Read the full report for complete details.

February 2018

  • The Boston Globe's editorial board challenges the Commonwealth to do more toward alleviating the affordable housing crisis.

  • MACDC’s work to help CDCs partner with hospitals is highlighted in a recent article in Shelterforce Magazine.  The article was written by Enid Eckstein who taught three workshops for the Mel King Institute about how CDCs can work with local hospitals to address the social determinants of health.  The article gives concrete advice to CDC leaders about how to create effective partnerships.
     
  • Congratulations to the United Way and its supporters for raising a record $2,119,550 for the Community Investment Tax Credit program in 2017, a 25% increase over the prior year, which itself had been a record year.Michael Durkin from the United Way noted how this remarkable achievement makes a difference in the lives of families across Greater Boston. 

    "The CITC program has been a catalyst in developing and preserving affordable housing throughout our region. In 2017, more affordable housing units came online in the City of Boston than any year in the past two decades. This landmark achievement would not be possible without the support the United Way and others who care deeply about improving our neighborhoods and the quality of life for all."

    "The United Way's commitment to the community development movement across Massachusetts has been steadfast for years," noted MACDC President Joseph Kriesberg. "They have been a core partner in the success of the CITC program since before its inception and their contributions to the field continue to grow every year."   

January 2018

 

December 2017

November 2017

October 2017

Since 2012, a whole host of agencies & nonprofits have been working diligently to preserve affordable expiring-use units in Boston.

September 2017

Read the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco's publication "Building on What Works: Cross-Sector Community Development - Volume 12, Issue 1."

August 2017

Residents Play Active Role in Fixing a Highway-Shaped Hole in the Heart of Black Boston

Building clearouts are becoming increasingly common in Boston

July 2017

Lauren Liss named as the new CEO of MassDevelopment
Local teens discover TD Garden owners had agreed to hold fund-raisers for Boston DCR but never have.

May 2017

MACDC scored several policy victories this week as the Massachusetts Senate considered over 1,000 amendments to their FY 2018 state budget.  The Senate approved an amendment to increase funding for the Small Business Technical Assistance program from its current level of $1 million to $2.5 million.  We also saw amendments adopted to preserve $1.3 million in funding for foreclosure prevention and homeownership education programs, increase state funding for the Community Preservation Act and the Mass. Food Trust, and new language to enable cities and towns to create Community Benefit Districts to help revitalize local neighborhoods and commercial nodes.  The budget also includes a substantial increase in funding for the Mass. Rental Voucher Program.

For the first time, MACDC's GOALs report included a supplemental survey to capture how our members address community health.
 
Legislative Hearing Highlights success of the Community Investment Tax Credit.
 
Governor Baker's FY 2018 Housing Capital Budget Includes Funding for MACDC Priorities.
 
Learn about DHCD's National Housing Trust Funding for Supportive Housing.
 
A CITC Donor Highlights Power of the Program.
 
Channel 22 News (WWLP) highlights how CITC is helping Franklin County do more in the community.

The Massachusetts Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) program may help inform the design of a new tax credit in Washington D.C - "D.C. Eyes Tax Credit for Investment in Affordable Housing"

3/29/17 Low-income housing financing takes hit from Trump's tax-cut promise.

3/27/17 Boston's new approach to traffic calming includes using data as well as the "Slow Streets program to ask residential neighborhoods to nominate themselves for traffic-calming initiative."

2/21/17 More families are struggling with poverty in Boston’s affluent suburbs

1/31/17 Trump's pledge to reduce corporate tax rate is already impacting affordable housing development.

1/11/17 T4MA announces Chris Dempsey as new Executive Director.

11/14/16 MA residents looked beyond individual interests for the benefit of the larger community, CPA approved by 74% of Boston voters.

11/10/16 DOJ Asked to Investigate Whether Canceled Trains on the Fairmount Line Violated Civil Rights.

10/18/16 Supporting Yes on 5 means $20 mil more a year for affordable housing, green parks and historic preservation.

10/7/16 The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) is holding four listening sessions in October around the Commonwealth as they seek to review the Determination of Need program.  This is an important program that is designed to help improve the overall health of our communities. Click here to learn more about the sessions, including where and when they are being held.

10/7/16 - Check out Affordable Rental Housing A.C.T.I.O.N.’s fact sheet highlighting the impact in Massachusetts of the Low Income Housing Tax Credit from 1986 to 2014.

10/4/16 - Housing Affordability and Gentrification are the focus of two new documentaries currently airing on HBO and EPIX

9/15/16 - As housing demands in Boston continues to climb, Boston considers going small - check out the all the 385 square-foot of living the Uhu has to offer.

9/8/16 - Although rich states have more resources their hot housing markets contribute to a larger number of homeless people compared to poorer states. 

8/31/16 - “I wish my teacher knew” helps teachers understand the struggles that might be keeping their students from achieving their full potential. 

8/19/16 - LISC Boston, The Boston Foundation and the Hyams Foundation with assistance from MassDevelopment create The Equitable Transit-Oriented Development Accelerator Fund to mitigate the negative impacts transit-oriented investments have on low-income communities.

8/17/16 - Lydia Edwards has been appointed by Boston Mayor, Marty Walsh, to lead Boston's Office of Housing Stability.

7/29/16 - Massachusetts sees steep drop in homeless families housed in hotels

7/29/16 - Check out this interactive online tool that illustrates the difficulty of financing affordable housing without subsidy.

7/29/16 - Learn how MAPC's Public Health Department has been conducting Rapid Health Impact Assessments

7/18/16 - Want communities to thrive? Create transit-accessible affordable housing.

7/18/16 - Could this be the best Annual Report idea ever?

6/22/16 - CHAPA announced the departure of Brenda Clement, CHAPA's ED for the past four years. Brenda, is taking the role of Director at HousingWorks, RI.

6/21/16 - Read this Next City article, Massachusett CDC's Applaud Tax Credit Program.

6/16/16 - From "Population growth is a big problem. Go," to software development that could save crucial architect time for speedier housing development in fast growing cities.
6/16/16 - MacArthur Foundation's new survey finds growing pessimism in prolonged housing affordability crisis.

6/10/16 - LISC's Green Retrofit Initiative reaches milestone, 10 out of 20 multifamily affordable housing partners sign on to the Better Buildings Challenge.

6/2/16 - Both buyers and renters waiting for housing market to cool.

6/2/16  -A key change in draft legislation on Beacon Hill would allow owners of all single-family homes to build small accessory dwelling units — also known as granny or in-law apartments.

5/24/16 - Massachusetts Community & Banking Council releases new report on CRA for mortgage lenders regulation.

5/19/16 - A partnership between Boston City Hall and Mass Poetry brought rain activated poetry to Boston's sidewalks.

5/18/16 - Starting December 1, 2016, 4.2 million more American workers will be guaranteed overtime pay.

5/10/16 - Somerville now has the strongest inclusionary zoning in the country. What does this mean for Somerville? "Starting now, all new developments with 6 or more units will be subject to inclusionary zoning. All developments with 18 or more units will be 20% affordable. The affordable units will be distributed among low-, moderate-, and middle-income tiers, allowing Somerville residents of various incomes to find housing in the city." 

5/5/16 - More moms are making thier way into the construction industry in Massachusetts.

4/28/16 - Video: Report from @WCVB details how NOAH CDC received $7 million to develop 71 units of affordable housing in East Boston.

4/28/16 - This new report highlights how the support for CDCs has grown overtime in Boston, thus making Boston a leader of CDC housing production in the country.

4/25/16 - How can nonprofits approach social media strategically for the best results?

4/20/16 - MassDOT announced statewide meetings to seek public feedback on 2017-2021 Capital Investment Plan (CIP). "This multi-billion dollar program makes long-term, multi-modal investments across the Commonwealth.." Here are the meeting dates:
• Monday, April 25, 6 p.m. Fitchburg  Public Library, 610 Main Street
• Tuesday, April 26, 6 p.m. Framingham Town Hall, Blumer Room, 150 Concord Street
• Wednesday, April 27, 6 p.m. Barnstable Hyannis Transportation Center, 215 Iyannough Road
• Wednesday, April 27, 6 p.m. Greenfield Olver Transit Center, Floor 1, 12 Olive Street
• Thursday, April 28, 6 p.m. New Bedford Public Library, 613 Pleasant Street
• Monday, May 2, 6 p.m. Boston (Public Hearing) Public Library, McKim Building, 230 Dartmouth Street
• Tuesday, May 3, 6 p.m. Quincy Public Library, 40 Washington Street • Wednesday, May 4, 11 a.m. Boston State House, 24 Beacon Street, Room 428 
• Wednesday, May 4, 6 p.m. Lynn  North Shore Community College, Room LE303,  300 Broad Street
• Thursday, May 5, 6 p.m. Pittsfield City Hall Council Chamber, 70 Allen Street 
• Monday, May 9, 6:30 p.m. Mansfield Qualters Middle School, Auditorium, 240 East Street
• Tuesday, May 10, 6:30 p.m. Worcester Union Station, 2 Washington Street
• Tuesday, May 10, 6 p.m. Westfield City Hall Council Chamber, 59 Court Street
• Wednesday, May 11, 6 p.m. Andover  Public Safety Center, 32 North Main Street
• Thursday, May 12, 6 p.m. Chelsea  City Hall Council Chamber, 500 Broadway Street

4/20/16 - New report shows human need rose 15% last year in the US, MA has the 4th highest need rate.

4/12/16 - Cambridge might require more affordable units from developers.

4/6/16 - New wave of Urban Renewal in Lawrence will focus on “what to grow as opposed to what to demolish.”

4/5/16 - Is Boston next?  Subsidized housing for the middle-class.

4/5/16 -  Check out this article by Bob Van Meter from Boston LISC, tells the story of a partnership between the owner of a supermarket and the CEO of a nonprofit health care provider on a mission to create jobs, reduce blight and help people lead healthier lives.

3/31/16 - Could new neighborhood research reshape national housing policy?

3/25/16 - Boston population growth slows down a bit. Could this help cool down housing market?

3/8/16 - Boston to test 4 pilot programs to boost middle-income housing

2/22/16 - What happens when Community Development and Museums come together to revitalize neighborhoods?

2/16/16 - Boston's artist-in-residency program aims to look at problems from a new perspective.

2/11/2016 - Somerville addressing high rents in order to keep families & sustain historic diversity.

1/28/2016 - The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc. (ILC) is now accepting nominations for its fifth annual Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year Awards to be held on April 28, 2016, at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge. The Awards honor immigrants who founded businesses in Massachusetts in four categories: Business Growth, Neighborhood Business, High-Tech Business and Life Science Business. This event is an opportunity for Massachusetts’ business leaders and innovators to publicly recognize the significant contributions of immigrant entrepreneurs in the commonwealth.

Nominations are being accepted now through March 4, 2016, and self-nominations are encouraged. All nominees will be recognized on The ILC website, in press releases and at the Awards Dinner. A panel of experts will judge the nominations and select winners for each category. Both the winner and nominator in each category will be offered a free ticket to the Awards Dinner on April 28. For more information and to nominate to go: Awards web page: http://www.ilctr.org/events/immigrant-entrepreneur-of-the-year-2016/

1/28/2016 - A need for affordable housing surges, rent parties increase.

1/20/15 - This Roofline blog article says "multifamily" is a misnomer. How is MA doing on building family friendly units?

1/20/15 - The MBTA ranks #1 for most breakdowns in nation.  The Boston Business Journal Reports.

1/15/15 - Boston ranks #1 for income inequality in the country, according to recent study.

1/13/15 - Check out this article in Commonwealth Magazine highlighting the how an affordable housing development was approved in Newtonville.

1/15/15 - Congratulations to Mel King for being recognized as one of the top 100 Best Bostonians of All Time at number 64.

1/7/15 - Boston.com is reporting that the City of Boston permitted 1,022 new units of affordable housing in 2015.

1/5/15 - What Paul Krugman didn't get concerning gentrification; Allan Mallach explains in Rooflines, Shelterforce's Blog.

1/5/15 - Advocates for the Massachusetts Food Trust, including MACDC, are pushing for the release of funding to capitalize the program, The Boston Globe reports.

1/5/15 - WBUR highlights support of The Boston Foundation to achieve the build out along the Fairmont Line.

1/4/15 - While this piece in the New Yorker is long, it's a good read on the Ford Foundation and its president.

12/17/15: Underneath I-93 in Boston a freight crate that is growing 2 acres worth of veggies even in winter.  Is this the next development in urban farming?

12/16/15: Does a yellow border help pedestrians get across the street? CityLab covers this new innovation.

12/15/15:  Boston's Fenway community was highlighted by the New York Times for its dramatic changes for the past decade, including the challenges of building affordable housing, as highlighted by Leah Camhi, Fenway CDC's Executive Director.

12/11/15:  MassBudget releases study, "Race to Equity: The State of Black Massachusetts."

12/3/2015:  ACS 2010 - 2014 5-year estimates data was released today for the  by the U.S. Census Bureau.

10/11/2015: Great piece by Mike Durkin at the United Way in the Mass Society of CPAs Fall 2015 sumnews magazine on CITC!

Will Waltham creates it's own housing voucher program similar to Section 8 to address the housing crisis?  Banker and Tradesman look into the issue.

Want to know about all the dev. projects in the area? Cambridge start up is putting all that info in one place for your convenience. 

Is your mission something millennials can support with their time and money?

For the first time since 1974 MA state officials released a plan they hope will lead to “a vibrant and resilient food economy, protect our environment and make healthy food accessible for all citizens”. Is your organization poised to benefit from these new policies?

Powerful editorial by the Eagle Tribune calling for more affordable housing and the need to overcome the excuses so often presented when a new project is proposed in many communities.

It seems that as more schools buy food from local farmers, not only are the student eating healthier meals, but they're also throwing less food away.

This past Monday marked the 38th Anniversary of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) which has helped CDC's revitalize the communities in which they work.

Boston's Mayor seeking to increase linkage fees to help raise funds for new affordable housing and job training.

Meet Boston's new Director of Fair Housing

Great to read about Mel King in the Christian Science Monitor.

Check out this MIT student’s LED MBTA map

Watch this asphault “drink” thousands of gallons of water.  Could this be the future of our parking lots?

Boston Housing Authority trying a new approach to public housing in Charlestown.

Can art create cohesion in changing neighborhoods?

Home Matters announces the winners of it's affordable housing in the future design contest.

The South End of Boston is noted for microsegregation on the How Housing Matters website referencing a new report by Laura Tach for HUD's Cityscape.

LISC receives $4 Million in Federal Grant to expand access to fresh food and revitalize neighborhoods through arts and cultural related ventures.

Is the future crystal clear for solar energy with solar window panels?

Learn more about Vision Zero, an initiative to make our streets safer for cyclists and the many thousands of people who are on and using Boston's streets each day. The City of Boston is incorporating the Vision Zero initiative into their Boston 2030 planning, as reported by WBUR.

The Warren Group is reporting that foreclosure starts and deeds have risen dramatically.

Does the Commonwealth have the resources to fix the old T infrastructure while also expanding to new neighborhoods?

Do you live in the greater Boston area? Are you 12 years old or older? If so, take this survey by the City of Boston. "It’s designed to find out what is important to people,  identify barriers and obstacles that prevent people from taking advantage of cultural programs and activities, and inform decision about what arts and cultural programs should be supported in the future."

Just because summer is coming to a close soon and these designs are fun.

Would you consider investing in Lego's for your organization to reduce stress?

Police advancing skills in conflict resolution and helping address domestic disturbances may be more impactful to transforming communities than the broken windows model.

"Fatbergs" are clogging major city sewar systems around the world.  Is Boston at risk?

Is Boston ready for elevated "pod" transportation?

WBUR highlights the increased loss of affordability in housing across Massachusetts in their piece, "Mass. Advocates Warn Of Loss Of Thousands Of Affordable Housing Units."  This coverage concisely explains the challenges and the state-law (Chapter 40 T) that helps to preserve a homes affordability.

What if you were creating a photo journal of the homeless and came across your father?

Do you think "unstealable" would be a hit in Boston? 

NACEDA, the National Association of Community Econcomic Development Associations, recieved their 1st federal grant, as one of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Our Town program's awards, for $100,000.  "The community development and arts fields already work together to improve low-income neighborhoods, but they approach the work differently and, too often, separately," stated NACEDA Executive Director Frank Woodruff. "By bringing together community developers and artists as creative placemaking partners with shared goals, we will forge strong relationships that promote physical, social and civic transformation in low-income communities."

‘Hurricane-proof’ housing complex proposed for West Roxbury read the rest of the proposal here.

Mayor Marty Walsh Mulls Affordable Housing Policy Change, read the article here.

"The Federal government should never plan for communities, it should plan with them," HUD Secretary Julian Castro. Read the rest of the story here.

Working with the community yields positive results for developers and neighbors. Read about this successful partnership here

Solar power for more people. Read about the plan to bring solar power to low income people.

Boston has the 4th hightest apartment rents in the nation.

Check out how community land trusts can help address displacement. 

Can we make Bus Rapid Transit a reality in Boston? Learn about BRT here

Wouldn’t it be awesome having a few of these underground gardens in Boston?

Doing away with "Poor Doors"

Read about the plans for the World's largest passive building.

Can Boston follow Dublin’s lead and eliminate cars in sections of the city? 

Boston's Megan Sandel concisely lays out why health starts at home and why nonprofit hospitals may be stepping up to help build affordable housing.

What do you do with an empty Walmart?  If you're in McAllen, Texas, you turn it into the largest single-floor library in America.

Research shows poverty comes with a steep price. 

Read this interesting article that advocates for building more mass transit as a means of creating affordable housing.

HUD launches new website where housing counseling professionals can get free training. Read more about it here.

New store in Dorchester is stocked with produce donated by food wholesalers and markets. It’s a win-win for the community and for the environment.

Community Development Corporations have huge collective impact across across the nation. Check out the numbers for housing, jobs, business and more.

Elyse Cherry, CEO of Boston Community Capital, writes a powerful Op/Ed for the New York Times addressing foreclosure and the crisis that doesn't seem to have an end.

Just in: Boston ranks 9th in study of US’ Healthiest Cities!

The future of farming may be in the sky: How can the Commonwealth embrace vertical farming techniques?

Could Boston Ban Cars for a Month? Maybe it's time to bring this ecomobility project to the Commonwealth.

George Lucas of Star Wars fame, among many other incredible achievements, is paying out-of-pocket to build 224 units of Affordable Housing on his Marin County property.

Today (4/15/2015), the Commonwealth's House Ways and Means Committee released their FY 2016 state budget proposal.  It was very favorable to the work of MACDC's members, housing and homeless activists across Massachusetts.

Highlights of the their bill include:

1) $2 million for Small Business Technical Assistance;

2) $2 million for Urban Agenda Economic Grants;

3) Record Increase for MRVP Funding ($90.9 million);

4) Additional $20 million for cost-effective programs, such as HomeBASE and RAFT;

5) $11.5 million for Housing Preservation and Stabilization Trust Fund.

  • A special thanks to Speaker DeLeo, Chairman Dempsey, Vice-Chairman Kulik, Assistant Vice-Chair Swan, Members of House Ways and Means, and State Representatives Peake, Haddad and other members of the leadership team.
  • CLICK HERE for the Ways and Means budget proposal and more information.

Recent partnerships with nonprofits will lead to 75 financial opportunity centers being opened in 33 cities, a huge push for national impact to community development by LISC.

In 2014, LISC provided roughly 7,000 ex-offenders with financial coaching and job training! Read the full story on the Wall Street Journal.

Massachusetts communities may be receiving less than 1/2 of what they need for transportation funding.

Is Boston ready for large-scale urban farming? Vertical farming sites already popping up across the country.

Did you know? Boston ranks in the top five cities for income inequality.

Give your ideas for a new Boston City Hall Plaza and they'll probably be implemented! This article proves it.

One Oakland neighborhood sees the benefits in public health through new housing development. Let's create similar impact in Massachusetts!

It's reported that Dr. Seuss modeled Whoville after Easthampton, MA. These tidbits and more in an article on the creative architecture of Dr. Seuss.

Vertical farm offers fresh produce and jobs to Jackson, Wyoming: What community impact could vertical farms bring to Massachusetts?

The Urban Land Institute Terwilliger Center for Housing, with the assistance of the MacArthur Foundation, recently released the How Housing Matters resource that provides research and key information on the impact of housing on our communities.

Check out the world's first pre-fabricated carbon positive house! An article describes how this one bedroom house produces more energy than it uses.

Will the road to revitalized transportation be longer than expected? A recent Bloomberg article deconstructs the rebuilding debate.

Check out this beautifully designed TOD project of low-income housing!

The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network has just opened the nomination pool for the 2015 Nonprofit Excellence Awards. Submit a nomination for your CDC by March 10th and celebrate your award at the State House in June!

Good piece on the nation's public infrastructure needing to be fixed.  One reason highlighted:  Repairing something isn't as awesome as building something new....

Check out this piece by CityLab on a new website: PlaceILive.com.  Can software/websites determine a community's livability?

Can plans for the London Underline transfer to unused MBTA tunnels? One article suggests underground spaces are perfect for commuting cyclists.

"Every City Needs Vancouver's Ban on Food Scraps" - The Atlantic's CityLab

Clearing sidewalks of snow in one Ann Arbor neighborhood is the job of Snowbuddy.

Should we begin mining Boston's sewers for gold and silver? News outlet Quartz covers the issue.

Housing RAP, MassDocs and OneSource, and The Fairmount Collaborative are U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Innovation of the Day Initiative Finalists.  Vote for your favorite initiative here!

Press builds for the new Neighborhood Homes Initiative, where close to 350 homes will be built through the Department of Neighborhood Development for middle-income homebuyers in Boston. Read more on this Boston.com article!

Want to know how Massachusetts measures up in asset development? Read the 2015 Assets & Opportunity Scorecard by the Corporation for Enterprise Development, or the follow-up article in the Boston Globe.

How do we think about the "Neighborhood Effect" in terms of community development?  This article talks about the impact of where you live on how much you make.

Did you know that Massachusetts Housing Partnership’s Housing RAP program and the Fairmount CDC Collaborative are finalists for the HUD Innovation of the Day competition?  Vote now to help them win!

Want to know what's being built when in Boston?  Check out this new tool that allows you to track new housing developments in Boston as they're being built!

Famous architect, Francine Houben, in partnership with Watertown-based architecture firm Sasaki, to help revitalize Dudley Square’s buildings!

On the verge of the Davos World Economic Forum in Switzerland, Oxfam announced that by 2016 the wealthiest one percent of the world will have more assets than the remaining 99 percent of the world’s population.

New York’s MoMA has a new exhibit on how 6 cities (Hong Kong, Instanbul, Lagos, Mumbai, New York, and Rio de Janeiro) can face inequalities in Urban Design.  How do these designs compare to the future of Boston?

Chief and Director of Boston’s Department of Neighborhood Development, Sheila Dillon, outlines the housing plan for 250 city-owned parcels in a recent Boston Business Journal article. These parcels, mostly in Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan, will be developed specifically for middle-income homeowners who have recently been shut out of the housing market.

According to a study by Bloomberg, Cambridge, MA ranks #5 best bike-to-work city in the country!

5 business trends encourage social good in 2015, including more recycling and reduced food waste. How many can be seen in Massachusetts?

Could WindTrees soon take the place of wind turbines in Massachusetts?: these life-like structures may be the future of 'attractive' renewable energy sources in major cities.

Boston LISC launches The Equitable Transit Oriented Development Accelerator Fund (ETODAF).  The Fund was created by LISC, The Boston Foundation, and the Hyams Foundation to provide developers with streamlined access to acquisition and predevelopment capital that can be used to acquire and advance strategic properties along transit corridors. For information, contact Madeline Nash at Boston LISC at mnash@lisc.org.

Would Massachusetts look any different if it were designed with Legos? An article proves the products of the world's largest toy-maker are useful in urban planning and more interactive than most planning tools to date.

Could we move cars out of downtown Boston and Massachusetts Gateway Cities?  One city already plans on it.

"Rising inequality 'significantly' curbs growth" - CNBC reports on how the divide between rich and poor is hurting economies around the world

How can retailers in the Commonwealth provide better parking for cyclists?  A short article points out the good, the bad, and the ugly of retail bike parking.

Call for Presenters: People & Places 2015 Community Conference

The People & Places 2015 Community Conference committee is currently accepting proposals for speakers, panels and workshops that showcase what's working in our country's emerging neighborhoods. Submissions from individuals and organizations with and without connections to the host organizations are welcome. Submit a proposal by January 9, 2015 to be considered. Let’s show what’s working in Massachusetts! Learn more at http://bit.ly/1tHGMO5.

“Ensure Access to Public Transportation” is just one of twelve ideas for being more inclusive in the Boston community.  How well can we carry out these development suggestions?

Boston one of 16 cities honored for climate change efforts in the US: let's use development to continue this achievement!

Will road-side algae gardens be the future of green electricity?  This experiment uses the CO2 from car pollution to harvest algae plants.

Let’s beam the heat from Boston’s buildings into space!

Can robots help inform energy efficient housing policies in the Commonwealth?  Robots used in a 6-year study to prove the need of energy efficient housing policies in a Tennessee community.

A bike path inspired by a former resident, the artist Vincent Van Gogh, was installed in the Dutch town of Eindhoven just last week.  How can we incorporate the works of resident artists into Commonwealth bike paths?

Check out some of the best bike paths and roads in the world.  Great ideas for Massachusetts' cities.

Larry Andrews named MGCC President: Larry Andrews, Banking Executive, has most recently been named the new CEO and President of Mass Growth Capital Corporation.  When speaking of the new CEO, Joe Kriesberg mentioned to the press: "Larry sees the whole picture, and will continue important collaborations between community-based organizations and small businesses aiming for growth."

Solar-paneled bike paths may be the next big thing to hit our major cities.  Will this be the future of our Monday morning commute?

What can "big data" provide for community development corporations and other non-profits? A new Boston-based start up ventures to figure it out.

Do the Commonwealth's numerous higher education hubs place us at the forefront of trendy regional planning?  An article on the latest master planning trends proves it's possible.

Great profile of David and Jill Adler, a couple who set up a Donor Advised Fund with The Boston Foundation AND made a wonderful donation through the Community Investment Tax Credit Program

Community Building through in-house networking: A new company brings together community members living in the same building.

Are tall buildings good for the livelihood of cities? Are more skyscrapers really the solution to the Commonwealth's coming housing needs?  One article argues yes.

Massachusetts currently ranks 13 in a study done on Energy Efficient States.  While we're not the worst, what could we do to improve our rankings?

Is a floating bike path along the Charles on the horizon? A new floating bike path might provide a car-free and likely safer commute.

12 Trends Popping up in Affordable Housing: How many have you seen in the Boston Skyline? Green roofs and bright colors may be just a few.

Can a man made tidal lagoon power the coast of Maine? This man made tidal lagoon would power 155,000 homes.

Imagine a city where the rooftops are covered in trees! An ingenious design sets the example.

Into design and architecture?  Check out these films this fall from the 2014 Architecture and Design Film Festival in New York.

Could a building like this find a home in Boston? An apartment building and food market all in one.  While the design might be radical, the idea of creating vibrant spaces for communities to come together is quite interesting.

How are homes by the highway hurting us?

How are rising sea levels going to effect Boston?  Is Boston ready for canals instead of roads?

A farm not just for the city, but for our future?  Check out the results from this project at MIT.

Can altruism change the way our brain works?  

An interesting addition to Boston's trucks that help protect cyclists.

Good marketing and fundraising advice for all of us to use! This post about Mr. Roger's testimony in front of a Congressional committee is worth reading.

Another note on why home mortgages are so hard to acquire.

Dana LeWinter is the new Executive Director of Massachusetts Community Banking Council: MACDC congratulates Dana LeWinter on being named the new Executive Director of the Massachusetts Community Banking Council. MCBC is a membership organization comprised of banks, mortgage lenders and community-based organizations that works to promote community reinvestment and responsible banking. MACDC has served on the board and committees of MCBC since its founding in 1990. Ms. LeWinter brings extensive experience and skills to the organization, having recently served as Director of Housing for the City of Somerville and prior to that working at CHAPA. Ms. LeWinter has a Master Degree in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University.

Best library ever for supporting community and literacy?

"Cloud Citizen" Design Wins Award: Will this be the future city for our children?

Elevated Parks vs. Overpasses?  Determine if this new design works for your community.

Should Massachusetts bring Happy Street Signs to the Commonwealth? Check out this new initiative.

Two 2014 MacArthur Fellows recognized for their creative community redevelopment.

Will dancing stop lights help end jay walking?

Add a bike AND increase the flow of traffice in a city!  It's an idea working NYC.  Can it work in Boston?

These photos are comically charged and provide some context to the need for us, as residents of Massachusetts, to say, "No on Ballot Question #1" this November.

"Another Reason To Live In A Diverse Neighborhood: It Could Make Your Kids Smarter" - Fast Company

"Despite $900M in CPA outlays, many Mass. towns fail housing mandates." - Boston Business Journal

Waiting for that stalled MBTA train is better than dealing with traffic on the Pike. Read more

Great new resource to find a mortgage that you can afford! http://mymassmortgage.org/.

When merging old and new architectural designs goes wrong! Check out this article from The Guardian.

Families often age out of affordable urban living, due in part to parking laws that require parking spaces with new housing developments. Cities serious about affordable urban housing will rethink parking laws that raise the cost of urban life.

A new study from Harvard, published in the American Sociological Review, finds that racial composition did, in fact, have a significant effect on a neighborhood's chance of improvement and ultimate gentrification. Neighborhoods that are more than 40% black are far less likely to gentrify.

A new interactive map from the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies reveals that in many metro areas across the U.S., more than 50% of renters could afford to own a home. Many do not, however, due to a tight credit market and corporations paying cash for houses.

The Stanford Social Innovation Review has a great Urban Development resource on its website, with access to relevant news articles, blog posts, podcasts and more.

Despite seeing the number of residential building permits issued in Massachusetts nearly double since 2011, affordable and moderately-priced homes and apartments are still elusive.

According to a new study, free office parking can actually neutralize the effects of other commuter benefits. Commuters would drive less if they weren't offered free parking.

In the summer months, the population of Martha's Vineyard swells - and the availability of affordable housing plummets.

Last week, the White House Rural Council announced the creation of the new U.S. Rural Infrastructure Opportunity Fund through which private entities can invest in job-creating rural infrastructure projects across the country. An initial $10 billion has been committed to the fund with greater investment expected to follow. Target investments will include hospitals, schools and other educational facilities, rural water and wastewater systems, energy projects, broadband expansion, local and regional food systems, and other rural infrastructure.

It appears Congress is not likely to enact a FY15 Transportation-HUD (THUD) appropriations bill or other appropriations bills before the start of the new Fiscal Year on October 1. Instead, Congress is expected to enact a continuing resolution, providing funding for programs equal to FY14 amounts.

The Federal Reserve of Minneapolis is seeking input community development and community health experts, to provide information for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation about the types of data and metrics that organizations use to demonstrate impact. They are interested in how organizations are measuring their results and how attention to social determinants of health, i.e., access to healthy foods, affordable housing, quality education and child care, etc., has influenced their work. Survey results will appear in a report delivered to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation in October. Results will also be made available to practitioners who have an interest in measuring the impact of their initiatives. Click here to take the survey.

By the year 2100, summers in Boston may be much hotter - more comparable to North Miami Beach than New England. An interactive map from Climate Central looks at the potential rise in summer temperatures if nothing is done to prevent or reverse emission trends.

The Urban Observatory compiles publicly available data for major cities (such as population density, traffic patterns or available green spaces) and provides quick and easy visual analysis, saving businesses and cities valuable time and money.

Does housing count as health care? New York is currently debating that question, as some question whether Medicaid should contribute to housing costs for the chronically homeless.

 

A new study shows that housing values rise considerably near brownfield cleanup sites.

An apartment building with a separate entrance for low-income renters? A real estate developer in NYC is coming under fire for proposing that exact plan for a new building with both market-rate and low-income apartments.

According to the 25th annual Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count report, Massachusetts is first in the nation for children's well-being. Last year, the Commonwealth was third place. The report ranks each state according to 16 indicators in four areas: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. The report also pointed towards areas that still need improving.

Should housing policies support renters more? The New York Times asks that exact question, as some metropolitan areas see home prices rise past the point of making homeownership a bargain.

When we talk about "cost of living," we're really talking about housing.

 

Enterprise Community Partners recently released a report that a lack of affordable housing may be affecting progress in other areas, including education, health care, and transportation.

Replace boring dummy text with "social entrepreneurship storytelling." That's the idea behind Social Good Ipsum, a text generator for designers and editors that replaces the standard placeholder text with words and phrases relating to nonprofits and NGOs.

Why renting (instead of buying) a home may be the better option, using Boston as an example.

Finland's capital, Helsinki, has an ambitious plan to make car ownership pointless in 10 years.

In Boston, savvy MBTA commuters can now ride with style, thanks to the Sesame Ring, 3D-printed wearable technology that acts as an MBTA pass.

A new report, from a coalition of artists, activists, creative manufacturers, and policy makers in New York City, explores the value in the intersection between arts, culture and community. The researchers found that communities which provide outlets for aesthetic expression are more resilient in the face of adversity.

Three examples of abandoned properties redeveloped into beautiful spaces.

Coffee addicts throw out about 500 disposable coffee cups a year. The new, collapsible Smash Cup could change that.

The majority of of small business owners (61%) with employees support increasing the minimum wage.

The U.S. Senate confirmed Julian Castro as the head of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

An op-ed from the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance and the Mayor of Somerville explains why Boston's zoning laws are outdated and need to be changed.

The Boston Public Library and Bike Boston are teaming up to bring the Bibliocycle to local neighborhood events. The bike and book trailer is a library on wheels, designed to encourage Boston residents to use bikes for fun, exercise and transportation.

A new modular housing unit could help with housing displacement during natural disasters.

The rising popularity of bike share programs could mean changes for transit-oriented development.

Best Community Economic Video Ever?
 

"Awesome Tool Lets You Watch Boston Grow Over the Years" - Boston Globe

'Valuing the Intersection Between Arts, Culture, and Community: An Exchange of Research and Practice' - NOCDNY.org

"Rebound in Bay State construction jobs overshadows decline in Greater Boston" - Boston Business Journal

NeighborWorks is helping nonprofits and community development organizations use oral storytelling to keep the stories of neighborhoods and cities alive. 

Boston Mayor Marty Walsh will serve as vice chairman of a national task force focused on addressing income inequality. According to the United States Conference of Mayors, the taskforce will focus on how municipal government can craft policies that allow for greater equality and opportunity. 

Communities across Massachusetts are turning unusable land, such as old landfills, into solar energy farms. 

Parklets are returning the Boston. The small, pop-up public places cover an area roughly equal to one or two cars and offer additional outdoor space for everyone to enjoy. 

Boston ranks number three on the list of the top 10 walkable cities in the U.S. The rankings come from a recently released report from Smart Growth America, in conjunction with The George Washington University’s Center for Real Estate & Urban Analysis. 

Vermont recently became the first state to pubish a state-level 100-year climate assessment report. 

Across the country and in Washington, politicians debate raising both federal and state-level minimum wages. According to Oxfam, one in five workers - or 25 million people, nearly 14 million of whom are women - would benefit from the wage increase. Massachusetts is leading the way, with the state legislature recently passing a bill to raise the minimum wage to $11/hour by 2017. 

Rooftop and urban gardens are becoming more and more abundant. Love & Carrots, an urban agriculture firm, offers tips and tricks for making the most of a garden in a small space. 

A new report finds that Boston's art community is a $1.4 billion sector. Boston boasts more arts and cultural organizations per capita than any other U.S. metro area. 

Top 10 questions you should think about asking before buying a home. 

Women of color are a driving force behind entrepreneurship and represent one-third of all women-owned businesses in the nation. From 1997 to 2013, businesses owned by women of color grew an average of 183%. 

With income inequality and housing linked, more and more people are finding that the idea of "middle class" is rapidly changing - and even disappearing in some places. 

A new study from Johns Hopkins University suggests there might be a link between the percentage of income a family spends on housing could affect a child's cognitive ability. Spending too much or too little on housing can have a negative impact on children's reading and math abilities. 

Nine creative solutions to unique city problems won funding in Boston's first ever Public Space Invitational, a crowd-sourced design competition aimed at reimagining public spaces on a small budget.

Within the community development field, the practice of "creative placemaking" - partners from public, private, nonprofit and community sectors strategically shaping the physical and social character of a neighborhood, town, tribe, city or region around arts and cultural activities - is taking hold. 

In Roxbury, MA, artists are providing a unique perspective to Boston LISC's Resilient Communities, Resilient Families community development initiative. LISC's Melissa Jones details how these artists are helping community developers move beyond the numbers. 

The MacArthur Foundation recently released its second annual How Housing Matters survey, which polled the American public about their view of the housing crisis. The survey found that 70% of respondents believe we are still in the middle of a crisis, and more than half (59%) believe it is challenging to find affordable, quality housing in their communities. 

According to a new study from the Center on Wealth and Philanthropy at Boston College, charities will see a boost in bequests through 2061, due to expected transfers of wealth among American estates. The report estimates $6.3 trillion in charitable bequests from 2007 to 2061. 

Rising student loan debt, tight lending standards and tough competition have left many Millennials squeezed out of the housing market. 

A new crowd-funded campaign in Boston is hoping to reward people who give back and reinvest in their communities. 

According to the Sustainable Cities Collective, Boston ranks number 5 on the list of Top 10 Bikable Cities in America. The cities were ranked by factoring in the miles of bike lanes, hills, numbers of commuters, destinations, and road connectivity. 

To buy or to rent - that is the question. A calculator from the New York Times helps you take all the variables into consideration. 

Even nonprofits need a great logo and strong brand recognition. Here are six questions to ask when designing a brand. 

David Brown, Executive Director of TUGG, talks about why the next generation of leaders need to care about, and give back to, inner cities. 

At Boston Medical Center, some doctors are prescribing memberships to Hubway, the city's bike-sharing program, in an effort to fight disease and illness that's linked to poverty. 

In the Boston Business Journal's Data Center, new findings from the U.S. Census Bureau highlight the cities and towns with the fastest growth in Massachusetts. Overall, the state's population grew about 2% from 2010 to 2013. 

In Harvard, MA, the town has started a new kind of community garden; instead of sharing produce, the community members get a share of solar energy. 

When local farms aren't local enough, savvy entrepreneurs are looking at alternatives to bring fresh produce into urban areas, including farms and greenhouses on rooftops or grocery stores where you can pick your own produce right in the store. 

Real estate website Trulia recently released its inaugural middle-class affordability report, outlining where in the U.S. the middle class can afford to buy a home. (Hint: you might want to stay away from California.) 

Richard Guarasci, President of Wagner College, believes universities should increase their civic engagement programs to help spur economic and community development. 

The Affordable Care Act has the potential to improve the overall health of communities, by having nonprofit hospitals focus on and invest in more community building activities. 

Underneath the Manhattan Bridge overpass, on South Street, a new outdoor community gym finds a unique way to make use of an otherwise neglected space. 

In New York City, a converted firehouse from 1895 now serves as an incubator for small tech startups. 

A new tool is coming that will help make infographics easy to create.

Check out these great infrographics and the firms that designed them.

Reusing and sharing that to-go coffee cup.  It's worth consideration financially, and environmentally.

The SPARKING NEW IDEAS, Parking Strategies for Stronger Communities conference held on April 8th at The Colonnade is now online.

Boston's Mayor, Martin Walsh, releases the complete transition team working group documents (Be Aware: 181 page PDF)  

Check out a new report by Smart Growth America on measuring sprawl.  Check out Andre Leroux's comments on this report and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Participate in the One Day on Earth: Your Day. Your City. Your Future, a multi-city participatory media-creation event. On April 26th, 2014, hundreds of filmmakers, non-profit organizations, and inspired citizens in 11 U.S. city-regions will document stories that they believe most affect the future of their city.

The idea is to have people, organizations, and groups across the Boston region film on the same day within a 24-hour duration (on Saturday, April 26, 2014) to tell their stories.  Video stories submitted to One Day in Boston will result in a 90 minute film — a localized version of One Day on Earth.   Video submissions not included in the 90 minute piece will feature in a geo-tagged film archive featuring the people, stories, and events of Greater Boston.  Participation is voluntary.  You can make your own film, partner with a videographer/film-maker, or reach out to Cecily Taylor, producer of the Boston project at Cecily.Tyler@onedayonearth.org.

It is a great way to document stories about our lives, our families, our organizations, our communities, and our city.  We encourage you to get involved and participate to showcase our city.  You can learn more about this project by clicking on the following links:

Boston joins 5 other cities to improve bike lanes.

3,267 organizations tell Congress to grow the pie. Letter to House and Senate Appropriators on FY15 THUD 302(b)

Roxbury forum examines 1960s anti-highway fight - The Bay State Banner

Check out resources available through the Mass Broadband Institute to help eliminate the digital divide.

Over 1,400 Massachusetts households are without Section 8 vouchers due to Sequestration

"CDFI Network Pledges to Support 'My Brother’s Keeper' Initiative" - Philanthropy News Digest

The Equality of Opportunity Project:

Researchers from Harvard University and the University of California, Berkeley developed the Equality of Opportunity Project to share their findings on intergenerational income mobility across U.S. metropolitan areas. Their website offers an interactive map, presentations, and papers to describe how measures of social capital, inequality, segregation, family structure, and quality of schools correlate with mobility.

"Cities Mobilize to Help Those Threatened by Gentrification" - The New York Times, 3/3/2014

Check out the fastest growing private companies in Massachusetts. - Boston Business Journal

"Creative Placemaking: A Tour" - LISC Institute for Comprehensive Community Development

"How arts and culture can transform a neighborhood." - Erik Takeshita

"Why Government Should Support The Arts" - Nick Paleologos for Cognoscenti

"Boston needs cooler buses" - Opinion, Boston Globe

"10 Lessons in More Engaging Citizen Engagement" - planetizen

Which Eastern Massachusetts communities have the most and least homes under water? - Boston Business Journal

Check out the new Google Maps Gallery.  A great and growing resource for the data-driven and map-loving.

Community Investment Tax Credit Award Announcement!

MACDC is proud to join the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development at an event to announce the first awards for the Community Investment Tax Credit Program (CITC).

The Main South CDC will be hosting the event and we will be joined by Undersecretary Aaron Gornstein and other local and state officials.

The announcement will take place on Tuesday, March 4, 10:30 A.M. at The Boys and Girls Club of Worcester, 65 Tainter Street, Worcester.

Why is a health insurance company is investing $150,000,000 in affordable housing?  Learn more.

Apply for the Achieving Excellence leadership program by March 26

The NeighborWorks® Achieving Excellence Program (AE), carried out in collaboration with Harvard University, is now accepting applications for its next round, set to begin in October 2014.  The proven results of Achieving Excellence demonstrate that it is one of the most high-impact programs in the nation for organizations seeking to transform the way they work for even greater results.  This 18-month organizational investment program assists 50 experienced leaders (generally Presidents/CEOs) from the fields of nonprofit housing, community and economic development, financing, health and wellness, and other organizations working to benefit their communities as each organization tackles a performance challenge that is most critical to their future success and the communities they serve.  With the participant’s organizational performance challenge as the focal point, the interdependent components of the program include:

  • three week-long cutting-edge academic sessions developed and delivered by faculty at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government;
  • intensive one-on-one executive coaching by a team of top-notch leadership consultants;
  • structured peer group learning and best-practice sharing.

Achieving Excellence provides the forum, the challenge, the tools, the space and the opportunity for leaders to transform their organizations to achieve a higher level of effectiveness and sustainability.  For more information or for an application, please go to www.nw.org/ae.

 

"People stress us out, but they are also the key to happiness in cities" - The Guardian

"The Future of Urban Freeways Is Playing Out Right Now in Syracuse" - The Atlantic Cities

“Community development is an investment, not an expenditure,” said National Development Council (NDC) President Bob Davenport. And, he’s got the numbers to prove it. "How Federal Community Development Investments Affect the Nation's Bottom Line" - NACEDA interview with National Development Council (NDC) President Bob Davenport.

Income inequality in Boston, new study by Brookings Institute reports. (Link to Christian Science Monitor article)  

Check out the CFED Assets and Opportunities scorecard for Massachusetts.

Do you know an incredible immigrant entrepreneur?  If so, nominate them for an award. The 2014 ILC Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards Dinner will honor outstanding Massachusetts immigrant entrepreneurs in four categories: outstanding business growth, neighborhood business, life science and high-tech business. The evening will commence with a reception, followed by dinner and an awards ceremony with master of ceremonies Richard A. Davey, Jr., secretary and CEO of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and ILC board trustee.

A strong paper worth reading: "Comparative Advantages: Creating Synergy in Community Development" by Robert O. Zdenek

Learn about a powerful lending program to establish credit set up by LISC.

Good article on online fundraising by the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Somerville rents to go up with expansion of Green Line.

ULI and Enterprise release new report on how to increase supply of affordable housing.

The Guardian has a new section dedicated to cities.

Great article on the Community Investment Tax Credit in Banker and Tradesman

New regional growth projections released for the greater Boston metropolitan area.

Check out NECN coverage of the housing needs in the greater Boston region with interviews with MAPC's Marc Draisen and POAH's Patricia Belden.

Check out WBUR's "Square by Square" special reporting that covers how Boston has changed over the twenty years Mayor Menino was in office.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Boston just announced $1.8 million to six cities in Massachusetts as they launch a new pilot program: the Working Cities Challenge.  Each of the awarded cities has a strong CDC operating within their communities:

Lawrence CommunityWorks (Lawrence)

Twin Cities CDC (Fitchburg)

The Neighborhood Developers (Chelsea)

Somerville Community Corporation (Somerville)

North Shore CDC (Salem)

Check out this idea for transforming Hamburg into a incredibly "green" city.

For MassHousing, 2013 was record year for lending.

Check out the Rapoza Associates report on 2013 Community Development Corporations titled: "Stories of Community Impact," which details how CDCs in urban and rural communities across the country work with federal community development funding.

Check out a report from The Harvard Joint Center for Housing "America's Rental Housing: Evolving Markets and Needs." 

A few good rules to follow to make sure those awesome looking infographics aren't leading you astray.

Third Sector New England is offering to valuable trainings worth checking out:  Creating Highly Functional Teams (February 13th) and Presentations and Public Speaking (March 27th).

A great resource for online trainings:  http://www.wildapricot.com/blogs/newsblog/2013/12/02/free-non-profit-webinars-for-december-2013

How do you engage a membership/network in crafting policy online and with other technological resources? http://www.rooflines.org/3555/the_quest_to_create_standards_for_affordable_homeownership/

What are the most walkable cities in the country? http://www.governing.com/topics/urban/gov-most-walkable-cities.html

Are you living in a happy city?  How do you make a city's residents happy? http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20131213-how-to-build-a-happier-city

Check out a peformance hall this is underground in the city of Boston:  http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/style/2013/12/13/steinert-hall-most-famous-subterranean-theater-you-never-heard/hmNEd74IQpIcqP35X0d9GP/picture.html

Is it time for us to start building our cities underground?

Knight Foundation reports that $430 million invested in technology designed for civic engagement.

"America's Rental Housing Evolving Markets and Needs" - New study released today by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies

Right now, East Boston is the hottest housing market in Mass:  http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/mass_roundup/2013/12/the-hottest-housing-markets-in.html?ana=e_bost_real&s=newsletter&ed=2013-12-06

MACDC's President, Joe Kriesberg, and Vanessa Calderon-Rosado, CEO of Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, become co-chairs of the Boston Mayor-elect's Housing Working Group: http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/11/23/mayor-elect-martin-walsh-expands-transition-team/tZMQH2YVI909YKzx6bNDsO/story.html

Check out this great website for data visualization: http://visualizing.org/

What do we want out of our communities?  http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2013/11/americans-are-very-confused-about-what-they-want-out-community/7691/

Could co-living housing be an answer to some of the challenges we're facing in eastern Mass?  http://www.theatlanticcities.com/housing/2013/12/one-answer-san-franciscos-overpriced-housing-co-living/7654/

Creative crosswalks?  Interesting idea. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/12/03/248461489/something-cool-a-hopscotch-crosswalk-in-baltimore?utm_content=socialflow&utm_campaign=nprnews&utm_source=npr&utm_medium=twitter

Turn a bike into a hybrid?  Local company thinks so... http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/blog/startups/2013/12/superpedestrian-debuts-wheel-that.html

Solid and thoughtful feedback on the HUD and Department of Transporation new online tool, the Location Affordability Portal in Shelterforces' Rooflines:  http://www.rooflines.org/3523/3_good_and_3_not-so-good_uses_for_huds_new_data_on_location_affordability/

Nice article on Community Organizing and Community Economic Development in Shelterforce.  It nicely builds off of MACDC's Theory of Change for CDCs.  Check it out.

Check out this great new video by MAHA:  http://www.mahahome.org/

“There’s new evidence that the quality of housing can affect a child’s brain growth”. Hear more of what “Home Matters for Health” panelist Dr. Megan Sandel has to say on how housing is a vital sign for health in the first Home Matters Talks video http://youtu.be/xnneRi5v01k

Imagine having this seat and directional stand combo in your neighborhood.  http://www.yankodesign.com/2013/11/20/wayfinding-rest-stop/

Check out this infographic prepared by our peers at the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development: Creating Adaptive Prosperity for Indiana Communities - https://www.pinterest.com/pin/416723771741446631/

Check out what happened to this old factory site!  http://www.fastcodesign.com/3021481/how-architects-transformed-this-former-set-from-the-wire-into-a-training-ground-for-tomorrow

A new traffic light that works and is attractive and compact. A new look for our streets?  http://www.tuvie.com/kayserius-traffic-light-design-for-kayseri-turkey/

Trying to quickly express and share complex blocks of information that is really engaging is tough.  Check out more great infographic examples:  http://www.coolhunting.com/design/information-is-beautiful-award-winners-2013.php

Infographics are a great way for community development groups to communicate.  Check out 8 great infographics: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3021783/infographic-of-the-day/8-of-the-years-most-creative-infographics

Should the MBTA follow Moscow's lead on fitness and free subway passes?  http://www.mymodernmet.com/profiles/blogs/winter-olympics-moscow-free-ticket-machine

An interesting fundraiser idea:  Doll Houses design competition.  It creates very interesting pieces for a social event too.

Green housing and other means to help prevent the accelerated melting of the polar ice caps shouldn't be delayed.  Check out these graphics of what the world would look like if the ice melted.

"Building Support for Affordable Homeownership and Rental Choices: A Summary of Research Findings on Public Opinion and Messaging on Affordable Housing" A Center for Housing Policy Study by Janet Viveiros and Rebecca Cohen

Not surprising:  "How Crummy, Run-Down Housing Harms the Children Who Live in It," an article by Emily Badger for The Atlantic Cities

To Curb Medicaid Spending Tomorrow, Invest in Housing Today http://www.huffingtonpost.com/terri-ludwig/curb-medicaid-spending_b_4117001.html

Check out this house that's only 15 feet wide:  http://www.fastcodesign.com/3020868/innovation-by-design/a-15-foot-wide-house-youd-kill-to-live-in

A very good, comprehensive and balanced summary of the literature about poverty and place: http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/26/division-street-u-s-a/?_r=1

Could suburbs be a good source of power one day?  http://www.fastcoexist.com/3020666/the-suburbs-might-be-the-source-of-power-for-cities-of-the-future

Check out how this chapel became a gorgeous bookstore:  http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2013/10/a-15th-century-cathedral-transformed-into-a-modern-bookstore/

Coakley Weighs In On U.S. Supreme Court Case, Urges Acceptance Of Broad Fair Housing Protections:  http://www.bankerandtradesman.com/news157152.html

Google releases new mapping tool that's great for CDCs as they visually represent what they're doing in the community:  http://techcrunch.com/2013/10/21/google-introduces-maps-engine-pro-a-5-per-usermo-service-to-help-businesses-make-decisions-using-location-data/

Save the Date! MACDC's Annual Meeting & Conference will be on November 15th at Clark University in Worcester.

CLICK HERE to read Joe's article on the CITC program in the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston's Communities and Banking magazine.

Join MPHA and our partners on October 9th for "Healthy by Design: Planning and Development for Vibrant Communities" with internationally renowned public health, planning and transportation expert Mark Fenton. 

HUD's "Ideas in Action" is tranforming into the "HUD Switchboard."  This is an additional way to learn more about what HUD is doing...  CHECK IT OUT.

The Mass. Nonprofit Networks Annual Conference is coming up: October 29! 

The Boston Foundation's Greater Boston Housing Report Card event is 10/10/2013.  CLICK HERE to register.

Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) Update: The Commonwealth's Legislature and Governor approved an important technical change to the Community Investment Tax Credit as part of the Supplemental Budget making the credit refundable to taxpayers who don't have sufficient tax liability. The CITC, first enacted in 2012 and scheduled to take effect in January 2014, provides a 50% tax credit to individuals and corporations, including banks, who make donations to qualified community development corporations in the Commonwealth. The credit will be a particularly useful tool for banks seeking to deepen their community engagement, increase the impact of their philanthropic efforts and obtain additional CRA credit. By making the credit refundable, the legislation will allow taxpayers to participate without worrying whether they will have sufficient tax liability to take advantage of the credit. For more information contact Joe Kriesberg at MACDC at joek@macdc.org.

Share! Nominate a CDC that you think is doing great work that should be highlighted as the MACDC CDC Innovator of the Month. Send your nominations and ideas to John Fitterer at johnf@macdc.org.

Learn More! 2013 EcoDistricts Summit:
Coming to Boston November 12-14, the EcoDistricts Summit is the premier conference dedicated to the global movement to promote sustainable neighborhood development. Each year the EcoDistricts Summit convenes community leaders to share best practices and shape the growing EcoDistricts marketplace. More than 60 plenary sessions and panel discussions are carefully curated to introduce conference participants to cutting-edge projects and thought leadership in green buildings, smart infrastructure and community action. For More Information: CLICK HERE

In Brief:  If you're using Twitter for your organization and receive CDBG funding, use the hashtag #wearecdbg to help acknowledge what you're doing and from where you receive part of your funding support.

In Brief:  The TD Charitable Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2013 Housing for Everyone grant competition. A total of $2.5 million will be awarded this year to 25 local non-profit organizations that make a meaningful difference in meeting the affordable housing needs in communities served by TD Bank. Applications will only be accepted through the TD Charitable Foundation's online application system and should be submitted by 4:00 p.m. (EST) on Friday August 30, 2013. Paper applications will not be accepted. The online application and additional information about the Housing for Everyone grant competition are available at www.tdbank.com (click on 'Our Community').

Thank You to our Funders: 

The following organizations awarded grants in July to MACDC:

  • Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development
  • MassHousing
  • The Hyams Foundation
  • Bank of America
  • The MetLife Foundation
  • NeighborWorks America
  • Boston Private Bank and Trust
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