Learn about the Mel King Institute's mission to help organizations better serve their communities and their six years of impact. Featured stories include North Shore CDC's YouthBuild program that grew from a Mel King Institute scholarship and Angela Kelly's story of going from a LISC AmeriCorps Member to Director of Resident Leadership and Services at Madison Park DC, participating in our trainings and programs along the way. VIEW VIDEO

The Mel King Instiute had a wonderful annual breakfast complete with testimonials about their impact, a moving poem from Tufts students about race and the immigrant experience in America, and a insightful keynote speech by DHCD Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay on thinking about present problems with a mind towards future ones. The program ended with a recited poem by the Institute's namesake, Mel King. 

Thank you again to all our sponsors including our presenting sponsor, Citizens Bank! Our work would not be possible without your support.  

Fenway CDC announced that Leah Camhi is the new Executive Director, starting July 1st. With an extensive background founding, leading and developing nonprofits in Boston, Ms. Camhi will be taking helm of the 42 year old CDC as it looks to continue developing housing and helping lead a community undergoing significant transformation, particularly with the many developments lining Boylston St.

This week, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), Mass Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA), and Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) released an extensive report discussing the Boston 2024’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics in Massachusetts. The report does not take a position for or against bringing the Games to Massachusetts, but rather emphasizes the importance of thinking now about the legacy these Games would leave behind. The report details the risks and potential benefits of hosting the games and outlines a number of recommendations for how best to ensure that the Games leave a positive legacy of investment that increases regional equity and economic opportunity. The report also details some of the risks if effective and inclusive planning is not done in advance.

“MACDC is proud to have contributed to the report because it brings to the forefront serious questions about the impact that the Olympics could have on lower income communities and communities of color,” commented MACDC President Joseph Kriesberg. “The report offers specific recommendations for how to mitigate the potential for displacement and gentrification and lays out a vision for leveraging the Olympic Games to pave the way for significant investment in housing that would be affordable to low and moderate income families.”

Check out Andre Leroux, the Mass Smart Growth Alliance Executive Director, discussing Boston 2024 and a series of suggestions to bring about a successful legacy to Boston's hosting the Summer Olympics with NECN's Peter Howe.

In May, 2015, the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation’s Division of Banks (DOB) awarded $1.3 Million in grants to 11 regional foreclosure prevention centers and 10 individual first-time homeownership education centers across Massachusetts. For a list of the grantees and the awards, see the Office of Consumer Affairs website.

The awards are made under Chapter 206 of the Acts of 2007, a law enacted as the foreclosure crisis was gaining steam, with MACDC and its members instrumental in drafting and passing the legislation. Among other things, it regulates non-bank mortgage lenders for the first time, and uses the licensing fees from mortgage originators to fund the foreclosure prevention counseling awards. Over the past three years, DOB has provided more than $4 Million for foreclosure prevention counseling and homebuyer education.

MACDC Members are so effective at providing these services that 13 of the 21 awards were made to MACDC Members or to coalitions including MACDC Members. In fact, over a three year period ending in December 2014, MACDC members provided foreclosure prevention counseling to almost 12,000 households, and close to 4,600 of these households achieved a positive outcome.

MACDC continues to engage the Division of Banks, on behalf of our members and their low- and moderate-income constituents who still face challenges in buying and preserving their homes.  We met with DOB in November 2014 to talk about the need for ongoing support for both foreclosure prevention and homebuyer education. Clearly, DOB listened to the concerns of MACDC and other stakeholders as they developed the specifics of the program.

Unfortunately, the foreclosure crisis is not abating as fast as many had hoped.  Foreclosure petitions in the Bay State, the first step in the foreclosure process, continued to climb in March, posting a 68 percent increase compared with March 2014, according to a new report from The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman. This marked the 13th consecutive month of increases in petition filings.

MACDC will continue to support our members, as they strive to help current homeowners preserve their homes and provide future homeowners with the tools for enjoying sustainable homeownership. MACDC is currently advocating with the Legislature to make sure the program is fully funded again in Fiscal Year 2016.

For more information on this, please contact Don Bianchi at donb@macdc.org.