Rebuilding Indiana Monthly 

Monthly e-newsletter of the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development                   February 2009 Edition

In This Issue
Membership Drive 2009
Save the Date: 2009 Statewide Conference
Welcome New IACED Members!
IACED Training Updates
Kay Fleck Shares Her Wisdom
What to Cut and Not to Cut in the Fundraising Budget
IACED TA: HOME and CDBG Applications
2009 General Assembly
Indiana Economic Recovery Project
Long Term Disaster Recovery Funds
Indiana Green Building Symposium, 2009
Renters are a Growing Portion of US Households, Rents Rising
Neighborhood Stabilization Program Modifications
Send us Your Stories!

Quick Links...

Membership Drive
2009
 
As IACED's annual membership drive is launched, we hope that you will choose to rejoin Indiana's only statewide association for the community economic development industry. Together, we're making a difference for people and communities all around the state.

The first round of renewal notices were sent out the last week of January.  If you did not receive a renewal notice by mail, IACED may need to update your information.

You can also renew your membership online at our web site by clicking here.

Please contact Caroline Lampert at 317-920-2300 ext. 10 or by email at
clampert@iaced.org

IACED depends on your continued support to provide the best possible services to the many organizations we serve. We wish to sincerely thank those who remained with us in 2008 and plan to renew in 2009.  Please remember January begins a new membership cycle, and your dues will pay for services provided this current year.  While some of you may have paid your dues later in 2008, they covered the membership services provided to you last year.  If you have any questions, please let us know.

New Members Welcome! We are always eager to serve new member organizations. Remember to ask another organization to join when you renew your membership! They may contact IACED for a membership packet or download the membership form from our web site.

 


2009 Statewide Conference

Save the Date
September 1-3, 2009

The 2009 Statewide Conference on Housing and Community Economic Development will take place September 1-3, 2009.  This year the conference will be held in a new venue to help keep cost low for IACED members.  The session tracks for this year's conference are:
  • Leadership and Management
  • Single Family Housing
  • Multifamily Housing
  • Homeless Intervention and Prevention
  • Comprehensive Community Development
The 2009 conference will offer a mix of technical sessions for practitioners and leadership ideas to move organizations and communities forward.
IACED is Hiring

Join the team at the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development (IACED) as Senior Project Manager.  A complete job description is available at http://www.iaced.org

The Senior Program Manager supports the development, design, and delivery of IACED's technical assistance, fee for service consulting, and special projects.  Technical assistance is a hallmark service offered to IACED members to strengthen their competitive positions. 

The Senior Project Manager develops technical assistance, which assesses organizational needs and delivers the expertise to help members manage operations and develop community economic development projects. 
 
Qualifications include a bachelor's degree in a relevant field (Master's preferred) and a minimum of 10 years experience with real estate development, community development, or nonprofit management. 

Applicants must demonstrate knowledge of operations, management, and finance.  Knowledge of community economic development funding and financing resources, including CDBG, HOME, OCS, NMTC, and Section 42 programs, is a requirement. 

Please mail cover letter, resume, and three references to IACED, 2105 North Meridian Street, Suite 102, Indianapolis, IN 46202, Attn:  Senior Project Manager Search or email these documents to afraizer@iaced.org.  The position will remain open until 8:00 a.m. March 2, 2009; salary range $55,000-$62,000.

Greetings!
 
February is off to a fast start.  IACED membership renewals arrive in the U.S. mail daily.  If you have not already done so, please renew today.  You can renew or join online by clicking here.

The Indiana General Assembly is nearing the deadline to move bills out of the originating legislative chamber.  More information about state legislative issues to follow.  IACED received positive media coverage for an initiative to promote the benefits of living in certain urban neighborhoods in Indianapolis.  Unsung Indy, as the initiative is known, is a model to promote other neighborhoods and communities which do not receive the attention they deserve.  You can link to stories in the Indianapolis Business Journal and Inside Indiana Business.  Keep an eye on http://www.unsungindy.org in the coming months.

The objective of Unsung Indy is to tell the story of Indianapolis neighborhoods outside of the downtown mile square which make up the city's rich diversity.  Realtors, small developers, and neighborhood-based community development corporations (CDCs) have marketed individual properties in neighborhoods with their limited budgets and time frames.  However, there has been little unified effort to promote the quality of life benefits of buying a home in an already developed neighborhood in anything like the manner utilized every day by large suburban developers.  In response to the challenge of attracting more home buyers to neglected neighborhoods, the Unsung Indy campaign is a colorful and unified effort to share the stories of these "unsung" communities and promote the quality of life benefits of living and visiting these unique places. 

You can download a one-page description of the initiative here.  Again, think about how this campaign might be a model for your community, including neighborhoods where you might be targeting Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) investments.

IACED is partnering with City Real Estate Advisors to apply for an allocation of New Market Tax Credits.  New Market Tax Credits provide a significant financial boost to many types of projects including community facilities and commercial ventures.  If members have projects in development, be sure IACED is aware of them.  Contact me at afraizer@iaced.org.

Other work underway this month includes technical assistance with foreclosure counseling agencies to enhance their processes for claiming funds and recruiting new agencies into the Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network.  IACED members the City of Fort Wayne - Community Development Department, Broadway Area CDC, and United Neighborhoods Inc. engaged us to assist with their strategic planning and board building.  IACED is pleased to serve these members.  If IACED can help with planning, assessment, management, or advice, visit IACED's website.

In addition to this work, IACED staff have been following developments in Washington, D.C. with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan.  Last week, IACED released a summary of the economic stimulus - the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.  The Act represents the largest single government spending bill in the nation's history. The bill's $787 billion in spending and tax cuts is intended to stimulate the economy by getting Americans working and spending again.  Virtually every family will be touched in some way by the stimulus bill.  If you did not download IACED's full summary, it is available here.  The Local Initiatives Support Corporation has prepared a detailed summary of the legislation, which members might find helpful.

The Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan has four key elements:
  • refinancing help for four to five million homeowners who receive their mortgages through Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac
  • new incentives for lenders to modify the terms of sub-prime loans at risk of default and foreclosure
  • steps to keep mortgage rates low for millions of middle class families looking to secure new mortgages
  • additional reforms designed to help families stay in their homes
IACED will be providing a more detailed summary of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan in the coming days.  You can link to the Executive Summary provided by the White House and U.S. Treasury Department here

If you have any questions about IACED's work or we can assist you, do not hesitate to contact us at 317-920-2300.

Sincerely,
 Andy Fraizer Signature
Andy Fraizer
Welcome New IACED Members! 
 
IACED is pleased to welcome the following new members to our association:
 
Irvington Development Organization - Voting Member
 
Urban Offerings, Inc. - Associate Member
 
M & M Trim, Inc. - Associate Member
 
City of Fort Wayne - Community Development - Associate Member
 
Thank you for joining!  We are looking forward to getting to know you and helping you serve Indiana communities and families.
IACED Training Updates 
 
 
February 23-25
This two and one-half day course will walk participants through the Environmental and Historic Review regulations associated with HOME and CDBG funded projects.  Participants will gain:
  • Sensitivity to environmental concerns and value
  • Technical skills to perform environmental assessments pursuant to NEPA in general and HUD Environmental Regulations (24 CFR 58) in particular
  • Technical handbooks and guidelines needed for preparation of environmental review records
  • Positive relationships with environmental professionals in the public and private sectors that work on various aspects of environmental assessment
  • Basic brownfield concepts and current practice
  • Basic sustainability concepts and current state of the art
  • Methods to improve efficiency and effectiveness of process
The training will include a variety of local practitioners who will supplement the training material with local expertise.
Participants will understand the process of environmental and historic review after this training. 
 
Citizen's Gas
2020 N. Meridian St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
 

Project Development Training V  - Registration Closed
 
March 3-5
Strategic Planning for Housing Production
 
This is the last class in the PDT series.  Come prepared for the certification exam and enjoy the last class!

IACED TA: HOME & CDBG Applications

IACED will offer members (1) one hour of free technical assistance in reviewing HOME & CDBG applications for 2009.  Any assistance needed above one hour can be contracted/billed at the discounted member rate.  For more information or questions, please contact David Fredricks at dfredricks@iaced.org or 317-920-2300, Ext 13.
2009 General Assembly

While January started out slow at the Statehouse, February has seen more action.  IACED is watching numerous bills.  Below is a sample of important bills being debated.  For additional information about the legislative session, contact IACED at 317-920-2300 or email Andy Fraizer at afraizer@iaced.org.


Constitutional Property Tax Caps Pass Senate 34-16

Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 1 amends the Indiana Constitution to make permanent the 1-2-3% property tax caps passed last year.  The resolution to amend the Constitution must pass two consecutive General Assemblies before being considered by the voters through a referendum.

SJR 1 was heard in the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday, January 27. SJR 1 cleared the Indiana Senate February 9, 34-16.  The measure moves to the House where the measures fate is uncertain.


Foreclosure of Residential Mortgages - Settlement Conferences

Senate Bill (SB) 492 and House Bill (HB) 1633 both create a step in the foreclosure process for a settlement conference.  IACED supports this concept.  Both bills require a creditor to provide a presuit notice to the debtor informing them of the initiation of foreclosure proceedings and the debtor may obtain assistance from a foreclosure counselor.  If a debtor wishes to participate in a settlement conference, the debtor must contact the court not later than 30 days after notice is served.

The introduced versions of these bills specified that, if a settlement conference is conducted: (1) it must be scheduled between 25 and 60 days after the notice is sent; (2) the debtor must contact a foreclosure counselor before the conference and bring certain documents to the conference; (3) the creditor must bring a complete transaction history to the conference; and (4) the creditor's agent must have the authority to bind the agent.

HB 1633 passed the House Financial Institutions Committee on February 19.  SB 492 was amended on second reading the same day.  Among other things, the amendment allows a creditor to forego the notice of a settlement conference, if a prior foreclosure prevention plan fails and for other reasons.


STIF Legislation Would Allow 50% Capture of Sales Tax

House Bill (HB) 1597  provides authority to redevelopment commissions to establish a Sales Tax Increment Financing (STIF) area and capture 50 percent of the sales and use taxes within the area to pay for the infrastructure needed to develop the area.  Under the provisions of the bill, a STIF area would be allowed to exist for 30 years.  This concept is similar to the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) laws that currently exist, however, TIF is a capture of property taxes where STIF captures sales and use taxes.  The Committee on Small Business and Economic Development passed the bill on February 19 and it was recommitted to House Ways and Means.  IACED is monitoring this legislation.


Funding for Foreclosure Counseling

House Bill (HB) 1637 provides for an assessment on financial institutions designated as a depository of public funds for purposes of providing sufficient money to provide foreclosure prevention counseling and assistance programs.  This legislation passed the House Financial Institutions Committee on February 2 and Ways and Means on February 19.  This bill is likely to be amended to include alternative funding sources, besides or in addition to the assessment on financial institutions.  IACED supports additional funding for foreclosure counseling.


Financial Responsibility Curriculum

House Bill (HB 1581) requires public schools (including charter schools) and accredited nonpublic schools to provide instruction in personal financial responsibility to students in grades 9 through 12.  IACED supports this legislation.  The bill passed second reading in the House of Representatives on February 19 and is currently eligible for third reading.


Affordable Housing and Community Development Fund

Two bills were introduced this session altering the current framework of the state Affordable Housing and Community Development Fund.  Senate Bill (SB) 371 increased the tax on smokeless tobacco products, a revenue source for the fund.  However, the bill lowered the percentage invested in the Affordable Housing and Community Development Fund.  SB 387 proposed to alter the split of revenues between a local housing trust fund and the state fund for a county which adopts a supplemental document recording fee.  SB 371 was assigned to the Senate Appropriations Committee; SB 387 was assigned to the Senate Local Government Committee.  Neither bill has been heard to date and a future hearing is unlikely.

Indiana Economic Recovery Project will Direct Funds from American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

According to the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns (IACT),
the Office of Community and Rural Affairs and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation have been tasked with directing the use of funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Center for Business and Economic Research is engaging in data collection of economic development projects from across the state to determine funding for local economic development infrastructure projects.

An electronic form is available to easily and conveniently enter up to 20 projects from local communities.  This form must be completed by Feb. 25 to receive consideration for the federal economic stimulus funds.

IACED members should read the official letter prior to submitting the survey.

Click here to link to the survey.

Click here to view the Ball State University web site describing the Indiana Economic Recovery Project.

OCRA to Distribute Long Term Disaster Recovery Funds
Courtesy of the Office of Community and Rural Affairs
 
Last year, Congress appropriated $300 million in CDBG funds for disasters that occurred in Midwestern states.  The state of Indiana was awarded $67 million for recovery efforts for damage caused by the May and June floods (DR-1766).

Congress appropriated supplemental funding in September, $95 million of which has been allocated to Indiana for emergency disaster assistance in states affected by severe storms and flooding in 2008.  The new funding can be used by the state for long-term recovery efforts for damage caused by any previous natural disaster which received a federal declaration this year (DR-1740, DR-1766 and DR-1795).

The Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA) will  distribute funds for public infrastructure restoration, economic revitalization, and other non-housing disaster recovery activities.  OCRA will serve as the state's primary liaison to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develoment (HUD), the source of federal funds for long-term disaster recovery in areas affected by natural disasters in 2008.  OCRA will work with the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) to manage all housing activities.

Please note that only local units of government may apply for this funding.

For complete information on long term disaster funding programs, click here.

Indiana Green Building Symposium
  
March 12-13, 2009
 
Think Green, because a green approach has clearly come to mainstream Indiana. Buildings in our state account for over 70% of all electricity. In an effort to reduce consumption, professionals and owners are thinking green in the design and operation of buildings.

Come and learn how new and existing buildings can Think Green at the third annual, Indiana Building Green Symposium, 2009. Over 400 designers, owners, operators and developers will attend the event held at the Indianapolis Museum of Art on March 12th and March 13th.
 
Indianapolis Museum of Art
4000 Michigan Rd.
Indianapolis, IN  46208

Indiana Citizens' Alliance for Transit

The Indiana Citizens' Alliance for Transit (ICAT) recently launched at  http://www.indianacat.org/.  ICAT is the grassroots advocacy group working to ensure that the future of transportation in Indiana includes comprehensive transit options with dedicated funding sources.  According to the web site, "Fulfilling [the vision for more and better transit in Indiana] is going to require hard work and cooperation, as transit is an issue that affects us all. Regardless of your economic situation, urban or rural setting, or concern for "going green" vs. "making green", there are many reasons to care about improved transit and to support ICAT's work."
NDC's Housing Development Finance Professional (HDFP) Certification Program in Ohio 

The National Development Council's (NDC) 4-course HDFP Certification Program is an intense training series that thoroughly examines the practice of affordable housing finance and development.  Participants from public agencies and non-profit organizations learn the steps of the housing development process, the techniques used to analyze and structure financing for home ownership and rental housing deals, and the problem solving and negotiating skills needed to make complicated deals feasible.  Topics include the housing development process, Historic Rehabilitation and Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, negotiating, problem solving, deal structuring, and more! 
 
Dates:
  • March 9-12
  • June 15-19
  • Sept. 21-Oct. 1
  • Dec. 7-11
Training Location:
Ramada Hotel & Conference Center
4900 Sinclair Road
Columbus, Ohio 43229

For more information contact:
The Ohio CDC Association
 
Amy J. Griffith
Phone:  614/461-6392 ext. 204
Email: 
agriffith@ohiocdc.org
Or
Celia Elkins
Phone:  614/461-6392 ext. 201
Email: 
celkins@ohiocdc.org
Enterprise Online Trainings

Green Communities: Pushing the Envelope

Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 2:00 PM (Eastern)


The Pushing the Envelope training is based on the philosophy that a high performance building envelope is a top priority for addressing long term operations, maintenance, and replacement costs in affordable housing. This dynamic training addresses basic building science principles and explores cost effective design and construction practices to create energy-efficient, durable building envelopes. The content is relevant to single-family and low-rise multi-family structures.

For more information and to register, please visit the Enterprise web site.

 
Green Communities: Engaging Your Energy Consultant in a Whole-Building Energy Analysis
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 at 2:00 PM (Eastern)

The term "energy consultant" can mean different things to different people. By understanding the range of services that energy consultants can potentially offer, developers can better select an energy consultant to match the needs of high-performance building projects. This session will focus on the role of energy consultants in the design of high-performance buildings, explain the role of building modeling in a whole-building energy analysis, and make the distinction between meeting a pre-determined set of energy options versus adopting a design process that is specific to the building type in a particular climate.

For more information and to register, please visit the Enterprise web site.
 
Kay Fleck Shares Wisdom and Experience before Retirement
 
At the end of March 2009, Whitley Crossings Neighborhood Corporation will say goodbye to its excellent leader and director of over 22 years, Kay Fleck.  Anne Mannix describes Kay as "a quiet heroine of community development in Indiana".  Kay led the organization through several large projects, including the restoration of the Clugston Hotel.  She won IACED's Robert O. Zdenek Staff of the Year Award in 2004.  In a recent interview, Kay was kind enough to share the experiences and wisdom she has gained through her years of service.
 
According to Kay, the Clugston restoration is a point of pride because it was one of the most difficult projects to complete.  "It was falling down on the courthouse square, so we restored it for 22 units of affordable housing for people over 55".  Twenty-five percent of the units may be rented to individuals under 55, and partnership with a local homeless shelter allowed Kay to lease some units as transitional housing. 

Kay enjoys the mix of people that live in the projects she has developed.  It's those people Kay will miss after she retires.  She will miss getting to see families move into their new homes.  She will also miss "the challenge of putting a deal together" and the many good people she has worked with throughout the years. 
 
Kay shared three important pieces of advice for others in the community development industry. 
  1. "Be patient.  These deals take time, don't try to rush things.
  2. Work with your community so it's something they can accept...deal with their concerns, don't just barge ahead with whatever you want to do.  With our Whitley Meadows, projects they had a lot of concerns, we met them, and then at the zoning hearing, we didn't really have any problems.
  3. Even tasks which seem impossible can be accomplished.  The Clugston seemed pretty impossible to me, but it's there serving the need."
Kay has lived by these basic principles in her own work. 

Anne Mannix shared that Kay "has the rare combination of vision and nerve to undertake big projects with the ability to execute and to sweat the details and get them right."  Kay will be greatly missed at Whitley Crossings.
 
The organization is being left in good hands as Tom O'Neill takes the position of Executive Director in April.  Kay, IACED wishes you the best of luck with your future endeavors.
 
When the Ax-man Commeth: 
What to Cut and What Not to Cut in your Fundraising/Marketing Budget 
 
Fundraising expert Jeff Brooks recently addressed what to cut if you must cut something in a Network for Good Nonprofit 911 Call.  His focus is on helping nonprofits emerge from the recession with dedicated donors beside them.  He does so by emphasizing the importantce of choosing fundraising programs that have a clear, positive impact on donor cultivation and acquisition. 
 
For a summary of the call, visit Katya's Nonprofit Marketing Blog.  For the full transcript click here.

 
Housing Crisis Swells the Ranks of Homeless
Lisa Black, Lolly Bowean, and Steve Schmadeke
Chicago Tribune (Illinois)
January 13, 2009
 
CHICAGO - Cindy Almendarez avoided the homeless shelter for as long as possible, shuffling her children from a friend's basement to a roach-infested apartment before bunking down in the back seat of her car, where, for nearly two weeks, they tried to pretend they were camping.
 
She tried to cheer up Zachary, 10, and Zarah, 4, by joking that the family was "temporarily unassigned a permanent location" before finally winding up at a PADS Crisis Services homeless shelter this fall.

Almendarez, 40, is one of the early victims of the foreclosure crisis, losing her Waukegan, Ill., home in February 2007 after the death of her husband. Spiraling into depression, she lost her job, her financial footing, and her personal dignity as she tried to keep the children's daily routines intact while recovering from her losses.

Across the Chicago area, social service providers say more families are turning to shelters. Just as alarming, they say, is the ballooning number of people who aren't homeless-yet-but who, lacking intervention, could join the ranks in 2009.

Read the full article here.
Blight Bad for Business 
Courtesy of the Fort Wayne Jounal Gazette
 
A dilapidated business drags down property values, decreases neighborhood pride, and threatens public safety just as much as a ramshackle home.  To successfully battle blight in the community, all properties, residential and commercial, must be held to similar standards.  The Fort Wayne City Council should pass a proposed addition to city code that allows neighborhood code officers to enforce minimum maintenance standards on commercial properties as they do with residential properties.

Local neighborhood groups have long suggested that rundown commercial properties should be held to the same standards as homes.  Not including commercial properties in code enforcement's jurisdiction deprives property owners adjacent to blighted businesses of any recourse.  There is no way to persuade a neglectful commercial property owner to attend to upkeep.  The bill the council is considering came after nearly two years of work from city officials and with input from business and neighborhood leaders.

Read the full article here.

Census: Renters are a Growing Proportion of US Households, Rents Rising
Courtesy of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition
 
The proportion of renters among U.S. households has increased steadily in recent months, according to the Census Bureau's Housing Vacancy Survey.  In the fourth quarter of 2008, which ended in December, there were an estimated 632,000 more renter households than during the same period a year before.  At the same time, the number of homeowner households grew by 344,000.  As a result, the proportion of renters in the country rose to 32.5% from 32.2% the year before, the highest proportion of renters since the third quarter of 2000. 
 
Nationally, rents also showed an increase.  The median asking rent for a vacant apartment rose to $704, from $637 the year before.  Even controlling for inflation, there was a nearly 5% increase in rents from last year.
 
The overall vacancy rate in the U.S. housing stock increased to 14.5% from 13.8% the year before.  This was due primarily to an increase in the number of homes designated as being held off the market, which were 5.2% of all homes in the U.S., the highest proportion since at least 1989. Homes being held off the market are those that are not being marketed, and include those that sellers had been trying to sell but no longer are as well as foreclosed units. Vacant for sale homes were 1.7% of the total U.S. stock, and those for rent were 3.16%. 
 
The official vacancy rates, which look only at non-seasonal units that are occupied, awaiting occupancy, or for rent or for sale, were 10.1% for rental homes and 2.9% owner occupied homes were both higher than the year before, and at or near their historical highs.  The number of units held off the market is likely constraining the rise in official vacancy rates, particularly for the owner-occupied stock.
 
The Housing Vacancy Survey, including the latest data and historical tables, can be retrieved here.
President Nominates HUD Deputy
Courtesy of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition
 
President Barack Obama nominated Ron Sims to be the Deputy Secretary of HUD on February 2.  Mr. Sims is in his third term as County Executive of King County, Washington.  The Deputy Secretary runs HUD's daily operations, manages its employees, and administers its annual budget.
 
"Ron's track record as an innovative leader with an exciting vision for the future of our nation's communities make him the perfect Deputy Secretary candidate as we tackle the nation's housing crisis amidst the biggest economic downturn in decades," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "His experience at the helm of a large urban government provides a critical perspective and his collaborative approach to problem-solving has prepared him to effectively lead HUD's operations as the agency charts a new aggressive course."
 
Mr. Sims is co-chair of the Committee to End Homelessness in King County and is on the board of the Reconnecting America Center for Transit Oriented Development.  He has been praised by advocates for his work spearheading the King County "Equity and Social Justice Initiative," which aims to incorporate racial/ethnic and economic equity considerations into regional planning and budget decisions and for his support for affordable housing.
 
Mr. Sims' nomination must be confirmed by the Senate.
 
View the White House's press release here.
OCC Focuses on Historic Tax Credit Program
Courtesy of The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
 
WASHINGTON - The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) today published a Community Developments Insights report that describes how banks participate in the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) program which is used to rehabilitate and restore certified historic properties.

"For more than 30 years, the federal Historic Tax Credit program has helped revitalize communities by encouraging the flow of over $45 billion in private funds to facilitate the rehabilitation of historic buildings," said Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan.  "These investments have facilitated the redevelopment of hundreds of thousands of residential and commercial properties, including a substantial number of low- and moderate-income housing rental units."

This Insights report describes the HTC program with a particular focus on topics of interest to bankers new to the product.  The report examines the primary risks and regulatory considerations associated with financing HTC projects as well as how Historic Tax Credits would be considered in a bank's Community Reinvestment Act examination.

The report also discusses how national banks may utilize these credits under their public welfare investment authority, which the Housing and Economic Recovery Act recently expanded to include a broader range of communities targeted for revitalization, FEMA-designated disaster areas, and rural underserved and distressed communities.

The Insights report can be accessed on the OCC's web site.


Neighborhood Stabilization Program Modifications and Additional Allocation

National community development partners successfully lobbied to include a second round of funding for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The Act includes $2 billion for the NSP along with several major changes to the program, some of which will affect the first allocation and some of which will only apply to the second allocation. 

Enterprise Community Partners has developed a detailed summary of the updates and changes to the NSP included in the stimulus package. Some of these changes will be subject  to HUD's interpretation of the statutory language. HUD is required to publish criteria for the competition of NSP funds by April 30, 2009 and applications will be due to HUD by mid July 2009.

Click here to download Enterprise's summary.

Send us Your Stories!
 
IACED knows IACED members are doing great work - we'd like to spread the word!  If you've had a successful project or remarkable experience, send your story to ncarnagua@iaced.org or call 317-920-2300 ext. 17. 
 
Don't have time to send the whole story now?  Just send an email expressing interest, and an IACED staff member will follow up with you.