NACEDA to Launch Census Project: Economic Impact Survey of CDCs and CEDs, measuring the impact of our industry. The expected launch date is early to mid-July. The Census had been completed every third year by the National Congress of Community Economic Development (NACEDA's predecessor organization). NACEDA's Census Project will give us critical information needed to present to the new Administration and Congress as they begin work on the federal budget and appropriations. For the First Time Ever, NACEDA's survey will provide State Associations the opportunity to have their own survey data aggregated by state, and thus have usable data for state-specific advocacy, position building, press releases, foundation grants, etc.

OCDCA and Democracy Collaborative Make a Difference in Ohio. NACEDA applauds the ongoing work of these two members. The Ohio CDC Association works with state government in Ohio daily to improve state policies in such areas as affordable housing, foreclosure prevention, disposition of vacant properties, financing for neighborhood commercial and retail development, IDAs, community-based job initiatives and support for CDCs and CHDOs. The Democracy Collaborative for its leadership in helping to shape partnerships with universities and hospitals to promote community development in Cleveland. Strategic partnerships are essential for positive changes in community development, according to the American City Agenda (see State and Local Developments).

LISC AmeriCorps Program Receives $1.27M to support an additional 150 full- and part-time members for volunteer work in community organizations throughout the country in 2008-2009, as announced on the occasion of the Second Annual AmeriCorps Week, May 11-18. The grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service will enable the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the nation's leading community development support organization, to continue its AmeriCorps efforts in nine cities. See http://www.lisc.org/content/article/detail/7102.

CEDAM's 2008 Michigan CED Industry Report Available at http://www.cedam.info/Publication.htm. Vibrant Michigan Communities in Action is based on the data and information provided by members of the Community and Economic Development Association of Michigan in fall 2007.

Enterprise Green Communities Makes Finals of Sustainable Cities Awards first annual program sponsored jointly by the Financial Times and the Urban Land Institute. Winners among the 20 finalist projects will be announced June 16 in conjunction with a Sustainable Cities conference to be held in London.

'NeighborWorks® Paints!' Community Building Effort to Launch. The new annual initiative will kick off the 25th Annual NeighborWorks Week.

Save the Date: NeighborWorks Training Institute: August 18-22 in Chicago, offering a symposium "Organizing in the Face of Foreclosure: What Can Communities Do?" among more than 100 courses offered in community building, neighborhood revitalization, green building, affordable housing, homeownership education, management and leadership. Early-bird registration, saving $50, ends July 7. (Info.)

Save the Date: 2008 Community Development Policy Summit: June 11-12 in Cleveland. The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland will hold the 6th annual forum, in light of the mortgage lending crisis exploring consumer finance issues such as: subprime borrowing; unfair and deceptive lending practices; financial education; credit scores and their impact on the cost of credit; and reaching the unbanked.

Job Opportunity: Small Business Lender for Western Massachusetts Enterprise Fund, Inc. Primary tasks include evaluating credit worthiness of small business borrowers and managing a loan portfolio and prepare credit memos. Minimum bachelor's degree in Business, Finance or related field. Contact Denise Dukette.

GSE Reform / Housing Trust Fund Bill Passes Senate Panel. The Federal Housing Finance & Regulatory Reform Act of 2008 (unnumbered as of press time) made it through markup by a 19-2 vote on May 20 in the Senate Banking Committee. The legislation is designed to stem foreclosures, create more affordable housing and allow government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to provide loans to 132% of the conforming loan limit, allowing purchase of loans up to $550,000. It would create an initiative, Hope for Homeowners, as well as a new permanent Housing Trust Fund (formerly the Affordable Housing Block Grant), 75% of which would be earmarked for extremely low-income families. Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), a backer of the fund, agreed to an amendment calling for funding to come from not GSEs only but from any congressionally designated sources, as reported by the National Low-Income Housing Council. Changes concur with the National Housing Trust Fund campaign's core objectives as reflected in the National Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act of 2007 (S. 2523). Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT) had delayed mark-up to allow more time to reach a compromise agreement with Ranking Member Richard Shelby (R-AL). The foreclosure prevention program would be similar to that provided by the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act (HR 3221), the bill that just passed the House, The new Senate bill (summary) will go to the full Senate and then to conference with the House.

GSE Appraisal Pact Opposed but Not Amended. While New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo (D) characterizes the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC), which he agreed to in March with the government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, as an attempt to clean up appraisal fraud, it is criticized by appraisers as one-sided and harmful to the industry, lacking proper controls for ensuring appraiser independence, Housing Wire reported. Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC) backed an amendment to specify that appraisal rules must be set federally, not at the state level, but it was not introduced at May 29 Senate Banking Committee mark-up of a housing relief package.

Farm Bill Passes Both Houses of Congress in mid-May by a strong enough margin to override President Bush's anticipated veto, as reported by the Housing Assistance Council. H.R. 2419 provides for rural development focusing on business and utilities programs, also making processing workers eligible for Section 514/516 farm labor housing.

HUD Secretary Nominee Preston on Way to Confirmation. Former Small Business Administration chief Steven Preston apparently won over members of the Senate Banking Committee, and a floor vote likely will come soon, according to sources. Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi became Acting Secretary on April 18, replacing Alphonso Jackson, who announced his resignation on March 31.

Foreclosure Impact on Neighborhoods Addressed in Hearings on May 21-22. At "Neighborhoods: the Blameless Victims of the Subprime Mortgage Crisis" and "Targeting Federal Aid to Neighborhoods Distressed by the Subprime Mortgage Crisis," the Domestic Policy Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform reviewed the Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008 (H.R. 5818) and other federal assistance targeted to foreclosure-stricken communities, as reported by the National Low-Income Housing Council. A foreclosure prevention proposal from the Center for Economic Policy Research was discussed. The first hearing was chaired by subcommittee chair Dennis Kucinich (D-OH); the second held jointly with the Subcommittee on Housing and Community Opportunity of the House Committee on Financial Services and co-chaired by Kucinich and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), chair of the latter subcommittee.

'Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2008' Introduced on May 21 by Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), as reported by the National Low-Income Housing Council. S. 3034 is identical to H.R. 5963, which was introduced on May 5 by Reps. Keith Ellison (D-MN), Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) and Michael Capuano (D-MA). Both bills would provide that tenants of properties subject to foreclosure receive 90 days notice before eviction and have the right to finish out any lease, subject only to the right of the new owner to occupy the property. Specific protections would apply for Section 8 voucher holders. S. 3034 was referred to the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.

'Saving Family Homes Act of 2008' Introduced on May 21 by Rep. Raul Grijalva, (D-AZ), as reported by the National Low-Income Housing Council. Based on the foreclosure prevention proposal from the Center for Economic Policy Research (see "Foreclosure Impact. . . " above), H.R. 6116 would allow low- and moderate-income homeowners to convert to renters and stay in their homes .The bill was referred to the Committee on Financial Services.

FY09 Budget Resolution Agreement Announced by House and Senate Conferees on May 20; will be voted on by the full chambers. The resolution would set domestic spending at $436.6 billion--$21.1 billion more than in the previous year and $22.6 billion more than what the President requested for FY09--including a housing trust fund to be created. It would also provide for flexibility in addressing underfunding of the Project-based Section 8 program.

Alabama Moves Toward Establishment of Housing Trust Fund. A joint resolution creating a task force for the fund was approved by the state Senate on May 19 after previous passage by the House, as reported by the National Low-Income Housing Council. The task force will examine state and local housing trust funds around the country to determine applicability in Alabama, which is one of the few remaining states without a housing trust fund at any level. Among the 20 appointees will be 3 from the new Low Income Housing Coalition of Alabama (LIHCA), which has played a major advocacy role. Contact: Ashley Kerr, Project Manager, LIHCA.

Anti-Poverty Campaign Announced. "Half in Ten: From Poverty to Prosperity" was created by ACORN, the Center for American Progress Action Fund, the Coalition on Human Needs, and the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, with Sen. John Edwards as national chair, seeking to cut poverty by 50% over the next ten years, according to sources.

Community Foundations Fastest Growing Sector in Giving, according to Foundation Growth and Giving Estimates: Current Outlook, 2008 Edition, from the Foundation Center. Various figures show double-digit increases in 2007 from the previous year.

Affordable Housing Program Mortgage Aid: Proposal to authorize AHP homeownership set-aside programs to refinance or restructure nontraditional or subprime mortgages. Due date: June 16. See Federal Register, 4/17/08, pp. 20552-64 or http://www.regulations.gov. Contact Karen Walter, Federal Housing Finance Board, (202) 408-2829.

2010 Census Criteria for Alaska Native and American Indian Areas. Due dates June 16 and June 30 for the respective areas. See Federal Register, 3/17/08, pp. 14203-14 (Alaskan) and 4/1/08, pp. 17303-14 (Indian), at http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont08.html. Contact Michael Ratcliffe, Census, geo.tsap.list@census.gov or (301) 763-3056.

COSCDA/HUD Training Materials. The Council of State Community Development Agencies is creating a new housing certification academy for HUD's Office of Community Planning & Development (CPD) housing, community development and homeless programs, as reported by CD Digest. Deadline: June 20. Contact Linda Thompson, COSCDA's director of housing programs, (202) 293-5820.

'LEED 2009' Proposed Changes. The U.S. Green Building Council is looking to improve the Green Building Rating System for commercial buildings in its Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, as listed in CD Digest. Deadline: June 22 (first of two rounds).

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