Working Together for Stronger Communities Community Stabilization: Building Healthy Communities National Association for State Community Service Programs Mid-Winter Training Conference March 2, 2012

Working Together for Stronger Communities Agenda What is Community Stabilization? How does Community Stabilization Build Healthy Communities? – Beyond Housing Best Practices Credit: NHS New Horizons

Working Together for Stronger Communities NeighborWorks America Congressionally chartered and appropriated nonprofit community development intermediary Supports a network of 235 nonprofit affiliates serving more than 4,000 urban, suburban, and rural communities across the country Trainer for housing and community development professionals A leader in national foreclosure response

Working Together for Stronger Communities Stable Communities Initiative Vision: to promote comprehensive community stabilization strategies to produce new homeowners, quality affordable rental housing, and sustainable, revitalized communities. Provide technical assistance, training, information and financial resources to support to organizations engaged in community stabilization activities.

Working Together for Stronger Communities What is Community Stabilization? A set of interventions designed to stop a downward spiral of distress and restore a healthy market dynamic. Current focus is foreclosure response. Even as communities work to recover from the foreclosure crisis, they must respond to other challenges that affect their future. Operation Facelift Credit: NHS of Greater Berks

Working Together for Stronger Communities Building Healthy Communities Sustainability Environmental Health Social Equity Economic Health

Working Together for Stronger Communities Healthy Communities are best achieved when strategies are… Comprehensive Concentration Collaboration Capacity Capital

Working Together for Stronger Communities Placed Based Approaches Focused on a well-defined target area where coordinated actions are likely to have a measurable impact in improving the quality of life. Federal Programs: – HUD: Choice Neighborhoods, HOPE VI, Empowerment Zones – Education: Promise Neighborhoods – Justice: Weed and Seed – HUD, DOT, EPA: Partnership for Sustainable Communities

Working Together for Stronger Communities Beyond Housing Comprehensive stabilization work originally focused on the Pagedale neighborhood. The city requested help with housing, but Beyond Housing advocated for a more comprehensive approach. Engaged residents to create a neighborhood plan. Six years later, Pagedale is a very different community…

Working Together for Stronger Communities Pagedale Results Built or renovated more than 100 homes Organized volunteers to help homeowners repair their properties. Created the Pagedale Family Support Center Established Individual Development Accounts New grocery store Grand Opening of the Pagedale Save A Lot Credit: Beyond Housing

Working Together for Stronger Communities The 24:1 Initiative A community-driven partnership that will target 24 first-ring suburbs in the Normandy School District. Shared vision of “Strong Communities, Engaged Families and Successful Children.” Early accomplishments include providing 80 families with matched college savings accounts.

Working Together for Stronger Communities Best Practices NeighborWorks Organizations like Beyond Housing are building on successful housing strategies to holistically address their communities’ needs. A successful comprehensive community stabilization initiative engages residents in planning for and securing their community’s future. Supporting low-income families through rent subsidies, IDAs, and community services helps protect against further neighborhood decline.

Working Together for Stronger Communities Training Resources National Training Institute – The Essential Tools of Successful Neighborhood Revitalization – Getting Things Done in Neighborhoods through Strategic Collaborations – Leveraging Market Forces to Attract Investment for Neighborhood Revitalization – Measuring the Impacts of Your Revitalization Work – Strategies for More Livable Neighborhoods

Working Together for Stronger Communities Stable Communities Website

Working Together for Stronger Communities Ascala Sisk Senior Manager Community Stabilization NeighborWorks America