The 12/11/08 Forum in Washington DC drew close to 200 participants from across the country for a full day of discussion around how to implement a local community stabilization effort.  The day opened with a welcome from NeighborWorks America COO Eileen Fitzgerald and concluded with an inspiring presentation from Bruce Katz, Brookings Institution. 

Many of the presentations are available for download below.  Audio recordings will be available on this web site in the near future. 

Panel 1: Overview of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program

This first session gave an overview of the NSP by providing national, state and local perspectives on how the program is being implemented.

• Moderator, Beth Castro, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency
• HUD Official: Stan Gimont, Office of Block Grant Assistance
• State Official: Katy Lindblad, Minnesota Housing
• Local Official: Evelyn Nu'Man, City of Atlanta
  view presentation

Panel 2: Implementing Your Neighborhood Stabilization Program Action Plan

This session focused on high-level strategic advice for practitioners in designing and implementing their NSP efforts.  Speakers focused on acquisition issues, pricing issues, data management strategies, leveraging resources, matching strategies to local conditions, and property disposition issues.

• Moderator: David Elam, Fannie Mae
• Matching Strategies to Conditions: Alan Mallach, The Brookings Institution view presentation
• Data and Mapping Systems: Chris Walker, LISC view presentation
• Valuation Issues: Charles Laven, Forsyth Street Advisors view presentation
• Permanent Affordability and Shared-Equity Strategies: Jim Gray, NCB Capital Impact view presentation
• Lunch Keynote Speaker: Mayor Jay Williams, Youngstown, OH view presentation

Panel 3: Successful Intervention Strategies

This session focused on specific and successful stabilization strategies employed by local practitioners and the lessons learned from those activities.

• Moderator: Robert Grossinger, Bank of America
• Financing Mechanisms: Ann Houston, Chelsea Neighborhood Developers view presentation
• Acquisition/Rehabilitation: Floyd Gardner, Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago view presentation
• Land Banks: Daniel Kildee, Genesee County Land Bank view presentation
• Frank Ford, Neighborhood Progress, Inc. of Cleveland download presentation view presentation
• Lease-Purchase Strategies: Cheryl Moore, Colorado Rural Housing Development Corporation view presentation

Panel 4: Understanding the Role of the National Community Stabilization Trust

This session provided an update about the NCST and how local communities will be able to benefit from the NCST's work.

• Moderator: Craig Nickerson, NCST view materials
• Mary Tingerthal, Housing Partnership Network
• Sarah Greenberg, NeighborWorks America
• Mike Tierney, LISC