The following links to organizational and governmental Web sites represent various aspects of the community stabilization field.
Associations
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
http://www.ncrc.org
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) is a member association of more than 600 community-based organizations, formed to bring together community reinvestment organizations from across the country so as to increase the flow of private capital into traditionally underserved communities. NCRC's website posts information on public policy, research, and financial services related to community reinvestment. Its research library includes mulit-media publications on best practices, fair lending, and national studies on lending trends.
National Council of La Raza
http://www.nclr.org
National Council of La Raza, dedicated to improving opportunities for Hispanic Americans through advocacy and initiatives, posts information and links on its website related to topics such as foreclosure prevention in Latino communities, community and family wealth-building, economic development and employment, immigration and education.
Smart Growth America
http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org
A coalition of national, state and local organizations working to improve the ways we plan and build the towns, cities and metro areas, Smart Growth America includes many national organizations advocating on behalf of historic preservation, the environment, farmland and open space preservation, neighborhood revitalization and more. Its website outlines campaigns and projects such as revitalizing urban neighborhoods, the governor's institute on community design, community walkability, vacant property revitalization, neighborhood schools, and training and leadership development, and includes smart growth publications and advocacy materials.
The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations
http://www.naceda.org
The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations is a member group of organizations working with residents to strengthen their communities by building affordable and mixed income housing, implementing neighborhood economic development strategies, and providing essential services for youth, families, seniors, people with disabilities and the homeless. The website hosts links to state member associations and policy updates on related current topics including the foreclosure and economic crisis and the effect on affordable housing.
National Consortium of Housing Research Centers
http://www.housingresearch.net
In order to foster quality housing research and to advance the practice of housing reseach as a science, The National Consortium of Housing Research Centers publishes housing research information on line from member organizations on topics such as green building, affordable housing initiatives, disaster relief, and innovative materials and design.
National Council of State Housing Agencies
http://www.ncsha.org
National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA), a nonprofit organization made up of state Housing Finance Agencies (HFAs), posts information on its website related to three key programs: Mortgage Revenue Bonds (MRB), Housing Credits, and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME). The website also publishes an annual factbook with the results of state Housing Finance Agency programs, and highlights affordable housing advocacy priorities
National Foundation for Credit Counseling
http://www.nfcc.org
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling, dedicated to promoting financially responsible behavior nationally and building capacity for its members, publishes a homeownership crisis resource center on its website offering on-line debt advice to home owners on avoiding foreclosure and other topics, as well as an on-line communication service for members and stakeholders to allow them to communicate on critical issues related to credit counseling.
NAR's Housing and Economic Indicators
http://www.realtor.org/research/research/ecoindicator
NAR's analysis of housing and economic indicators provides real estate professionals with tools to interpret the market and apply that knowledge to their business. In addition to NAR's own existing-home sales series, NAR Research monitors other indicators such as new-home sales, housing starts, producer prices, mortgage rates and more.
Congressional Black Caucus Foundation
http://www.cbcfinc.org/
A non-profit, non-partisan, public policy, research and education insitute, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) is dedicated to improving the lives of African Americans and underserved communities. The website for CBCF offers policy briefs and research reports on topics such as economic development, child care and education, and the effect of climate change on African American communities.
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Funders
Annie E. Casey Foundation
http://www.aecf.org
To support its core mission of improving the lives of disadvantaged children, the Annie E. Casey Foundation provides grants, research and evaluation initiatives, and direct services such as technical assistance to support low-income communities and families. The website links users to descriptions and resources related to initiatives supported by Annie E. Casey such as Neighborhood Development, Rebuilding Communities, and Families Count.
Ford Foundation
http://www.fordfound.org
The Ford Foundation is a private foundation that offers grants, loans and other resources internationally to organizations and individuals in four focus areas: strengthening democratic values, reducing poverty and injustice, promoting international cooperation and advancing human achievement. The website offers information and links to resources on these topics domestically and internationally, including diverse publications, a grants database, and resources for grant seekers, grant makers and donors.
Opportunity Finance Fund
http://www.opportunityfinance.net
A network of private financial intermediaries identifying and investing in opportunities to benefit low-income and low-wealth people in the US, the Opportunity Finance Network website provides information on financial investment products for individuals, investors, CDFIs, and mortgage originators, as well as relevant news articles on policy and programs related to increasing investment opportunities to low-income communities.
DreamBuilder Investments LLC
http://www.dreambuilder.net
Dreambuilder Investments, LLC is a mortgage resolution and investment company that offers partnership opportunities and alternatives to foreclosure to lenders, investors and home owners in distressed markets. The website presents basic information about the company including contact information.
Charles Steward Mott Foundation
http://www.mott.org
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to encouraging the self-sufficiency of individuals and promoting collaboration in communities through providing grants to organizations in areas of poverty alleviation, sustainable development, and promoting non-profit and philanthropic initiatives internationally and domestically. The website offers grant information on these focus areas, as well as posting publications on programs and initiatives it funds. Examples of specific initiatives funded include workforce development, income security, race and reconciliation, and citizen participation.
NCB Capital Impact
http://www.ncbcapitalimpact.org
NCB Capital Impact provides financial support and technical assistance to co-operative initiatives that support underserved communities. Their website posts information on approaches to long-term sustainability for co-operatives and on the challenges to financing affordable and co-operative housing, charter schools and community health centers and related solutions such as New Markets Tax Credits, limited equity and shared equity models.
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Government
Community Development Financial Institutions Fund
http://www.cdfifund.gov
The CDFI Fund is supported through the US Department of Treasury to promote economic revitalization through expanding the capacity of community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to provide credit, capital, and financial services to underserved communities. This website lists resources for CDFIs and Community Development Entities to apply for monetary awards, such as New Markets Tax Credits and the Bank Enterprise Award, in order to support financing community and economic development initiatives. The website features a CDFI Fund mapping tool that enables users to create maps and reports on funding-eligible census tracks and counties.
Fannie Mae
http://www.fanniemae.com
Fannie Mae was created in 1938 under federal charter in order to support affordable housing development, expand the availability of mortgage funds and to support the U.S housing market in all communities under all economic conditions. The website provides information (articles, reports) and resources (links to grants, lending and mortgage products, extensive homebuyer resources and foreclosure prevention tools) useful for organizations and individuals interested in facilitating and sustaining homeownership and housing stability in communities. Webcasts, articles, and e-newsletters on topics such as the mortgage market, national housing surveys, and disaster relief are also available.
HUD USER
http://www.huduser.org
Established by the Office of Policy Development and Research at HUD in 1978, HUD USER is designed to provide a database of information to community development researchers, policymakers, academics on priority housing and community development issues in the US. The website offers links to publications and data sets, newsletters and resource links on a broad range of topics related to housing and community stabilization such as housing production and technology, fair housing and housing finance, housing policy and market analysis, economic development strategies, lessons learned and case studies.
US Conference of Mayors
http://www.usmayors.org
The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) is a nonpartisan organization of cities in the US with populations of 30,000 or more, designed to promote effective policy development, strengthen federal-city relationships, ensure that federal policy meets urban needs, provide mayors with leadership and management tools, and create a forum for mayors to share ideas and information. The website highlights priority areas for legislation and programs such as the livability and environmental health of cities and brownfields redevelopment, housing, employment, and community development; and offers news, reports and videos on related topics and best practices.
Freddie Mac Economic & Housing Research
http://www.freddiemac.com/news/finance/
This division of Freddie Mac compiles data on major economic and housing and mortgage market indicators and offers annual forecasts based on those indicators. Information found on this link includes news releases, weekly commentaries, reports and other publications on topics like adjustable-rate and conventional mortgages and refinancing activities, as well as links to resources related to foreclosure avoidance, homeownership tools, properties for sale and Freddie Mac financing products.
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Non-profit
LivingCities
http://www.livingcities.org
LivingCities is a national community development institute that offers grants and financial investments, expertise, and resources that support community development, sponsor important research, and promote policies that benefit cities and their residents. Their website lists links to projects, neighborhood case studies, publications and community development tools for over 20 major US cities. It also provides research publications on urban development policy, census and neighborhood data, child well-being indicators, and tools to diagnose the quality of life in cities.
Initiative for a Competitive Inner City
The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to conducting research that demonstrates the competitive advantage of cities in order to promote successful strategies that fuel inner city development. The ICIC website hosts publications comparing the competitive advantage of development initiatives, as well as information on programs and strategies that encourage and sustain capital investment in inner cities.
National Housing Institute
http://www.nhi.org
Dedicated to fostering decent, affordable housing and a vibrant, inclusive communities, the National Housing Institute focuses on supporting progressive, community-development policies and practices through publications, research, and advocacy. The website provides resource links and publications that can be downloaded on subjects such as sustainable and equitable revitalization, re-sale restricted housing practices, shared equity homeownership, housing discrimination and rebuilding post-disaster.
National Vacant Properties Campaign
http://www.vacantproperties.org
The National Vacant Properties Campaign, a project of Smart Growth America (SGA), Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), the Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech, and the Genesee Institute, works to create a unified coalition of organizations acting to make vacant property reclamation an attainable goal nationwide. The Campaign website links users to a national network of vacant property practitioners and experts, reports on the community benefits of vacant property reuse and case studies of successful initiatives, and information on how to access technical assistance and training.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition
http://www.nlihc.org
The National Low Income Housing Coalition is dedicated solely to ending America’s affordable housing crisis through advocating for federal housing policy that will affect people with the lowest incomes. NLIHC posts on-line information about relevant national housing policies and initiatives, publications and research and state resources related to low-income housing development.
The National Coalition for the Homeless
http://www.nationalhomeless.org
The National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH) engages in public education, policy advocacy, and grassroots organizing through focusing on issues related to housing justice, economic justice, healthcare justice, and civil rights. The website offers resource directories on issues related to homelessness including a national housing database for the homelessness and low income, and details the Bringing America Home Campaign to end homelessness.
ACORN
http://www.acorn.org
ACORN is a national grassroots community organization with chapters in 110 US cities, working with affiliate community organizations and supporting low and moderate income communities though organizing, advocacy, negotiation, and direct action. The website offers access to a members' center (anyone can sign up) to find out about community events and services, information on ACORN campaigns such as predatory lending, living wage, better schools, foreclosures and affordable housing, as well as legislative action alerts and multi-media press releases.
AFL-CIO
The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations is a federation of national and international unions. Its website lists information on member unions and affiliates as well as links to articles on topics such as green jobs, civil and worker's rights, and the impact of the housing mortgage crisis on low-income families.
Center for Responsible Lending
http://www.responsiblelending.org
The Center for Responsible Lending is a non-profit organization focused on research, policy development, coalition building, litigation and communication for the purpose of protecting homeownership and family wealth from abusive financial practices. Their website posts articles and research highlighting recent policy trends in home-lending, reports on the sub-prime lending crisis, and links to organizations that work to fight predatory lending practices and prevent foreclosure.
National CAPACD
http://www.nationalcapacd.org
National CAPACD is a national advocacy organization dedicated to addressing the community development needs of diverse and rapidly growing Asian American, Pacific Islander, Native Hawaiian, refugee and immigrant communities. Its website focuses on key program areas such as access to housing, data policy, economic justice, and community preservation and revitalization through highlighting the work of affiliate organizations and through links to local and national resources.
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