Thai CDC & Asian CDC Partner with NACEDA Launching Nationwide Neighborhood Revitalization Initiative

The National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA) has selected Thai CDC in Los Angeles and Asian CDC in Boston as 2 of 3 pilot locations to launch its new Initiative “Managing Neighborhood Change”, funded through a grant from the Surdna Foundation and with supporting grants from NeighborWorks America, LISC, Enterprise Community Partners, Bank of America and Washington Mutual (now Chase Bank).

The Managing Neighborhood Change (MNC) Initiative is a program to help Community Development Corporations take the lead in bringing about positive change in their neighborhoods by building stronger, sustainable communities and ensuring that neighborhood residents benefit from the change.  A market-oriented approach to change, it leads local organizations to analyze neighborhood conditions, collaborate with local government and other community partners, and develop data-driven, flexible, strategies for neighborhood change.   

“Thai CDC is excited to be part of such an innovative approach to monitoring and managing changes occurring in the East Hollywood community in an effort to achieve sound and equitable development.   When it comes to democratizing the planning process, Thai CDC has been at the forefront in ensuring community participation and engagement particularly among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged,” said Chancee Martorell, Executive Director of Thai CDC. 

The selected site locations will field test the implementation materials and proposed technical assistance approach being developed around the MNC framework before formally launching it nationwide to the country’s network of roughly 4,600 CDCs.

2) National CAPACD Housing & Community Development Advocacy Updates

The recent legislative session has been one of the most important in years.  Health care reform is moving in Congress (although its fate may be decided by the effectiveness of advocates to convince legislators in this coming recess).  Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court is moving forward to a full vote in the Senate. 

In June, the House of Representatives passed the historic GREEN Act (HR 2454) with the overall purpose of controlling greenhouse gas production.  Included within the bill is support for the rehabilitation and financing of affordable housing to become more energy efficient.   National CAPACD is urging the Senate Banking Committee to quickly hold a hearing and mark-up of S. 1379, the Senate’s companion bill to the Green Act.

Significant community development proposals that were included in National CAPACD’s legislative agenda presented during our Convention are in play.  Section Eight and Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA), HR3045 would authorize local housing authorities to substantially increase support for project based assistance, expand the number of vouchers in use, and reduce the bureaucratic barriers for very low income families. Meanwhile, the financial crisis continues to squeeze the development of affordable housing funded by the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program. Nonprofit affordable housing organizations (including National CAPACD) have joined together in calling for an extension and expansion the so-called ‘tax credit exchange’ program established by the stimulus bill.

National CAPACD Executive Director, Lisa Hasegawa, attended President Obama’s announcement of the new Consumer Financial Protection Agency (CFPA), which would protect consumers and oversee all financial institutions that offer financial products to consumers.  The CFPA would coordinate the enforcement of existing statutes as well as new broad authority covering the range of consumer financial products, including mortgages and credit cards.  At present this legislation does not address needed reforms and strengthening of the Community Reinvestment Act.

The Obama Administration is moving forward with plans to re-establish and staff the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  National CAPACD is working closely with other national organizations to ensure a process to connect the program with community needs.  We are also beginning to look at existing federal agency programs, as well as this Administration’s initiatives to develop a set of priorities for housing, community and economic development.
 
We need your feedback and participation!  Let us know if you have a particular interest in any of these bills or initiatives.  Send us your thoughts by e-mail to Gen Fujioka, Senior Policy Analyst, at

3) SAALT and APALRC Publish Findings on Washington DC’s South Asian Population

This month, South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) and the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center (APALRC) announced their findings from surveys of nearly 200 South Asians living or working in the District of Columbia, as well as trends gathered from focus groups and interviews. 

The report, Washington DeSi: South Asians in the Nation’s Capital, focused on the demographics, concerns and trends of the nation’s fifth largest South Asian population.   Of the many note-worthy findings in the report are that nearly 3 out of 10 South Asians surveyed reported unfair treatment when dealing with law enforcement officials or government authorities, and that over three-quarters of those surveyed have not met with elected officials or government agencies.  In addition, the report provides narratives and trends relating to segments of working class South Asians, including taxi drivers, restaurant workers, and domestic workers. 

Washington DeSi provides recommendations for government agencies, community stakeholders, philanthropic institutions and service providers.  Key recommendations include providing culturally and linguistically accessible information to South Asians in the District, broadening the outreach of government agencies, and developing South Asian community-based infrastructure in the Washington DC metropolitan region.