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Practitioners Roundtables

Our Practitioners Roundtables is a series of interactive on-line video conversations, webinars, and conference calls hosted for our members.  These national conversations bring together National CAPACD members, policy makers, and community leaders to share ideas and concerns on the critical issues impacting our communities today.


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Next Generation Leadership Program

The Next Generation Leadership Program provides support and mentorship to the next generation of community leaders and professionals. The program provides an opportunity for dedicated, young staff just entering the field of community development to connect with their peers and other more-seasoned leaders within the National CAPACD network.

Next Gen 2010 Next Gen 2010
NextGen2010 NextGen2010
Photos by Les Talusan


2010 Next Generation Leadership Participants
2009 Next Generation Leadership Participants


Southwest Airlines is a proud sponsor of the Next Generation Leadership Program.

 


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National Convention

Each year, our annual convention attracts over 250 staff and community leaders from AAPI-serving organizations across the country making it one of the largest gatherings of community-based practitioners, policy makers, legislative representatives, corporations and foundations working with AAPI communities nationwide. Our convention offers participants an opportunity to:

  • Exchange strategies with each other and partners, allies, and funders working on housing, economic, and neighborhood development initiatives. The 3-day event facilitates information and resource sharing between “established” and “emerging” member organizations working to address the changing needs of AAPI communities.
  • Build new and strengthen existing partnerships between elected officials, educational and research institutions, national intermediaries, government agencies, other community-based organizations, financial institutions, and private corporations.
  • Develop individual professional skills and strengthen their organizational capacity by participating in community development workshops led by practitioners, foundation program officers, community organizers, researchers, and technical assistance providers.

For more information on our upcoming June 2011 Convention, click here.  Stay tuned for updates!

For our 2010 Convention highlights and Post-Convention discussions and resources, click HERE.




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Internship Program

Throughout the year, National CAPACD provides a pipeline for emerging leaders who are committed to a career in AAPI community development and advocating for social justice.  Interns learn about public policy issues impacting AAPI communities and gain hands-on experience addressing housing and community development issues.  Students are often enrolled in a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs including ethnic studies, public policy, urban planning, public health and education.

Click here for the National CAPACD Internship application. 


National CAPACD also welcomes students eligible for Federal Work Study.  Please contact National CAPACD for further details.


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Community in the Capital

Each year, National CAPACD sponsors Community in the CAPITAL (CITC) to provide 20-35 participants, both seasoned and new AAPI community leaders of network groups that serve and represent lower income AAPIs, with opportunities to travel to Washington, DC; deepen their knowledge; educate the national community development movement; identify a common policy agenda; and present a united voice on critical issues and concerns. CITC provides opportunities for CBOs to learn about federal policies and resources, specifically those targeted for their organizations and communities, and engage federal agencies, elected officials and national community development organizations. CITC can be tailored for individuals, small groups, or teams of staff from member organizations.

The core educational component of CITC, “Government 101,” is a briefing that prepares participants to communicate with policy makers. The curriculum introduces participants to:

• Federal government and administrative advocacy
• Federal legislative process and conducting a visit with a member of Congress
• Resources on lobbying for nonprofits
• National housing, immigrant advocacy, community development and organizing groups
• National AAPI organizations
• Foundations

In addition to educational workshops and forums, National CAPACD sets up meetings with appropriate federal agencies, elected officials, and national community development organizations. CITC serves not only to strengthen advocacy skills and increase participation in the national policy making process, but also to continually strengthen National CAPACD’s connection to local issues impacting our members. The program also increases the presence and visibility of AAPI CBOs, National CAPACD, and AAPI issues within mainstream community development advocacy, training and technical assistance organizations at both the local and national levels.

2010 Community in the Capital Participants
2009 Community in the Capital Participants

 
Southwest Airlines is a Proud Sponsor of the Community in the Capital Program.

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National Housing Counseling Program

Program Background

National CAPACD’s Housing Counseling Program was launched in 2009 after 4 years of assisting several community-based organizations (CBOs) and housing government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) with building their capacity to create and provide culturally-appropriate homeownership education programs for diverse AAPI communities. With guidance from NeighborWorks America (NWA) and the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), National CAPACD was designated as the country’s only HUD-approved national housing counseling intermediary specifically focused on serving the needs of impacted AAPI communities.  This represents a significant step towards bringing resources, visibility and recognition of our member organizations that provide much needed culturally and linguistically appropriate housing counseling services to AAPI communities.  Together we will be able to share best practices, coordinate community outreach and education, and be a larger advocacy voice for the experiences of AAPI housing needs.

As a national housing counseling intermediary approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, National CAPACD provides grants and pass-through funding to support housing counseling services, marketing and outreach activities, capacity building and training; training and staff development that builds the knowledge and skills of professionals in the network; access to scholarships for training institutes through entities such as NeighborWorks® America; technical assistance focused on HUD compliance, program design and development, outreach and marketing, use of technology and client management system, and fundraising; and peer-to-peer convenings to facilitate the sharing of best practices and strategies among groups.

National CAPACD HUD Housing Counseling Network Affiliates

Currently, National CAPACD’s HUD Housing Counseling Network consists of 14 local affiliates in 10 states and 11 different metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with the ability to serve approximately 23 different languages. Network affiliates provide a wide array of housing counseling services including pre-purchase homeownership education and counseling, post-purchase education and counseling, foreclosure intervention counseling, renter counseling, homeless prevention counseling, and fair housing counseling.

Click here for a list of National CAPACD’s HUD-approved housing counseling network affiliates.

Other Network Members

In addition to the HUD network affiliates, National CAPACD membership also includes agencies that are existing HUD-approved housing counseling agencies which provide housing counseling services to their local community as well as agencies that provide a wide range of housing counseling services and are seeking to build capacity to grow their programs.

Click here for a list of the additional organizations with whom National CAPACD works closely.
For a complete list of all national HUD-approved housing counseling agencies, please click here.


Current Program and Projects

National Loan Modification Scam Campaign

Loan modification scams are proliferating at a rapid pace. Every day, scam artists prey on unsuspecting homeowners who are facing foreclosure. These homeowners are losing thousands of dollars and their homes—lured by the promise of loan modification help.

To combat this issue, Congress funded, and then asked NeighborWorks America® to launch a national public education campaign. The idea of the campaign is to empower homeowners to protect themselves against loan modification scams, find trusted help and report illegal activity to authorities. 

To address this increasing problem, National CAPACD and 12 local affiliate groups have committed to engage in the National Loan Modification Scam Campaign to raise awareness through AAPI community about the growing problem of loan modifications scams by providing in-language counseling, interpretation and translation.  Further, groups will work with the Lawyers’ Committee on Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL) to prevent and report potential loan scammers.

For more information about the National Loan Scam Campaign, please click on the following websites:
NeighborWorks America Loan Scam Alert   
Lawyers’ Committee on Civil Rights Under Law

Alliance for Stabilizing Communities

National CAPACD is a partner in the Alliance for Stabilizing our Communities, a unified multicultural collaborative between the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the National Urban League and National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community Development.  With support from Bank of America, the collaborative seeks to build a comprehensive approach to creating sustainable and accessible home ownership and financial stability across ethnic communities primarily through Home Rescue Fairs and other outreach events that help connect homeowners with valuable resources within the community.

Through the Alliance, National CAPACD has worked with its partners to conduct outreach events and provide valuable counseling and interpretation services to AAPI communities in the following metropolitan areas:  Chicago, IL, Queens, NY, and Los Angeles, CA.



Funding and Training Opportunities

Training Scholarships

For the past three years, National CAPACD has been able to offer scholarships to participants interested in attending the NeighborWorks Training Institutes (NTIs) a generous in-kind donation from NeighborWorks America.  NTIs are held quarterly throughout the country and provide important training for new and current housing counselors to develop and strengthen their skills to provide housing counseling to their communities. 

For more information about current scholarship opportunities, click here.

National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling

The National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program is a national program to support housing counseling agencies with experience providing foreclosure counseling.  National CAPACD is currently receiving applications from local housing agencies to apply for NFMC funds.  For more information, please click here.



Housing Counseling & Financial Education Resources

Below is a list of housing counseling resources, many of which have been translated to certain Asian languages. 

Making Home Affordable

The Obama Administration’s Making Home Affordable includes opportunities for homeowners to modify or refinance their mortgage to make their payments more affordable. The program has recently been expanded to help homeowners who are unemployed or “underwater” (they owe more on their mortgage than their home is worth). It also provides options for homeowners who can no longer afford their home and are interested in a short sale or deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.

Information about the Making Home Affordable Program is available in English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. Click here for the Making Home Affordable Program Outreach Toolkit.

Credit Smart Asian

CreditSmart Asian is a three-part series of multilingual guidebooks developed by Freddie Mac that are focused on helping Asian Americans become more informed consumers.  Available in Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and English, the guidebooks provide valuable and culturally relevant information on establishing and maintaining good credit, the steps to homeownership, and the benefits and responsibilities of owning a home.  National CAPACD along with a number of our members and partners throughout the country were instrumental in providing translation and feedback about the curriculum. 

The materials can be found here.


 
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AAPI Communities Taking Initiatives in Our Neighborhoods Technical Assistance Program (ACTION TA)


Program Description / RFP Background

The AAPI Communities Taking Initiative in Our Neighborhoods Technical Assistance program (ACTION TA) is a national technical assistance and training initiative that builds organizational and program capacity using a model based on cultural-competency and peer-to-peer support.  

National CAPACD engages established, experienced member organizations to assist emerging Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community based organizations (CBOs) to engage in community development activities.  Drawn from National CAPACD members and affiliates, these Technical Assistance (TA) Resource Organizations have been selected for their cultural and technical competency and developed into a national network available to our members for formal and informal assistance. 

ACTION TA projects have included affordable housing development, homeownership counseling program development, foreclosure prevention and intervention programs, youth development, and community organizing.  The 2010-2011 ACTION TA program builds upon past program successes with the following changes to program design:

  • Modified TA Delivery Model – Peer to peer learning in clusters (3+ organizations) rather than pairs to take advantage of exposure to a greater number of issues across geographies but within specific topic areas,
  • New Focus – Sustainable Community Development (see more below).

ACTION TA Framework/Delivery Model

ACTION TA builds capacity of member organizations under the following framework:

  • Initiator Organization – Under the ACTION TA Program, National CAPACD member organizations can apply for mentorship and technical assistance for program activities and program development in the issue areas listed below.  Members requesting assistance are “Initiator” organizations.
  • Resource Organization – Through this RFQ, National CAPACD will develop a network of Resource Organizations with experience and technical expertise in a wide variety of relevant issue areas, funding programs, etc.  And through this RFP process, National CAPACD member organizations with experience within the issue areas identified will apply to become a technical resource or mentor to 2-4 Initiator Organizations and will provide advice and capacity building within the subject area to Initiator Organizations.  Resource Organizations may be paired with other Resource Organizations in order to serve larger groups of organizations within the same or related subject areas.
  • TA Clusters – Around the issue/program areas listed below, National CAPACD staff will group Initiator and Resource Organizations into Clusters consisting of 1-2 Resource Organizations and 2-8 Initiator Organizations.  These Clusters will meet regularly (approximately once a month) for technical support and capacity building.  Pending geographic distributions of groups, meetings will most likely consist of webinars and teleconferences.  Meetings will include presentations of best practices as well as more informal discussions of about the current, actual challenges of Initiator Organizations’ real life program design and implementation.  In these group settings, Initiator Organizations will be able to tap into the deep technical knowledge and real world experience of current practitioners who have faced similar problems in similar communities.

FY 2011 – 2012 Focus: Community-based Economic Development

In these difficult economic times, when our fragile recovery is threatened and vital social programs are being cut, it is increasingly important for low income communities to build their own economic recovery – to cultivate their own green shoots. Under the 2011-2012 program year for ACTION TA, TA will be focused on community-level economic development within one of the following subject matter areas:

Financial Capability and Asset Building - Capacity building for organizations providing financial capability training to clients in their communities; Financial education and counseling for different target populations including renters (household budgeting, money and debt management, savings), youth (budgeting, money and debt management, checking and savings, college planning); Housing education and counseling for first-time homeowners (financial education and counseling, mortgage financing, etc.) and existing homeowners (post-purchase education and counseling, foreclosure prevention services).

Small Business Assistance - Capacity building for organizations looking to start-up or expand programs serving small businesses or spur economic activity in their neighborhoods; Organizing, marketing and neighborhood improvement strategies in ethnic small business districts (BIDs, signage, neighborhood beautification, etc.); Small business counseling (access to capital, business planning, marketing, regulatory compliance, etc.).

Job Training and Development - Capacity building for organizations to design, fund and implement culturally and linguistically appropriate job and employment related programs; Job training, job development, placement and referrals, etc. for a broad potential range of target populations including youth, working-age adults, seniors and special needs populations;

Community Planning - Capacity building for organizations starting up or already engaged in community planning to better align community planning strategies and tactics with economic development goals; Planning and transit issues (e.g., implementing TOD zones, impact of planned transit on small businesses, etc.); Planning and alternative public finance (e.g., implementing tax-increment financing zones); Economic development projects and community benefits agreements;

Real Estate Development - Capacity building for organizations with real estate projects under development (e.g., affordable housing, community facilities, community-based commercial) but who have limited technical capacity/experience.  TA for project management, working with partners and consultants, working with various public and private sources of funding (particularly HUD funding), program administration, etc.



PLEASE NOTE:  ACTION TA DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, AUGUST 19TH


Click here to see Current and Past ACTION TA Programs

Click here to see ACTION TA RFQ/RFP For Resource Organizations
Click here to see ACTION TA RFP For Initiator Organizations


 
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Advocacy, Policy, and Research

Telling Our Stories, Building a Powerful Voice

National CAPACD aims to “tell our stories” by forging an AAPI community action research and policy agenda around the housing, community and economic development needs of low-income AAPIs.  We engage in policy advocacy and promote participatory action research to increase the influence of AAPI communities nationally to obtain equal access and equitable resources.

 

Working with our broad base of member organizations, as well as with institutions whose efforts have traditionally not included AAPIs, National CAPACD facilitates partnerships with academic institutions in order to produce more applied research about our communities and advocates for policy and legislation to address the housing and economic development needs of low-income AAPIs.



Advocacy

National CAPACD advocates for AAPI families, youth and communities with federal agencies as well as national intermediaries and organizations.  Some of our advocacy accomplishments include:


  • Supporting the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus’ efforts to launch a Task Force on Housing and Community and Economic Development.  Chaired by Congressman Al Green, the Task Force engages with AAPI communities to ensure that AAPI perspectives are included in housing and community development legislation.
  • Working with a national coalition of AAPI organizations to pass the Asian and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions Designation in 2007, and continuing to work with federal agencies to ensure successful implementation.
  • Advocating with Congress, federal agencies and national intermediaries to increase visibility for and data about AAPI communities in the foreclosure crisis and ensure access to federal resources.
  • Mobilizing successfully to defeat an amendment to HR 1851, the Section 8 Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA), which would have limited HUD’s authority to require recipients of federal funds to translate documents for LEP persons, drastically undermining Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on national origin.
  • Supporting the efforts of the Save New Orleans East Coalition to shut down the controversial and potentially hazardous Chef Menteur landfill, built only one mile from the Vietnamese community in New Orleans East.

In all of our advocacy efforts, National CAPACD works with national intermediaries, corporate partners and low-income advocacy groups to create opportunities, resources and legislation that improve the lives of low-income children, families and communities.

These successes and relationships increase the influence of AAPI communities on decision makers in housing, community and economic development and help us to raise the profile of the issues facing our communities.



Research and Policy Briefs

National CAPACD produces original research reports and policy briefs on a variety of topics relevant to the community development needs of AAPI families at the local, state and national levels.  Our research publications include:



These publications form the empirical basis for much of our advocacy work.  In addition, National CAPACD regularly produces policy analyses focus on issues such as language accessibility, data policy in housing and community development programs and funding allocations for community development projects in AAPI communities.

For copies of our publications, please visit our website.

To participate in any of our research and policy efforts, email Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, at or call (202) 223-2442.



 
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Community Convenings

Bringing AAPI Communities Together for Community Development and Social Change

Through Community Convenings, National CAPACD and our ethnically and geographically diverse members build strong relationships with each other and engage the community development movement in a broader and more inclusive vision.  Together, we celebrate and learn from each others’ work, create and share a common agenda, and take collective action to advocate for our communities.


Each year, our annual convention attracts over 250 staff and community leaders from AAPI-serving organizations across the country making it one of the largest gatherings of community-based practitioners, policy makers, legislative representatives, corporations and foundations working with AAPI communities nationwide. Our convention offers participants an opportunity to:

  • Exchange strategies with each other and partners, allies, and funders working on housing, economic, and neighborhood development initiatives. The 3-day event facilitates information and resource sharing between “established” and “emerging” member organizations working to address the changing needs of AAPI communities.
  • Build new and strengthen existing partnerships between elected officials, educational and research institutions, national intermediaries, government agencies, other community-based organizations, financial institutions, and private corporations.
  • Develop individual professional skills and strengthen their organizational capacity by participating in community development workshops led by practitioners, foundation program officers, community organizers, researchers, and technical assistance providers.

For more information on our upcoming June 2011 Convention, click here.  Stay tuned for updates!

For our 2010 Convention highlights and Post-Convention discussions and resources, click HERE.



Regional Meetings and Task Forces

Our regional community meetings and task forces represent our expanding efforts to share best practices, support local leadership, facilitate joint projects between organizations and enhance local, regional and ethnic networks.  Our regional meetings are planned in partnership with local members and focus on critical issues of interest to the community, including housing disparities, immigrant rights, asset building and community development resources. 

Our most recent regional meetings have included “Growing the Grassroots: Fostering Partnerships and Leadership Within API Immigrant Communities” in the San Francisco Bay Area and “The Asian American Community Development Conference: The State of Asian New Yorkers; 2007 and Beyond.”

Our Filipino and South Asian task forces have encouraged national movement building efforts to support low-income and underserved families among specific ethnic groups.  These forums build community involvement, provide opportunities to share best practices and build relationships, enhance local, regional and ethnic networks, and strengthen our advocacy work.

To host a Regional Meeting or task force, please email Melvin Tabilas, Membership & Policy Associate, at or call (202) 223-2442.



Practitioners Roundtables

Our Practitioners Roundtables is a series of interactive on-line video conversations, webinars, and conference calls hosted for our members.  These national conversations bring together National CAPACD members, policy makers, and community leaders to share ideas and concerns on the critical issues impacting our communities today.



For more information on upcoming Practioners Roundtables, click HERE



 
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Capacity Building through Action

Increasing Access to Community Development Tools and Resources

National CAPACD’s Capacity-Building initiatives coordinate training, technical assistance and other resources for AAPI-serving community organizations. In addition, we engage financial institutions and national non-profit organizations to include AAPI communities in affordable housing, financial education and homeownership programs and policies, combat predatory lending and provide viable financing products for AAPI community development projects.

AAPI Communities Taking Initiative in Our Neighborhoods (ACTION), our key capacity-building program, supports new local initiatives that serve low-income AAPIs, including housing counseling, homeownership and asset building programs as well as community preservation and development efforts. The program features a network of AAPI-serving organizations that provide training, technical assistance and peer-to-peer learning exchanges, building upon our members’ experience, strengths and expertise. The program also provides a small amount of financial support. Current projects include:



Post-disaster Organizing

Mary Queen of Vietnam Church CDC (MQVN) and National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies (NAVASA), New Orleans, LA: With an estimated 50,000 AAPIs affected in the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including 30,000 Vietnamese displaced in New Orleans, MQVN, NAVASA and National CAPACD worked closely to support the formation of the region’s first AAPI community development corporation. In the next year, MQVN plans to break ground on an urban farm, have the inaugural class of their charter school and launch a small business lending program for businesses in Katrina affected areas.



Affordable Senior Housing

Korean Resource Center (KRC) and Little Tokyo Service Center CDC (LTSC), Los Angeles, CA: Combining KRC’s organizing expertise with design, feasibility and site acquisition assistance from LTSC, KRC is building their first affordable senior housing project. KRC successfully organized low-income Korean families to address and neutralize “NIMBY” opposition to the project. They are currently working together to solidify the project’s financing and complete the project design.



Housing Counseling

Chinese American Service League (CASL), Chicago, IL: CASL, an organization serving thousands of limited-English proficient families in Chicago’s Chinese community for 28 years, has worked with Douglas Ling, a National CAPACD consultant, to create a culturally and linguistically appropriate homeownership education program - the only Chinese-language homeownership program in Chicago. CASL was recently approved to be a HUD-Certified Housing Counseling Agency and plans to expand the program by training additional staff to become certified homeownership counselors. They are currently exploring the creation of IDA program and researching the feasibility of CASL engaging in affordable housing development.



Native Hawaiian Organizational Development

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA), Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) and Hawaii Community Assets (HCA), Honolulu, HI: CNHA is supporting HCA’s and DHHL’s capacity to educate the Native Hawaiian community on foreclosure prevention and provide foreclosure mitigation counseling for residents living on Hawaiian Trust Lands, where resources are less accessible because data on loans made for Trust Land development are not collected by mainstream lenders. CNHA is working with HCA and DHHL to develop protocols and assessment forms for foreclosure counseling and developing community education materials.



Building Capacity for Development

Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) and Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA), Lowell, MA: CMAA is working with ACDC to conduct a feasibility assessment as the initial step toward taking ownership of a 24-unit affordable housing development. The goal of the collaboration is both to preserve the development as affordable housing and to develop CMAA’s capacity in housing development. The partnership plans to identify more development opportunities to benefit the Cambodian community of Greater Lowell as the city undergoes a revitalization process.



Arts and Community Development

Bindlestiff Studio and South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN), San Francisco, CA: SOMCAN and Bindlestiff Studio, a Filipino American community theater facing displacement as a result of gentrification, came together to mobilize the South of Market community to support Bindlestiff Studios’ in rebuilding their theater space and engaged in city level advocacy to ensure community benefits for current residents. With a new lease and rebuilding underway, Bindlestiff is now strengthening their operations capacity, particularly exploring business models to ensure their sustainability.



Financial Education

Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Queens, NY, and Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project (NEDAP), New York, NY: Chhaya and NEDAP have developed a homeownership curriculum for the South Asian community and are creating a financial literacy curriculum for people who have more experience with credit and lending. Chhaya is translating the curriculums in Bengali and Urdu and producing an instructor’s manual. NEDAP and Chhaya are currently reviewing and revising the curriculum and instructor’s manual as well as completing the translations.



National Youth Collaborative

International District Housing Alliance, Seattle, WA; Asian Americans for Equality, New York, NY; Asian Community Development Corporation, Boston, MA; and Chinatown Community Development Corporation, San Francisco, CA: This collaborative brings together youth programs from across the country to share experiences, develop skills and discuss current community development issues. The collaborative is organizing a youth exchange program where youth from each organization will spend two weeks working with youth at a partner organization.




For more information on ACTION, please email Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, at Lisa [AT] NationalCAPACD.org or call (202) 223-2442.


 
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