Posts Tagged ‘MCOAH’

Housing Conference Wrapup & Resources 2010

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

MCOAH Poverty Simulation

CEDAM was excited again this year to be a substantial part of the planning team behind the Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing. Now in its 12th year, the MCOAH routinely draws over 1500 people from across the state to Lansing to discuss issues and learn about best practices in affordable housing and community development. CEDAM staff was involved in creating some 25 sessions for the conference, with topics including asset building, homeownership, downtown development, dealing with challenging populations, and improving connections through advocacy, public relations, and technology. CEDAM also co-hosted its annual event again this year with CDAD, bringing 200 people together on the Tuesday night of the conference to celebrate the achievements of CEDAM’s members. Northern Initiatives of Marquette and the Allen Neighborhood Center of Lansing were honored for using innovative programming in their communities. These recognitions complemented the awarding earlier in the day of the CED Advocate of the Year Award to Gary Heidel. Congratulations also to Denny Sturtevant, CEDAM Board President, for his receipt of the prestigious Terry Duvernay Award.

Resources from the Conference

  • Handouts for most of the sessions can be found here on the MCOAH website.
  • One-Hour Websites tutorial site can be found here.
  • Some of the Asset Building presentations can be found here on the CEDAM site.

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Awards from MCOAH 2010

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Gary Heidel, 2010 CED Advocate of the Year

Each year outstanding individuals and organizations in Michigan’s affordable housing industry are recognized at the Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing. This year, CEDAM would like to recognize the 2010 winners of CEDAM awards presented at the CEDAM membership celebration, and two winners of awards presented at the MCOAH awards luncheon.

The CEDAM Community Economic Development (CED) Advocate of the Year Award was presented to Gary Heidel, MSHDA’s Director of Program Policy and Market Research. The award is given annually to the organization or person who has done the most to advance the impact of community economic development in Michigan. During his tenure at MSHDA, Gary Heidel successfully advocated in the state legislature for Michigan’s Housing and Community Development Fund and a critical tax abatement for supportive housing properties. Through his work, Mr. Heidel has helped countless Michigan residents obtain high-quality, affordable homes.

Dennis West of Northern Initiatives, accepts CEDAM's 2010 Innovator of the Year Award from CEDAM Board Chair, Dennis Sturtevant.

The CEDAM Innovator of the Year Award went to two CEDAM member organizations this year, Northern Initiatives in Marquette and Allen Neighborhood Center in Lansing. The award is presented to the organization(s) that has engaged in innovative new programming or has generally proven to be a leader in advancing new policies, strategies, or best practices in the industry.

Northern Initiatives was recognized for their award winning work with the Great Waters project, as well as their small business Enterprise Center. Through the Great Waters project, Northern Initiatives has spear-headed a very successful regional strategy to re-invigorate tourism along the Eastern Upper Peninsula coastlines.

Joan Nelson from the Allen Neighborhood Center accepts CEDAM's 2010 Innovator of the Year award.

Allen Neighborhood Center was recognized for the extensive work they have done to improve their community’s health, vitality, and connectedness.  ANC strives to connect its residents to healthy foods by increasing access and introducing people to organic food production.  A “Cool Cities” grant enabled ANC to build a Greenhouse in a local park, allowing residents to cultivate fresh produce year-round. ANC’s Allen Street Farmer’s Market takes place weekly and was the first in Michigan to accept the EBT card.

Senator Mark Jansen, LIM's 2010 Champion for Vibrant Communities

The Living in Michigan Coalition’s Champion for Vibrant Communities Award was given to Senator Mark C. Jansen at the MCOAH awards ceremony. Senator Jansen provided crucial legislative support for Michigan’s Housing and Community Development Fund. His support ranges from sponsoring the legislation to create the Fund to helping make the Fund’s donation check-off on the Michigan income tax return.

Dennis Sturtevant, 2010 Duvernay Award Winner

Finally, the prestigious MCOAH Duvernay Award was awarded to Dennis Sturtevant, the Executive Director of Dwelling Place in Grand Rapids and the current chair of CEDAM’s Board of Directors. The Duvernay Award is an annual leadership award commemorating former MSHDA Executive Director Terrence Duvernay’s lifelong commitment to affordable housing. Mr. Sturtevant’s remarkable career as an advocate for social change is marked by leadership in affordable housing organizations, oversight of twenty new Dwelling Place affordable housing projects, and the transformation of downtrodden areas into vibrant and diverse neighborhoods.

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Housing Conference Session Highlights 2010

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010

MCOAH logo

In order to attend these sessions, be sure to register for the conference at www.housingconference.org.

This week’s featured sessions are all about the Internet.  If you want to create or improve a web presence for your nonprofit organization, these sessions are for you! If you don’t know what the heck a web presence is, these sessions are for you! Even if you’re satisfied with your current web presence, the Cut Through the Online Noise session can help you save time and stay up-to-date on the websites that matter to you.

Tuesday April 27

How to Ruin Your Reputation on the Internet (Repeated: 8:30-10:00 am, 10:15-11:45 am)

Find out how the things you do – or don’t do – online might be hurting the reputation of your organization. Then learn how to create a more credible and useful web presence for your nonprofit. Topics will include updating, layout, fact-checking, and tone – but you can ask the experts anything. This interactive session is based on CEDAM Communications Intern Olivia Courant’s “How to Ruin Your Reputation on the Internet” blog series and features three of Lansing’s finest social media experts: Lisa Sommer, Michelle Smith, and Ari B. Adler.

Cut Through the Online Noise: Get Only the Information You Need with RSS (10:15-11:45 am)

Overwhelmed by the amount of content on the Internet? Did you know that there is an easy, free way to read updates to ALL your favorite websites and blogs (even Twitter accounts!) in one place? Come to this hands-on workshop to learn what a feed reader is and how it can change the way you work, helping you access your most important Internet resources efficiently and effectively. Volunteers will help you set up your own personal feed reader with the information you want to see. Contact Katie (johnson@cedam.info) to reserve a computer, or bring your own laptop.

One-Hour Websites: Get the Website Your Nonprofit Needs Right Here, Right Now (Repeated: 1:45-3:15 pm, 3:30-5:00 pm)

In today’s world, if you don’t have a website, you are invisible. But how can you create a website when you don’t know HTML, you can’t afford expensive software, and you don’t have hours a week to spend updating it? If your small nonprofit needs a website but you don’t know where to start, start here. After helping you figure out your communications goals and website needs, expert volunteers will help you set up a free, easy-to-maintain Facebook fan page or WordPress site. You will walk out of this workshop with a working website for your organization. Contact Katie (johnson@cedam.info) to reserve a computer, or bring your own laptop. You will also need to bring information and pictures for that you want to share on your new website (it’s best to email it to yourself or bring it on a USB stick).

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Housing Conference Session Highlights 2010

Monday, April 12th, 2010

In order to attend these sessions, be sure to register for the conference at housingconference.org if you have not already.

This week’s featured session is the Poverty Simulation taking place on Monday. The session is interactive, so expect it to be as exciting as it is enlightening. We highly recommend this session to those who work with low-income individuals and want to get a deeper understanding of the challenges they face.

Monday April 26

Poverty Simulation (Part 1 ~ 1:15 pm -2:45 pm, Part 2 ~ 3:15 pm-4:45 pm)

Please register in advance for this session and plan to attend both part 1 and part 2.  This interactive session will educate participants about the day to day realities of life with a shortage of money and abundance of stress faced by individuals in deep poverty. During the simulation, participants will role-play the lives of low-income families, from single parents trying to care for their children to senior citizens trying to maintain self sufficiency on Social Security. Participants will leave with a better understanding of the perspective and plight of the people they serve.

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Housing Conference Session Highlights 2010

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

In order to attend these sessions, be sure to register for the conference at housingconference.org if you have not already.

Interested in homeownership and dealing with homes in today’s economy? Check out these three great sessions:

Tuesday, April 27

Tough Choices: Assisting Homeowners with a Dignified Exit Strategy (8:30 am – 10:00 am)

Despite the best efforts of foreclosure counseling, some homeowners simply have fallen on hard economic times and cannot keep up a mortgage; even one that would be modified. What advice does a housing counselor or local community organization provide? Hear innovative strategies from experts across the state on this critical topic.

Re-Thinking the American Dream of Homeownership: A Frank Discussion (10:15 am – 11:45 am)

Is homeownership for everyone? This controversial question is important for our industry to ask in the face of the current housing crisis and in preparing strategies for the future. Join us for a lively, informative discussion and facilitated debate. Please come prepared to share your thoughts and ideas on the subject.

Moving Homes in a Weak Market: An Innovative Best Practice (1:45 pm – 3:15 pm)

Many nonprofit housing developers are finding themselves unable to sell homes in a fragile real estate market flooded with inexpensive, abandoned and/or foreclosed homes. The Greater Lansing Housing Coalition, a nonprofit housing developer, has an innovative strategy for moving homes that is modeled after HGTV’s ‘Design on a Dime’ television show. This session will illustrate a best practice model utilizing creativity, volunteer labor, and community members to get houses sold.

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Housing Conference Session Highlights 2010

Wednesday, March 24th, 2010

Once a week from now until the Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing (MCOAH) at the end of April, CEDAM will present you with a selection of some of the exciting sessions to look forward to at this year’s conference. In order to attend these sessions, be sure to register for the conference at housingconference.org if you have not already!

Monday, April 26

When Lawmakers “Get It”: Making Community Development Programs a Priority in Lansing (1:15 pm – 2:45 pm)

We all know and believe in the importance of community development. From housing for working families, to revitalizing our communities, to helping people build long-term financial sustainability, our work is vital to our communities. So why aren’t these the priorities for all public officials, especially our State Legislature?! Successful advocacy for our work depends not just on our enthusiasm for what we do or the quality of our programs, but also on how well we communicate with and educate our state senators and state representatives. In this “Basics of Advocacy” session, learn from experts in the field about the reality of political decision making and how you can maximize the attention and support your organization receives through effective advocacy.

Best Practices in Foreclosure Counseling and Outreach (3:15 pm – 4:45 pm)

This session will feature best practices in foreclosure prevention, counseling and outreach from certified, nonprofit foreclosure counseling organizations with a proven record of success. Presenters will cover topics such as running a post-purchase counseling program in urban, suburban, and rural communities; providing examples of successful prevention and outreach efforts; and discussing techniques for organizing and empowering homeowners.

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Announcing CEDAM & CDAD Annual Membership Event

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

All conference attendees are cordially invited to the CEDAM and CDAD 12th Annual Celebration on Tuesday, April 27 from 5:30 pm-9:00 pm. This year the Celebration will be held directly across the street from the Lansing Center at H. Urban Lounge, one of Lansing’s newest sophisticated nightspots.

Come gather with your friends and colleagues from Michigan’s community economic development industry and enjoy delicious appetizers, cash bar, door prizes, music, and the screening of several short promotional films featuring CEDAM and CDAD members.

Tickets to attend are $30 for CEDAM/CDAD members and $40 for non-members. RSVP and buy tickets online, or get the mailing address to pay for tickets via check here. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing: Rebuilding Michigan Together

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010

Signs from past conferences.

For the past 12 years, CEDAM has been pleased to be one of over 25 organizations in Michigan that have come together to plan the Michigan Conference on Affordable Housing. Compared to the first conference in 1999, the MCOAH has grown in size tremendously, from only a couple hundred participants to now over 1500 people each year. But more importantly than the growth in size has been the growth in challenges facing our industry, as we are now in the midst of an economic crisis in our state like none in recent memory.

As in years before, CEDAM has contributed much staff time to the planning of this year’s conference. The conference presents a unique opportunity to showcase the remarkable work that CEDAM members are doing throughout the state to revitalize our communities and help our neighbors. The conference also allows us to bring in others from across the state and beyond who are developing exceptional best practice models that have the potential to be put to work in our communities.

CEDAM’s involvement in planning for this conference runs the gamut. Staff have been coordinating sessions that address everything from foreclosure counseling best practices, to innovative new practices in asset building, to community development-specific marketing, advocacy, and organizational development sessions. We are pleased to be bringing in speakers to talk about working with challenging populations; land banks as urban laboratories; new homeownership strategies; and so on.

We hope you will join us and your colleagues from across the state April 26-28, 2010, at the Lansing Center for the conference. Also, don’t forget to order tickets for the CEDAM/CDAD Annual Event on Tuesday night, April 27, taking place across the street from the conference at the end of the day!

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