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MISSION: To increase the supply of decent affordable housing provided by nonprofit organizations to low and very low income families through coordination among nonprofits to enhance capabilities, expand funding opportunities, maximize training, and develop new partnerships.
Time (Min) Agenda Item 8:00-8:30 Networking between members and guests 8:30-8:35 Introduction of members/guests (Katie Porta) 8:35-8:40 Approval of minutes 8:40-9:10 Speakers -- Tim Williams (Quest)and Jack Humburg (Abilities of Florida) 9:10-9:30 Other Items: County HAC Report City of Orlando HAC Report Counseling Collaborative New Business: Review correspondence Next membership meeting -- Wednesday, April 27, 2000 @ 8:30 am Adjourn (TOTAL MEETING TIME -- 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES)
Future Meeting Schedule:
For the year 2000, meetings are as follows: April 27, May 31,
June 28, July 26, August 30, September 27, October 25, and November
29. No meeting in December.
...
Goal 1. To educate the entire community on the role of the nonprofit sector as an important partner in the housing delivery process. a. Communicate housing and nonprofit needs to local area government b. Develop quantifiable goals for the Roundtable to allow for evaluation of this organization's effectiveness. c. Invite guest speakers to speak monthly. Pick out topic relevant to nonprofit housing providers (i.e. management, development, underwriting) and have speaker make 30 minute presentation. Goal 2. To pool skills and resources of nonprofit housing producers and housing support agencies a. To use the nonprofit Roundtable to gain organizational and functional strength to achieve our mission by convening regular meetings to share information, and to plan and coordinate activities of the participating nonprofits b. To evaluate and prepare an annual plan that quantifies projects and funding needs of the participating nonprofits and prepare joint funding support request to the various funding entities c. To promote and support emerging nonprofit housing organizations. Goal 3. To pursue various partnership opportunities and linkages with for-profit developers and builders. a. Strengthen relationships between nonprofits and private sector b. To become active participants in the Homebuilder's association to cultivate support of for-profit developers and builders and to seek out opportunities for joint-ventures, other business relationships and mentoring. Goal 4. To pursue activities that would increase the availability of low cost funds to nonprofits. a. Subscribe to legislative, funding resource. Monitor and report on upcoming funding programs. b. Develop calendar of funding source with contact, deadline and summary information. Goal 5. To pursue activities that would encourage governments to provide grants and loans to nonprofits for technical assistance and housing production.
Present: Linda Norman, Victor Alvarado, Delia E Canals, Marcia Garcia, Kathy Phillips, Jerrie G. Magruder, Margie Fuentes, Fran James, Lori Kreisle, Jack Humburg, Barbara Conover, Steve Chitwood, Dawkins Hodges, Lennie Larson, Stacy Starke, Tim Williams, Chelsea Brown, Adrienne deSouza, Gloria Oliver, Rolando Cintrow, Rosanna Jacobsen, Diana Cook, Kathy Bryant, Janice Schnell, Linda Larkin,Bob Ansley, Rosemary Banks, Rose Davis, Otto Acosta, Millie Plass, George Janas, John Hazelroth
Agenda Item 1 -- Approval of Minutes
Motion made by Bob Ansley and seconded by Victor Alvarado to approve the minutes. Approved unanimously.
Agenda Item 2 -- Jack Humburg from Abilities of Florida, Inc.
Jack was on-hand to talk about their housing program and how they've been able to help people who are physically disabled.
Abilities has been around since 1959. They were originally established to do training and assist persons with physical disabilities. Their organization has since grown and now it builds computers, does work training, and has a major housing presence throughout the State of Florida.
The goal of the housing program is to provide a variety of housing options. Abilities did not want to develop housing that segregated persons with physical disabilities in one central location. As a result, their programs emphasize self-choice and allow people to determine where they live. In addition, their programs also encourage integration within the community.
One of the programs used extensively is the Community Contribution Tax Program. This State of Florida Act allows C corporations to make charitable corporations for housing and economic development. For each contribution they make, they receive a 50 percent tax credit. To date, Abilities has received $400,000 through this program. The money cannot be used for operational support, but can be used for supportive services and actual housing construction.
Abilities owns and operates over sixty condominium units scattered amongst several projects throughout the State. Abilities has used the HUD Section 811 program to acquire and renovate these condominiums for persons with physical disabilities. The program has allowed people with physical disabilities to live in an integrated setting.
Abilities also has a single family program which assists persons with physical disabilities in purchasing their own home. To date, the program has helped over 65 individuals. The majority of the individuals make under 50 percent of the area median income. Abilities has been able to garner support through local government contributors and the Federal Home Loan Bank program to reduce the mortgages for the individuals. A component of this program is an extensive education and counseling program, provided by other nonprofit agencies.
In addition, Abilities was donated over 170 condominium units on the east coast of Florida two years ago. Abilities has renovated some for persons with persons with physical disabilities and currently rents out the remainder of the units.
Agenda Item 3 -- Tom Williams from QUEST
QUEST is a nonprofit organization assisting persons with developmental disabilities in Central Florida. QUEST receives money from several sources, which include HUD, the County, and the Department of Children and Families.
QUEST provides a continuum of housing from more supportive to more independent.
Typically people will start out in some type of group setting with 24-hour assistance. They then can move into supported housing, such as that found at Greenwood Apartments. From there, they can obtain rental certificates and choose their own apartment.
Tom had mentioned that it is not always important that the people have all the individual living skills when they embark on living independently. He said this was not required of us when we moved out on our own, nor should it be required of these individuals. QUEST tries to teach the individual some of the basics and continue to work with them as they live in their own apartment.
The model at QUEST is to try to surround the people with the necessary supports, but still allow them to retain their independence and their dignity.
Agenda Item 4 -- Miscellaneous Items
Nothing was reported for the Orlando Housing Advisory Committee. Fran James volunteered to attend meetings and report back to the Roundtable when she is able to attend.
No members were on-hand today from Orange County as they were at a summit.
Steve Chitwood was on-hand from HANDS. Steve indicated that they are now trying to assemble a Parade of Homes for only affordable housing. This got a ringing a endorsement from the entire Roundtable membership and people offered to help wherever they could.
Agenda Item 5 -- Counseling Collaborative
Gloria Oliver was on-hand to talk about what is going on with the Counseling Collaborative.
Gloria has recently added five new agencies as members. Three are lenders, one is a nonprofit, and the other is Volusia County.
Gloria is pulling together interested members for our meeting on April 10th to talk about the counseling curriculum. The Collaborative is attempting to get a consensus on the curriculum to be offered to first-time home buyers.
The Collaborative will attempt to eventually raise money for municipalities to assist counseling and education providers. This is because the Collaborative anticipates that some of the changes will eventually have a negative impact on the cost to provide such services. For instance, there is some talk about increasing the number of required meetings or the hours in each class of the size of each class. Gloria encouraged all interested parties to participate. This is particularly important for new agencies who are looking to get into counseling education. These rules and regulations will more likely impact the new agencies more than the existing ones.
Gloria also indicated that the Collaborative is looking at participating in the Faith-based Initiative. This initiative is being spear-headed by HUD. Next year, federal dollars will be allocated to assist church groups in the provision of services to lower income households. The idea that the Collaborative is considering is opening home buyer clubs at selected churches. The Collaborative would provide technical assistance needed to start these clubs. The clubs would be run by lay people and would seek to hold people's hands through the home buyer process. Individuals participating in these clubs will have already gone through some type of education and counseling, but would have been rejected due to credit, income, or other issues. The idea of the club is to provide some relief to the not-for-profits and to allow more one-on-one counseling to these individuals who need it. Gloria will be attending a workshop in Atlanta in the near future and will be looking at this as a potential area of interest.
Any interested individuals in these programs, should contact Gloria at 407-872-7773.
John Hazelroth briefed the Roundtable on some of the happenings which include the following:
The Roundtable is pleased to announce the establishment of their website. This site can be accessed at the address of www.nphr.org. At the present time, the site is approximately 65 percent up and, within the next 60-90 days, should be 100 percent complete. For those people logging into the site, they will find agendas, meeting minutes, information on members, information on grants, and other sites connected to it. The Roundtable is quite excited and it should facilitate the flow of information to all members in the multi-county jurisdiction, which the Roundtable now serves.
Next month's meeting for the Roundtable will be held on Thursday, April 27th, as opposed to our customary Wednesday. Representatives from the Federal Reserve Bank will be on-hand to talk about the new Community Reinvestment Act. This should be a very informative meeting for all interested parties.
Rosanna Jacobsen has coordinated this month's meeting, which
will discuss the recently revamped Community Reinvestment Act.
This modified act impacts community groups, government, nonprofit
organizations, for-profit developers, banks, and a host of other
agencies and organizations. On-hand to walk us through these changes
will be Gary Lewis from the Federal Reserve Bank from Atlanta.
This will be both an interesting in informative meeting.
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