2000 Best Practice Awards
Program and Geographical Winners: North Carolina
Best Practice: City of Asheville Consolidated Strategic
Housing and Community Development Plan
Citizen Participation Becomes Key in the
Development of a Consolidated Plan
Asheville.
The city of Asheville engaged over 230 citizens in the preparation of its
Five-Year Consolidated Strategic Plan for 2000-2005 using a truly citizen-driven
process. Due to its belief that it needed a more inclusive strategic planning
process, citizen committees assumed the bulk of the work previously reserved
for city staff. The city limited the role of its staff to data gathering,
facilitation of meetings, and editing of drafts produced by citizen committees.
For the 2000-2005 plan, 91 people, representing 48 organizations and individuals,
actively participated in the preparation of the consolidated plan. These
individuals attended an average of six meetings each. Another 142 people
contributed at one or two meetings each. The number of citizen participants
grew dramatically from that of previous years, in numbers and in intensity
of involvement. With the indispensable help of citizen participants, the
city produced a plan that is not only on schedule and within budget, but
also in excess of HUDs minimum requirements.
Contact: Charlotte E. Caplan, Phone: (828)
259-5721
Tracking Number: 1831
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)
Best Practice: Monroe-Union County Faith-Based
Conference
Area Church Leaders Receive Training for
HUD Faith-Based Programs
Charlotte.
The Monroe-Union County Community Development Corporation (CDC) provides
affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents of Monroe, N.C.
Influenced by the initiatives of HUDs Office of Inter-Faith Services,
the CDC recognized the need to involve churches in the rebuilding of fragile
communities. The CDC held a one-day conference, providing information to
area pastors and other members of religious organizations on federal, state
and local community development programs. Approximately 87 persons from
area churches learned about funding sources, technical assistance resources,
and programs. The conference also provided training for effective partnership
building.
Contact: Isabelle Gilliespie, Phone: (704)
283-8804
Tracking Number: 2793
Winning Category: Program (Community Builder)
Best Practice: Anti-Predatory Lending Advocacy
and Testing Program
Anti-Predatory Lending Advocacy and Testing
Program was the Catalyst for the Passage of Senate Bill 1149
Durham.
The North Carolina Fair Housing Center was a key player in the passage of
Senate Bill 1149, the strongest anti-predatory lending legislation in the
United States and a model for current federal legislation. Using testing
data and case studies, center staff testified before legislative committees
on the disparate impact of predatory lending activities in minority communities.
Stella Adams, executive director, spoke across the state and the country
on the interrelationship of predatory lending practices and illegal fair
lending discrimination. As a result of the advocacy of the center and its
partner the Community Reinvestment Association of North Carolina, First
Union National Bank and the North Carolina offices of the Money Store became
the first financial institution and sub-prime lender to sign a Best Practices
agreement prohibiting predatory practices. Center staff members are all
approved predatory lending counselors and certified housing counselors,
and have assisted dozens of clients. Because of their efforts, five loans
have been refinanced at terms beneficial to the borrower, three mortgage
lenders have had their registration revoked by the State Banking Commission,
and the Attorney General has initiated investigations against three predatory
lenders.
Contact: Stella Adams, Phone: (919) 667-0888
Tracking Number: 3231
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)
Best Practice: City of Fayetteville Downtown
Business Loan to Advanced Internet Technologies
Downtown Revitalization Begins with a Loan
to a Small Business
Fayetteville.
The city of Fayetteville's Downtown Loan Program has a $1 million loan pool,
funded in partnership with local lending institutions, for the purpose of
downtown revitalization. The program provides funding to small businesses
that locate in one of the six poorest census tracts in the city or that
expand or renovate businesses within those areas. The loans are tied to
job creation and are offered below the prime lending rate. In November 1997,
a small start-up business called Advanced Internet Technologies received
a $100,000 loan to renovate a downtown building. The business today has
a staff of 75, annual earnings between $12-$15 million and customers worldwide.
The company repaid its initial loan from the city and received additional
assistance from the county to expand. This expansion will result in the
addition of more than 200 employees and the development of a business incubator
program for local entrepreneurs. It will advance substantial redevelopment
of the downtown area and provide even more local jobs.
Contact: John B. Brown, Phone: (910) 433-1601
Tracking Number: 67
Winning Category: Geographical
Best Practices: Ruffin/Edward Academic Development
Scholarship (READS) Program
Scholarships for Public Housing Youths
Provide Opportunity
Durham.
The Housing Authority of the City of Durham and Learning Assistance Inc.
established the READS program as an education-oriented nonprofit organization.
The majority of the 2,106 families living in public housing want to provide
their children with an opportunity for a higher education; unfortunately,
financial hardship often makes this difficult or impossible. READS provides
post-secondary educational scholarships and stipends to eligible individuals
residing in public housing. Students from area schools who have been accepted
to attend a college or university are eligible to receive a scholarship.
Application requirements include recommendations, high school transcripts,
financial aid information, and an essay on "Why I Wish to Continue
My Education." The program has awarded scholarships to 95 students
and 22 students are continuing their college education. Graduates include
accountants, schoolteachers, computer specialists, customer services representatives,
an executive producer, a detective, a nurse and students pursuing advanced
degrees.
Contact: James Tabron, Phone: (919) 683-1551
Ext. 271
Tracking Number: 2944
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)
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