2000 Best Practice Awards

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 HUD’s 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 HUD’s 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)

Content Archived: April 20, 2011