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2000 Best Practice Awards
Program and Geographical Winners: North Dakota
Best Practices: North Dakota Fair Housing Council
Council Works to Eliminate Discrimination
in Housing
Bismarck.
The North Dakota Fair Housing Council has used technology and creative educational
tools to prevent, reduce and eliminate discriminatory practices in the rental,
sale, and financing of housing transactions. Using funding from social services
agencies, other nonprofit fair housing organizations and the law firm of
Brancart & Brancart, the Council has conducted eight workshops throughout
the state, responded to more than 600 allegations of housing discrimination
and conducted about 150 tests to investigate these complaints. The Council
maintains a Web site and has developed a fact sheet series on fair housing.
Helping clients to file complaints of housing discrimination with HUD, the
Council ensures greater awareness among residents of the full scope of state
and federal fair housing laws, including a greater willingness to pursue
legal remedies to end discrimination.
Contact: Amy Schauer-Nelson, Phone: (701)
221-2530
Tracking Number: 1516
Winning Category: Geographical
Best Practices: MHA Entrepreneur Training Program
Training Program Teaches Low-Income Participants
How to Start Their Own Businesses
Minot.
The Entrepreneur Training Program promotes self-employment as a legitimate
option for low-income participants to become self-sufficient. The program
provides professional training, including business plan writing, guidance,
and technical start-up assistance. Community business leaders, educators
and economic development service providers lead workshops on subjects such
as networking, advertising, marketing, and record keeping. Successful entrepreneurs
also provide start-up tips. The Entrepreneur Training Program also provides
individualized counseling and addresses needs such as childcare, transportation,
credit history, budgeting, housing needs, additional education, and job
training. Motivational presentations on empowerment, networking, business
etiquette, and dressing for success provide participants with the tools
for success in business. The program has also created an entrepreneurial
support system. This system features a small loan-pool for start-up businesses,
a mentoring program, and job placement support for those program participants
who are not ready to start a business. Since 1994 over 300 participants
have graduated from the program. Seventy-five of those graduates have started
or expanded their own businesses.
Contact: Connie Philipenko, Phone: (701) 852-0485
Tracking Number: 760
Winning Category: Geographical
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Content Archived: April 20, 2011 |