Building Strong Communities by Focusing on the “Uncommon

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Building Strong Communities by Focusing on the “Uncommon HOUSINGNEWVolume 19, NumberS 3 The Journal of the Florida Housing Coalition, Inc. SUMMER 2003 NETWORK In This issue City View at The Florida Housing Coalition is especially pleased and enthused to Hughes Square bring in Angela Glover Blackwell from her home in Oakland California to 4 A Niche for Not- be our Conference Keynote in Miami on September 23rd. for-Profits in Producing and Preserving Affordable Housing: 501(c)(3) Building Strong Communities Tax Exempt Bonds 6 Announcing the by Focusing on the Affordable Housing Study Commission's Annual Stakeholder “Uncommon Common Ground” Meeting 8 Federal Policy Shift - the Block By Angela Glover Blackwell Granting of the Founder and President, PolicyLink Section 8 Housing Voucher vs. 9 How Will Fiscal olicyLink is a national nonprof- aspect of our work involves promoting Impact Analysis it research, communications, access to safe, decent, and affordable Impact Affordable H capacity building, and advocacy housing. We have also examined and Housing P organization that was created in 1999 disseminated strategies that enable The Momentum communities to build wealth and are Continues to lift and advance a new generation of 12 policies that achieve economic and exploring in greater depth the health “Stayin’ Alive”- social equity. Our work is guided by implications of the nation's regional The 2003 the wisdom, voice, and experience of development patterns. Legislative Session those working for change at the local Angela Glover Update level. It is rooted in partnerships with I recently had the privilege and honor 13 Blackwell community groups, national organiza- of co-authoring a book that lifts up 16TH ANNUAL issues that are of concern to STATEWIDE tions, local and regional coalitions, and BOARD OFdirectors EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Holly Duquette ADVISORY COUNCIL Melvin Philpot - CHAIRPERSON Florida Power and Light, Catherine Brozowski Florida Power Corp., Juno Beach Washington Mutual, Lake Mary Jim Dyal Plantation Gus Dominguez - VICE CHAIR Courtelis Company, Helen Hough Feinberg Greater Miami Neighborhoods, Tampa William R. Hough & Co., Miami Cora Fulmore St. Petersburg Jaimie Ross- PRESIDENT Mortgage & Credit Center, Senator Richard Mitchell 1000 Friends of Florida, Winter Garden Comprehensive Community Services, Tallahassee Schonna Green Jasper Gregg Schwartz - TREASURER M.I.S.S. Inc. of the Treasure Coast, Archie West Tampa Bay Community Development Corp., Port St. Lucie Tampa Clearwater Dan Horvath Jeffrey Kiss - SECRETARY Community Enterprise Investments, Inc., STAFF Kiss & Company, Inc., Pensacola Rob Ippolito Winter Park Annetta Jenkins Executive Director Mark Hendrickson - PAST CHAIRPERSON Local Initiatives Support Corp., Kenda Boles The Hendrickson Company, West Palm Beach Administrative Executive Assistant Tallahassee IsaacIsaac JonesJones Michael Chaney Jeff Bagwell Real Estate Services, Technical Advisor Keystone Challenge Fund, Inc., Jacksonville Pam Davis Lakeland Kristen Packard Administrative Assistant/ Mary Sorge Packard Consulting, Workshop Coordinator Bonita Springs Area Housing Development, Jacksonville Stan Fitterman Bonita Springs Maria Pellerin Barcus Senior Technical Advisor Robert Von Carrfour Corporation, Tom Flagg Realvest Appraisal Services Inc., Miami Finance Manager Maitland Tony Riggio Melanie Greene Wachovia, Technical Advisor DIRECTORS Jacksonville Wight Greger John Brown Gladys Schneider Senior Technical Advisor The Business Loan Fund, Habitat for Humanity of Lee County, Dayatra Orduna West Palm Beach North Fort Myers Technical Advisor Ed Busansky Tei Simmerman Mike Shafer First Housing Development Corp., Florida Solar Energy Center, Technical Advisor Tampa Cocoa Michael Davis Shari Weitzner Sumter County Housing Department, Grove House, Bushnell Jacksonville The Florida Housing Coalition is a nonprofit, statewide membership organization whose mission is to act as a catalyst to bring together housing advocates and resources so that Floridians have a safe and affordable home and suitable living environment. The Housing News Networkis published by the Florida Housing Coalition as a service to its members and for housing professionals and others interested in affordable housing issues. Address questions and comments to: Jaimie Ross, Editor, Florida Housing Coalition, Inc., all Americans and that what is needed is a commitment to block parties, activities at the Phillis Wheatley Y (this, too, aim for the highest levels of unity on the toughest issues-the was all black), hay rides and apple picking in the fall, neigh- uncommon common ground. borhood Trick or Treat and Christmas caroling, social clubs, dances, and church, church, church. In writing the book, the three of us-an African American, an Asian American, and a Latino-decided to bring our person- Of course, it has taken the benefit of hindsight for me to appre- al journeys forth so that the reader would have an idea of ciate the richness of the community that surrounded me as a what experiences had shaped our thinking. The following child. At the time I felt constrained and watched. I have come passage from Searching for the Uncommon Common Ground to understand that for black people growing up in America dur- offers a glimpse into my personal journey. ing those and earlier years, community was the scaffolding around the mainstream of society that allowed us to move up. H We were locked out, but we were not locked in. Through inge- nuity and collaboration my black community created a paral- grew up in a segregated St. Louis during the l950s and lel universe that took from the outer world what it needed to early 1960s. From talking to my parents, reading, and expand my horizons and make me feel that I could do any- Iinterviewing people about St. Louis during those years, I thing. That strong, caring, resourceful, creative, demanding know that racism there was harsh. My personal experience community shaped me, and its values and expectations contin- there as a child, however, was almost completely devoid of ue to nurture me. any awareness of racism. For I had the benefit of a web of caring adults who must have spent twenty-four hours a day It was not until I went to college that I began to understand figuring out ways to protect their children from racism. Part the racism that had surrounded me in St. Louis. Few of my of their job was made easy by the complete separation of the classmates went to college because not all black children in races. The schools, churches, social events, service organiza- St. Louis had the experience that I did. Our group of middle- tions, and neighborhoods where we played and volunteered class children, while large for a social group, represented a were all black. But separation from whites did not satisfy tiny minority of black children in St. Louis. Most of the black these adults; their aim was higher. They wanted their chil- children were poor and were not protected. Segregation and dren to have exposure to the best that St. Louis had to offer racism hit them with full force. And those proud black adults without coming into contact with those who would seek to I described were disrespected and beat down daily as they diminish us. What's amazing is that they succeeded. tried to earn livings, shop, buy homes, and generally provide for their families. In fact, every good thing I experienced had When I was growing up, St. Louis (then the ninth largest city an ugly flip side. For example, I received a great education in in the United States) was known for its outdoor opera, its won- St. Louis's segregated public schools partly because the well- derful museum (with the steep hill behind used for sledding in educated, well-trained teachers that I had were not allowed to the snow), its world-class zoo, its magnificent city park, and its do anything else. Then, I never thought about how frustrating symphony orchestra. While all of these attractions did not hold it must have been for the journalists, scientists, actors, singers, my interest equally, they were all a regular part of my life. athletes, mathematicians, and would-be senators who taught These determined black adults would take us to enjoy these me to spend their entire professional lives in the only careers activities, literally shielded from the rest of the world. At the available to them. outdooroperaforinstancethechildrensatontheinsideseats H City View at Hughes Square will be one of the Sucess Stories highlighted during the plenary session on the first day of the conference, September 22nd. City View at Hughes Square By Bob Ansley H Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation (ONIC). ity View at Hughes Square is a mixed-use, mixed Hincome development in downtown Orlando that will The community includes 14 three bedroom units, 133 two Copen in September, 2003. It consists of 266 rental bedroom apartments, and 119 one bedroom units. Of the To date, retail commitments have been made by a pharma- market, and third is a concern over displacement. The cy, a deli/grocery, a Bank of America branch, a drycleaner, entire City View project should be a catalyst for redevel- and a restaurant. opment, and it brings 107 units of high-quality, affordable housing. Hughes Square has also aggressively dealt with The funding is complex and includes tax-exempt bonds, potential displacement. While most of the site was vacant, taxable bonds, HOME, SHIP, City of Orlando tax incre- three businesses were on site previously: a deli/grocery, a ment, housing credit, CDBG, CDFI, Bank of America equi- temporary labor service, and a Masonic Lodge. The ty, and impact fee credits. deli/grocery is actually coming back into the project in a substantially upgraded facility. The development team The project is located four blocks west of Church Street was able to assist the labor pool in producing a new site Station in an area generally called Parramore. For the last and is also building a new facility for the Masonic Lodge, few decades, the area has had some of the highest levels of about one mile from the old location.
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