ACHANGE August 2012 Newsletter

Volume 2, Issue 6

AUGUST 2012

BIG PICTURE THINKING:

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN 2012

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Volume 2, Issue 6

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE ACHANGE’S MISSION:

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Time for ACHANGE!

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Chairman’s Corner

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ACHANGE & CDI

6 To collectively promote quality affordable housing and community 7 economic development in Arkansas.

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August Meeting Highlights Federal News Coming Attractions

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Digital Resources

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Executive Committee/

Contact Info

Pictured on cover: CDI 2012 Classes. Year 3: Susan Forte, top picture, 2nd row; Year 2: Ken Pyle, Year 2 , middle, 3rd row, 4th from le ; Andrew Pack, middle, 2nd row, 5th from le ; Debra Banks, Class 2 Director, middle, 1st row, right; Year 1: Frances Newsome, bo om picture, 4th row, 2nd from le .

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Volume 2, Issue 6

TIME FOR ACHANGE! The first week of August has, for the last 11 years, been a time of renewal for me—a time to recharge my batteries for the rest of the year. What is it that makes me so energetic? It’s my time to serve as a Class Director for the Community Development Institute at the University of Central Arkansas. Spending time around people who embrace the possibilities that all communities possess. They come to learn, to network and to encourage each other in the difficult work that we all do.

For the past 25 years, CDI has provided a one-week training course for community development and economic development professionals. The course is taught over the course of three years, with an advanced year option. Participants are provided with the latest strategies to improve communities and increase economic opportunities, in a supportive environment that balances information with motivation. A variety of speakers and activities help to illustrate the lessons learned, and with each passing year, participants build upon those lessons learned during the previous year.

This was a banner year for ACHANGE and CDI. ACHANGE was represented in all three years. Frances Newsome (Year 1), Ken Pyle (Year 2) and Susan Forte (Year 3) were all active participants in the process. You can read more about their experiences on page five.

One of the things that ACHANGE wants to ensure is that housing is considered an important part of Arkansas’ economic development picture. Today, our organizations must also embrace the bigger picture. It may mean the difference in economic survival and closed doors.

We can do it. That’s why it time for ACHANGE.

Debra Banks Program Manager

2012 Year 2 Champion of CDI winner Ken Pyle 3

Volume 2, Issue 6

CHAIRMAN’S CORNER “Headlines don’t sell papes, Newsies sell papes”

My favorite movie for many years is a musical called Newsies. It is set in 1899 and stars Christian Bale (Batman) and, yes, he sings and dances, very well I might add. It is about a group of newspaper boys who stand up against the tyranny of the big newspaper companies when the owners decide to increase the price of the papers to the boys, but not to the customers. The boys are mainly orphans or out on their own because their parents couldn’t afford to raise them.

What I love about this movie is how it shows that a group of “nobodies”, or what this world may consider as such, can get together and make a difference.

They decide to go on strike. At the sound of the whistle every morning, the gates would open for the newspaper boys to go inside the Pulitzer or Hurst newspaper headquarters and purchase their newspapers (“papes”) for the day.

Right before the whistle blows for the day, they sing:

Karen Phillips ACHANGE Board Chair

“When you got a hundred voices singin', Who can hear a lousy whistle blow?

And the world will know that this ain't no game That we got a ton of rotten fruit and perfect aim So they gave their word but it ain't worth beans Now they're gonna see what "stop the presses" really means And the day has come And the time is now And the fear is gone And our name is mud And the strike is on And I can't stand blood And the world will know And the world will learn And the world will wonder how we made the tables turn And the world will see that we had to choose That the things we do today will be tomorrow's news And the old will fall And the young stand tall And the time is now And the winds will blow And our ranks will grow and grow and grow and so The world will feel the fire and finally know! (MetroLyrics, nd) I’m not suggesting that ACHANGE is about going on strike or throwing fruit at anyone. What I am suggesting is that we, too, can make a difference. We don’t have a million voices, but we do have a collective hundred.

Truly, “the things we do today will be tomorrow’s news” if we use our voices and don’t remain silent. Change is brewing at this very moment. Will ACHANGE be a catalyst that moves the winds of change in the right direction? Well, that is up to you.

NEWSIES - THE WORLD WILL KNOW LYRICS . Retrieved August 24, 2012, from http://www.metrolyrics.com/the-world-will-know-lyricsnewsies.html#ixzz24TOBZPao

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Volume 2, Issue 6

ACHANGE and CDI—Partners in Development As you’ve read in earlier pages, ACHANGE was well represented at this year’s Community Development Institute. Here’s a recap of the week, in the participant’s own words.

1. Frances Newsome, Year 1 I have desired to attend this event for the last few years and am very grateful that ACHANGE made it possible. It was everything I had heard and expected. It was well organized with a comprehensive agenda that centered around building and supporting thriving communities. It was a time of networking with old and new associates in the industry. The simulations provided the most real life experiences in navigating the complexity of increasing the economics and quality of life for citizens of the community. I would recommend this training to all individuals interested in community and economic development and look forward to attending the next two years.

2. Ken Pyle, Year 2 (and Year 3 panelist) Year two in 2012 was a very enjoyable, enlightening and inspiring week. The presenters, without exception brought practical lessons learned and insights into the world of community and economic development beyond what the “book” might teach. Bravo to the staff and class leaders. My favorite was the talk on how to work with entrepreneurs in your community. The insight that stuck with me was that we forever hire or engage tutors to address a child’s weaknesses or shortcomings. What about finding mentors and/or tutors to work with them on their strongest areas, areas where the student excels and build upon that success, enjoyment and passion for that area? Nearly every presenter brought to the class similar deeper insights which enriched the learning experience and inspired me to try similar approaches in Fort Smith.

3. Susan Forte, Year 3 My week at CDI was exciting, mainly because it was my 3rd year and I was graduating with the class that I started with. My class had various expertise and knowledge that will be helpful as we continue our work in community and economic development.

Here’s a quick view of my 3 years at CDI. Year 1 gave us the opportunity to go through "New Town" and see how political community development can be. In Year 2, we were able to make decisions that can effect townships and we learned how competitive it can be to bring new businesses to your town. In Year 3, we put everything together that we had learned in the last two years and were more hands-on with real life community development issues. I enjoyed the CDI experience so much that I will be returning for my 4th year; after that, I will be taking my PCED Test. Overall CDI gets an A+ for a job well done!

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Volume 2, Issue 6

August 14, 2012, Meeting Highlights Introducing…..some of ACHANGE’s new members for 2012!

Steve Clark,

LaVerne Paige,

Clark and Associates

Pulaski County Community Services

Stephen Blackwood, Alex Blackwood Founda on Karen Phillips welcomes new member Shawn Futch of HomeSource, Inc.

Karen Phillips welcomes new members, The Reata Founda on.

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Volume 2, Issue 6

FEDERAL NEWS Section 8 Renewal Guide Comment Period Open.

HUD has made changes to the Section 8 Renewal Policy Guide and is seeking comments on the proposed changes. The proposed changes would incorporate the requirements set forth by new laws since the last update in 2009. Project owners are offered six options when considering whether to renew. One option included is to keep rental rates at or below market rates.

Interested persons are invited to submit comments by October 9. Please refer to the proposal by name. Send comments to Reports Liaison Officer, Depart of Housing and Urban Development, 451 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20410, Room 9120. You may also call 1-800-877-8339.

To read the text of the request, click here.

CFPB Comment Period Open on Proposed New Rules for Mortgage Servicers The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed new rules for mortgage servicers that would take effect after a public comment period ending October 9. The rules would require the following: 

Monthly mortgage statements,

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Advance warning before any interest rate adjustments,

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Forced-place insurance rules to prevent servicers from requiring borrowers to buy unnecessary insurance,

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Early outreach for delinquent borrowers,

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Prompt crediting of payments,

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Accurate information management,

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Error resolution and information requests,

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Direct and ongoing access to servicer personnel,

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Evaluation for alternatives to foreclosure.

To learn more about these rules and to take advantage of the opportunity to comment, click here.

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Volume 2, Issue 6

Free Community Stabilization eLearning Courses NeighborWorks is able to offer our community stabilization-related eLearning courses – a $195 value – free of charge until December 31, with support from FDIC. Choose from REO Acquisition, Rehab, Disposition and Management, Fundamentals of Asset Management, Counseling Buyers of REO Properties (code: FDICHO260a), Counseling Clients Seeking Rental Housing, or Stabilizing Neighborhoods in a Post-Foreclosure Environment (code: FDICHO265a). For the last two courses, enter the FDIC code; for the others simply select your course, and the tuition that will appear is $0. The courses may count toward a professional certificate. Learn more.

The 2012 Low Income Advocates Leadership & Community Development Conference is scheduled for September 20-21, 2012.

Featured speakers: Dr. Fitz Hill, Arkansas Baptist College Paul Clayton, P.E. Clayton and Associates Julie Munsell, Entergy Arkansas Glendell Jones, Jr., Henderson State University For more details soon at www.cadc.com

The Arkansas Community Development Society will hold its annual Community Development conference on November 1, at the University of Central Arkansas. Featured speaker: Ed Morrison of Purdue University’s Center for Regional Development. For more information or to register, click here.

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Volume 2, Issue 6

DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR HOUSING PROFESSIONALS Highlighting the tools that can help you succeed in the digital age

WalkScore More communities are concerning themselves with how walkable their communities are. An iPhone app, Walk Score allows users to calculate the walkability of metropolitan areas. Users are also able to find apartments and rentals. Users can search by commute time or near pubic transit. Cost: FREE Webinar: Streamline Refinances This FREE Streamline Refinance Webinar will cover recent Mortgagee Letters and Updates to FHA’s Streamline Refinance program since 2009, Credit Qualifying streamline, maximum mortgage calculations and scenarios, and documentation requirements. This Webinar will be helpful for all experience levels in the processing and underwriting of Streamline Refinances.

Registration required, no fee. Please hold on to the e-mail you receive after you register, you will need it to access the webinar. This webinar will be archived for those unable to attend.

Arkansas.gov Need an email address or phone number for a state employee? Looking for the address of a particular office? Maybe you need to know what meetings are occurring this month. You can find this and more with this app. Acquiring this app also means that you will have press releases, consumer alerts, court orders and other information at your fingertips.

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Volume 2, Issue 6

ACHANGE Executive Committee Board Chairman—Karen Phillips 1st Vice Chairman—Susan Forte 2nd Vice Chairman—George Holcomb Secretary— Frances Newsome Treasurer—Cathy Carlock Associate At-Large Board Member—Martie North At-Large Board Member—Darryl Swinton Program Manager—Debra Banks Committee Chairs Education and Training Committee Chairman—Roma Isom Finance Committee Chairman—Cathy Carlock Membership & Marketing Committee Chairman—George Holcomb Public Policy Committee Chairman—Darryl Swinton Resource Development Chairman—Charles Vann Ad-hoc Committee Chairman—Martie North

At ACHANGE, your membership matters.

Come grow along with us!

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