Volume 2, Issue 7
DECEMBER 2012 1
Volume 2, Issue 7
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 wants you!
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December Meeting Highlights
7 To collectively promote quality affordable housing and community 8 economic development in Arkansas. 9
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News fron NLIHC Coming Attractions Digital Resources Executive Committee/ Contact Info
Nominations are being accepted for 7 positions for the Board of Directors! Nominate someone (or yourself) by clicking the following link!
http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/achange/board-of-directors-nominations/
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Volume 2, Issue 7
TIME FOR ACHANGE! The gift of home. That’s what ACHANGE members do throughout the year. Your work means that more Arkansans are able to spend this season in a home of their choosing. Whether that home is a house, an apartment or a suite in an assisted living residence, your work made that happen. Rural or metropolitan, ACHANGE members are positively affecting the lives of Arkansans. In this time of economic uncertainty, when people are more concerned than ever about their futures, you do your part to ensure that having a roof over their heads is one less thing to worry about. You counsel, you educate, you go above-and-beyond to help those who need you. The year is quickly coming to an end, and more challenges lie ahead. I know that you will do your best to meet every one. That’s what each of you do every day. In the coming year, ACHANGE wants to highlight more of the stories of the vital work that you do. Your work has impact, and more than anything, we need to educate others about the economic impact that affordable housing has on the state. When long days threaten to sap your energy, remember your success stories. Think of those people who are living the American dream because of the efforts of you, your agency and the team of people that it took to make it happen. Take that success to heart and keep moving forward. As long as there are people out there looking for a place to call home, there will be a need for your services. As long as you exist, ACHANGE will be there to help tell your stories and provide that collective voice. That’s why it time for ACHANGE. Merry Christmas!
ACHANGE members open doors for Arkansans. 3
Volume 2, Issue 7
CHAIRMAN’S CORNER An Honor to Serve Serving ACHANGE has been an honor these past three years. Seven positions will be up for election in February. Those positions include: Chair, 2nd Vice Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, At-Large Board Member, and two associate member-at-large positions. Strategic planning and doing means that we do not take it lightly when we are changing leadership. We need to look at what our gaps are and find the right people to fill those gaps. I do believe that changing of leadership periodically can be a good move for an organization. Fresh ideas and the enthusiasm that Karen Phillips comes with starting something new are beneficial to any organization. ACHANGE is looking for some new leadership and I ACHANGE Board Chair have come up with just a few attributes that are needed to be an ACHANGE board member. You won’t find this in the bylaws so they can be considered suggestions, but I believe that for an organization like ACHANGE to be successful, the board members need to be as follows: Geographically diverse: ACHANGE is a statewide coalition and we need representatives from the four corners of the state on our board to properly represent those areas. Arkansas is a very rural state and we should have a good amount of representation from rural areas, as well as from Central Arkansas. Programmatically diverse: ACHANGE is primarily involved in housing issues. Those issues are very broad and representation for all types of housing services and agency types should be found on the board. Leadership and Service skills: When you look to nominate someone, ask yourself are they someone who can lead and serve the general membership. That could be considered an oxymoron, but the leader that leads ACHANGE is actually a servant. Our general membership is why ACHANGE exists and the leader’s job is to do the will of the membership as a whole. I guess you can tell that this election is important to me. I have dedicated time to this organization, and its success is important to me. I recently sent a daughter off to college. I realize that my role in her life has changed dramatically, but she is still my daughter. Although my role at ACHANGE will be different in the near future, be assured that I will still be a member of ACHANGE who cares about the direction and the ability for ACHANGE to help all of you. The work you do is important and needed and ACHANGE is here to support you.
Karen 4
Volume 2, Issue 7
ACHANGE WANTS YOU…... To serve on the Board of Directors! There are seven positions that will be vacant in February! To learn more about the duties of the open positions, read on!
Chairman The Chairman shall be the chief executive officer of ACHANGE and shall preside at all meetings. He/she shall have general and active management of the business and affairs of ACHANGE. He/she shall see that all orders and resolutions of the voting membership are carried into effect. He/she shall have all powers and duties as may be voted by the voting membership from time to time. Second Vice- Chairman The Second Vice-Chairman shall assist the First Vice-Chairman in his/ her duties. If the Chairman shall tenure resignation during his term in office, the Second ViceChairman will serve as First Vice-Chairman until the next Annual Meeting or until an election is called upon by a majority vote of the Full Members. Treasurer The Treasurer shall keep correct and complete books and records of accounts. He/ she shall deposit all monies, securities, and other valuable effects in the name of ACHANGE in such depositories as may be designated by majority vote of the Full Members. He/she shall make such disbursement and reports at each regular meeting. He/she shall make an annual report at the annual meeting which shall review the year past and propose a budget for the upcoming year. Secretary The Secretary shall: (1) keep the minutes of all meetings, (2) see that all notices are duly given in accordance with these By-Laws or as required by law, (3) be custodian of ACHANGE’s records, (4) keep an accurate register of the Membership as provided in Article III, Section 7, herein, (5) in general, perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and other such duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by vote of Full Members. At-Large Open Positions There shall be four (4) At-Large Open Positions elected by general vote of the Full Membership. These four (4) positions shall consist of the one (1) Full Member and three (3) Associate Members. These positions shall be voting members of the Board of Directors. VACANT – 1 Full Member and 2 New Associate Members
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Volume 2, Issue 7
December 2012, Meeting Highlights The December meeting was a time for food, fun and information. After a festive lunch, the business portion of the meeting was used to inform attendees about the work done in 2012 and plans for the future. Highlights of the meeting, included: The Education and Training Committee has acquired licensing rights to a capacity assessment tool that will allow ACHANGE members to clearly identify any deficits and create plans to address those issues. The tool looks at organization in a variety of categories, including organizational structure and community outreach. The first organization to undergo the process will be ACHANGE. The committee will meet in early 2013 to discuss this work. The committee will also address questions brought by members on E-home America, an online homebuyer education provider. ADFA has approved this service for use in Arkansas. Counseling agencies can be paid to provide homebuyer education face-to-face and for clients who use the online course. Fees paid will vary according to the service.
The Public Policy Committee presented copies of the 2013 White Paper prepared by UALR’s Institute on Economic Advancement. The paper looks at affordable housing in Arkansas and addresses the supply, the need and the role of government. Since 2011, ACHANGE has been working to ensure that housing is no longer an invisible partner in the overall community and economic efforts. The information gathered during the 2011 and 2012 symposia have provided general direction for the work that will be done by the committee in 2013.
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Volume 2, Issue 7
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL LOW INCOME HOUSING COALITION
Just in time for the holidays, I can report some good news on the National Housing Trust Fund. This week, Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced The Common Sense Housing Investment Act (H.R. 6677), which would fund the National Housing Trust Fund with savings gained from modifications to the mortgage interest deduction. NLIHC supports Representative Ellison’s bill, which would do the following: Lower the cap on the maximum mortgage that can receive a tax break from $1 million to
$500,000 and convert the deduction into a flat rate 20% tax credit. Provide $15.4 billion a year to capitalize the National Housing Trust Fund, to build,
rehabilitate, preserve and operate rental housing that is affordable for extremely low income families. Expand the Low Income Housing Tax Credit and make it easier to use to serve extremely
low income families. Expand Section 8 project-based and tenant-based rental assistance and the Public Housing Capital Fund. In addition to providing billions of dollars for low income rental housing, H.R 6677 would make tax subsidies for homeowners reach a broader and lower income population than it does now. H.R 6677 is cosponsored by Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA). Many of you have endorsed NLIHC’s own innovative mortgage interest tax reform proposal to fund the National Housing Trust Fund. For those who have not yet done so, I urge you to sign on your organization today. Please know that those of you who support our plan should support H.R. 6677, which will help achieve our shared goal of ending homelessness in the United States. Representative Ellison’s legislation is an important step in the right direction. NLIHC looks forward to working with him to further strengthen his bill when it is introduced in the 113th Congress. Sheila Crowley, NLIHC President and CEO 7
Volume 2, Issue 7
LAST CHANCE TO ACCESS THESE FREE CLASSES! 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.
2013 ACHANGE MEMBERS’ MEETING DATES February 12, 2013 April 9, 2013 June 11, 2013 August 13, 2013 October 8, 2013 December 10, 2013 8
Volume 2, Issue 7
DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR HOUSING PROFESSIONALS Highlighting the tools that can help you succeed in the digital age
Smilebox This computer application allow the user to create slideshows, invitations, cards, collages, scrapbooks and photo albums right on your computer or through an iPhone app. With Smilebox, you can share on a variety of platforms, including: Facebook, email, blog, printing, and burning to DVD. Who’s using Smilebox? The Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation used it recently for the holidays. Click here to see the greeting.
HUD GLOSSARY LITE HUD has a variety of apps available for housing professionals and consumers. One program that might help to demystify the terminology for consumers is the HUD Glossary Lite app for iPhone. It provides consumers with short definitions of terminology that could be very helpful when trying to understand paperwork and requirements. The Lite version is free. For $4.99, a full version is available.
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Volume 2, Issue 7
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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