http://cclfchicago.org/sites/default/files/sponsors/Spring%202009%20CCLF%20Newsletter

COMMUNITY BLUEPRINT CCLF E-NEWSLETTER OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, ISSUES & FEATURES Spring/2009

CCLF Honored With MacArthur Foundation Award Prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions will propel growth CCLF was recently honored as one of only eight organizations worldwide to receive the prestigious MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The award includes a $500,000 grant that CCLF will use to strengthen our balance sheet and enhance our growth, particularly in the area of promoting sustainable building practices and good design.

CCLF was chosen for this honor for our unique ability to leverage community development dollars on a much larger scale than would be expected of a mid-size loan fund. Since inception, CCLF has closed $36 million in community development financing; however, our loan dollars have helped leverage an additional $808 million in public- and private-sector financing for projects across the region. CCLF is committed to preserving our role as the accessto-capital safety net in the region as we provide financing and technical assistance to a wide variety of organizations and projects. This award will also act as a catalyst to improve CCLF's ability to promote sustainable building and policy at a higher level within the community development industry.

The MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions is awarded annually. The MacArthur Foundation does not seek nominations for the award, but honors organizations which demonstrate creativity and effectiveness; have reached a critical point in their development; have yearly budgets of less than $5 million; have strong leadership and stable

In This Issue MacArthur Foundation Honors CCLF CCLF's New Look Welcome New Staff Credit Memos 2009 Workshop Schedule Sustainable Building Guide Green Festival

Guide to Building for Sustainability Over 1000 copies of the Guide to Building for Sustainability have been distributed to organizations and individuals since it was released in October 2008. If your organization would like a copy, you can request one by calling 312-252-0440 ext.

205 or emailing kmcinerney@ cclfchicago.org. You can also download a PDF version of the guide at www.cclfchicago/assistance.

financial management; and have previously received support from the MacArthur Foundation.

"Our entire organization is very humbled and excited about this award," says CCLF Executive Director Calvin L. Holmes. "The award will provide us with resources that will buttress our balance sheet and allow us to invest in human capacity, technology and processes to invigorate our lending, technical assistance and public policy activities in our ongoing efforts to help our customers build sustainably."

CCLF is in good company in receiving the award. Eight organizations in five countries are honored this year, including fellow Chicago organization Center for Neighborhood Technology. Recipients will be recognized at a ceremony at the Chicago headquarters of the MacArthur Foundation on June 11.

"These organizations may be small but their impact is tremendous," said MacArthur President Jonathan Fanton. "From protecting human rights to improving urban neighborhoods to conserving biodiversity, they are blazing new paths and finding fresh solutions to some of our most difficult challenges."

CCLF's New Look New logo and tagline enhance visual identity CCLF is excited to introduce our new logo and visual identity. As a part of our 2011 business plan, we established a primary goal to serve Chicagoland better and set out to find a new look that would convey our commitment more effectively.

CCLF was awarded a Taproot Foundation Service Grant, and CCLF board and staff developed the new visual identity with a team of pro bono marketing volunteers whose expertise includes account management, copywriting, graphic design and brand strategy.

The new logo and tagline work together to articulate many attributes that CCLF's work embodies. The image is iconic of the communities in the city and suburbs that CCLF invests in and our commitment to sustainable building, while bright and bold colors reflect our creativity, flexibility and passion for our work.

We are committed to "helping create communities where people thrive" in metropolitan Chicago by leveraging our investments in community development for the greatest impact possible. Our organization remains Chicagoland-focused and dedicated to providing low-cost financing and technical assistance in the neighborhoods that need it most.

Thanks to board member Ed Jacob and our Taproot Foundation Service Grant Team for all of their creative and diligent work on this project. To find out more about Taproot Foundation, visit www.taprootfoundation.org.

Green Festival Chicago The Green Festival comes to Chicago on May 16-17 at Navy Pier. The Green Festival features over 350 local and national green businesses and organizations, as well as 150 speakers.

CCLF's Executive Director Calvin L. Holmes will participate in a panel entitled "Socially Responsible Investing: Wall Street and Beyond." CCLF's Senior Loan/ Program Officer Mark Fick will participate in a panel entitled "Chicago's Housing Cooperatives: Successful Models for Collective Sustainable Living." CCLF will also share a table at the event with North Side Community Federal Credit Union. To find out more, visit the Green Festival website at www.greenfestivals.org.

Opportunities Join the National Community Reinvestment Coalition in their campaign to support the Community Reinvestment Modernization Act of 2009 (HR 1479). Find out how to get involved at ncrc.org.

The Community Economic Development Law Project has many upcoming workshops for non-profit organizations, including "How to Write an Effective Business Plan." Find the full schedule at www.clccrul.org.

CCLF Welcomes New Staff Lending team expands to keep up with demand In the first quarter of 2009, CCLF has closed $2.4 million in community development financing. This is a significant increase over last year, when CCLF did not close any new loans in the first quarter, which is our typical pattern as a lender that does a large amount of predevelopment financing.

Further, CCLF loan closings at year-end in 2008 were up 67% from year-end 2007. As CCLF continues to experience a strong demand for our lending and technical assistance, we are excited to welcome three new members to the CCLF lending team: photographed from left to right are N. Paul Elue, Clarice Norin, and Paul Gakhal.

N. Paul Elue joins the team as the Senior Portfolio Management Officer and will oversee loan monitoring, servicing and reporting.

Before coming to CCLF, N. Paul worked at Community Investment Corporation in the troubled buildings initiatives group. He has also worked in various capacities in engineering and marketing at Fortune 500 companies.

N. Paul is also an Illinois licensed broker and certified underwriter.

Clarice Norin is a paralegal who joins CCLF's team as Loan Closing/Portfolio Officer. Prior to CCLF, Clarice worked at Chicago Equity Fund and National Equity Fund. She has been working in the affordable housing industry since 1993 and has been a paralegal for 19 years, specializing in corporate, securities and real estate law.

Paul Gakhal joins the team as Senior Loan/Program Officer. His work will focus on city and retail/commercial lending. Paul comes to CCLF from a commercial lending background. He worked with varied loan sizes for multifamily, mixed-use, retail, office, and industrial properties at WaMu and Astoria Federal, where he successfully launched a commercial satellite branch. He also spent the first half of his career working in strategic operations management.

As CCLF continues to grow, we are thrilled to welcome the new staff to our team. We would like to particularly thank Polk Bros. Foundation for their generous support of these new positions!

CCLF Noteworthy Credit Memos: 1st Quarter 2009 Southside Preservation Properties, LLC received a $1,000,000 mini-permanent mortgage to preserve 587 units in Chatham, Southshore, Auburn Gresham and Roseland. Thanks to Jared R. Feehan of Winston & Strawn LLP for serving as CCLF's counsel on this transaction.

NASCO Properties-Qumbya Cooperative received a $1,022,495 mini-permanent mortgage to preserve 47 units of student cooperative housing in Hyde Park. Thanks to Laura Swihart, Alma Rosa Montanez and Devin Swaney of Winston & Strawn LLP for serving as CCLF's counsel on this transaction.

The National Housing Conference will be holding Solutions for Working Families: 2009 Learning Conference on State and Local Housing Policy on June 28-30 in Chicago. Find details at www.housingpolicy.org/ learningconference.

The Opportunity Finance Network has written a comment letter on the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund's Capital Magnet Fund Program. To sign on to the group letter, send your Name, Organization, City/State and Email Address to skerr@ opportunityfinance.net.

The Woodstock Institute, in collaboration with other advocacy, policy, and research organizations, recently released a study refuting the claim that CRA aided the subprime mortgage collapse.

Download the report and many others at www.woodstockinst.org.

Board of Directors Rafael M. Le贸n, Chair Chicago Metropolitan Housing Development Corporation Susan Kaplan, Esq., Vice Chair Community Economic Development Law Project Edward J. Hoynes, CPA, Treasurer Community Accounting Services John L. Tuohy, Esq. Secretary Chapman and Cutler (retired) Charles F. Daas Cambodian American Heritage Museum Mohammed M. Elahi Andes Capital Group, LLC Toya Horn Howard, Esq. Real Estate Attorney

Arches Retail Development, LLC received a $400,000 predevelopment loan for a mixed-use development in Oakwood that will include a medical facility and 48 units of affordable housing. Thanks to Robert Dixon of Vedder Price for serving as CCLF's counsel on this transaction.

Thank You to Funders and Investors For their recent grants, CCLF thanks The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Taproot Foundation, Bank of America Foundation, First Midwest Bank, The PrivateBank, HSBC-North America, Builders Bank and Bank Leumi USA. For their recent investment renewals or increases, CCLF thanks Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Dubuque, IA), Our Lady of Victory Missionary Sisters and Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago/First Personal Bank.

2009 Workshop Schedule Upcoming workshop opportunities including co-ops, project readiness, strategic options for developers May 5- Project Readiness Workshop Downtown Chicago June 2- Strategic Options for Real Estate Developers Roosevelt University, Schaumburg IL July 18- Housing Cooperatives Sophia Community (Hyde Park) October 19-20- Building for Sustainability Chicago Center for Green Technology December 8- Project Readiness Workshop Downtown Chicago For more information about CCLF's workshops or to register, please call 312-252-0440 ext. 205 or email kmcinerney@cclfchicago.org. You can also find a registration form and more information at www.cclfchicago.org/assistance.

Ed Jacob North Side Community Federal Credit Union Glenn M. Mazade Charter One Bank Patricia Y. McCreary Seaway National Bank Raymond S. McGaugh, Esq. Finance Attorney Kay McNab, Esq. Winston & Strawn Richard Peabody, Jr. Chase Bank Nancy Radner, Esq. Chicago Alliance to End Homelessness Matthew R. Reilein JPMorgan Chase & Co. Maria Salda単a Duncan-Williams, Inc. Kathryn Tholin Center for Neighborhood Technology

Staff Calvin L. Holmes Executive Director Jane I. Ames Director of Finance & Administration Rhonda McFarland Director of Lending Mark Fick Senior Loan/Program Officer Paul Gakhal Senior Loan/Program Officer N. Paul Elue Senior Portfolio Management Officer Clarice Norin Loan Closing/Portfolio Officer Juanita Walker Officer Manager Emily Moen External Relations Associate Angela Bennett Finance & Administration Associate Kate McInerney LVC Program Assistant America Lewis Receptionist

Credits Editor/Layout Emily Moen Photography tonyvmartin.com Printer Salsedo Press

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