Policy Newsletter Capitol Express: Keep on top of major congressional and regulatory activities affecting the affordable housing and community development.
Lunch Keynote: Donna Brazile, Political Commentator and Chair, Voting Rights Institute
2:00 - 4:15 p.m.
Issues Forum: Redefining our Policy Platform to Advance Your Community Development Priorities
Workshops (300s): 304 - Local Foreclosure Solutions - Models for Your Community
Enterprise Vice President of Public Policy Participates in ULI Fall '08 Meeting
Ali Solis, vice president of public policy, participated in the ULI Fall '08 Meeting held from October 27-30, in Miami, FL. Solis took part in a panel titled, "Billion dollar Federal Rescues from Main Street to Wall Street." The session, moderated by Barry Zigas, Principal, Zigas & Associates and Enterprise Trustee, brought together housing industry experts to discuss the implementation of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act and the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. The other housing industry experts were Jeffrey Hayward, Senior Vice President, Housing and Community Development, Fannie Mae and Benson "Buzz" Roberts, Senior Vice President, Policy & Program Development, Local Initiatives Support Corporation. The panel also examined how these two landmark pieces of legislation affect consumers, neighborhoods, and lenders. Read the presentation. (PPT, 9953K, Oct. 10, 2008)
HUD Housing Summit on Neighborhood Stabilization Program Read presentations and handouts for the Summit on Housing: Partnering for Responsible Policy, held October 7 and 8, 2008.
Enterprise Community Partners Releases Statement Regarding CRA
Doris W. Koo, president and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, released a statement regarding the recent incorrect comments made that blame the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) and minority homeowners for the current economic crisis. Koo states that not only has CRA not caused this crisis, it has helped build our nation’s economy during the past three decades. Read the statement (PDF, 35K) fact sheet (PDF, 42K) and the CRA packet (333KB).
Ali Solis, vice president of public policy for Enterprise Community Partners, spoke at the HUD-sponsored Summit on Enterprise’s response to the increasing number of communities affected by foreclosures.
HUD Housing Summit on Neighborhood Stabilization Program
On Oct. 7, 2008, Ali Solis, vice president of public policy for Enterprise Community Partners, participated in the HUD-sponsored Summit on Housing: Partnering for Responsible Policy plenary titled "Best Practices for Neighborhood Stabilization".
During the plenary, Solis talked about Enterprise’s response to the increasing number of real estate-owned properties in communities affected by concentrated foreclosures. Solis also discussed Enterprise's experience in facilitating the purchase, rehabilitation and affordable resale of foreclosed homes through the HUD Asset Control Area program and how it has served as a model for the formation of the National Community Stabilization Trust.
The summit brought together more than 800 housing and finance leaders from the government, private and nonprofit sectors to Washington, D.C., for a two-day briefing by HUD officials and panel discussions on the Neighborhood Stabilization Program, the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, the HOPE for Homeowners program and other foreclosure prevention and loss mitigation programs. Read the HUD Summit presentation. (PPT, 9934K, Oct. 7, 2008)
KnowledgePlex online chat "The 2008 Federal Community Stabilization Grants"
On Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008, Partners vice president of public policy Ali Solis joined other housing experts for the KnowledgePlex online chat "The 2008 Federal Community Stabilization Grants". The panelists shared their strategic frameworks and checklist for preparing, adopting, and implementing a foreclosure/vacant properties stabilization action plan and shared their ideas on how to spend community stabilization funds wisely. View the panelists' presentations.
House Passed Energy Legislation with GREEN Act provisions
On Sept. 17, 2008, the House passed the Green Resources for Energy Efficiency Act (the GREEN Act, H.R. 6078) as part of the Comprehensive American Energy Security and Consumer Protection Act (H.R. 6889). The GREEN Act aims to:
Strengthen HUD’s commitment to energy efficiency
Provide incentives to financial institutions to finance energy efficient homes affordable to low-income families
Promotes energy efficient and location efficient mortgages
Ensures nonprofit affordable housing developers have the capacity to build green
Establish a revolving loan fund to help owners improve energy efficiency, including through renewable energy.
Trustee Edward Norton Testifies
Actor, director and Enterprise Community Partners Trustee Edward Norton testified on May 14, 2008 on Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to put opportunities for low-income people at the forefront of the nation's response to the climate-change crisis.
Enterprise Addresses Foreclosure Crisis at Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Legislative Conference As part of its 38th Annual Legislative Conference, on Thursday, September 25, 2008 the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation held a town hall meeting on the foreclosure crisis. Enterprise Vice President of Public Policy Ali Solis joined Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), NeighborWorks President Ken Wade and other concerned leaders to discuss and answer questions regarding the current economic crisis and examine the national and regional repercussions.
