CDCs

Portland’s REACH CDC recently offloaded a 23-unit legacy building and 66 scattered-site homes—not because the mission has changed, but because the math has. The industry veteran’s portfolio triage offers a bellwether look at how rising costs, rent arrears, and aging properties are forcing even well-run nonprofits to rethink what they can afford to own.

A project in Portland, Oregon, aims to turn aging rentals into affordable condos, offering lower price points and a path to ownership. But that affordability currently rests on temporary subsidies and market goodwill. For tenants who can’t buy—and future buyers looking for affordability—the risks are significant.

A poem about “caretakers and waymakers,” which emerged from interviews with 13 frontline community workers in Memphis.

In a time when many organizations are trying to adapt their messaging to reach a wider audience—which can be done—it’s important to look to the research to avoid some pitfalls along the way.

Some community development organizations have added education to their traditional focus on housing and economic development. By partnering with local school districts, they’re looking for ways to support families and children in their neighborhoods. How’s it working?

Schools affect their neighborhoods—if community developers don’t harness that connection for equitable change, someone else will.

One of the major questions for the affordable housing world in the next couple of years will be how well its various segments come together.

New research shows that smaller community-based development organizations in particular are hanging on but facing financial challenges.

Some CDCs hope that building trust can save lives now while building a stronger foundation for long-term health. “COVID is a catalyst forcing us to think outside the box, to pivot, to explore our partnerships in different ways.”

Increasingly, health practitioners are being hired by community development organizations, and vice versa. What can they tell us about how differently the sectors operate and perceive issues, and where there’s potential for partnership?

While rent relief might not be their mission, organizations are focusing on the immediate needs of residents. But with all of their staff and monetary resources being used to plug holes, some organizations believe they’re a few months or another crisis away from financial disaster.

Peter Madden does asset management for a portfolio of around 2,200 units of primarily low-income, subsidized housing across New York City. And yes, most of the time, asset management for […]