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A message from Prosperity Indiana's newest staff member:
"Hello, my name is Tierra Jones, and I am the AmeriCorps Program Manager with Prosperity Indiana. I recently graduated from IWU with a Masters in Organizational Leadership. I have experience in the social services field, training and leadership development, recruitment, skills development, and diversity and inclusion. I am an AmeriCorps Alum which truly excites me about the role I am in at Prosperity Indiana. As the AmeriCorps Program Manager, I will oversee AmeriCorps program activities, ensure compliance, manage AmeriCorps members and services, assist in supervision and performance evaluation and much more. I have a wonderful husband, (Jason) and two little girls, Xaniyah (7) Olivia (1)."
We are excited to welcome Tierra to the Prosperity Indiana team! You can contact her at tjones@prosperityindiana.org.
On December 26, the Prosperity Indiana Board of Directors announced my departure as Executive Director. I announced my resignation to the Board of Directors on December 14, 2017 and depart March 2, 2018 to serve as Executive Director of the Community Foundation of South Jersey.
I am excited about this new opportunity but sad to leave a great team and wonderful members making an impact everyday in Hoosiers' lives and their local communities. I am grateful for my decade of service alongside the dedicated professionals on the staff, Board of Directors and at member organizations across the state.
We have accomplished a lot together… stopped predatory financial legislation, created new safeguards in the law for Hoosiers in foreclosure, ensured funding for affordable housing development, created access to fair credit products, funded sustainable energy and program innovation in financial access with members, delivered high quality consulting and training to empower neighbors and practitioners, and connected the diversity of local organizations and industries that encompass the state’s community economic development field.
Prosperity Indiana has an annually updated succession plan for senior staff. The Board has put the plan into effect. Board Vice President Nate Lichti with member IFF leads the Transition Committee. The Committee’s first meeting was December 21, 2017 and work is underway to identify a successor.
Our Board President Steve Hoffman with member Brightpoint, said in the press release: “Prosperity Indiana’s work to empower strong member organizations, champion social justice and economic opportunity, and mobilize neighbors, coalitions, and policymakers for economic opportunity continues unabated. There is tremendous momentum with the organization following last year’s successful rebranding. The Board of Directors will work closely with the staff to continue programs and strategy until a successor is announced.”
I hope to see each of you at the upcoming Prosperity Indiana Summit, January 23 and 24, 2018 in Indianapolis. This annual convening of members, partners, and interested professionals will explore strategies for community health, community development, and human service organizations to work collaboratively in local communities.
My name is Kay Glenn, and my position with Prosperity Indiana is Membership and Administrative Coordinator. I came to Prosperity Indiana from IPS. I was in A/P in the Food Service Dept. I have experience in customer service, data entry, finances, receptionist, payroll, A/P & A/R, just to name a few. When I decided to leave IPS, I wanted to look for an organization that did great things to aid our community. Some friends suggested I look in the non-profit world for a position. At Prosperity Indiana, I will help in the management of member and donor investment, as well as support the Prosperity Indiana staff with tasks that build the capacity of the organization, its members, and its partners. I will also be responsible for aiding in the annual membership campaign and annual fundraising events.
I am married and I have three rescue pets: two dogs and one cat. I love to cook for my family and friends. I am a member and Vice-President of the Beech Grove Fraternal of Order of Eagles. We are a nonprofit organization. I have helped organize and participated in many fundraising events. I also help plan anywhere from kid's holiday parties to canned food drives for small food panties and sock drives for Wheeler Mission.
I have a long road of learning in my future, but hope to become a valuable and respected staff member of Prosperity Indiana.
In 2013, Prosperity Indiana began a multi-year partnership with the Legacy Foundation of Lake County to design a program that uses a neighborhood-based collective impact approach to strengthen communities from within -- through organizing, planning and decision-making and action.
Recently, the Legacy Foundation announced support from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation to launch a new community development corporation (CDC) for Lake County, Indiana. The Legacy Foundation is seeking an Acting Director [job description] who will start up and manage a newly-formed Community Development Corporation (CDC).
This CDC will take a creative neighborhood based approach to community engagement, planning, and place-making projects. This Community Development Corporation will be managed by and located within the Legacy Foundation during an initial incubation period until it can become an independent organization. At that point, pending on the job success, the Acting Director will transition to becoming Executive Director of an independent 501c3 CDC.
“We appreciate the support from JPMorgan Chase for Legacy Foundation to develop and launch the Lake County CDC. We see this as an opportunity to provide much-needed community development support to area neighborhoods,” said Legacy Foundation President Carolyn Saxton.
Through Neighborhood Spotlight and a Choice Neighborhood program, community groups were trained to engage residents and leaders, develop a community plan, and implement projects. FAITH Farms, a project of Gary, Indiana’s Emerson neighborhood, for example, turned a vacant lot into an urban garden with greenhouses and a steady group of volunteers who grow fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. Gary’s Miller neighborhood leveraged the Spotlight program to secure funding for a bike-sharing program.
After working with five northwest Indiana neighborhoods – the Emerson, Miller, and University Park East communities of Gary, Griffith, and northwest Hobart – Legacy and partners determined that a county-wide community development corporation could help deepen resident engagement and move to greater implementation in existing neighborhoods.
In recognition of the need to apply health outcomes research to the affordable housing and community development fields, NeighborWorks America supported the research and development of the new Success Measures Health Outcome Tools. These tools are intended to help community development practitioners design projects and partnerships that address health disparities through the integration of affordable housing, community development, and health.
Any organization or community interested in how their work relates to health outcomes can benefit from the Success Measures Health Outcome Tools, including: housing and community development organizations, cross-sector community health initiatives, public health researchers, and health care institutions. The tools utilize primary data collected from residents, as well as from existing public data sources and program records. The tools are available in both English and Spanish.
The Success Measures Health Outcome Tools include surveys of:
Click here to read the full publication and view the tools.
Interested in learning more about the intersection of community development and community health? Join us at the 2018 Prosperity Indiana Summit on January 24th to hear experts from around the state and the country discuss strategies, partnerships, and other tools for addressing health disparities in your community. Summit sessions will include:
Dr. Lisa Harris, CEO of Eskenazi Health, will present the opening plenary remarks in the morning. David Erickson, Director of the Center for Community Development Finance at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, will present the lunch keynote address.
Click here to register for the 2018 Prosperity Indiana Summit.
For the last several years, it has been my pleasure to serve as the chairperson of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis (FHLBI) Affordable Housing Advisory Council (AHAC). The Council recently elected new leadership and added representatives from several Prosperity Indiana member organizations.
The AHAC is comprised of housing and community development leaders throughout Michigan and Indiana. The Council helps the Bank meet its mission related to access to decent, stable, affordable housing and community investment.
Vincent Tilford and Tony Lentych were recently elected as the chair and vice chair, respectively, of the Council effective January 1, 2018. Tilford is Executive Director of the Luella Hannan Memorial Foundation in Detroit, Michigan and Lentych is Executive Director of the Traverse City Housing Commission in Traverse City, Michigan. Lentych also worked in Indianapolis, Indiana for a number of years including as the Executive Director of the Indianapolis Coalition for Neighborhood Development.
In addition, the FHLBI Board of Directors selected the following Indiana representatives to three-year terms on AHAC:
The AHAC is comprised of 12 community and not-for-profit leaders actively involved in providing or promoting low- and moderate-income housing and community lending in Indiana and Michigan. "The advisory council provides specialized knowledge of affordable housing and of the unique needs of our district," said Cindy L. Konich, FHLBI President and CEO. "The council's understanding and experience with affordable housing finance, community economic development, and local lending needs truly enriches our ability to meet our affordable housing mission through our member financial institutions."
Prosperity Indiana is excited to announce the nominees for the 2018 Prosperity Indiana Awards! We had an outstanding pool of candidates from all over the state. While only one person or program will be selected for each category, we want to take a moment to recognize and honor all who were nominated. Join us at the 2018 Prosperity Indiana Summit luncheon for our awards celebration when recipients are announced!
Robert O. Zdenek Staff Member of the Year Award
John Niederman Rural Development Leadership Award
Homeownership is the primary form of wealth for low-income and minority households. However, factors such as tight lending standards that continue to limit mortgage access for households with lower credit scores, more households feeling the burden of large amounts of student debt, and the stock of affordable housing continuing to shrink mean fewer people are able to access the wealth creation opportunities homeownership provides.
The affordable housing advocates who gathered at Prosperity Now’s 2017 I’M HOME Conference last month believe manufactured homes could be part of the affordable housing solution.
Manufactured homes and the people who live in them are often associated with negative perceptions perpetuated by stereotypes in popular culture. But since the enactment of the Federal Manufactured Housing and Construction Standards (also known as the HUD Code) in 1976, the prototypical low quality mobile homes with little insulation and an unstable foundations are no longer being constructed. The HUD Code established requirements for the design, performance, installation, and energy efficiency of manufactured homes, making today’s manufactured homes an attractive affordable housing option.
Manufactured housing is the largest unsubsidized housing stock in the United States. In 2015, about 18 million Americans lived in manufactured homes, and the manufactured housing industry is adding nearly 90,000 homes to that count annually. The factory setting construction process eliminates the risk of weather delays, reduces the incidence of unexpected cost increases associated with construction, requires less construction management, and allows for faster move-in. The average sale price of a new manufactured home is $68,000 compared to the average sale price of $360,000 for site built homes. When done right, manufactured housing can provide affordable housing opportunities to make homeownership and financial stability a reality for all families.
This year’s I’M HOME Conference focused on innovations in financing, preservation, and partnerships around affordable and manufactured housing through presentation of compelling data and powerful personal stories. Speakers included: Dr. Chris Herbert, Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University; Dr. Esther Sullivan, professor of Sociology at the University of Colorado-Denver; and Andrea Levere, President of Prosperity Now. Click here to read more about the I’M HOME Conference, and access presentations and materials distributed at the Conference here.
While we are grateful to member engagement and advocacy around key priorities in the tax reform bill as several were successfully addressed in the final legislation approved this week, Prosperity Indiana spent the past month urging lawmakers to oppose this bill as it failed to include the kinds of equitable reforms we sought to increase economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income households.
Here are some of the critical highlights for Prosperity Indiana's member interests:
Prosperity Indiana’s advocacy will continue as we fight to protect critical safety net and community development programs moving forward.
Congress is currently debating tax reform proposals that will have dramatic implications for community development programs and incentives, such as the Low Income Housing Tax Credit, New Markets Tax Credit, Private Activity Bonds, Child Tax Credit, and Mortgage Interest Deduction.
Prosperity Indiana members are urged to click today on the link below to send a pre-drafted letter to your senators and member of Congress. The letter urges them to enact equitable tax reform that increases economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income households and helps promote community prosperity.
Simply add your name and any examples applicable to your work to illustrate why these actions are important to you, enter your address, and submit! Your letter will be automatically sent to Senator Young, Senator Donnelly, and your Representative.
"As your constituent and an advocate for strong Hoosier communities, I urge you to stand up for equitable tax reform that empowers low-and middle-income households and promotes job growth and economic prosperity throughout our state.
Congress is debating tax reform proposals that will have enduring policy implications. This reform will shape how individuals access economic opportunity and how local communities respond to the needs of its citizens. As such, I urge you to ensure the following provisions are included in tax reform legislation.
Reform the Mortgage Interest Deduction: Congress must reform the mortgage interest deduction (MID) by lowering the amount of a mortgage on which a deduction can be claimed from $1 million to $500,000 and eliminate the deduction eligibility for second homes. In Indiana, only .8% of mortgages are higher than $500,000. Savings from the MID are better directed at housing supports for Hoosiers in need of access to quality affordable rental housing. In times of scarce federal resources to support the lowest income Hoosiers, the MID savings should be dedicated to addressing the urgent lack of affordable and stable housing through increased investments in the National Housing Trust Fund, rental assistance, and proven solutions to end homelessness. While housing appears affordable in our state, the reality is that renters earning minimum wage in Indiana have to work 67 hours per week to afford a one-bedroom rental home at Fair Market Rent and 84 hours per week to afford a two-bedroom, which introduces significant barriers to low-income families.
Preserve Private Activity Bonds: Tax-exempt Private Activity Bonds (PABs) are a crucial financing tool that spurs local economic development in vital housing, infrastructure, and public facilities. Multifamily and single-family mortgage revenue private activity bonds help ensure there is an adequate supply of affordable housing. Roughly half of all low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) developments utilize PABs and 4% tax credits. Any effort to eliminate PABs would mean communities throughout Indiana would have a more difficult time financing these projects; and local governments would have to borrow at higher interest rates, resulting in a drastic cut in the production and preservation of affordable housing in our state.
Protect the Low Income Housing Tax Credit: In addition to preserving PABs, I urge you to support ongoing investments in affordable housing production by implementing reforms to the LIHTC program and offsetting proposed cuts in the corporate tax rate. From 1987 through 2015, LIHTCs have financed 7,224 affordable apartments in Indiana and generated $6.13 in billion local income. In 2015 alone, they helped to finance 13 affordable housing developments with 2,023 apartments in our state. However, reductions in the corporate tax rate negatively affect the amount of LIHTC equity that can be raised. I ask you to help increase the amount of allocable LIHTCs and modernize the formula by which the annual LIHTC percentage is determined to ensure these developments remain financially feasible.
Maintain the Historic Tax Credit: The Historic Credit encourages private investment in the rehabilitation of historic buildings, attracting over $131 billion in private capital nationwide since its inception. These investments help finance the gap between development costs and what banks will lend to rehabilitate historic buildings that are often abandoned to return them to productive use.
Include a permanent extension of the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC): The NMTC program incentivizes private investors to pursue businesses or economic development projects located in distressed, low-income communities. Between 2003 and 2014, $385.7 million in NMTC investments leveraged an additional $109.6 million from other sources for a total of $495.3 million in project financing to 44 projects and businesses in Indiana. There are no other federal tax incentives dedicated to promoting economic revitalization in distressed communities.
Ensure that the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit help low-income families: I ask that you work to ensure the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit programs, and any expansions or adjustments to refundability, are targeted to help boost the incomes of low- and moderate-income families. Doing so will enable them to pay for childcare, engage in the workforce, and better achieve financial stability.
Lastly, I ask that you ensure any cuts in corporate tax rates are not offset by budget cuts to critical social safety net programs that would destabilize our communities. Thank you for your consideration of these proposals to help align scarce federal resources with policies that empower individual households and promote prosperity."
November 8 is World Town Planning Day. World Town Planning Day was initiated in 1949 by the late Professor Carlos Maria della Paolera of the University of Buenos Aires to advance public and professional interest in planning, both locally and abroad. In the meantime the World Town Planning Day is celebrated in 30 countries on four continents each November 8. It is a special day to give special recognition to the ideals of community planning which bring professional planners and the general public together. World Town Planning Day presents an opportunity to look at planning from a global perspective.
In the United States, National Planning Month is celebrated in October. During this time the American Planning Association (APA) celebrates great places in the country and hosts/participated in activities to raise awareness of the impact planning policies and decisions have on every day life. Information about the 2017 National Planning Month are available here. Prosperity Indiana has been involved in the Planners4Health initiative throughout 2017 that connects the planning and public health professions in ways that advance health in all plans and strengthen the connection between the built environment and health. More information about P4H is available here.
Did you know Prosperity Indiana has a professional, certified planner on staff to help you with a variety of planning initiatives?
Rose Scovel, AICP is an alumna of the urban planning and public administration programs at Ball State University and has nearly 20 years professional experience working with communities in Indiana and around the country. She has worked in community economic development for half her career, and spent eight years as a private planning consultant in large multidisciplinary and small planning specialty firms. She has been a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) since 2002. As Director of Planning Services for Prosperity Indiana, Rose works with members on a fee-for-service basis to develop housing needs assessments, HUD required plans, neighborhood/QoL plans, and a variety of other plans. She also provides training on planning related topics.
Recent projects include:
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