In August 2010, NP Staff Janet Byrd and Alison McIntosh traveled to Seattle to attend the 2010 Strategies to End Poverty (STEP) Conference, sponsored by STEP and Northwest Area Foundation. In addition to taking in a Mariner’s game, we learned a lot about coalition building, revenue coalitions, and what’s new in terms of TANF reauthorization […]
August Housing Alliance Update
The Housing Alliance is gearing up for the upcoming 2011 Legislative Session. We have a series of membership meetings planned, and we are getting ready to finalize our agenda. In September and October, we’ll hold two Housing Alliance Membership Meetings. We will be meeting in Salem on Monday, September 27, 2010 from 10 a.m. to […]
Strategies to Increase IDA Program Recruitment and Retention
Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) are a matched savings program that help low and moderate-income families purchase assets such as a home, a post-secondary education, or the capital needed to start or expand a small business. Neighborhood Partnerships brought Amy Shir—an expert asset building consultant—to present strategies to increase participant recruitment and retention to forty of […]
Bridges to Housing: Multnomah County Appreciation Event a Success!
On Friday, July 16, 2010, Bridges to Housing case managers, staff, and Multnomah County partners gathered to appreciate and celebrate the success of the program, now four years old. Commissioner Deborah Kafoury, describing herself as a member of the Bridges to Housing fan club, welcomed families, case managers and those who’ve worked at the City […]
Preliminary Findings from the IDA Initiative Evaluation
Neighborhood Partnerships is proud to oversee the administration of the Oregon Individual Development Account (IDA) Initiative. IDAs are matched savings accounts that help low and moderate income Oregonians purchase assets, such as a first home, that build economic security. Participants can also use their IDAs to start or expand a small business, get more education, […]
Emerging Leaders Advocacy and Messaging Training
Since November 2009, Neighborhood Partnerships has had the pleasure of working with Patrick Bresette of Demos. We’ve been learning about the public’s images of government and the economy, and ways to foster more collaborative attitudes among citizens. Now, we’re working on a very exciting project with Patrick and Larry Wallack, Dean of the College of […]
Good News on Federal Spending for Housing & Homelessness
Federal spending on affordable housing and preventing and ending homelessness continues to improve! We are very pleased that on Thursday, July 1, 2010 the House Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (T-HUD) Appropriations Subcommittee marked up its Fiscal Year 2011 spending bill. This subcommittee oversees funding for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and […]
NP Staff attend Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth, and Families.
On Thursday, June 24, Neighborhood Partnerships staff attended the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon‘s Interfaith Summit on Homeless Children, Youth, and Families. Over 200 people from across Oregon also attended, including many from the faith community, non-profits, and government. After an opening interfaith devotional the first panel on Childhood, Youth, and Family Homelessness in Oregon began. […]
Next Steps in Expanding Minority Homeownership
On June 16, a rainy Wednesday in Salem Oregon, 50 people from across the state joined Neighborhood Partnerships, Oregon Housing and Community Services, JP Morgan Chase, and others in a thoughtful and provocative conversation about minority homeownership. Victor Merced began the day by calling on all of us to look carefully at what we are […]
Neighborhood Partnerships is Growing—or at least our Board of Directors is!
Neighborhood Partnerships has added two new Board members as part of a planned Board expansion. Bill Hall and Jesse Beason have just signed on for three year terms. “We’re thrilled to have Bill and Jesse join the Board,” said Janet Byrd, Executive Director of Neighborhood Partnerships. “They both bring such deep experience working on behalf […]