What's Happening in Ohio Community Development? |
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January 2022 | Vol. 13, Issue 1 |
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Quick List: Ways to Get the Most from your Membership
Have you:
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OCDCA is moving offices! Please update your records that our new address is now:
100 E. Broad Street, Suite 2350
Columbus, OH 43215
OCDCA Members: 2022 renewals will be in the mail soon. If you pay dues by check, please ensure you send them to the new address.
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Health In Action: Applying A SDOH Lens To Traditional Community Development
2.24.22 // 1 - 2:30 PM
The Old Brooklyn CDC (OBCDC) Community Health Initiative convened an array of community partners representing health care, housing and community development, research, education, public health, and service providers–leveraging their capacity to develop comprehensive interventions through a data-informed and resident-driven approach to improve neighborhood and individual health. OBCDC developed the first neighborhood-level Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) that guides their work in six key areas: Food Access, Greenspace Equity, Housing Injustice, Chronic Disease, Substance Use, and Neighborhood Resource Access and Usage.
In this session, OBCDC will share the steps they took to develop and implement the findings from their CHNA, specifically to address food access in Old Brooklyn through the Old Brooklyn Farmers Market and how the shift toward a SODH lens directly impacted that work. Located in a food desert, the market doubled the use of SNAP & WIC redeemed from the previous year, as well as an increase in access to healthy foods and overall health as reported by attendees. At the end of this presentation, participants will apply the SDOH within the scope of their own community development work by inventorying their current practices and determining specific SDOH within their own work. Register here.
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Coffee Chat: Workforce Development
2.16.22 // 9 - 9:45 AM
Get some coffee and come chat with fellow OCDCA members to discuss all things workforce development.
Share your challenges and successes with your peers and hear briefly from OCDCA member Alliance for Children & Families as they share details about their Alliance Corporate Employment Services (A.C.E.S.) program.
This will be a low-format 45-minute group conversation on the subject. Come prepared to participate! Register here.
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OCDCA Book Club: Time Management for Mortals
3.7.22 // 3 - 4 PM
Join the OCDCA book club! This is a low commitment club meaning that you can come and go from the club per your interest in a particular book.
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OCDCA Releases 2022 AmeriCorps VISTA Summer Associate Sub-Site RFP
Funding, which has yet to be secured, for the OCDCA VISTA Project is provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) through the Ohio Housing Trust Fund (OHTF). Limited slots are available; therefore, this is a competitive process and we will reserve some slots for housing only initiatives.
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OCDCA Announces Social Enterprise Incubation Program Cohort 3 Groups
The Social Enterprise Incubation Program is an intensive eleven-month program consisting of rigorous training and tailored technical assistance for OCDCA nonprofit members while they create their own social enterprise from start to finish. OCDCA is pleased to partner with Cause Impact for this program.
The program started in December 2021 and concludes with a pitch competition where participating organizations can compete for prizes at the OCDCA Annual Conference in Cincinnati, September 2022.
Congratulations to the four organizations selected to be in the third cohort:
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OCDCA Hiring An AmeriCorps VISTA Leader
The VISTA Leader will assist with the support and coordination of the OCDCA VISTA Project from our Columbus office. Previous national service or Peace Corps experience required. Housing stipend provided. Apply here.
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OCDCA Staff Elected to NACEDA Board
In December, Lisa Much, OCDCA's Communications & Capacity Building Director, was elected to serve on the National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA) Board of Directors. Lisa is serving a three year-term, representing Ohio in this national organization as they work to lead the community development field in creating healthier, more prosperous communities across the country. |
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The Port is buying nearly 200 rental homes with plans to make the tenants homeowners
The Port of Greater Cincinnati is buying nearly 200 homes with the goal of selling each property to the family living there as renters. It's an unusual move aimed at preventing a large investor from swooping in to evict tenants and raise the rent. Read more at 91.7 WVXU.
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Do you have exciting news to share about your organization? If so, please send to Lisa Much in order for it to be featured in the OCDCA newsletter. |
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Interns Can Fill Your Tech Needs!
The Diversity & Inclusion Technology Internship Program can connect you with the best and brightest upcoming talent to fill your tech needs. From creating mobile apps to building out websites, developing social media platforms, implementing new software, conducting market research and enhancing cybersecurity, the program can help with virtually any tech need and help pay the salary of college interns – to keep your business on the move. Companies can hire up to four interns and be reimbursed up to $30,000 by ODOD.
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Announcing the launch of this year's Annual Survey of Refugees
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Ohio 811 Program Owner and Property Manager Manual Updated
The revised Owner and Property Manager Manual for the Ohio 811 Program has been posted on the OHFA web site. The manual is intended as a reference for owners and property managers interested or already participating in the program, and offers direction regarding regulations that govern the program.
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New Leader of Enterprise in Ohio Fights for Safe, Affordable Homes
From The Land, learn about Enterprise’s new vice president and Ohio market leader Ayonna Blue Donald.
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New tool can help job seekers or job changers find better paying jobs
The Occupational Mobility Explorer from the Cleveland and Philadelphia Federal Reserves can help job seekers find opportunities to transition their skills to a similar but higher-paying job.
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Training To Support Faith & Community Organizations Working to Create New Affordable Homes
LISC is excited to share Faith & Housing, a new resource from LISC Bay Area for faith and community organizations interested in using their land for affordable housing. This self-paced online training is aimed at supporting community institutions – especially those deeply rooted in their communities and led by people of color – who are at a starting point as they begin to explore developing on their land. The online training is free and accessible to anyone. You can work through the training at your own pace, and will also be able to access helpful worksheets and training materials once you sign up. You can register for the training here.
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Getting Ready for the Audit
In this 2-hour session, Amanda Lee Gross provides attendees with clear and understandable guidance on how to determine a household’s income using the IRS 1040 Method. Join OCCD on Feb 23.
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NLIHC Forum
The forum will feature keynote speakers and panels on Racial Equity and Housing Justice; the HoUSed Campaign for Universal, Stable, Affordable Housing – Progress To-Date and Road Ahead; Capitol Hill Insiders Panel; and more. Learn more.
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Ohio Land Bank Conference
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Good Jobs Challenge
Through the Good Jobs Challenge, EDA is allocating $500 million to collaborative skills training systems and programs. These systems and partnerships will create and implement industry-led training programs, designed to provide skills for and connect unemployed or underemployed workers to existing and emerging job opportunities. Ultimately, these systems are designed to train workers with the skills to secure a union job or a quality job that provides good pay, benefits, and growth opportunities. Deadline is 2/10.
Bank of America Economic Mobility Grants
Employment is a key driver of economic mobility. That’s why we’re focused on building pathways to employment by supporting a range of workforce development opportunities, including education, upskilling and reskilling programs – meeting people where they are so that individuals and families can advance. Apps accepted 1/24 - 2/18.
The Rural eConnectivity Program
(ReConnect) Program provides loans, grants, and loan/grant combinations to facilitate broadband deployment in rural areas. In facilitating the expansion of broadband services and infrastructure, the program will fuel long-term economic development and opportunities in rural America. Deadline is 2/22.
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Northeast Ohio
Central Ohio
Southeast Ohio
There is one AmeriCorps VISTA Leader position in our office which still needs to be filled. VISTA Leaders are essential to the function of the OCDCA VISTA program. Learn more.
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New Data Shows Payday Loan Reform Protects Ohioans, Preserves Access to Credit
Three years following the passage of bipartisan payday loan reform -- the Ohio Fairness in Lending Act (House Bill 123, 2018), Ohio consumers have widespread access to safer, more affordable small-dollar loans, Ohio Department of Commerce annual reporting for 2020 shows. The landmark legislation has resulted in millions of dollars back in the pockets of consumers each year while preserving access to credit, just as Ohio lawmakers and advocates for reform intended. In 2020, the first full year of data reporting after the new law, lenders extended $99.7 million in credit to a quarter million consumers.
Prior to reform, Ohio had the worst payday loans in the nation. Now the state has some of the strongest consumer protections and lowest prices in U.S. Ohio’s law is pointed to as a national model, and bipartisan lawmakers in Virginia and Hawaii have already followed Ohio’s lead. According to the Ohio commerce report, the average loan made under Ohio’s short-term loan act is $403. Before reform, it cost over $600 in fees to borrow $400. After reform, the average loan costs just $112. The success of the law was hailed by lawmakers, coalition leaders and members of the business community from across the state.
Rep. Kyle Koehler, R-Springfield, who championed the reform, emphasized the balanced approach of the law. “We needed strong but flexible safeguards and HB123 delivered,’’ he said. “Our law resulted in affordable payments, lower prices and a reasonable time to repay. Ultimately, the facts show we succeeded in striking a balance between making credit safer and accommodating responsible lenders.”
Sen. Vernon Sykes, D-Akron, highlighted the impact of the law, saying, “Reforming payday lending has been a major bipartisan win for our state. Ohioans now have much stronger protections when they borrow. Workers and families can keep hundreds of their hard-earned dollars in their pockets, instead of having their hard-earned money siphoned out of their local economy.”
Nate Coffman, executive director of the Ohio CDC Association and one of the leaders of Ohioans for Payday Loan Reform said "Despite plenty of kicking and screaming from the payday lending industry who said the sky would fall, Ohio policymakers did the right thing and put in place rules that work for borrowers and businesses.”
OCDCA would like to thank the many members across the state that worked to make reform possible!
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Later Schedule Eyed for Next Capital Budget
From Gongwer News Service: Lawmakers expect to pass a bill reappropriating previously allocated capital dollars sometime by the end of March, but new capital appropriations aren't expected to follow the same timeline. Legislative leaders told members this week that they plan to start sorting through capital appropriations requests sometime after the first of April.
"While we anticipate the capital re-appropriations budget will proceed on its traditional schedule and be enacted sometime before March 31, 2022, the timeline for the capital budget will be later in the calendar year," Senate Finance Chairman Sen. Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls) said in a memo this week.
Sen. Dolan said requests from community partners, political subdivisions and others seeking capital funds should submit requests to senators by March 18, with members submitting their requests by April 1.
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Mandel, Harper Square Off in Unorthodox Senate Debate
In a fairly unprecedented move, Ohio Senate candidates Josh Mandel (R) and Morgan Harper (D) held a debate last week, on Thursday, January 27th. The debate was co-moderated by Matter News and Awake for America in a north Columbus church. OCDCA was pleased that an entire question was devoted to the issue of affordable housing. The candidates differed in opinion with Harper stating, "We need to be increasing investment in increasing the supply of housing. We do not have enough housing, especially in the rental markets." Mandel countered, "It is the role of individuals to choose whether or not they have the capacity to buy a home or rent an apartment." Watch the entire question's clip or the full 90-minute debate here.
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Protect Housing Investments in the Build Back Better Act
Negotiations are underway on a scaled-back version of the Build Back Better Act. Recent reporting by CNN suggests that Democrats may abandon funding for the bill’s housing programs even though they have wide Democratic support. These critical programs are much less likely to pass if they are relegated to a separate bill.
Take Action!
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Treasury Expands Eligible Uses of Recovery Funds in Low-Income Communities
The Treasury Department issued a final rule for State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) under the American Rescue Plan. SLFRF provides $350 billion to state, territorial, local, and tribal governments to assist in responding to the economic and public health impacts of COVID-19 and mitigate impacts on their communities, residents, and businesses. The final rule expands the enumerated list of eligible projects. Additions include: investments in neighborhoods to promote improved health outcomes; improvements to vacant and abandoned properties; housing vouchers and assistance relocating to neighborhoods with higher opportunity; and remediation of lead paint or other hazards. View the Treasury Department’s summary of the final rule.
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NCRC Welcomes OCC Final Rule To Rescind Its Disastrous 2020 CRA Rule
Jesse Van Tol, President and CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), made the following statement:
“Getting the disastrous 2020 CRA rule fully rescinded was a hard-fought battle that involved comments from hundreds of our members across the nation and this is a huge victory for them and their communities. We’re relieved and welcome this action today from the OCC.
“Now, it’s time to move forward to create a stronger and modernized CRA that will produce greater access to financial services, lending and investments in low- and moderate-income communities, and specifically for people and communities of color. That needs to come jointly through new interagency rules from all three federal banking agencies and I’m encouraged by signs that the OCC, FDIC and Federal Reserve Board are working toward that.
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OHIO CDC ASSOCIATION | www.ohiocdc.org |
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