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USCM and Nehemiah Corporation
of California Begin New Partnership By Dana Bykowski United States Conference of Mayors Executive Director J. Thomas Cochran and Scott Syphax, President & CEO of Nehemiah Corporation of California have announced the start of their new alliance, CitiesFirst. CitiesFirst, a recently formed initiative between the Conference and Nehemiah Corporation of California, was developed with the purpose of implementing strategies to rebuild our nation's cities. CitiesFirst will help mayors to transform cities in need, shape federal policy, promote economic growth and renewal, and bring people and commerce to the heart of cities. The effective and thoughtful use of city land is critically important in efforts to spur economic growth, and this is where CitiesFirst can play and significant role. With the creation of CitiesFirst, the goal is to greatly expand these opportunities across the nation. From multi-million dollar community development investments to moving renters into homes that they own, CitiesFirst will pave new paths to success through its family of progressive community revitalization programs. To accomplish this, CitiesFirst will unite mayors, other city officials, local businesses, community leaders, and members of the lending and housing communities who share our objectives. This past March, CitiesFirst, through the Nehemiah Corporation, invested $5 million in the Genesis L.A. Real Estate Fund. This groundbreaking economic initiative targets blighted Los Angeles areas in the hope of renovating them into attractive business locations, thus combating high unemployment and poverty. CitiesFirst was the only non-profit corporation to contribute to the project. The Fund closed at $71 million and the first investment was sold to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences which will develop the property into a combination of creative office and film archives. CitiesFirst has several programs and services that are available to cities: The Nehemiah Program which gives free down payment assistance to home buyers; The Nehemiah Convention Loan, making the possibility of home ownership available to middle-income home buyers; The Nehemiah Community Reinvestment Fund which creates innovative tools for investors and communities to prosper; The Nehemiah Community Foundation which provides grants to other community revitalization organizations; and The Nehemiah Urban Land Trust which secures long-term housing options for special needs of families and individuals. Earlier this summer at the Conference of Mayors annual meeting in Detroit, Syphax, along with Cochran, announced the creation of a new $1 million pilot program, Nehemiah Urban Land Trust. The pilot program will be launched in four cities: Atlanta, Charlotte, Baltimore, and Indianapolis. Similar to a nature conservation land trust, NULT provides secure long-term housing in areas that are being revitalized. NULT will provide assistance to those agencies that offer a housing component to their social services programs. The outright purchase of their properties by NULT means social service organizations will have the peace of mind and security they need to continue their service to the community. They will not be forced out of their residences at the end of their lease or because of increasing rents. "Nehemiah's grant will help ensure that social programs have permanent housing, thereby making them accessible to the people who utilize those services. Consistency is important in service delivery and with agencies in the four cities being able to maintain their same location, that process will be greatly enhanced," said Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley. Nehemiah Corporation of California is one of the largest national non-profit charitable housing and community development organizations. Nehemiah serves as a catalyst for urban wealth and economic empowerment by providing affordable housing opportunities to families and individuals. Nehemiah administers a host of community revitalization and affordable housing programs in neighborhoods across the country. "We are very excited about our partnership with the Conference of Mayors. We are looking forward to bringing our resources and programs to cities across the country," said Syphax. Syphax will be giving a presentation about CitiesFirst at the upcoming Leadership Meeting in Santa Barbara, September 20th through the 23rd. For more information about the CitiesFirst program, please contact Dana Bykowski at the United States Conference of Mayors at (202) 861-6764. |
