Why Today’s DHCD Budget Hearing and Housing for All Rally Matter

For many DC renters and small business owners, many have been working up to and preparing for today’s big day at the Wilson building.

At 2 pm, members of the DC community will testify at the FY13 budget oversight hearing for the DC Department of Housing and Community Development as well as rally with the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development (CNHED) for Housing for All outside the Wilson building at 6 pm. More than 40 residents and community advocates have signed up to testify and call for restoration of funding to key programs, including the Housing Production Trust Fund, the Small Business Technical Assistance Program, and the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP).

2012 started out strong as the grassroots tenant movement began priming itself for the 2013 budget season. In January, LEDC teamed up with CNHED for a five-week training course with community residents to improve their advocacy skills.  The training included topics such as Advocacy Basics, Creating and Giving Testimony, Relationship Building and Utilizing the Media.  More than 25 tenant leaders participated in the training to strengthen their involvement and impact during the hearing process.

 

Maryland Gazette – Montgomery County Dives Into Popular Spanish-Language Radio Market

Alejandro Carrasco is approaching 25 years as host of “Calentando la Manana,” the Spanish-language morning news and talk radio show he broadcasts each weekday to thousands of area listeners.

He explained the popularity of his show and Spanish-language radio in general as a cultural circumstance.

“There’s the joke about grandpa going [to] the U.S., trying to fit his old radio in his luggage. The grandson sees it, says ‘What are you doing? They have smaller radios.’ The grandpa says, ‘Well, this one speaks Spanish,’” Carrasco said. “We come from an audio culture. There is a radio culture we bring with us and people just remain loyal to it.”

To read the full article that talks about LEDC’s radio show program “Consejos Financieros” on Radio America, click here.

 

The Wheaton Coalition’s Response to the Updated Draft Council Staff Plan

Last night, members of the Coalition for the Fair Redevelopment of Wheaton, of which LEDC is a member, met with community groups and citizens of Wheaton to share our collective feedback to the latest draft Council Staff Plan for the Wheaton redevelopment project.

Since March 12th, the Wheaton community has scrambled to respond to significant proposed changes to the project. The Coalition has participated in two meetings of concerned community groups and citizens, and while there is still much work to be done, the experience has galvanized community members to work together to make sure that Montgomery County public officials and elected representatives understand and are responsive to the feedback of the Wheaton community.

The updated draft Council staff plan, which has the support of Councilmember Nancy Navarro, recommends the appropriation of $58 million in public taxpayer money to support construction on Parking Lot 13 and feasibility studies on the Bus Bays platform redevelopment. Click below the Coalition’s response to this plan.

 

What to Look for in DC Mayor Vincent Gray’s Proposed Budget

Today, in just over an hour, DC Mayor Vincent Gray will release his proposed FY2013  budget for the District of Columbia.

LEDC, with our friends at the Fair Budget Coalition and the Coalition for Nonprofit Housing and Economic Development, are taking a good hard look at how well the budget supports programs that champion stable housing and thriving businesses in the District.

Here’s what we’re looking for!

 

WAMU 88.5 – Ahead of Budget Season, a Call to Protect Social Service Funding

Sandra Williams, 58, takes classes at a D.C. nonprofit in pursuance of a GED certificate. She eventually wants to become a social worker, but she’s unemployed for now and said she has can’t get a job because of her poor credit.

Anthony Hunter, 27, recently became homeless. The single father said that he needs a little help to get back on his feet. He currently lives off of $623 a month, he said.

Karima Weathers, 39, a single mother raising three children, recently lost her eyesight. She’s been in and out of shelters and has spent winter nights in her car.

They all turned out to a rally on the Wilson Building’s steps Monday morning, calling for Mayor Vincent Gray to spare funding cuts to social service programs and initiatives that help low-income D.C. residents. The rally was organized by the advocacy group D.C. Fair Budget Coalition. Mayor Gray is expected to release his proposed budget March 23.

To read the full article, click here.

 

Washington Post – Taking Up Residence in Petworth

Farah Fosse just bought a home in Petworth, but it wasn’t easy. The place she wanted also drew the interest of several developers, who offered cash up front for the place.

“Ultimately the owner wanted to sell it to a real person, so she accepted my offer even though it was lower than the developers,” she said.

Fosse was well prepared to deal with one of D.C.’s most quickly changing housing markets. Her work with the Latino Economic Development Corporation has focused on preserving affordable units for Latino families in Petworth, pushed north from Columbia Heights and Adams Morgan by rising housing costs.

To read the full article exploring how renters in Petworth are working to preserve affordable housing in the area, click here.

 

The Wheaton Coalition and Bill 6-12: A Critical Step in the Right Direction

Below is news coverage related to the ongoing work of the Coalition for the Fair Redevelopment of Wheaton, of which LEDC is a member. On Tuesday, Coalition members testified in front of the Montgomery County Council in support of Bill 6-12, legislation introduced by Councilmember Nancy Navarro that would create a new Small Business Assistance Program to help small businesses in Montgomery County adversely impacted by County redevelopment projects. The Coalition said the bill should be one piece of a comprehensive approach to help small businesses benefit from the Wheaton redevelopment project.

The Daily Record (2/29/2012) – Two Bills Aimed at Assisting MoCo Small Businesses Likely to Pass (restricted access)
Maryland Gazette (2/29/2012) – Public Supports Assistance for Wheaton Businesses
Wheaton Patch (2/29/2012) – Wheaton’s Small Business Community Testifies to Support Bill
Telemundo (2/27/2012) – Hope for Wheaton Small Business Owners (Spanish)
Washington Examiner (2/26/2012) – Wheaton Redevelopment Faces Battle for Funds

 

Washington Post – United Way Gives $1.75M to Area Nonprofit Groups

For Levet Brown, nothing is better than seeing kids come through the doors of the Laurel Boys and Girls Club — kids who might otherwise be on the streets or in gangs. But with a building more than a century old and no funding from the city, the club’s president worries that club’s after-school program has a bleak future.

Now, a United Way grant will give Brown a chance to change more lives.

United Way of the National Capital Area announced Jan. 19 that it is awarding more than $1.75 million to 161 of its 737-member nonprofit groups in the Washington area.

To read the full article, which includes information on the United Way grant awarded to LEDC, click here.

 

News Coverage and Videos from Citi Community Development’s $500,000 Contribution to LEDC Announcement

Below is news coverage and videos related to yesterday’s announcement that Citi Community Development has made a $500,000 contribution to support DC small businesses through LEDC’s Microloan Program. The contribution is the largest private gift in LEDC’s 20-year history and the largest contribution that Citi has made to a community-based organization that does microlending in the DC region in the last 25 years.

Washington Business Journal – Latino group lands $500K Citi grant for loans
Univision (Spanish) – Citigroup dono 1/2 millon de dolares a pequeñas empresas
LEDC Manny Hidalgo’s Welcome Remarks (Vide0) – Watch Here
DC Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor Hoskins Remarks (Video) – Watch Here
Citi’s Global Director of Microfinance and Community Development Bob Annibale Remarks (Video) – Watch Here
Small Business Owner Fidel Garcia, Capital Pilates Remarks (Vide0) – Watch Here
Small Business Owners Fredy Robles and Erin White, Mindy’s Catering Remarks (Video) – Watch Here

 

Citi Community Development to Assist LEDC in Boosting Lending to Washington, DC Small Businesses

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 21, 2012

Contact: David Roskin, Citi, 212-559-4767 or david.roskin@citi.com
Ash Kosiewicz, LEDC, 202-540-7411 or AKOSIEWICZ@ledcmetro.org

Contribution Will Help LEDC Increase Flow of Much-Needed Capital to Low- to Moderate-Income DC  Business Owners by 50 percent

Washington, DC – Today, Citi Community Development and the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) announced a substantial contribution to help small businesses in the district access microloans to support business expansion, income growth, and job creation. LEDC’s successful micro-lending program provides alternative financing to small businesses, the most important engines of economic growth in the District. Citi’s $500,000 commitment will enable LEDC to expand its micro-lending program and increase lending to small businesses by nearly 50 percent over the next year.

More than 58,000 small businesses operate within the District of Columbia. While nearly three-quarters of these businesses employ fewer than 20 workers, small businesses as a whole represent more than 90 percent of all employers and employ almost half of the private-sector workforce in the District—more than 217,000 workers. More importantly, these businesses have been responsible for creating 95 percent of all new private-sector jobs in the District since 2005. Small businesses require ready access to financing; in recent years, however, business owners have found it increasingly difficult to access the capital they need to hire workers, purchase inventory, and expand their enterprises. With the unemployment rate in Washington, DC at 10.4 percent (compared to 8.3 percent nationally) and 34,800 District residents seeking jobs but unable to find them, LEDC’s microlending program provides much-needed capital and other resources to small businesses, the most important drivers of growth in the region.

“We are greatly appreciative to private companies like Citi and nonprofit partners such as the LEDC for their work with local small businesses,” said District Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Victor L. Hoskins.  “This City cannot achieve its goals of increased opportunities for entrepreneurs and job-seekers with public-only initiatives and are pleased that our local small business owners now have enhanced opportunities to access capital because of Citi’s investment.”