AAFE Executive Director speaks to the audience at the release of ANHD’s latest report.
On Monday, November 18, AAFE joined the Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD), a membership organization of New York City non-profit neighborhood housing groups, at the Ford Foundation for a half-day policy conference exploring how the community development movement in New York City can build on its strengths and expand the way community development organizations serve neighborhoods. During the conference, ANHD introduced its new report “Roadmap for Equitable Economic Development: Expanding the Toolkit of the Community Development Movement.” The study catalogs the expanding role of community development organizations — specifically the growing role they play in equitable economic development. It also lays out a blueprint for how ANHD can advocate for policies and resources that will support equitable economic development as an integral component of locally-driven community development efforts.
After introductory remarks by Jonathon Bowles from Center for an Urban Future, AAFE Executive Director Chris Kui served on a panel on best practices and models for community development. Also speaking on the panel were Nancy Biberman from WHEDco, Shia Larios from Cypress Hills Local Development Corp, Larisa Ortiz from Larisa Ortiz Associates, and Laura Wolf Powers from University of Pennsylvania. A second panel on new challenges and opportunities for the community development movement included Leah Archibald from the East Williamsburg Industrial Development Corp., Mark Foggin from Public Works Partners, Adam Friedman from the Pratt Center, Nancy Carin from the Business Outreach Center Network, and Yorman Nunez from Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative.
“It is very important that organizations come together at events like this to discuss community-based economic development issues,” said Chris Kui. He added, “I am really excited that ANHD has taken the lead in organizing CDCs around issues that have had very little coordinated advocacy in the past.”
