PRESS RELEASE Friday, April 3rd, 2009

For Immediate Release Contact: Jane DeMarines Executive Director, NACEDA 703.741.0144 or jdemarines@NACEDA.org

NACEDA 3rd Annual Summit: 
Community Economic Development Front and Center of Economic Recovery Efforts

Top Administration Officials and Congressional leaders address Community Development leaders representing twenty-six states and eight metropolitan areas.  Rep. Maxine Waters Receives Stephanie Tubbs Jones Legislative Leadership Award.

Washington, DC - April 3, 2009 - Community economic development leaders today lauded the impact of NACEDA's 3rd annual summit in Washington, DC.  Highlights included keynote addresses from USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack; Senator Jack Reed (D-RI); Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA); William Apgar, Senior Advisor to HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan; and Xavier de Sousa Briggs, OMB Associate Director for General Government Programs.

NACEDA presented Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) with the first annual Stephanie Tubbs Jones Legislator recognition award for her steadfast commitment to community economic development throughout her career and in her role as Chair of the House Financial Services Committee's Housing and Community Opportunity Subcommittee.  "Rep. Waters has dedicated her career to standing up for the work NACEDA members do every day; NACEDA is proud to honor her as the first recipient of this award," said Jane DeMarines, NACEDA Executive Director. 

In addition to hearing from top government officials and industry leaders and partners, NACEDA members addressed topics including foreclosure response, transit oriented development, rural development and related issues. NACEDA members representing communities of all sizes reported difficult conditions created by the economic downturn combined with optimism due to resources provided in the economic stimulus legislation and the engagement of the Administration and Congress on issues important to community economic development. 

Diane Sterner, NACEDA Board Chair and Executive Director of the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey:  "Community economic development is clearly integral to the Obama Administration's economic recovery plan.   Having USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack along with top officials from HUD and OMB address conferees while soliciting our input represents a turning point for our industry.  We all left the conference with hope, despite the tough economic conditions that community developers face across the country."

"This summit brought together important leaders and practitioners in the community development field including Michael Rubinger and Ken Wade, the CEOs of LISC and Neighborworks America, respectively," said Jane DeMarines, NACEDA Executive Director.  "Leaders from the industry, academe, Congress and the Administration all emphasized that our work and leveraging of partnerships is more important than ever.  This conference created energy and ideas that will resonate in neighborhoods of all sizes."

NACEDA members met with their Congressional delegations on Wednesday, April 1 after remarks from Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee.  Top NACEDA priorities for Capitol Hill visits included securing support for a community economic development capacity building program modeled after legislation filed in the 110th Congress by the late Rep. Stephanie Tubb Jones (D-OH).  Other priorities included strengthening the Community Reinvestment Act and protecting funding for core community development programs. 

Chris Hanifan, Housing Network of Rhode Island Executive Director, NACEDA Board Member and Co-Chair of its Policy Committee on Senator Jack Reed's address to NACEDA:  "Hearing from Senator Reed was a wonderful way to end a great summit.  Senator Reed's support of the National Housing Trust Fund, Community Reinvestment Act and other top priorities is an inspiration to all of us."

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About NACEDA and the CDC Industry
Through its member network state/city/regional associations, NACEDA represents more than 3,000 community development corporations. In 2005, as an industry total (aggregate) CDCs produced: 1.3 million homes (since 1988), 774,000 new jobs and 126 million sq feet of commercial/industrial space, housing for special needs populations and nearly 2/3 of CDCs offer homeownership counseling.