Cornerstone Partnership (CP) interviewed Chris Hannifan (CH) and Elizabeth Debs (ED), the Executive Director and Special Projects Consultant respectively at the Housing Network and Community Housing Land Trust of Rhode Island, for the Member Profiles series. Read the interview transcript below!
CP: How would you describe your organization?
CH & ED: The Housing Network supports a 20 member association of CDCs that are most well known for building and developing affordable housing in Rhode Island. The association created the first statewide land trust in the country which we operate. We also facilitate the Homeownership Connection – a centralized homeowner education program that serves the whole state.
CP: What is your target geography and population?
CH & ED: Our target geography is all of Rhode Island. Our target population is 80% or below AMI.
The state of Rhode Island’s housing legislation requires that each community must preserve at least 10% of its homes as affordable housing units. We monitor and certify the units and individuals as affordable housing is created to fulfill each municipality’s housing goal.
CP: What mechanisms do you use to preserve affordability?
CH & ED: Our CDC member organizations, some of which also operate land trusts, use ground leases and deed restrictions. CHLT developed a standard ground lease which is used throughout the state. The Network is also an official statewide monitoring agency. The state of Rhode Island’s housing legislation requires that each community must preserve at least 10% of its homes as affordable housing units. We monitor and certify the units and individuals as affordable housing is created to fulfill each municipality’s housing goal.
CP: How many units do you steward?
CH & ED: We steward 20 units through our statewide land trust. In addition we are a monitoring agent for 55 other properties including some rental units.
CP: When were you established as an organization?
CH & ED: The Network was established in 1992, and the land trust was established in January of 2005.
CP: What’s your dream for your program this year?
CH & ED: We are looking to focus more on improving our methods of stewardship, mainly through site visits to get to know our properties and homeowners. We’re also working with the state to create and administer a real estate acquisition loan fund which will be a revolving loan fund using state CDBG funds for interim financing.
CP: What’s your longer term vision for the Network and CLT?
CH & ED: These are very difficult times for affordable housing development. Federal and statewide funding is being cut. One of our goals is to advocate for a dedicated funding stream or a bond issue from the state for future affordable housing projects.
Our work has created municipal level awareness of land trusts as a way to protect affordability.
CP: What is the biggest success story that you have seen as a program?
CH & ED: Our relationships with the cities and towns of Rhode Island have really been watershed. We are included in CDBG grants for technical assistance in 24 out of 36 non-entitlement communities. Our work has created municipal level awareness of land trusts as a way to protect affordability.
CP: What is the biggest lesson learned or challenge your program has faced?
CH & ED: When we founded the Community Housing Land Trust of Rhode Island in 2005 we were extremely ambitious. We had lofty goals as an organization, but with the downturn in the economy we needed to change gears. There’s been a lot of focus on our statewide foreclosure crisis for example and less on new housing development. During this time we also have taken units into the land trust that nobody else would work with.
CP: Is there a program out there that you turn to as an example?
CH & ED: We have taken examples from [Cornerstone members] Champlain Housing Trust in Vermont and Thistle Community Housing in Boulder, Colorado for guidance. We have also looked to Church Community Housing, one of our own members and one of the oldest land trusts in the U.S. for assistance. We have been lucky to be surrounded by great model programs within the state of Rhode Island.
…stewardship is essential to making sure that homes remain affordable over time. Also, homebuyer education is the best way to prevent foreclosure.
CP: What is one word of advice you would give to other homeownership programs that preserve long-term affordability?
CH & ED: That stewardship is essential to making sure that homes remain affordable over time. Also, homebuyer education is the best way to prevent foreclosure. Our biggest key to long-term success is sending homeowners through homebuyer education.
CP: Here’s the Peer Burning Question from Twin Cities Habitat: How do you market to and reach qualified buyers in this tough economic environment?
CH & ED: Our members manage a waiting list to match the needs of homeowners with the available housing. We also work through our list of homebuyer education participants. A marketing strategy that worked for us to help the members was to initiate a statewide open house. We put together a for-sale brochure and promoted the open house on the TV and radio to help members sell their units. We’d be happy to share our materials to anyone interested.
How do we get more involved in the stewardship side – making people feel more part of the community and part of our statewide land trust?
CP: What burning question do you have for your other Cornerstone members?
CH & ED: How do we get more involved in the stewardship side – making people feel more part of the community and part of our statewide land trust?
Thank you, Chris and Elizabeth, for your time!
The Housing Network of Rhode Island exists to provide a forum for communication and resource-sharing among non-profit housing developers and others who support their goals; identify resources and create delivery systems to build the organizational and technical capacity of nonprofits; promote policies and programs that facilitate the development and preservation of affordable housing by non-profits; and increase public awareness of non-profit housing corporations as important tools in addressing Rhode Island’s housing and community economic development needs. The organization has been a Cornerstone Partnership member since December 2010. Visit their website or email Chris Hannifan at channifan@housingnetworkri.org or Elizabeth Debs at edebs@housingnetworkri.org.
