Association of California Cities - Orange County’s Post

One of the things I really enjoy about working in Portland is just how smart and compassionate our business leaders are. And how they take the time to learn and understand big complex issues. Issues like treatment in the age of fentanyl, limited mental health access, and unsheltered homelessness aren't in the typical daily work of commercial real estate professionals. Yet, CRE leaders know that quality of life & livability come from how we address these big gnarly issues. A good example: the Revitalize Portland Coalition's Homelessness Committee led by Tom Ped from Williams Kastner. The committee's positions come from serious efforts to ask questions, hear from people with lived experience, and constant monitoring and untangling of governmental systems and terms. Its not the fastest work, to be sure. They have come to the daunting conclusion that there's no quick fix. But, instead of throwing up their hands and walking away, they have continued to dig in...to find opportunities for immediate advocacy....and to keep speaking the truth we see everyday on our streets. I'd encourage you to read Tom's article. If you are so moved, get involved with this work, meet Tom & check out what this Committee is doing. #communitydevelopment #portlandoregon #homelessness #systemsthinking #systemschange

Justice Advisory Council Grants (cookcountyil.gov) The Cook County Justice Advisory Council (JAC) awards grants in the areas of Violence Prevention, Services for Returning Residents as well as other areas of need. The overarching goal of the JAC's grantmaking is to increase access to services that increase community safety and reduce reliance on incarceration.   In 2023, Cook County will award up to $5 million in capacity building grants to community-based organizations serving Cook County residents. Starting Block Grants will provide $100,000 over two years to small organizations looking to build internal capacity and develop their infrastructure to promote organizational health, growth and sustainability.   The grant opportunity is open to community-based organizations in diverse sectors, including Arts and Culture, Community and Economic Development, Education, Health and Human Services, and Violence Prevention. To be eligible, organizations must have non-profit status and an annual operating budget under $1 million. This initiative goes beyond traditional grants for organizations to deliver services and allows them to focus on strengthening how they run.

Joanne Troutman, COO of Youth Advocate Programs, Inc., discusses the importance of empowering youth to access support and opportunities within their communities for overall well-being. YAP's focus on creating positive environments helps participants thrive and become fully engaged community members. Addressing community barriers is key to achieving goals and reducing disparities, especially for people of color. By offering community-based alternatives, YAP supports families in safe environments to develop life skills and reach their goals. Advocacy, policy change, and community investment are integral to YAP's mission. #ServiceAboveSelf #non-profit

An important investment.

Today, I started a new position as Corporate Marketing & Communications Associate for California Community Reinvestment Corporation! Over the past two months interning at this nonprofit, I have observed firsthand the interaction of the United States’ housing infrastructure failures with storytelling. Decades worth of societally-entrenched narratives on value and worth inform public perceptions on housing. Why is it that affordable housing is seen as harmful to neighborhoods? What is “safety” in affluent neighborhoods, and why do we ascribe threat to income status? When a demographic of people is routinely and systemically cast to the margins of society, how can we ever begin to mobilize to expand supportive services, create housing supply, and ensure an equitable future? The Supreme Court is currently weighing on the City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson case, which will effectively criminalize sleeping outside when there is no other alternative. Unhoused community members will be failed many times over, first by gross infrastructural neglect and then again by punitive justice targeting them for daring to exist in a country that does not care to support them. Doing the work of housing is hard. The challenges are interconnected and the roadblocks compound on themselves until they appear insurmountable. I am committed to continuing the work and finding solutions wherever possible, including by advocating against the criminalization of sleeping while unhoused. #JohnsonvGrantsPass https://lnkd.in/gwpNRFCF

Pro tip: unless the business community in your city, town, territory or the like is supporting affordable housing you will struggle to gain traction. It can be done easier in rural communities but the principle is true in all communities. Support does not always mean money. It can be done through advocacy & letters of support to those working in affordable housing in your town.

Without achievable housing, families and individuals can face significant financial burdens and stress. At Build Indiana Roots, we make sure that everyone has access to affordable and sustainable housing options that support their well-being and success through advocacy and support. Learn more about our initiatives here: https://lnkd.in/girkWWV2 #affordablehousing #acheivablehousing #hoosierhomeowners #housingadvocacy #housingpolicies #indianalegislature

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program is a vital tool enabling students and recent graduates to pursue public service careers even if they have student loans that might otherwise push them to the private sector. If you're a public servant who anticipates applying for forgiveness, the PSLF Coalition needs your insights at the survey below! (If you're a government struggling to recruit and retain, you should make sure you're positioning your employees for #PSLF eligibility and integrating it into your pitch!)

All communities need equitable public safety systems, free from racial bias, in order to thrive. This is why @Center for Policing Equity works to protect, empower, and support Black and Brown communities to redesign their public safety systems and produce better policing outcomes. Substantial and effective change in our collective approach to public safety can only be driven by community support. This #GivingTuesday, put community first. Join the movement and make an impact: policingequity.org/donate.