National Rural Housing Conference 2006

Concurrent Workshops
Wednesday, December 6 -- 10:00 am – 11:30 am

Track A: Affordable Housing Development

A1: Manufactured Housing in Rural America
Manufactured homes have become an increasingly important source of housing, especially among low- and moderate-income households in rural areas. Join a discussion on this highly debated topic where issues of finance, quality, public perception, and nonprofit organizations’ utilization of manufactured housing in rural America will be addressed.

A3: Single-Family Development I: Fundamentals
Would you like to learn the skills and techniques needed to create affordable single-family housing in rural communities? This workshop will provide an overview of the housing development process. Expert panelists will discuss project assessment and planning, site selection, construction, and marketing, and will share ideas and tips for qualifying homebuyers and identifying subsidies. For a more in-depth discussion on financing single-family housing projects, attend Single-Family Development II.

Track B: Organizational and Capacity Development

B1: Rural Population Shifts: A Dialogue on Impacts
Has your community experienced significant population loss? Or is population growth changing your area in profound ways? Population out-migrations and in-migrations poses specific challenges related to the provision of affordable housing. This discussion will focus on the impacts of rural population shifts, specifically how local governments and community organizations respond to the housing needs created by changing demographics.

B3: Overcoming Rural Homelessness: Progressive Solutions for Change
Rural homelessness is often difficult to see and difficult to serve. Learn about the challenges to obtaining and maintaining stable housing for the precariously housed in rural communities. Hear from both funders and practitioners about innovative ways for rural service providers to overcome these challenges and meet the needs of the homeless populations in their communities.

Track C: Resource Development

C1: Predatory Lending and Money Traps in Rural America
Predatory and payday lenders, tax refund services, and other “money traps” affect many low- and moderate-income rural families. What policy protections and resources do communities need to help people avoid and overcome unscrupulous practices? Join a discussion on the impacts of predatory lending and responses that enable low-income families to access and retain affordable rural housing.

C3: Alternative Financing Solutions for Affordable Housing Development
Community Development Financial Institutions and other private financial resources often provide the critical initial funds or fill the financing gaps needed to implement a housing development project. This session will provide an overview of alternative financial products, trends, and techniques available for building affordable housing in rural areas. Panelists will discuss current loan products, learn about eligibility requirements, and review the process for obtaining funds. Participants will engage in an interactive discussion on combining financial resources on a sample deal.

Track D: Innovative Approaches and Current Policy Issues

D1: Impact of Immigration
More than 1.4 million immigrants now live in nonmetropolitan communities. This session will examine recent immigration growth throughout rural America and its impact on affordable housing and service provision in these communities. Participants are invited to share best practices illustrating how communities currently meet the housing needs of newly arriving immigrant populations and discuss the resources required to address their needs.

D3: Management Issues in Farmworker Housing Developments
In recent years, farmworker housing providers have faced new challenges to their ongoing operations including vacancies in developments, loss of rental assistance for families, and mounting rehabilitation expenses. Resulting from multiple factors, these challenges have varying impacts on different farmworker communities. Participants are invited to share their experiences and learn how other farmworker housing developers are devising creative solutions to address common problems.

Concurrent Workshops
Wednesday, December 6 -- 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Track A: Affordable Housing Development

A5: Single-Family Development II: Making the Financial Pieces Fit
Learn how to access and combine HOME, the Affordable Housing Program, and other financing sources to fund single-family projects. Experts will provide financial feasibility tools for blending resources and qualifying families. Participants will learn how to create project budgets, timelines, development proformas, and model development scenarios.

A7: HAC SHOP Program Review and Updates
(*Closed Session - HAC SHOP Affiliates Only)
This workshop is designed for HAC SHOP affiliates familiar with the self-help housing development process. It will focus on new U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development SHOP program requirements and their implications. Affiliates will also have an opportunity to share successes, challenges, and emerging regional issues around several key topics. Participants are invited to bring suggestions for improving and streamlining the SHOP program.

Track B: Organizational and Capacity Development

B5: Cultivating Partnerships with Policymakers
In an era of budget cuts and growing skepticism towards low-income programs, it is more important than ever to make a strong case for affordable housing. This workshop will focus on both broad strategies and detailed steps for communicating effectively and cultivating relationships with elected and appointed officials to win support for vitally needed programs.

B7: Financial Management: Sharing the Auditor’s Perspective
Would you like to learn how to prepare your nonprofit organization for an annual audit? This interactive workshop will focus on how to identify the array of information auditors typically seek when conducting an audit and which staff should be involved in the process. Participants will learn how to select an auditor, review auditing standards and regulations, and identify potential issues that may surface during an audit. Successful peers will share strategies and tips for making this annual event a positive experience.

Track C: Resource Development

C5: An In-Depth Look at USDA’s Single-Family Ownership Program
This workshop will provide an in-depth look at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Section 502 loan program for promoting the development of single-family housing. Workshop participants will learn about the program eligibility, loan terms, acceptable construction standards, prohibited features and amenities, and how to apply for funds. Variations of the basic program including the guarantee program will also be discussed. Practical examples and development scenarios will help workshop participants fully understand how to use the program.

C7: Using State Bond Financing and Other State Resources
Tax-exempt bond financing provides local organizations a unique opportunity to shape programs to serve rural communities. This workshop will cover the basics of this type of financing and the risks and benefits of using it. Case examples will illustrate how to establish relationships with state and local government, establish the legal and financial structures needed, and successfully finance low-income housing. This workshop is recommended for experienced community developers.

Track D: Innovative Approaches and Current Policy Issues

D5: Green Building and LEED for Homes
What are green building standards and how can they help structure a green rural affordable housing program? Experts will provide an overview of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED for Homes program. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a hands-on exercise to learn about the practical application of these standards in a rural context by evaluating a green single- or multifamily housing project.

D7: Lessons in Native American Nonprofit Housing Development
Each of the existing and emerging models for nonprofit housing development in Indian Country has had its share of struggles, and all find sustainability a challenge. Nevertheless, native nonprofit organizations are creating new housing opportunities in Indian Country. This workshop will focus on the practical aspects of creating and sustaining such nonprofits, and will benefit from the experience of existing organizations.

Concurrent Workshops
Thursday, December 7 -- 10:30 am – 12:00 noon

Track A: Affordable Housing Development

A2: Improving Rural Rental Housing Preservation (also a preservation session)
This workshop will provide a brief update on current legislative proposals, litigation, and initiatives targeted at preserving rural rental housing. Participants are invited to share the impact of prepayment and preservation on their communities. Discussion will focus on the challenges of and best practices for tenant protections and the prepayment, transfer, and revitalization of rural rental properties.

A4: Multifamily Development I: Perils and Payoffs
This workshop will provide an overview of the perils and the payoffs of an effective multifamily housing development program. Gain valuable information on tax credit fundamentals, and on restriction and compliance requirements for mixed-financed properties. Participants will review the development of funding proposals, identify funding sources, and provide suggestions on determining need, market, and selection of development partners. This session is continued as Multifamily Development II where participants will use financial feasibility tools to conduct project analyses.

Track B: Organizational and Capacity Development
B2: Building for the Future: Sustaining Rural Nonprofits
Many rural nonprofits are struggling to stay in business and are continually doing more with less. Participants in this session are invited to discuss the major issues and challenges community-based organizations face in increasing their effectiveness for long-term success. Key issues to be covered include securing and generating funds, strategic planning, measuring impact, moving to scale, and pacing organizational growth.

B4: Financial Management: Establishing Sound Practices
This session will provide nonprofit staff with the basic building blocks needed for successful financial management of organizations. Participants will learn how to develop proper internal controls, produce a policies and procedures manual, understand the audit process, and identify the impact of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on their organizations.
Track C: Resource Development

C2: Don’t Be Blown Away: Planning and Responding to Natural Disasters
Natural disasters can devastate a local community, resulting in a catastrophic loss of life, property, and infrastructure. Nonprofit organizations are often the first to respond to the housing and service needs created by disasters. Local groups can also play a proactive role in planning and preparing for natural disasters. Participants are invited to share basic models, best practices, and response preparedness planning.

C4: Philanthropy and Fundraising Strategies for Rural Communities
Accessing foundation and other private funding sources for affordable rural housing and community development is increasingly competitive, but also ever more necessary to supplement or match declining public resources. Program officers of major foundations will discuss the outlook for rural philanthropy and highlight current issues and trends in giving. Participants will learn what funders look for in a proposal, how to assess areas of program interest, and tips for developing successful funding proposals.

Track D: Innovative Approaches and Current Policy Issues

D2: Individual and Community Asset Building in Policy and Practice
This workshop will focus on innovative policies and practices geared towards promoting asset-building strategies for low-income individuals and families in rural America. Participants are invited to share their experiences with strengthening assets in rural communities and to discuss how they promote homeownership and other wealth generation techniques.

D4: Green Building—Best Practices in Rural America
This workshop will illustrate how rural housing practitioners can develop their own green building priorities. Participants will learn how to manage first costs, master the learning curve, and implement green building techniques in their own affordable housing projects. Experts will share practical tips for first-timers, outline benefits for homebuyers and residents, and explain cost-saving strategies and other advantages for developers.

Concurrent Workshops
Thursday, December 7 -- 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm

Track A: Affordable Housing Development

A6: Multifamily Development II: Deal Structuring and Problem Solving
This workshop will focus on the key components of determining multifamily housing financial feasibility. Participants will learn how to assess the amount of equity a project will receive, determine how much additional financing is needed, analyze the feasibility of the project, and create a financing plan including development and operating proformas. Financial feasibility tools will be provided.

A8: Housing Rehabilitation Essentials and Extras
This workshop will provide an introduction to single-family housing rehabilitation, and focus on the skills, tools, and techniques needed for conducting inspections, writing specifications, and producing cost estimates. Experts will cover healthy home considerations and the potential for “greening” housing rehab. Participants will be introduced to options that can help automate rehab projects.

Track B: Organizational and Capacity Development

B6: Keeping the Dream: Developing Effective Post-Purchase Counseling
Foreclosure rates are increasing alarmingly across rural America. Post-purchase counseling can help homeowners learn practical strategies to protect their investments and retain their homes. Experts will share important information on creating a post-purchase program to help homeowners identify predatory products and scams, develop crisis budgeting and other strategies, and prevent foreclosure. Valuable loss mitigation and workout options will also be introduced.

B8: Maximizing the Development Team for Effective Project Management
Good project management is necessary to complete projects on time and within budget. The development team partners are the foundation of any housing project. In this session participants will learn how to form and manage a team of architects, building contractors, and other development consultants, understand the significance of the roles of each member of the team, and identify the critical components leading to a successful development project.

Track C: Resource Development

C6: The “Low Down” on Downpayment
There has been a proliferation of resources for downpayment assistance in recent years. Participants will learn about a variety of programs and creative tools utilized by nonprofit housing developers to help families attain homeownership. This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of downpayment assistance strategies and resources, how to access them, and how to evaluate their fit with local needs.

C8: Low- and No-Cost Green Building Techniques for Single-Family Housing
Participants will learn from green building experts how to incorporate low- and no-cost green building techniques into their single-family housing developments. Experts will cover techniques in water conservation, integrated design, energy-efficient building components, appliances and systems, and more. Participants will leave this workshop with knowledge of innovative and common low- and no-cost techniques.

Track D: Innovative Approaches and Current Policy Issues

D6: Housing Data for Your Community: Tools and Resources
Housing data are essential to understanding the living conditions of our communities and judging their adequacy. Data provide a powerful means to advocate for action to address the shelter needs of people who lack decent and affordable housing in rural America. The workshop will present several tools to assist local housing practitioners in accessing and utilizing data with minimal time and resources.

D8: Completing Rural Rental Preservation Deals
Numerous complex public and private resources are available for preserving rural rental properties. Experts including U.S. Department of Agriculture staff and successful practitioners will walk participants through the intricacies of putting together a successful preservation deal and will highlight the key issues that must be addressed to make a deal work. Panelists will explain how to complete a transfer application, conduct an approved appraisal and capital needs assessment, and develop a project budget.

~Workshops in gold print are agenda-setting sessions that will help frame the closing plenary dialogue.

~Workshops in green print are green building sessions, sponsored in part by the Home Depot Foundation.

~Workshops in burgandy print are preservation sessions, sponsored in part by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.