PDF of 2015 Progress Report

CONNECT
PARTNER
COOPERATE
National Association of Housing Cooperatives
2015 Progress Report
DEAR NAHC MEMBERS & PARTNERS:
WELCOME
Connect. Partner. Cooperate. It’s more than just the theme of this Progress Report; it’s what the National
Association of Housing Cooperatives does each and every day — on behalf of its members and partners.
With an active membership, a dedicated leadership and staff team, we continued to connect, partner and
cooperate to advance our mission: to support and educate existing and new cooperative housing communities
as the best and most economical form of homeownership.
We’re pleased to present you with this 2015 Progress
Report, highlighting our collective efforts to:
CONNECT
Gregory J. Carlson
President
Ralph J. Marcus
Chair, Board of Directors
In our ongoing effort to connect with members where
and when they want to connect, NAHC raised its social
media profile via Twitter and Facebook. We introduced a
social media campaign to promote the 2015 Conference
and combined with other efforts, nearly 400 members
attended. Watch for increased promotion and traffic
on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. We’re also
connecting members to education with our new online
RCM re-certification course, which debuted this year.
Now, members can take this course at their convenience.
We connected members to resources including the
re-imagined Cooperative Housing Quarterly (formerly
the Cooperative Housing Bulletin). And again, because
of member demand, we re-introduced the Cooperative
Housing Journal, an annual publication of best practices
in cooperative housing.
Contents
Welcome Letter
1
PARTNER
Member Benefits
2
We established new relationships with organizations
including the Community Associations Institute, where
we now have a reciprocal agreement. As with other
relationships, we worked on issues of mutual concern
and three top priorities in particular: FEMA disaster
relief for common areas within housing cooperatives;
reverse mortgages for seniors living in cooperatives
and VA Home Loan Guarantees to buy shares in
Advocacy3
Members & Partners
4
Conference Highlights
5
About NAHC
8
1 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
housing cooperatives. We continued to strengthen
relationships with other organizations such as the
Canadian Federation of Co-operative Housing, North
American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) and the
National Cooperative Bank (NCB). And we welcomed a
new and ongoing partnership with Urban Homesteading
Assistance Board (UHAB) which has been working
on share loans for limited equity cooperatives as well
as research projects, conducted with NAHC, on an
ongoing basis to provide meaningful data and insights
into the cooperative community and industry.
COOPERATE
Combined with a strong membership and staff, these
connections and partnerships help NAHC extend and
deepen its reach and help us strengthen our base.
At the heart of our work is an understanding of and a
dedication to the power of cooperation.
As we reflect on 2015, we look ahead for new
possibilities to connect, partner and cooperate in
2016 and beyond.
With thanks for your support.
Cooperatively yours,
Gregory J. Carlson
Ralph J. Marcus
Cooperative Healthy Savings Program
Valuable Pharmacy Discounts Now Available
MEMBER BENEFITS
Throughout the year, whether it’s educational,
networking, advocacy or cost-savings tools, NAHC
members benefit from:
Your Cooperative Healthy Savings Card is Here!
Savings for Home and Family
•
Education, Training and Networking
•The
NAHC Annual Conference, the educational and
networking event for cooperative housing. Whether
you’re new to NAHC or a longtime member, these
three days of workshops, networking (and some fun)
provide members with new tools and knowledge
about issues and trends in cooperative housing.
•
•
Registered Cooperative Manager (RCM) certification
training program helps member managers increase
their skill sets to work even more effectively with
their board and take their management expertise to
a new level.
Customized training workshops such as “Roles,
Risks & Rewards,” available (on a fee basis) to
Boards of Directors of cooperatives. We customize
these workshops to meet the specific needs of
individual cooperatives.
Advocacy and Technical Assistance
•NAHC’s
Government Relations Committee is a
strong voice for housing cooperatives on Capitol Hill
and in federal agencies. Staff monitor issues and
advocate — often with members — to ensure that
housing cooperatives have a “seat at the table” in
statehouses and in Washington, DC.
•
Information on issues with Cooperative Housing
Quarterly (CHQ; formerly the Cooperative Housing
Bulletin, or CHB) and Cooperative Housing Journal
(CHJ), an annual publication of best practices in
cooperative housing.
•
Technical assistance on a range of issues, available
by phone or email; in-depth consulting services are
available for a fee.
2 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
•
Need a new appliance?
Through a partnership
with GE/Hotpoint, NAHC
members are eligible for
discounts on major
appliances. To find out
how you can save on
new appliances, contact
GE’s Jason Lathery at
1-800-782-8031 or
[email protected]
Wells Fargo is a
preferred insurance
broker that understands the special
insurance needs of
cooperatives. Whether your concern is related to
property, environmental or Directors & Officers
Liability coverage, a Wells Fargo risk management
professional can help you understand your
needs and protect your cooperative. Contact
J. Megan Davidson at 1-877-422-3732 or
[email protected]
The National Association of Housing Cooperatives is pleased to offer the
Cooperative Healthy Savings (CHS) Program for families living in NAHC member
cooperatives. The Cooperative Healthy Savings Program provides pharmacy
discounts
that make getting prescriptions
•The
Cooperative
simple and more affordable. This valuable
Savings
benefit is Healthy
free to you though
your membership
in the National Association of Housing
Program
is
available
Cooperatives. Every household in an NAHC
to families
living
member cooperative
is eligible
for ainpharmacy
membership
card. This
valuable benefit is
NAHC
member
absolutely free to NAHC Members!
cooperatives. ParticiCardpharmacy
Benefits
pating familiesPharmacy
receive
discount cards
Your CHS Card Will:
make
prescriptions
simple
and
 Savethat
you 10%
to 85% getting
on many prescriptions
at participating
pharmacies
 Be accepted
at
more than 60,000 national, independent & regional pharmacy chain
more
affordable.
stores including CVS, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Target and many more
Energy
Star,
a U.S.Discounts: Present your card with your
Here’s What
You Do For
Prescription
•
prescription
at a participating pharmacy
to receive a discount
Environmental
Protection
voluntary
program,
How Do I Agency
Receive My CHS
Membership
Card? Pay your NAHC dues and indicate on
your dues invoice the number of membership cards needed for your cooperative and
helps businesses and
current NAHC Members can click here to download your card now!
individuals save money
and protect the climate
through energy efficiency.
NAHC’s partnership
provides resources and information about
specific cost-savings that efficient light bulbs
and appliances provide.
Pharmacy discounts are NOT insurance, and are not intended as a substitute for insurance.
The discount is only available at participating pharmacies. Administrator: New Benefits, Dallas, TX.
Additional terms and conditions: The Cooperative Healthy Savings card has no cash value and is not redeemable for cash. The Card is nontransferable and may be used only by the co-op member
to whom it is issued. You must present your Card to receive discounts at participating businesses. Any unauthorized reproduction or misrepresentation of the Card is strictly prohibited. Neither
NAHC nor any member cooperative has any responsibility and shall not be liable for any problems with any products or services provided by participating businesses or for any inaccuracy in those
businesses’ advertising or marketing. The Card is the property of the National Association of Housing Cooperatives, and your right to use the Card may be terminated at any time by NAHC or your
co-op without notice. Discounts or offers under this program, and some products or services may not be included. Please check with the participating business before making your purchase. Other
terms and conditions of the Cooperative Healthy Savings program are subject to change and may be posted at any time on NAHC’s web site at www.nahc.coop without notice. Your use of the
Card means that you accept those terms and conditions.
National Association of Housing Cooperatives 1444 I Street NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20005 P: 202-737-0797 www.nahc.coop
•
Register your Cooperative with a unique domain
name at www.nic.coop
PARTNERING
“Housing is an important component of the American
fabric — this is a group of housing experts who cover the
legislative gamut, providing technical information to
Congress and the Administration on all types of housing.
Lisa Blackwell
Vice President, Housing Policy,
National Multifamily Housing Council
Housing is so important to people of our nation — the value of the group is that we have staff covering
every aspect of the housing spectrum, providing expertise on housing cooperatives, rental housing,
assisted housing, lending, development, homeownership, rural housing and senior housing.”
ADVOCACY
Cooperating and working together, our
advocacy highlights and initiatives include:
•
Working to allow veterans to use VA loan guarantees
to buy shares in a housing cooperative
•
Promoting the implementation of U.S. Housing and
Urban Development guidelines to allow reverse
mortgages for housing cooperatives
•
•
Ensuring equity in providing flood insurance building
protection for housing cooperatives; (currently,
condominiums have greater flood insurance coverage)
•
Supporting legislation (particularly an amendment
to the Stafford Act), which would allow housing
cooperatives and condominiums to be eligible for
FEMA Disaster Relief funds
Advocating for the rights of cooperatives, and
specifically: amateur radio parity; funding to correct
inequities in the low-income housing sector; protecting
cooperatives at the local level (as in Boston, where
NAHC works with housing cooperatives to help
defeat legislation that would eliminate the right of
a cooperative to screen new members)
COOPERATING
NAHC’s Government Relations team protects and
promotes the interests of NAHC members on federal,
state and local levels. We participate in coalitions
with organizations such as: Consumer Federation of
America, Credit Unions, Leading Age, National Council
on Aging, Manufactured Housing Association, National
Association of Home Builders, National Association of
Realtors, National Cooperative Bank, National
Cooperative Business Association, National Leased
Housing Association, National Low Income Housing
Coalition, the National Multifamily Housing Council and
the Community Associations Institute.
“Students
“
like cooperatives because of the sense
Corrigan Nadon-Nichols
of community. For a cooperative to thrive, memDirector of Development, North
bers need to work together on a variety of issues,
American Students of Cooperation
which creates opportunities for developing
community. Cooperatives are an affordable form
of home ownership that represents a different economic model that people are excited about. They
might see that the larger economic system doesn’t work for them and a cooperative offers a way to
organize life differently.
Interest in starting new cooperatives has been increasing since about 15 years ago. A big factor leading
to the increase is that many recent college graduates who lived in cooperative housing during school
want to continue living in co-ops. More young people want to live in cities. and as gentrification forces
prices up in some neighborhoods, and students graduate with more and more debt, cooperative housing
can be a really good housing solution for them.
New student and group-equity co-ops usually start out small, 5–15 bedrooms in a shared house or 3–6
apartment units. Member shares are set at very low levels so that membership is accessible to everyone,
and so moving is easy.
We tap into NAHC’s experience through our partnership. And we’re figuring out how we can do more
together. It was great to have NAHC at our conference and connect NASCO members to a larger cooperative movement. Together, we want to find more financing strategies to help more cooperatives develop.”
3 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
MEMBERS AND PARTNERS
PARTNERING
“Through our partnership with NAHC, both
memberships learn from each other. It’s interesting for us to see how cooperative housing is
modeled and structured in the U.S. We want to
be connected to the global housing cooperative
movement and we’re working hard to help
NAHC become part of that international family.
I am looking forward to meeting NAHC’s board
at the Las Vegas conference in October; I have
great respect for NAHC’s leadership.
It’s exciting to watch the cooperative housing
movement’s growth. You’ll find large cooperative
housing sectors in surprising parts of the world
like in Egypt and Pakistan — and it’s growing
in Europe.
A sense of community forms naturally as a
result of the co-ownership of housing. Sometimes, that can lead to a more
social side of community building
where you feel part of a distinct
‘neighborhood’ regardless of the
cooperative’s size.”
NAHC was incorporated in 1960 as a non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization that represents housing cooperatives and
housing associations across the United States. NAHC
represents professionals, organizations and individuals
interested in promoting the interests of cooperative
housing communities. NAHC and its affiliates work on
behalf of the 1.5 million families living in cooperative
housing in the United States.
Members
•
Associations and federations of housing
cooperatives organized around a special-interest
and/or a geographic region
•
Individual housing cooperatives
•
Organizations and professionals that provide services
to housing cooperatives, such as attorneys, property
management firms, nonprofit organizations, financial
organizations, accountants, government agencies,
and consultants
•
Registered Cooperative Managers
•
Groups and individuals that develop housing
cooperatives
•
Other individuals and organizations interested in
housing cooperatives
Member Associations
CSI Support & Development (CSI)
Nicholas Gazzard
Executive Director, Co-operative
Housing Federation of Canada
California Association of Housing Cooperatives (CAHC)
Cooperative Housing Association of New England
(CHANE)
Council of New York Cooperatives and Condominiums
(CYNC)
Federation of New York Housing Cooperatives &
Condominiums (FNYHC)
Midwest Association of Housing Cooperatives
(MAHC)
4 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
New Jersey Federation of Housing Cooperatives (NJFHC)
Potomac Association of Housing Cooperatives (PAHC)
Partners
Consumer Federation of America (CFA)
Cooperative Development Foundation
Community Associations Institute (CAI)
Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada (CHFC)
National Cooperative Bank (NCB)
National Cooperative Business Association
(NCBA CLUSA)
North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO)
Resident Owned Communities, USA
Urban Homesteading Assistance Board (UHAB)
Wells Fargo Insurance Services, USA, Inc.
CONNECTING
“NAHC motivates me to learn about new things to
help my community. At the Conference, I learned
more about my role as Secretary and how to
negotiate. My favorite session was Duties of the
Secretary because that’s the position
I hold and I love it. We’re focusing
on getting the word out about
cooperatives in our community.”
Khaja Ahmed
Board Secretary, Southgate Town
Terrace, Sacramento, CA
ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
NAHC’s 55th Annual Conference in Hilton Head,
SC, brought together nearly 400 participants for three
days of educational and networking events — and
even some time for fun. Session topics ranged from
Finance, Governing, Planning and Marketing to
Improving Operations, Legal and Legislative issues.
Partnering in Africa for Secure Shelter
Keynote speaker Scott Jackson, program manager,
Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada and
president, Rooftops Canada, took us on a virtual trip
to Kenya and Tanzania in his presentation about
Rooftops Canada, a non-profit organization which is
an international development program of Canadian
cooperative and social housing organizations. Its goal:
help communities create sustainable and practical
housing solutions and provide thousands of families
with secure, affordable shelter.
Connecting with Emanuel Church
In recognition of the tragedy at Charleston’s Emanuel
Church, NAHC invited Rev. Clifford Brown and Rev.
Leroy Middleton (pictured at right) from Charleston’s
African Methodist Episcopal Church community to
lead a memorial service at the start of the Conference
to honor and remember the victims of the Church
shooting. Rev. Middleton also discussed how AME
churches throughout South Carolina are “rebuilding”
from this tragedy. NAHC made a donation to the
Mother Emanuel HOPE Fund to support the Church
and families who lost loved ones.
Members explore services offered by exhibitors.
Members enjoy the Opening Reception, “Resort Style.”
5 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
CONNECTING
“I joined NAHC three years ago because I wanted
to improve the life of my community. I think faceto-face interaction can’t be replaced. The Annual
Conference is great because I can interact with
the members, managers, staff and
vendors in the NAHC community.
And the educational tracks offer
tons of real world information that
we can take back home.”
Congratulations to the Fall 2015 Class of RCMs
Cooperating: Recognizing New Registered
Cooperative Managers (RCMs)
Nineteen cooperative managers completed the two-day
Registered Cooperative Manager (RCM) certification
program. Congratulations to the managers who
received their certificates and pins: Mardan Alkassab,
Ismail Musa Baloley and Mohamed Mohamed, Yorkville
Cooperative Inc. (Fairfax, VA); Erica Baker, Benning
Road Housing Cooperative (Washington, DC); Lillian
Barnes and Djenane Marquez, Warren Gardens
Housing Cooperative (Roxbury, MA); Linda Briscoe,
Pickwick Square Cooperative (District Heights, MD.);
Houda Chawki, Seaman Owners Corp (Jersey City,
NJ); Angela Coleman and Linda Smith, Village Green
Second Section (Dallas, TX); Bob Cuttle, Trinity
Management, LLC (Boston, MA); Denise Crowder,
London Towne Houses, Inc., Housing Resource
Center (Atlanta, GA); Deisha Jenkins, Oxford Village
Townhouses (Atlanta, GA); Peter Lillie, CSI Support and
Development Services (Warren, MI), Pontiac Village
Estates Cooperative (Pontiac, MI); Judy Moraga,
Jordan Management Company (Rocklin, CA), Florin
Gardens Cooperative East #1 (Sacramento, CA);
6 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
Shannen Weeden, Benning Road Housing Cooperative
(Washington, DC); and Euricka Young, Park Forest
Cooperative III, Area J (Park Forest, IL.).
Jabar Hamad
Board Treasurer, Forest Hills
Cooperative, Ann Arbor, MI
In addition, eight RCMs passed the recertification class
(the ethics course). Congratulations to: Alison Bright,
Charlame Park Homes I, Warren Gardens Housing
Cooperative (Roxbury, MA); Denise Crowder, London
Towne Houses, Inc., Housing Resource Center (Atlanta,
GA); Dylan Day, Mayflower Townhouse Cooperative
(Plymouth, MI); Maxine Dennis, Yorkville Cooperative
Inc. (Vienna, VA); Francine Franklin and Sherry Hickman,
Village Green Second Section (Dallas, TX); Jordan
Management Company (Rocklin, CA); Hester Marshal,
Wildwood Park Towne Houses (Atlanta, GA.); and Amy
Sanford, Georgetown Place Cooperative (Taylor, MI).
And congratulations to three RCMs in Chicago
who recertified using NAHC’s new online program:
Robin Lay, Realty & Mortgage, Harper Square
Housing Cooperative, Lakeview East Cooperative;
Angela Dixon and Serafim Kogan, Lakeview Towers
Residents Association.
Visit nahc.coop for details on the 2016
Annual Conference.
ANNUAL CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS
Each year, NAHC recognizes individuals and organizations for their outstanding work to advance cooperatives.
Congratulations to the 2015 awardees:
Cooperative Distinguished Service Award
President’s Award
Ida Curtis Fisher RCM of the Year Award
Member Services Committee Chair Linda Brockway (left) presents
the Award to Stephanie McGaha of Troy Manor Cooperative
(Indianapolis, IN).
Greg Carlson presents the award to Scott Jackson (left) and
Anne Davidson, Co-operative Federation of Canada.
Fred Gibbs, Ralph Marcus and Greg Carlson (left to right)
with Awardee Kelly Barth, RCM, Rose Hill Townhouses
(Commerce City, CO).
Cooperative Star Award
Jerry Voorhis Award and Author of the Year
Development and Preservation Award
Awardee Rose Christy, Second Stone Ridge Cooperative
(Bridgeport, CT) with Linda Brockway (right).
Linda Brockway with Awardee Douglas Kleine, CAE, Professional
Association Services. Kleine also accepted Author of the Year
Award on behalf of David J. Thompson.
Development and Preservation Committee Chair Stephen Sarine
with Awardees Billie J. Walker (left) and Charlotte Lann, CSI Support
and Development Services.
7 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
ABOUT NAHC
Organizational Goals
Board of Directors
•
Promote the development of housing cooperatives
through research, education, forums, and other means
Tony Beck
(Taylor, MI)
Randall Pentiuk
(Wyandotte, MI)
•
Encourage best practices in the operation of
housing cooperatives that will assume maximum
long-term benefits to their owner-occupants and
sustain their cooperatives
Richard Berendson
(St. Charles, IL)
Alfred Reynolds
(Oakland, CA)
•
Develop programs and services to benefit, strengthen
and improve its member organizations
Jackie Brown
(Rockville, MD)
Mary Ann Rothman
(New York, NY)
Norma Coignet-Brown
(San Francisco, CA)
Stephen Sarine
(Sacramento, FL)
Donna Marie Curvin
(Newark, NJ)
Mark Shernicoff
(Delray Beach, FL)
Leon Geoxavier
(New York, NY)
Stephen Somuah
(Chicago, IL)
Roger Hall
(Mt. Clemans, MI)
Hope Turner
(Trenton, MI)
Karen Harvey
(Brownstown, MI)
Billie J. Walker
(Roslindale, MA)
Blaine Honeycutt
(Taylor, MI)
Ruthie Wilder
(Baltimore, MD)
Hugh Jeffers
(Oakmont, PA)
Roger Willcox
(Norwalk, CT)
Staff
Charlotte Lann
(Randallstown, MD)
Kimalee Williams
(East Hartford, CT)
Mitchell Dvorak, MS, CAE
Executive Director
Barbara Loatman
(Hyde Park, MA)
Whitney Barton
Communications Manager
Contact NAHC
•
Promote the development of other self-help activities
among members of housing cooperatives
Officers
Ralph J. Marcus (Farmington Hills, MI)
Chairman
Gregory J. Carlson (Forest Hills, NY)
President
Fred Gibbs (Kansas City, MO)
Executive Vice President
Anne Hill (Washington, DC)
Secretary
Linda Brockway (Lansing, MI)
Treasurer
Mik Bauer
Membership Director and National
Conference Manager
Julie Elfand
Director, Meetings
8 • NAHC 2015 Progress Report
1441 I Street, NW, Suite 700
Washington, DC 20005-6542
Tel: 202-737-0797
Fax: 202-216-9646
Email: [email protected]
www.nahc.coop
COOPERATING
“I like the theme of connecting, partnering,
cooperating — it sums up the 6th principle
that cooperatives follow: cooperation among
cooperatives. If we all work together, collectively
we all will have greater impact in our communities.
NCB has been a strong NAHC partner for many,
many years and we want to see it — and its
members — succeed. Many members know
what NCB provides, but getting to the why we
do it is much more important. Serving the needs
of housing cooperatives and making sure they
have access to capital and competitive banking
products was one of the main reasons we were
formed in 1978 and we have stayed focused on
our mission since our inception. We value the
partnership with NAHC and its members and
will continue to work hard ensuring housing
communities remain a reliable and stable form
of ownership in America.
One of our biggest accomplishments this
year — which closed in early 2016 — was our
ongoing work to provide nearly
$18M in financing to Chicago’s Gill
Park Cooperative, which will help
this NAHC member secure a
competitive mortgage for capital
improvements without increasing
maintenance fees.”
Mary Alex Blanton
Senior Vice President, Director of
Strategic Marketing, NCB