CBA Annual Report 2008-2009 - Coalition for a Better Acre

Coalition for a Better Acre Annual Report 2008-2009
517 Moody Street, Lowell, MA 01854
978-452-7523 / fax: 978-452-4923
www.coalitionforabetteracre.org
Our message
has been
loud and clear:
We are here
for you.
Our Mission
The Coalition for a Better Acre is a membership-based community development
corporation dedicated to resident empowerment and sustainable community
revitalization for current and future residents of Lowell. We promote healthy, vibrant
neighborhoods by developing resident leaders, affordable housing and economic
opportunities, and by responding to community needs through collective action.
Inside This Annual Report
Welcome from the Executive Director and President of the Board of Trustees
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CBA Snapshot: A Look at the Past Year and What Lies Ahead
4
Building a Better Lowell: CBA’s Mission at Work
8
Dear Friends:
We are looking back at what has been a difficult year for many - and ahead to a year that may prove even worse.
Foreclosures reached record levels in Massachusetts when layoffs and job losses hit their worst levels since the
Great Depression. Cuts at all levels of government placed additional pressures on the non-profit sector. Times like
these are when our community most counts on organizations like Coalition for a Better Acre to come through for them.
Through CBA’s foresight, we had a fully operational foreclosure prevention counseling center in place by April 2008
to be there when our neighbors in mortgage crisis needed us the most. From foreclosure prevention to homework
assistance to the continuing revitalization of the Moody Street corridor, CBA has stepped up for our community this
year. As the city’s only Community Development Corporation (CDC), we are living proof of a public-private organization
at its best – leveraging public and private resources at a grass-roots level and maximizing partnerships to fulfill our
mission of resident empowerment and sustainable community revitalization.
At CBA we build up our community as we break down barriers. We invest in our neighborhood and city, strengthen
connections among residents and organizations, and empower our residents to become strong leaders.
CBA: Who We Are
8
A Neighborhood Restored: Sister Lillian
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“Now I Have a Voice”: Elsa Laboy
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Preserving the American Dream: Rasy An
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We are grateful to work with dedicated staff and volunteers, visionary lenders and investors, and committed city,
regional and national partners. We thank all of our friends and partners for their work to make Lowell the city we
are all proud to live, work and invest in – today and for future generations.
CBA by the Numbers
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Very truly yours,
Donors
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CBA Board and Staff
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Emily W. Rosenbaum
Executive Director
Elkin Montoya
Board President
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CBA Snapshot: Highlights of the
Past Year and Upcoming Projects
Investing in our
Neighborhoods
Homework Club In March 2009
CBA piloted a place-based homework
program called the “Learning Zone” in
partnership with the Lowell Housing
Authority at 606 Market Street in the
North Common Village. The Learning
Zone helps students overcome language
barriers preventing them from reaching
their potential in school.
Lender Workshop hosted by the Coalition for a Better Acre In April, Gov. Deval
Patrick’s administration and the City of Lowell joined with CBA for an all-day workshop to
help more than 200 homeowners facing foreclosure directly negotiate for loans modifications
with their lenders.
High School Redevelopment: From Classrooms to Bedrooms Built in 1892, the former
St. Joseph’s High School educated and reared the youth of Lowell’s Acre neighborhood for over 100
years. The CBA purchased the building in 2007 to create 22 affordable rental units. (The National
Trust for Historic Preservation selected the project as one of 25 significant historic sites in Greater
Boston to compete for preservation funds; we were awarded a $5,000 grant.) We have received our
funding commitments for historic and low income housing tax credits and are working to bring in
investors to purchase credits so we can begin construction.
Continued Revitalization along the Moody Street corridor In May 2009 CBA
Code Enforcement Collaboration CBA pulled together city leaders and neighborhood groups to
Launch of Mills Cities Community Investments
identify foreclosed and abandoned properties depreciating our neighborhoods. As a result, the city took
enforcement actions and collected tens of thousands of dollars in fees from the property owners
CBA and Lawrence Community Works (LCW) joined
to establish a Community Development Financial
Institution (CDFI) to serve the Merrimack Valley. A
CDFI is a specialized financial institution that provides
a unique range of financial products (loans) and services
in underserved, economically distressed markets.
Home Preservation Center /
Foreclosure Prevention Counseling
The Home Preservation Center (HPC), a one-stop
resource at 450 Merrimack Street established by
CBA to help homeowners experiencing difficulty
meeting their mortgage payments, counseled
more than 150 homeowners facing foreclosure in
2008. In 2009, we expect this number to double.
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purchased the distressed multi-family properties at 474-486 Moody St. with a plan to
demolish them and build 23 new affordable housing units. The city is investing local CDBG
funds to redevelop the playground directly across from this site. This exciting project follows
CBA’s $14 million renovations in 2006 and 2007 of the 267-unit North Canal Apartment, as
well as the newly completed St. Joseph’s Apartments at 511 Moody Street.
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CBA Snapshot: Highlights of the
Past Year and Upcoming Projects
Building
Connections
Neighbor to
Neighbor
Annual Field Trip to the Lake CBA organized our
annual trip to Kingston State Beach in Kingston, NH,
in August, with over 150 people enjoying games,
food and a great environment as they strengthened
neighborhood connections.
Training
Resident
Leaders
A group from CBA attended the NeighborWorks America Community Leadership Institute
(CLI) in San Jose, CA, with representatives of four other city institutions, advancing our
knowledge in community organizing, team leadership and other areas of skill building for
grassroots community leaders.
Cultural Celebrations CBA hosted Chinese New
Year and Cambodian New Year celebrations with
local residents and partners, as well as quarterly
“Khmer Connections” to introduce and address issues
of interest to the Southeast Asian community.
Collaboration with Neighborhood Groups
In 2008 we began working with city and neighborhood
leaders – including Taya Dixon Malone from the
Lower Highlands Neighborhood Group and members
of the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association –
to address the effect of gang violence on our
Southeast Asian community in the Lower Highlands
and Acre neighborhoods.
NeighborWorks Week Cleanups
More than 100 people, CBA staff and
neighborhood residents, Lowell Canal
Water Cleaners, the National Park
Service and the Centralville
Neighborhood Group members came
together for cleanups in the Acre and
Centralville, followed by a friendly
BBQ at Ecumenical Plaza.
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Our Vision
We strive for Lowell's neighborhoods to
be affordable, vibrant and diverse, places
of choice where residents are engaged
leaders, and where local stakeholders
work in partnership to build family and
community assets.
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CBA’s Mission at Work
CBA: Who We Are
The Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA)
is a membership-based Community
Development Corporation dedicated to
resident empowerment and sustainable
community revitalization for current and
future residents of Lowell.
8
As a Community Development Corporation (CDC), CBA is a
professional, not-for-profit organization providing economic
development, real estate development, and resident
empowerment to promote and support our community. Like
most CDCs, we serve a specific geographic location – in
our case, the city of Lowell – and focus on lower-income
residents and struggling neighborhoods. For most of CBA’s
26 years, we have focused on the Acre neighborhood,
traditionally one of Lowell‘s most diverse neighborhoods
where many new immigrant groups have come to settle
and find work, often encountering economic hardship and
language barriers.
CBA has made a real difference during its 26-year history
by joining together two powerful elements: Community
economic development and resident empowerment. In the
following pages, you will experience the story of the CBA
through the eyes of three very special people: Sister Lillian
LaMoureux, Rasy An, and Elsa Laboy.
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CBA’s Mission at Work
The Rebirth of a
Neighborhood: Sister
Lillian LaMoureux
Sister Lillian LaMoureux has lived and worked almost all of her 84 years in the Moody and Merrimack street
areas of the Acre. Over the decades, she has witnessed her beloved neighborhood decline into ruin and then
proudly rise again.
On every block, at every intersection, Sister Lillian LaMoureux has a story to tell of her beloved Acre
neighborhood. Born 84 years ago in 1925, she and her five brothers and sisters were raised in a small house
on Moody Street – a lot that is now the site of a new city playground being developed by Coalition for a
Better Acre and the City of Lowell.
Walking by the playground, she points to the third floor of the stately brick building at 517 Moody Street. “Up
there, up in the corner, that was my room.” Now the offices of Coalition for a Better Acre, the building was for
decades the St. Joseph’s convent where Sister Lillian lived with her fellow Grey Nuns.
“And over there, that’s where I taught.” She points to the lovely brick structure next door housing the newly
refurbished St. Joseph’s Apartments – what was St. Joseph’s Elementary School for more than 100 years.
“And over there, too.” She gestures toward 760 Merrimack Street, the former St. Joseph’s High School,
vacant since 1993, but soon to house 22 affordable housing units.
“This whole complex—the convent, elementary
school, high school, church—was my life,” she says.
“It absolutely broke my heart to see all these beautiful
buildings closed up and deteriorating in front of our
eyes. And how wonderful it is now to see them all
come back to life again.”
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In the past few years, the CBA has literally transformed this section of the Acre, starting with the Moody
Street corridor. CBA completed the convent renovation for its offices in 2002. In 2006 and 2007, CBA
invested $14 million in property improvements to the 267-unit North Canal Apartments, including new
kitchens and baths, flooring, high-efficiency heating systems, and landscaping and paving. The St.
Joseph’s apartments – an adaptive reuse of the historic school building – welcomed tenants in 2008. In
May 2009 CBA purchased the severely distressed multi-family properties at 474-486 Moody St. with a
plan to demolish and replace them with 23 new housing units. Across the street, the city is working with
CBA to invest local CDBG funds to redevelop the playground.
Over on Merrimack Street, the former St. Joseph’s High School, where
Acre youth were educated for more than 100 years, has a new lease
on life. Empty and in disuse since the high school closed its doors, the
historically significant building will be adapted to create 22 affordable
rental units.
“The Grey Nuns would be very, very pleased at what’s being done to
this building now,” says Sister Lillian, now a member of the Sisters for
Christian Community. “The Grey Nuns were founded to take care of
the poor, and it is so appropriate that this building will continue to
serve those who need it most.”
Sister Lillian’s heart is full as she sees her beloved
neighborhood being brought back alive, restored
rather than destroyed, honoring and preserving
its history.
A savvy businesswoman as well as a nun – she
obtained her law degree at 66 – Sister Lillian has
monitored CBA closely over the years and has
identified their solid recipe for success: “They
know how to get the funding, they’re close with
the residents so they understand their needs, and
they are committed to the neighborhood. That’s
how you transform a neighborhood.”
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CBA’s Mission at Work
With a strong commitment to its mission of resident empowerment, CBA provides opportunities and
training for residents to develop and strengthen skills in leadership and community organizing. For example, last year CBA sent Elsa and several others to national training institutes in San Jose, Washington
DC, Atlanta, Phoenix, and Chicago. And she recently went to the Statehouse in Boston to meet with the
city’s representatives.
Power to the People:
Elsa Laboy
For those who know Elsa Laboy today, it’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, this vocal neighborhood
leader was a quiet new resident who kept to herself and was not engaged with the community around her.
Elsa Laboy moved from her native Puerto Rico to the U.S. in 1993, first to Connecticut and then to Lowell,
where one of her grown sons had married and settled. She became a teaching assistant at the city’s Sullivan
School and enjoying spending time at church and with her family, but she knew little of the community or
neighborhood where she lived.
That changed the day Robyn Long Navas, a community organizer with Coalition for a Better Acre, knocked on
the door of Elsa’s Fletcher Street apartment, inviting her to take part in a neighborhood barbecue.
When Elsa Laboy speaks, people listen. Whether
encouraging people to vote, advocating at zoning
board hearing, or organizing a neighborhood cleanup,
Elsa’s enthusiasm and passion for a cause inspire
others to get involved. Her work with CBA has given
her the power to empower others.
“Since that day, I have been very involved in CBA,” Elsa says. “They have taught me how to help people get
involved in their community, to get engaged and understand how they can make a difference.”
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“I’ve learned that politicians don’t know what’s
happening in our neighborhoods and our city
unless we tell them. It is our responsibility to go
and fight for what’s important to us. You can’t
just sit back and wait or expect other people to
make it happen,” she says.
Today, Elsa serves on the CBA membership committee, which plans
community events to help neighbors come together. She also serves
on the CBA Board of Directors, where she is developing skills and
experience that will enable her to serve as a strong member of other
community boards and organizations.
With the depth of her skills and experience, she is now comfortable
attending government hearings and advocating for issues she cares
deeply about, such as affordable housing. She has been a strong voice
in support of new affordable housing in the Acre, including new
projects at the former St. Joseph’s High School on Merrimack Street
and the planned demolition and rebuilding of 478-486 Moody Street.
She is perhaps most enthusiastic about the adaptive reuse of the former St. Joseph’s Elementary School
on Moody Street, transformed into 15 stunning new apartments with graceful high ceilings, brilliant
natural light, and gleaming floors. It’s where she now calls home.
“I’m very happy here,” she says. “The apartments are very beautiful. I’m very comfortable, and the
building is so clean and well cared for.”
Not surprisingly, Elsa has already taken it upon herself to get her new neighbors more involved in the
building and the neighborhood.
“Working with CBA has allowed me to become so much stronger. They have empowered me, and I can
pass that on to other people, to help them understand that together, we can accomplish so much. If you
believe in yourself and you work hard at it, you can accomplish anything;”
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CBA’s Mission at Work
“But something was missing. I wanted to be in the
community,” Rasy said. “I wanted to work with
people, to help people to have better lives, just as I
was given an opportunity for a better life.”
Preserving the
American Dream:
Rasy An
Rasy An survived the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge as a child and escaped to Lowell. Now living the
American dream, Rasy is helping others achieve that dream through his work with CBA’s Home Preservation
Center and the Southeast Asian community.
Rasy An’s idyllic childhood in Cambodia was cruelly cut short by Pol Pot’s terrifying Khmer Rouge regime in
the 1970s. Enslaved in a work camp for two years and separated from his family, Rasy endured unspeakable
tragedy and horrors. When he, his mother and his only surviving brother finally escaped the Killing Fields,
they made their way to Lowell with the help of an uncle.
Their fortune soon turned as the family – led by Rasy’s new stepfather, Bunrith Lach – turned a small
convenience store into a successful business, eventually becoming the booming Pailin City enterprise
in the Lower Highlands neighborhood.
Rasy worked hard at the family store
while completing high school, then
college and graduate school, earning his
MBA. He was a successful businessman,
running the family’s expansion business
in Lynn, working at a bank, and later as a
certified jeweler. Married to a successful
pharmacist with two adorable girls, he
was, in his own words, “living the
American dream”.
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His search for that opportunity brought him to the Coalition for a Better Acre and its new Home Preservation
Center. CBA founded the Home Preservation Center in 2008 to help homeowners experiencing difficulty
meeting their mortgage payments. As a “one-stop center”, CBA brought together foreclosure services
by CBA and Community Teamwork Inc. under one roof in downtown Lowell, at 450 Merrimack St. The
staff at the Center provides group foreclosure education workshops, one-on-one foreclosure prevention
counseling, budget counseling, and access to other resources.
As a foreclosure prevention counselor, Rasy An gives hope to
homeowners, many of whom are disenfranchised, pushed aside
by society because of language or culture barriers, feeling
disempowered and helpless.
“They’re in crisis and feel they have nowhere else to turn,” Rasy said.
“Our goal is to help them help themselves. By believing in them and
fighting for them, we can empower them to take control of their lives
again. We work hard for them and set them on the right path, but
they’re the ones who will determine whether they succeed.”
In 2008, the Center counseled more than 150 homeowners facing
foreclosure. CBA expects this number to double by the end of 2009.
The center’s primary goal is to keep people in their homes – preserving
not only the individuals and families affected, but also strengthening
the local and regional economy.
As part of Rasy’s marketing and outreach role at the center, he found himself spending more time in the
Southeast Asian community, where he quickly became a trusted and respected leader and resource for
residents needing help navigating the complex American system of health, finances, government, and
education. Rasy has created a new program – “Khmer Connections” – to build a bridge between CBA
and the Southeast Asian community, encouraging residents to learn about and become active members
of the community. He is a constant presence throughout the city, attending meetings, welcoming new
residents and helping them find their voice in the community.
Through his work with foreclosure prevention and the Southeast Asian community, Rasy An truly
personifies CBA at its best: building up community while breaking down barriers.
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CBA By the Numbers
Statement of Financial Position
Statement of Operations
Year ending December 31, 2008
Year ending December 31, 2008
Current Assets
Cash and cash equivalents, operating
Grants receivable
Accounts receivable
Prepaid expenses
Total current assets
$687,204
33,525
16,524
13,050
$750,303
Current Liabilities and Net Assets
Revenue and Support
Accounts payable
Trade
Development
Accrued expenses
Security deposits
Total current liabilities
Grants and contributions
$567,729
Development fees
364,000
Interest income
281,604
Income from investment in corporation
123,774
Reversal of note allowance
217,107
Other
63,677
Total revenue and support
$1,617,891
$29,084
105,000
52,382
–
$186,466
Property and Equipment, at Cost
Land and land improvements
–
Buildings
–
Property held for rehabilitation and resale $1,024,958
Furniture and fixtures
112,072
Total
1,137,030
Less accumulated depreciation
(105,056)
Net property and equipment
$1,031,974
Other Assets
Mortgagee escrow deposits
Reserve for replacement
Investment in corporation
Loans and notes receivable
Due from related parties
Total, other assets
Total assets
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–
–
$201,567
6,698,234
630,789
7,530,590
$9,312,867
Long-term Liabilities
Notes payable and accrued interest
Due to Office of Community Services
Total long-term liabilites
$405,000
300,000
$705,000
Other Liabilities
Due to related parties
Total, other liabilites
Total liabilities
$2,366,790
2,366,790
$3,258,256
Net Assets
Unrestricted
Board restricted
Temporarily restricted
Permanently restricted
Total, net assets
$4,848,726
271,400
94,446
840,039
$6,054,611
Total Liabilities and Net Assets
$9,312,867
Expenditures
Salaries and benefits
Professional fees and services
Occupancy
Office supplies and expenses
Program supplies and expenses
Meetings, travel and training
Taxes, insurance and depreciation
Grants contributed
Miscellaneous
$664,826
88,130
53,922
67,576
41,653
33,331
11,883
102,797
2,867
$1,066,985
Increase (decrease) net assets
Net assets, beginning of year
Net assets, end of year
$550,906
$5,503,705
$6,054,611
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Donors and Funders
Grants
NeighborWorks America
City of Lowell
National Foreclosure
Mitigation Counseling
Greater Lowell Community
Foundation
Parker Foundation
Community Economic
Development Assistance
Corporation (CEDAC)
Massachusetts Housing
Partnership
Stevens
TDBank
National Trust for
Historic Preservation/
American Express
Massachusetts Association
of Realtors
Massachusetts Division
of Banks
Lowell Development
Financial Corporation
Lowell Plan
COOL
Real Estate Funders
Khmer Forum Donors
Rasy An
Ricky Auricchio
Mannora Chhieng
Chethsley Chin
Jorge Cruz
Suzanne Frechette
Kanha Hak
Dina Kim
Sarouen Kim
Robyn Long-Navas
Rady Mom
Sarah Oung
Morn Phean
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Tito Sao
Sarith Sous
Vicki Thay
Saveth Thim
Chea Touch
Michele Witts
MJ and Norm Zarella
Pailin City Market
CommunityTeamwork, Inc.
Saints Medical Center
Annual and Member
Appeals 2008
Adam Baacke
Frank Carvalho
Veronika Demers
John Drinkwater
George Duncan
Janet Frazier
Michael Frazier
James Errickson
Diane Gordon
Lubin Lopez
Jay Mason
Brian McGowan
Steve McGuire
Philip Moss
Oscar Rojas
James Taggert, OMI
David Turcotte
Matthew Yarmolinsky
All Sports Promotions
Casey Family Services
Community Teamwork, Inc.
Flood & Hartigan
Lowell Five
Lowell Regional Transit
Authority
Merrimack Valley Housing
Partnership
RSM McGladrey
Winslow Architects
CBA Staff
Neighborhood Cleanup
Bany Restaurant
Coca-Cola
Cote’s Market
Dunkin Donuts
Hannaford’s
Huong Xuan Video Store
Infante Grocery
Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
London Tailor
Market Basket
Notini & Sons
Olympos Bakery
Pepsi
Poland Springs
Reliable Refrigeration
Sam’s Club
Sunny D
Top Donut
Annual Meeting
Athenian Corner
Bany Restaurant
Deliciosas Paisas
Infante Grocery
Market Basket
Olympos Bakery
Palin Restaurant
South East Asian Restaurant
Sowy's Bakery
Suppa's Pizza
UTEC
Viet Thai Restaurant
Other Inkind
EMR Business Consulting
Jason Chandonnet
Margot Stage
Community Partners
Cambodian Mutual
Assistance Center
Career Center of Lowell
Casey Family Services
Centralville Neighborhood
Association
City of Lowell
Community Teamwork, Inc.
Congresswoman Niki
Tsongas' Office
Enterprise Bank
Fair Housing Center of
Greater Boston
Highlands Neighborhood
Association
Homeowner Options for
Mass Elders
House of Hope
Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union
Keep Lowell Beautiful
Lawrence Arlington
Community Trabajando
Lawrence CommunityWorks
Lowell Alliance
Lowell Canalwater Cleaners
Lowell Catholic High School
Lowell Development &
Financial Corporation
Lowell Foreclosure Prevention
Taskforce
Lowell Housing Authority
Lowell National Historic Park
Lower Highlands
Neighborhood Association
Massachusetts Association
of CDCs
Mass Housing
Board of Directors
Elkin Montoya President
Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
Cheryl Stafford Vice President
Enterprise Bank & Trust
MaCom Federal Credit Union
Maloney Properties
Massachusetts Non-Profit
Network
Merrimack Valley Housing
Partnership
Merrimack Valley Legal Services
Merrimack Valley Partnership
Middlesex Community College
Mills Cities Community Investments
National Trust for Historic
Preservation
Neighborhood Legal Services
Non-Profit Alliance of
Greater Lowell
One Lowell
Pawtucketville Neighborhood Group
Revolving Museum
Rotary Club of Lowell
St. Patrick’s Church
Stand for Children
TD Bank
University of Massachusetts Lowell
UTEC
Western Avenue Studios
Real Estate Funders
NeighborWorks America
City of Lowell
Community Economic Development
Assistance Corporation (CEDAC)
Enterprise Bank
Mass Housing
Massachusetts Housing Partnership
Massachusetts Department
of Housing and Community
Development
Massachusettts Department
of Mental Health
James E. Taggart, OMI Treasurer
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church
Adam Baacke Clerk
City of Lowell
Carlos Gonzalez
North Canal Tenant Council
Charles V. Sullivan
Sullivan Dixon & Co. LLC
Elsa Laboy
Tenant Representative
Jesus (Charolo) Rivera
At large Resident
Myriam Ercolani
Acre Neighborhood Resident
Mark Goldman
At large Resident
Sengly Kong
Cambodian Mutual
Assistance Association
Valmond Leclerc
Acre Neighborhood Resident
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