Grounded Solutions Network

Are you at #SOCAP24? 🌎 If so, don't miss the “Accelerating Community Investment: Strategies for Place Based Impact Capital Deployment" fireside chat today at 3:00 pm PST!   Devin Culbertson will join RJ McGrail, Reina Murray, and Pierre Joseph to discuss fresh strategies that impact investors and their community partners are using to build ecosystems that channel investment into local communities.   Thank you Lincoln Institute of Land Policy for hosting this exciting conversation! 💡

Grounded Solutions Network at #OFN40 ! Lots of great conversations and sessions with old partners and new friends about community ownership, wealth building, and how to flow more capital to affordable housing in our communities. Even got to celebrate Nelly Rojas-Moreno for her new seat on the OFN Board! 🙌🏽 Shoutout to our pals on and off-screen who spent time with Devin Culbertson and me, whether presenting on a panel or discussing capital strategies - thank you! Deyanira Del Rio, Curt Lyon, Gerardo Espinoza, José Luis Villaseñor, John Holdsclaw IV (jhiv), Christina Jennings, Ann Fedorchak, Damilola Odetola, Emily Thaden, Michael Sloss, Neha Shah, Josh Glickenhaus, Tamara Knox, Shellon Fraser, Asha Rao, Pavlin Buchukov, Oscar Monge, Joe Weisbord, Marla Bilonick, Levar Martin, Mario Hernandez, Henry Jiménez

Will you be attending #SOCAP24?🌟 Alex Cabral, Cielo Contreras, and Devin Culbertson will be joining SOCAP Global in San Francisco next week and are excited to connect with fellow changemakers committed to advancing innovative affordable housing solutions. Connect with them on LinkedIn or through Brella to start the conversation and see how we can work together to drive meaningful impact! 💬

The Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) System, founded in the 1930s to fund affordable housing and support community development, has come under scrutiny in recent years for straying from that mission and focusing too heavily on maximizing profits.   In a joint op-ed for Shelterforce, Grounded Solutions Network’s Brian Stromberg, United Food and Commercial Workers International Union’s Jared Gaby-Biegel, and the Consumer Federation of America’s Sharon Cornelissen discuss steps the FHLB System can take to return to its affordable housing roots and help put homeownership within reach for millions of Americans. These steps include:   🏡 Supporting shared equity homeownership, 🤝 Making it easier for CDFIs and similar organizations to gain membership, and 📈 Significantly increasing Affordable Housing Program contributions.   Read more: http://bit.ly/3BMWXa9

☎️ Increasing the supply of new affordable housing is important. Preserving existing housing units for low-income families is existential. Foundations, endowments, family offices and other investors increasingly view affordable housing as a core real estate investment and source of low-risk, steady returns that is resilient even through economic downturns. On next week's Call, ImpactAlpha explores investable models for affordable housing preservation with IMPACT Community Capital LLC's Michael Lohmeier, Grounded Solutions' Devin Culbertson, ROC USA's Paul Bradley, and other special guests, in conversation with ImpactAlpha's David Bank. Join Us Wednesday, October 16th at 10am PT/1pm ET https://lnkd.in/eFz98eFm

Senator Tina Smith today speaking at the Midwest CLT Regional Conference (which Grounded Solutions Network has proudly sponsored) about the need for scaling affordable housing and the new proposed #HomesAct “(Shared equity) is a model which has worked around the world - it is not new…”

One of our upcoming Training Institute Online (TIO) courses is being taught by housing consultant Julie Brunner. You might recognize Julie as the course instructor for two of our past TIO courses: "Pre-Purchase Stewardship for Shared Equity Homeownership" and "Post-Purchase Stewardship for Shared Equity Homeownership." Since 2002, Julie has worked as a housing consultant specializing in community land trusts while also serving as the Housing Director for OPAL Community Land Trust on Orcas Island, Washington. She works regularly with Grounded Solutions Network as both a technical assistance provider and faculty member. We are excited to have her leading these courses - Register Today! https://lnkd.in/eGawZcSJ

Our September Network Call featured representatives from three Grounded Solutions Network member organizations who shared about their work with energy-efficient and sustainable homebuilding. Lower-income families often live in older housing stock that leaves them vulnerable to high utility costs, impacts from natural disasters, industrial air pollution, and more. South Baltimore Community Land Trust, People's Housing+, and Homestead Community Land Trust are working to change this by building homes that are not only affordable but also energy-efficient, healthy, and climate-adaptive. Thank you Raychel Gadson, Erica Toriello, Colin Felsman, and Eric Pravitz for joining us to share about this important work! 

Grounded Solutions team members will be attending and speaking at the 2024 Opportunity Finance Network Conference October 21-24. Join us for insightful discussions on how to support shared equity models creating housing with lasting affordability. 🎤 Devin Culbertson will speak with ROC USA and Charles Schwab at the session, "The Shared Equity Solution: Strategies to Support Affordable Homeownership." 🗣️ Alex Cabral will moderate the session, "The Water is Warm: Dipping Your Toes into Shared Equity Lending," featuring speakers from LISC Bay Area, Genesis LA, LEAF, Local Enterprise Assistance Fund, and National Housing Trust. Reach out to Alex and Devin to connect. We hope to see you there! 🤝  #OFN2024 #SharedEquity #AffordableHomeownership #LastingAffordability

As nearly half of U.S. renter households face cost burdens, community land trusts are emerging as a powerful solution for affordable housing. These innovative models not only provide homes at reduced costs but also promote community ownership and long-term affordability. James Yelen from Grounded Solutions Network highlights the growing demand for community-driven housing solutions. With increasing interest and supportive policies, we can create pathways for first-time buyers to build wealth. Curious about how this model works and its impact across the country? Read the full article to learn more! https://lnkd.in/gQCTiwWF