Scholarship Opportunities

National CAPACD has recently partnered with NeighborWorks® America to provide National CAPACD members with tuition and lodging scholarships to attend NeighborWorks® America Training Institutes (NTIs).  NTIs provide hands-on, technical training and accreditation on topics ranging from affordable housing to neighborhood revitalization, homeownership to economic development among many others! Applications are now available for the upcoming NTI to be held August 18-22, 2008 in Chicago, IL.

In addition, National CAPACD’s Community Development Training Fund provides relevant, accessible training and development opportunities for existing staff at member organizations with preference to those with operating budgets under $500,000.  The Fund aims to increase participation in existing trainings in the field of community development by providing 50% matching scholarships to 10 individuals working at National CAPACD member organizations each year.  Scholarship applications are accepted quarterly.

Community in the Capital

Each year, National CAPACD selects 8-10 local members to come to Washington, DC for Community in the Capital — a unique fellowship program designed to increase participation of seasoned and new AAPI community leaders in the community development policy making process and educate policymakers and mainstream community development organizations about issues affecting AAPIs.  Participants meet with elected officials and key staff on the community and economic development issues impacting their communities.  The program includes a “Government 101” briefing; training on advocacy for non-profits, and dialogue with federal agencies, national intermediaries and national community development and AAPI organizations.  Applications are now available for the 2009 program!

National CAPACD Fellowships and Internships

National CAPACD is working to create leadership opportunities for emerging and existing leaders to engage in community development and policy:

• Congressional Housing Fellowship: This Fellowship provides an individual with 3-5 years of community development, organizing or policy related work experience the opportunity to address federal housing and/or community development legislation and policy while working in a congressional office or committee.  The Fellow analyzes legislation and its impact on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and reports this information to national and local AAPI, housing and community development organizations.  The 2008 Fellow has been selected — look for future announcements.
• National CAPACD Internships: National CAPACD hosts up to six undergraduate or graduate interns each year (spring, summer, fall) with strong interests in community and economic development, housing, immigration and civil rights issues impacting low-income Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities.  Interns have the opportunity to meet community and congressional leaders, engage in substantive research and writing, attend events, participate in AAPI social justice networks and learn about AAPIs in nonprofits and community development.  Interns work in one or more specific areas, including Policy and Research, Training and Technical Assistance, Leadership Development, Community Convenings, and Membership and Communications.

For more information on any of our leadership development programs, please contact Hieu Truong, Program Coordinator, at (202) 223-2442 or Hieu [AT] NationalCAPACD.org

Advocacy

National CAPACD advocates for AAPI families, youth and communities with federal agencies as well as national intermediaries and organizations.  Some of our advocacy accomplishments include:

• Supporting the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus’ efforts to launch a Task Force on Housing and Community and Economic Development.  Chaired by Congressman Al Green, the Task Force engages with AAPI communities to ensure that AAPI perspectives are included in housing and community development legislation.
• Working with a national coalition of AAPI organizations to pass the Asian and Pacific Islander Serving Institutions Designation in 2007, and continuing to work with federal agencies to ensure successful implementation.
• Advocating with Congress, federal agencies and national intermediaries to increase visibility for and data about AAPI communities in the foreclosure crisis and ensure access to federal resources.
• Mobilizing successfully to defeat an amendment to HR 1851, the Section 8 Voucher Reform Act (SEVRA), which would have limited HUD’s authority to require recipients of federal funds to translate documents for LEP persons, drastically undermining Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on national origin.
• Supporting the efforts of the Save New Orleans East Coalition to shut down the controversial and potentially hazardous Chef Menteur landfill, built only one mile from the Vietnamese community in New Orleans East.

In all of our advocacy efforts, National CAPACD works with national intermediaries, corporate partners and low-income advocacy groups to create opportunities, resources and legislation that improve the lives of low-income children, families and communities.

These successes and relationships increase the influence of AAPI communities on decision makers in housing, community and economic development and help us to raise the profile of the issues facing our communities.

Research and Policy Briefs

National CAPACD produces original research reports and policy briefs on a variety of topics relevant to the community development needs of AAPI families at the local, state and national levels.  Our research publications include:

• AAPI Nexus: Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, Policy, Practice and Community: Special Issue on Community Development (2003) — National CAPACD serves on the editorial board for AAPI Nexus, a journal published by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center.  This inaugural issue included an article co-authored by National CAPACD: An Agenda for AAPI Community Economic Development.
• Economic Needs of Asian American and Pacific Islanders in Distressed Areas: Establishing Baseline Information (2002) — This report provided research and established baseline census data on 17 poor AAPI neighborhoods.  Its publication raised visibility regarding the housing needs of AAPI families in Congress and with federal agencies who have never addressed these issues.
• Building Capacity:  Challenges and Opportunities of Asian Pacific American Community Development (2000) — National CAPACD’s first research publication, this report focuses on organizations supporting AAPI families, the resources available to them and the challenges and opportunities of supporting community development in AAPI communities.

These publications form the empirical basis for much of our advocacy work.  In addition, National CAPACD regularly produces policy analyses focus on issues such as language accessibility, data policy in housing and community development programs and funding allocations for community development projects in AAPI communities.

For copies of our publications, please visit our website at http://www.nationalcapacd.org.

To participate in any of our research and policy efforts, email Lisa Hasegawa, Executive Director, at Lisa [AT] NationalCAPACD.org or call (202) 223-2442.

National Convention

National CAPACD’s annual convention, now in its 9th year, brings together more than 200 staff and members from AAPI-serving organizations across the country.  Originally in DC, since 2004, we have held the convention in cities across the country to make the event more accessible to low-income communities and community-based organizations.  Each year, the convention closes with a National AAPI Town Hall Meeting, where parents, youth and other community members provide testimony to advocate for social and economic policy changes to improve their lives and neighborhoods - and shape our national advocacy agenda.

We are excited to celebrate our 10th Anniversary Convention next year in Washington, DC!  Please join us in July, 2009 to bring the voices of AAPIs to a new administration in the nation’s capital.

Regional Meetings and Task Forces

Our regional community meetings and task forces represent our expanding efforts to share best practices, support local leadership, facilitate joint projects between organizations and enhance local, regional and ethnic networks.  Our regional meetings are planned in partnership with local members and focus on critical issues of interest to the community, including housing disparities, immigrant rights, asset building and community development resources.  Our most recent regional meetings have included “Growing the Grassroots: Fostering Partnerships and Leadership Within API Immigrant Communities” in the San Francisco Bay Area and “The Asian American Community Development Conference: The State of Asian New Yorkers &$8218; 2007 and Beyond.”

Our Filipino and South Asian task forces have encouraged national movement building efforts to support low-income and underserved families among specific ethnic groups.  These forums build community involvement, provide opportunities to share best practices and build relationships, enhance local, regional and ethnic networks, and strengthen our advocacy work.

To participate in the convention or host a regional meeting or task force, please email Nira Ly, Program Coordinator at Nira [AT] NationalCAPACD.org or call (202) 223-2442.

Post-disaster Organizing

Mary Queen of Vietnam Church CDC (MQVN) and National Alliance of Vietnamese American Service Agencies (NAVASA), New Orleans, LA: With an estimated 50,000 AAPIs affected in the Gulf Coast following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, including 30,000 Vietnamese displaced in New Orleans, MQVN, NAVASA and National CAPACD worked closely to support the formation of the region’s first AAPI community development corporation. In the next year, MQVN plans to break ground on an urban farm, have the inaugural class of their charter school and launch a small business lending program for businesses in Katrina affected areas.

Affordable Senior Housing

Korean Resource Center (KRC) and Little Tokyo Service Center CDC (LTSC), Los Angeles, CA: Combining KRC’s organizing expertise with design, feasibility and site acquisition assistance from LTSC, KRC is building their first affordable senior housing project. KRC successfully organized low-income Korean families to address and neutralize “NIMBY” opposition to the project. They are currently working together to solidify the project’s financing and complete the project design.

Housing Counseling

Chinese American Service League (CASL), Chicago, IL: CASL, an organization serving thousands of limited-English proficient families in Chicago’s Chinese community for 28 years, has worked with Douglas Ling, a National CAPACD consultant, to create a culturally and linguistically appropriate homeownership education program - the only Chinese-language homeownership program in Chicago. CASL was recently approved to be a HUD-Certified Housing Counseling Agency and plans to expand the program by training additional staff to become certified homeownership counselors. They are currently exploring the creation of IDA program and researching the feasibility of CASL engaging in affordable housing development.

Native Hawaiian Organizational Development

Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA), Department of Hawaiian Homelands (DHHL) and Hawaii Community Assets (HCA), Honolulu, HI: CNHA is supporting HCA’s and DHHL’s capacity to educate the Native Hawaiian community on foreclosure prevention and provide foreclosure mitigation counseling for residents living on Hawaiian Trust Lands, where resources are less accessible because data on loans made for Trust Land development are not collected by mainstream lenders. CNHA is working with HCA and DHHL to develop protocols and assessment forms for foreclosure counseling and developing community education materials.

Building Capacity for Development

Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) and Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA), Lowell, MA: CMAA is working with ACDC to conduct a feasibility assessment as the initial step toward taking ownership of a 24-unit affordable housing development. The goal of the collaboration is both to preserve the development as affordable housing and to develop CMAA’s capacity in housing development. The partnership plans to identify more development opportunities to benefit the Cambodian community of Greater Lowell as the city undergoes a revitalization process.

Arts and Community Development

Bindlestiff Studio and South of Market Community Action Network (SOMCAN), San Francisco, CA: SOMCAN and Bindlestiff Studio, a Filipino American community theater facing displacement as a result of gentrification, came together to mobilize the South of Market community to support Bindlestiff Studios’ in rebuilding their theater space and engaged in city level advocacy to ensure community benefits for current residents. With a new lease and rebuilding underway, Bindlestiff is now strengthening their operations capacity, particularly exploring business models to ensure their sustainability.

Financial Education

Chhaya Community Development Corporation, Queens, NY, and Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project (NEDAP), New York, NY: Chhaya and NEDAP have developed a homeownership curriculum for the South Asian community and are creating a financial literacy curriculum for people who have more experience with credit and lending. Chhaya is translating the curriculums in Bengali and Urdu and producing an instructor’s manual. NEDAP and Chhaya are currently reviewing and revising the curriculum and instructor’s manual as well as completing the translations.

National Youth Collaborative

International District Housing Alliance, Seattle, WA; Asian Americans for Equality, New York, NY; Asian Community Development Corporation, Boston, MA; and Chinatown Community Development Corporation, San Francisco, CA: This collaborative brings together youth programs from across the country to share experiences, develop skills and discuss current community development issues. The collaborative is organizing a youth exchange program where youth from each organization will spend two weeks working with youth at a partner organization.

Access to Housing

Low-income AAPIs face a lack of quality, affordable housing in our communities and a significant homeownership gap. Homeownership rates of AAPIs continue to lag behind the national average of 66.2 percent. In addition, the presence of large families with low incomes mean that many AAPI households face difficulties in finding housing that is both large enough and affordable.

Data Policy

Low income AAPI communities are underserved by federal and other national housing, community and economic development programs because data about our diverse communities is not funded, not collected, not disaggregated by ethnic group or not included in the analysis. Despite significant housing, community and economic development needs in AAPI communities, many Americans, including government agencies and funders, mistakenly believe that all AAPIs are well-educated and well-off in comparison with other people of color, and hence need little support.

Economic Justice

Income inequalities are increasing in the U.S., creating even greater challenges for low-income AAPIs, immigrants and those who are limited English proficient. AAPIs are among those who have the highest income and those who are the lowest wage earners. Although the median AAPI income is higher than the national median, incomes for some specific ethnic groups are substantially lower than the national median. AAPI poverty rates are also higher than the national median, with poverty especially high among specific ethnic groups.

Community Preservation and Revitalization

Neighborhoods that were historically Asian enclaves are disappearing and are threatened by major commercial developments and gentrification. At the same time, there are burgeoning Asian American and Pacific Islander business districts that appear to be thriving. Many AAPI-serving community based organizations and arts are cultural organizations are still not connected to many of the programs and initiatives that support sustainable small business growth and invest capital into low-income and minority communities.