| BACKGROUND INFORMATION
NAHRO, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials, has utilized HOME technical assistance funds to support a variety of activities since the creation of the NAHTI contract in 1994. NAHRO's primary purpose in participating in the contract has been to disseminate information on HOME and related programs to local housing authorities, to encourage them to seek out HOME funds to assist them in providing affordable housing and to enhance their ability to use HOME effectively. Other NAHRO activities have involved improving relationships between local housing authorities and state and local community development agencies, typically responsible for administering HOME.
In an effort to fulfill that purpose, NAHRO has undertaken information dissemination, training, and on-site technical assistance tasks supported through the contract.
Program information has been disseminated through publications, creation of a HOME and Affordable Housing area on the NAHRO web site, conference sessions and responses to inquiries. Publications produced through the contract have included HOMEfront, a case study publication that has been produced regularly since 1995 and details innovative uses of HOME by local housing authorities. A 1999 publication described how five communities effectively used HOME and CDBG funds to implement comprehensive neighborhood revitalization efforts.
Training efforts have included HOME training specifically designed for local housing authorities, workshops on effective collaboration between local housing and community development agencies, development of affordable housing, including related policy making, and creation of CHDOs and other nonprofit development organizations. Since 1998, most training has been conducted in concert with NAHRO regional councils.
On-site technical assistance has been provided to more than a dozen local agencies on topics ranging from creation of HOME consortia to development of specific affordable housing projects. These efforts have focused on assisting smaller agencies that have little access to necessary program information and have not had established relationships with state agencies.
In 2003, NAHRO will again partner with its regional councils to offer programs aimed at improving collaboration between local housing and community development agencies, particularly those in small communities. Representatives of appropriate state agencies will also be invited to participate. These programs will be offered at up to eight regional conferences to be held in the spring as well as at the NAHRO summer conference. Upcoming publications include an examination of local housing authority involvement in the creation of CHDOs and other nonprofit development organizations as well as two issues of HOMEfront and articles in the Journal of Housing and Community Development. NAHRO will continue on-site technical assistance efforts on an as-needed basis, focusing on agencies in smaller communities.
Key Link: NAHRO's HOME Program
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