Grounded Solutions Network Updates, Conference Info, Member Updates

Dear John,

I hope this email finds you in good health and wellness as we continue to overcome this latest round of COVID-19 surges and all the unexpected challenges of the ongoing pandemic. Despite these trying times, our pursuit of greater scale remains steadfast, and I am hopeful that things will continue to look up later this year. In that spirit, I write to you with news of multiple exciting updates, including a change in our e-newsletter format.

If you’ve missed our e-newsletter, have no fear because I’m excited to announce the upcoming new and improved Grounded Solutions quarterly newsletter, launching in April! We are working behind the scenes to curate content and make relevant updates that will better support and center the outstanding work our members and partners are doing to advance equitable housing solutions with lasting affordability. In particular, we want to obtain and share more stories from you! Share your organization’s program and/or policy wins, highlights, and achievements with us by sending a story between 250-500 words by hitting the link below, and we’ll be sure to feature your inspiring stories in a future newsletter.
Share a Success Story ([link removed])

We always welcome ongoing feedback and ideas from our members about ways we can continue to improve our newsletter and e-blasts to best support your needs.


** GSN Career Opportunities
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As some of you may have seen, our Grounded Solutions team is in active growth mode! We have recently promoted several of our existing team members and launched a growing number of job postings for open positions, all planned to increase the capacity of our team to create more impact. WE NEED YOUR HELP in recruiting more amazing experts to better support the surge of activity happening around the decade of Lasting Affordability expansion we have set in motion.
Learn More and Apply ([link removed])


** Tony’s Take –
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According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, by March 2020, national nonprofit employment had shrunk by more than 13 percent, leaving gaping holes in an industry that employs more people than the national manufacturing sector. In addition to that harsh reality, our solutions to address the still expanding national housing crisis must be implemented at a scale that matches the problem. It all adds up to a need for far greater numbers of skilled GSN staff, member practitioners and consultants than we represented pre-pandemic.


** Press Coverage
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The efforts of our members and partners are increasingly being highlighted in various local and national publications. Recent examples include the following:
* PBS NewsHour: Can this innovative housing model help solve California’s affordable housing crisis? ([link removed])

* Indianapolis Recorder: Community land trust: a proven model to address Indy’s housing crisis ([link removed])

* Pennsylvania Capital-Star: Bethlehem dangles tax breaks in special zone to developers who include affordable housing ([link removed])


** Tony’s Take –
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Positive press is certainly beneficial, but we must also be clear in delivering messages that stress the exact types of policy support and the exact magnitude and types of financial resources needed to increase our scale and racial equity impact. Given philanthropy’s pledge of billions to advance racial justice, what do we consider an appropriate share of that to support our contributions toward Lasting Affordability impact using a racial equity lens over the next decade?


** 2022 Grounded Solutions Conference
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Mark your calendar and plan to join us in Washington DC May 9-11. Our exciting gathering is the only national event dedicated to racially equitable housing solutions with affordability that lasts for generations.

This year’s theme, Policy. Practice. Power frames our focus on exploring ways to make our cities and regions more equitable and inclusive through innovative housing policies, intentional housing programs, foundational organizing and community-led solutions. Visit our new online conference page to get the latest information about registration, agenda, and our dynamic keynote speaker, Andre Perry!
Learn More ([link removed])


** Join As a Member and Save
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It's not too late to join us as a Champion Member, Organizational Member or Individual Member today. All members will have access to discounted rates and scholarships for our upcoming conference, in addition to our many other benefits. Learn more about Grounded Solutions Network member benefits and options, and sign on today!
Learn More ([link removed])


** Tony’s Take –
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Tony’s Take – Although we are calling it a conference let’s just be real, this time will be different. Following two years of forced isolation, we all just want to see and re-establish connections with as many dear friends and colleagues as possible in-person, assuming it’s reasonably safe to do so! Yes, we’ll also share best practices for inclusive housing policies and programs, explore promising approaches for balancing scale and community control and learn how folks are achieving outcomes that simultaneously advance housing and health equity.


** Additional Items of Interest
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* Our latest research on shared equity homeownership and wealth building was recently shared on Housing Matters ([link removed]) through the Urban Institute, elevating the model to show how successful it is at providing alternative paths to homeownership, residential stability, and wealth-building for low-to-moderate income households.

* Join us for our Upcoming Roadmap Recap - March 10 at 1:00 p.m. ET, 10:00 a.m. PT. Each year, HomeKeeper hosts the Roadmap Recap, a gathering for HomeKeeper participating organizations. We'll be highlighting notable HomeKeeper wins and lessons from 2021 and giving HomeKeeper users a preview of what to expect from HK this year.

* Multiple Grounded Solutions members and their successes are featured in this article published last month: Evolution in Community Land Trusts ([link removed]) as part of the Economic Architecture Project funded by JPMorgan Chase. Co-authors, Brookings Institute Senior Fellow, Andre Perry and Ashoka V.P. Global Leadership Group, Stuart Yasgur, make the case for how CLT innovators are pioneering structural changes in housing markets.The 2021 Model Deed Restriction is available for adoption! If you are starting a new program or considering revising your legal agreements, check out the new resource and commentary ([link removed]) .

We have plenty of positive change and great work already in progress, with so much more to come as the year progresses. Thanks to those of you who engaged me to join your inspiring virtual gatherings this year, including the Montana Shared Equity Housing Summit and Champlain Housing Trust Annual Meeting. You’ll hear from me again in April with the relaunch of our reformatted newsletter. Until then, stay well and safe.

In solidarity,
Tony


** Where we live matters.
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** We bring together an extensive network of partners and member practitioners from local communities who have a deep understanding of best practices in community land trusts, shared equity housing, local housing policies such as inclusionary zoning, and more.

At Grounded Solutions Network, we know what policies and strategies work to build and preserve housing opportunities, and we help communities use them.
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Join Us! Become a Member Now ([link removed])

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