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Transpire.org Home Page - Week of November 22, 2006 Richard Franco Appointed to Transpire, Inc. Board of Directors WASHINGTON, DC (11/20/06) — Mr. Richard Franco has been appointed to serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors of Transpire, Inc., the nonprofit subsidiary of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). Over the span of 45 years, Richard Franco has carved out a distinguished career in federal housing assistance programs, urban issues, economic development, and commercial real estate financing. Mr. Franco currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Housing Authority of the City of Corpus Christi, which he joined in 2001. Prior to Corpus Christi, Mr. Franco served simultaneously as Chief Executive Officer of the Denton, Frisco, Bridge Port Housing Authorities and the Section 8 Program for the City of Louisville. He has also been president of Franco American Enterprises since 1990.
In 1990, Mr. Franco retired as a senior executive with the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), where he had developed a track record of performance and success administering federal housing assistance and community development programs throughout the country. Mr. Franco directed HUD programs in California, Texas, Wisconsin and Louisiana, and served as manager of HUD offices in New Orleans, Milwaukee and as deputy manager in Dallas and Los Angeles. Prior to joining HUD, Mr. Franco served in various executive capacities with several agencies and companies throughout California active in economic development, management services, training, education and youth activities. Mr. Franco is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia, a member emeritus of HUD’s prestigious Senior Executive Service and a graduate of the executive seminars at the Brookings Institute and the University of California at Berkley. He attended San Francisco State University and graduated from Oceanside College. Mr. Franco currently serves as President of Texas NAHRO and is a trustee of the Housing-Renewal and Local Agency Retirement Plan.
“This experience will be an exciting adventure for Richard and will provide a great benefit to the NAHRO membership,” said Transpire Board Chair Renee Rooker. “Transpire is only as strong as its leadership, so Richard’s role will be critical to our organization.”
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of October 18, 2006 Transpire, Inc. Appoints New Board Members Dateline: October 18, 2006
Transpire, Inc., the nonprofit subsidiary of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), has appointed Ms. Helen Feinberg and Mr. Steve Walker to serve two-year terms on its Board of Directors beginning October 16, 2006.
Ms. Feinberg is a Managing Director at RBC Dain Rauscher, where she has been employed for twenty years. She serves as the manager of the firm’s Housing Finance Sector, which includes both single family and multifamily finance involving public housing authorities, developers and non-profits. She is a licensed General Securities Representative as well as a Municipal Securities Principal., and currently serves as an advisory council member of the Florida Housing Coalition. Most recently, Ms. Feinberg was appointed by Governor Jeb Bush to serve as Chair of the Affordable Housing Study Commission for a two year term and in March of 2005 was appointed to serve on Fannie Mae’s National Advisory Council for a two year term. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree with majors in both Economics and Spanish from Wake Forest University.
Mr. Walker is the Director of the Tax Credit Division for the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC). He has been with the WSHFC since 1996. He has been involved with affordable housing for nearly 20 years. His experience spans from the public sector, including City of New York, Department of Housing, Preservation and Development; City of San Francisco, Department of City Planning; and City of Seattle, Department of Housing and Human Services; to the private and charitable sectors, including various non-profit housing agencies in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Walker worked on his first tax credit deal in 1990, in Oakland, California. He serves on a number of statewide policy advisory and credit committees. He holds a Master Urban Planning degree from University of Washington and a Bachelor Degree in Urban Studies from Columbia University in New York.
“This experience will be an exciting adventure for Helen and Steve and will provide a great benefit to the NAHRO membership,” said Transpire Board Chair Renee Rooker. “Transpire is only as strong as its leadership, so Helen and Steve’s roles will be critical to our organization.”
Transpire, Inc. was formed in 2001 as a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO). Transpire provides services to the NAHRO membership, including web-based procurement, access to development capital and services, and capacity building. NAHRO is a 73-year-old membership organization of 19,000 housing and community development officials throughout the United States whose mission is to create affordable housing and safe, viable communities that enhance the quality of life for all Americans, especially those with low and moderate incomes.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of September 27, 2006 Dateline - September 27, 2006 On October 17, 2006, Transpire will provide a FREE 1/2 day training on the e-Procurement system. The training is being provided in conjunction with NAHRO's National Conference in Atlanta, GA, and will be at the Hyatt Regency from 1:30-5pm. While this training is free, we ask that you RSVP to droberts@nahro.org so that we can know to expect you. For more information about the e-Procurement system, visit http://transpire.org/procurement.html. To sign up or log on, go to http://nahro.economicengine.com
NAHRO Monitor - July 15, 2006 Project-Based e-Procurement Module Goes Live On June 19, 2006, the Project-Based Accounting module was released in the e-Procurement system. This module, which has been under development in response to HUD’s asset-based management requirements, allows agencies to track their purchases by Project in the system. To assist agencies in using this new module, Transpire has provided a brief document outlining the functions available. To access the document or for additional information, visit www.transpire.org/news.html or contact Dionne Roberts at droberts@nahro.org.
NAHRO Monitor - July 15, 2006 Transpire celebrated its 5th birthday at NAHRO’s Summer Conference in Denver, Colorado. It was April 2001 when the NAHRO Board of Governors approved the formation of a nonprofit subsidiary, and five years later Transpire is continuing to grow and provide services to NAHRO members. “We believe that Transpire’s success is directly linked to the support we have received from NAHRO, and we want to celebrate with the membership what we have achieved together,” Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts said. “Many nonprofits never see five years, and the fact that Transpire is continuing to grow and blossom really reflects the dedication of the Transpire Board of Directors and the NAHRO leadership to find new ways to meet the needs of members.”
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of June 16, 2006 Project-Based Accounting Goes Live in e-Procurement Dateline - June 16, 2006 On June 19, 2006, the Project-Based Accounting module will be released in the e-Procurement system. This module, which has been under development in response to HUD's asset based management requirements, will allow agencies to track their purchases by Project in the system. "Transpire is pleased to provide this new benefit to NAHRO members as part of the e-Procurement system", says Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts. "We believe it will bring significant value as agencies transition to asset management, and look forward to continuing to serve as a resource." To assist agencies in using this new module, Transpire has provided a brief document outlining the functions available. For more information about the e-Procurement system, visit http://transpire.org/procurement.html. To sign up or log on, go to
NAHRO Monitor - June 15, 2006 Project-Based Procurement to Go Live June 19 Transpire has announced that the newest functionality in the e-Procurement system, project based procurement, will go live on June 19, 2006. Over the last months Transpire has demonstrated the system to a variety of stakeholders, including NAHRO members and HUD staff, and has used that feedback to further enhance the system. “We are really excited to provide this new tool for e-Procurement agencies”, says Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts. “We believe that it will provide real value as agencies transition to project based management”. The new function will allow agencies to track purchases in the system by project grouping, and to update and revise this information so that it can be used for their own management needs. For additional information, contact Dionne Roberts at droberts@nahro.org. NAHRO Monitor - May 31, 2006 Project-Based e-Procurement Coming Soon! During the 2006 spring conference season, Transpire has been previewing for NAHRO members the newest e-Procurement module: Project Based Procurement. Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts, who has been conducting the sessions, noted that “the new upgrades to the system have been very well received, and the membership has been great about providing suggestions for additional enhancements.” The new module, complete with suggested enhancements, is scheduled to go live in the e-Procurement at the end of June, 2006. This new upgrade will allow agency users of the system to assign their purchases to specific project groupings in the system and then download reports by project for all purchasing done through the e-Procurement system. This new module will assist agencies as they transition to asset management, especially smaller- and medium-sized agencies that may not be able to afford new software. For example, an agency might make an award to a local vendor for 30 line items of plumbing supplies. In tracking these supplies in the system, the agency would have three options: assign the entire order to one project grouping; assign different line items in the order to different projects groupings; or assign a particular line item to more than one project—i.e., 15 pvc elbows to Project A, and 10 to Project B. The system will also allow revisions, so that agencies can update information as needed. While it will go live next month, Ms. Roberts will also be previewing the system for NAHRO members at the upcoming Mountain Plains Regional Council conference in Spearfish, S.D. and the Southwest Regional Council conference in Galveston, Texas. For additional information, contact Dionne Roberts at droberts@nahro.org.
NAHRO Monitor - March 15, 2006 NAHTI Renews Transpire Contract For the last two years, Transpire has administered the National Affordable Housing Training Institute (NAHTI), which provides training and technical assistance related to the HOME program through funding from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). NAHRO is one of seven groups involved in NAHTI, and has provided assistance to NAHRO members for nearly ten years through this resource. Most recently, these funds contributed towards the delivery of development training in the five states most affected by hurricanes this past season: Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Now, as a result of the many successes of the last two years, including a $1.5 million award from HUD, the Boards of both NAHTI and Transpire have approved a renewal of this contract for an additional two years. As a result, Transpire will provide for the administration and staff leadership of NAHTI into 2008. NAHRO Monitor - March 15, 2006 Weed & Seed Training Kicks off in Alabama On March 27-29, 2006, Transpire will provide a 3-day training session to grantees of the Department of Justice’s Weed & Seed program. This session examine how affordable housing is an integral part of participants’ strategies as well as the role that housing authorities can play in addressing the needs in their communities. The session will take place in Birmingham, Ala. as part of a larger Strategic Planning conference. It will also include a site visit to local affordable housing developments, and will be the basis for additional training sessions around the country.
NAHRO Monitor - February 28, 2006 Transpire e-Procurement Training Transpire is pleased to announce that it will be providing free e-Procurement training in conjunction with NAHRO’s Legislative Conference in March. With more than 350 agencies and 3000 suppliers and vendors already using the system, this session is designed for agencies and suppliers interested in learning the basic components of the system, and the value it can add to their agency. This free training will be open to all NAHRO members, whether or not they are attending the conference. It will be held on Sunday afternoon, March 12, 2006 at the J.W. Marriott in Washington, DC. For additional information or to register, contact Dionne Roberts at droberts@nahro.org.
NAHRO Monitor - November 30, 2005 NAHRO and Partners to Hold Post-Hurricane Rebuilding Sessions At every level, NAHRO has been actively assisting our members and their residents that were impacted by the hurricanes over the last months. Our elected leadership has actively encouraged this engagement, and NAHRO members at the local level have been a crucial part of assisting evacuees to find stability.
NAHRO Monitor - October 15, 2005 Transpire, Inc. Releases Request for Qualifications On October 5, 2005, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), in partnership with its subsidiary, Transpire, Inc., released a Request for Qualifications (RFQ).
NAHRO Monitor - September 30, 2005 e-Procurement Supplier Marketplace Reaches over 2,600 Members Since its inception in March 2005, Transpire Inc.’s Supplier Marketplace has grown by over 44 percent, and now has over 2,600 vendors and suppliers on board. This service, which is available via the e-Procurement system, allows vendors, contractors and others who provide housing- and communitydeveloment-related goods and services to indicate that they were interested in working with agencies.
NAHRO Monitor - August 31, 2005 South Texas Receives Alternative Building Materials Session The Webb County (TX) Self-Help Center recently hosted Transpire and 25 participants from the border region of Texas to talk about using alternative materials to create affordable housing in the region. This session was developed by Transpire in partnership with the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs under contract with the National Affordable Housing Training Institute (NAHTI). NAHRO Monitor - August 31, 2005 Transpire Releases Second Access Alliance Profile On August 11, 2005, Transpire unveiled the second in a series of snapshots highlighting projects affiliated with the NAHRO Access Alliance. This series was developed as a way to provide information about the types of projects being assisted through the Alliance. The first snapshot highlighted work done with the Duluth (MN) Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of August 11, 2005 Transpire Unveils Anthem Park Case Study On August 11, 2005, Transpire unveiled the second in a series of snapshots highlighting projects affiliated with the NAHRO Access Alliance. The Anthem Park case study highlights an innovative project developed by the Vancouver (WA) Housing Authority. The next in the series, scheduled to be released in October, willl highlight an assisted living project in Wisconsin.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of July 25, 2005 Transpire to Partner with NAHRO, Fannie Mae On July 15, 2005, Transpired signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and the American Communities Fund of Fannie Mae. The three year agreement will provide opportunities for the three organizations to work together in providing educational and financing opportunities for NAHRO's 3200 agency members.
NAHRO Monitor - June 30, 2005 e-Procurement Training to Be Provided in Conjunction with Conference Over the last year, Transpire has provided free training in conjunction with each of NAHRO's national conferences. Sessions at Baltimore and Washington were well received. As a result of the success of this program, Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts has announced a special training session on e-Procurement to be held on Monday, July 18 in San Francisco. The free one-day training, to be taught by Mike Gifford, CPM, will give participants the opportunity to view the system in a live web environment and to gain a clearer understanding of the opportunities it provides for them. The system, which will be four years old in August, has over 250 agencies and nearly 2,500 vendors online. Space for this special session is limited; those interested in attending should email Dionne for specific information on the time and location of the session. Those not able to attend the full training can attend the conference session on RFPs on Saturday, June 16 as part of the conference program.
NAHRO Monitor - May 31, 2005 NERC, Transpire Enter Agreement Effective May 1, the New England Regional Council became the third region to enter into a revenue sharing agreement with Transpire. This agreement provides NERC with a share of the revenues generated by agencies and vendors in their region using NAHRO's e-Procurement system. NERC will work with Transpire to promote the system, provide access to training and education on it, and identify ways to enhance e-Procurement to better meet the needs of their agencies and vendors. Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts noted that Transpire looks forward to adding a fourth region during 2005.
NAHRO Monitor - April 15, 2005 Snapshot Premieres Transpire.org Home Page - Week of April 11, 2005 Who Said Nothing in Life Was Free? Transpire is excited to unveil a new, free service for NAHRO members and their vendors to use to find each other. This enhanced Marketplace is like an electronic yellow pages, except every vendor is interested in working with housing agencies. So if you are an agency and you are wondering who's interested in providing audit services to your agency, or need to add vendors to your procurement process, then come visit the Marketplace! It is free! If you are a vendor, trying to find new ways to let agencies know that you are interested in working with them, come visit the Marketplace and sign up your company. It is free! This Marketplace already has more than 1600 vendors on it - companies selling everything from refrigerators to tenant screening services are listed, along with their contact information. As a NAHRO member, you don't have to use the e-Procurement system in order to use the Supplier's Marketplace. Just go to www.nahro.economicengine.com and click on the blue login button in the upper left hand corner. Enter your email address and use the password "abc". This is a free member service, especially for NAHRO members! If you have any questions, or are interested in learning more about the system, please call customer support at 1-866-526-9266.
NAHRO Monitor - March 31, 2005 NCRC, Transpire Ink e-Procurement Revenue Sharing Agreement The North Central Regional Council (NCRC) of NAHRO is the second regional council to enter into a revenue sharing agreement with Transpire related to NAHRO's e-Procurement system. The three-year agreement provides NCRC with a share of the revenues generated by its region's agencies and vendors using NAHRO's e-Procurement system. NCRC will also work with Transpire to promote the system, provide access to training and education, and identify ways to improve it. With 525 agency members and thousands of vendors, Transpire believes NCRC's participation will be integral in assisting NCRC agencies to make the most of the system. NCRC will provide a session on e-Procurement at its Spring Conference in Davenport, Iowa. The session will be held on April 18, and will be led by Transpire Board member Jerry Schock, executive director of the Port Huron Housing Commission. Dionne Roberts, CEO of Transpire, will also participate and will be available throughout the conference for questions and assistance.
NAHRO Monitor - February 15, 2005 Access Alliance Technical Assistance Available, Case Studies Coming The NAHRO Access Alliance has been providing technical assistance and access to capital for NAHRO members since 2001and has benefited more than 50 agencies with a wide range of needs and opportunities. To showcase this, the Alliance is preparing to release case studies of agencies it has assisted, which will be available at www.transpire.org. Assistance and access to capital is available exclusively for NAHRO members, and we encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity for low-cost and no-cost assistance. Eligible entities are housing and redevelopment agencies, as well as their nonprofit partners and subsidiaries. For more information, contact Dionne Roberts at 877-866-2476 ext. 239 or droberts@nahro.org. Transpire.org Home Page - Week of February 1, 2005 Transpire takes e-Procurement on the Road Transpire will kick off its Spring road show at the NAHRO New England Regional Council Conference on February 8, 2005. The session, held in Uncasville, CT, will provide an overview of the system and information for participants on recent enhancements. One enhancement that will be reviewed is the Supplier Marketplace, which has been created as a service for all NAHRO members in identfying vendors. Additional sessions will be occurring at Regional conferences across the country during the Spring of 2005. As they are confirmed, they will be listed under Upcoming Events. Transpire is also partnering with NAHRO and its regions to provide live e-Procurement training sessions. The next session is scheduled for March 30-April 1, 2005 in Salem, Oregon. For additional information, look in the e-Procurement area under workshops.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of January 17, 2005 NAHRO Access Alliance unveils Case Study design for comments The NAHRO Access Alliance has developed a template for its case studies that it is seeking comments on. The Alliance, which has worked with more than 50 agencies over the last 2 years, is seeking to develop an approach which will provide readers with enough information to understand the basics of the engagement, without providing overwhelming or unnecessary detail. The Alliance believes publishing this information will assist additional agencies in identifying the opportunities available through the Alliance. The example developed for comment is available here. To provide feedback, please email Dionne Roberts at droberts@nahro.org by January 31, 2005. Comments will be used to develop a final format, and Transpire will begin posting case studies in February 2005 at http://www.transpire.org/alliance.html.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of December 15, 2004 NAHTI releases RFP for Technical Assistance On December 15, 2004, the National Affordable Housing Training Institute released a Request for Proposals for firms and/or individuals interested in providing technical assistance related to the HOME program and CHDO capacity building. This RFP will assist NAHTI in providing assistance to the Colonias area of Texas, and will be funded under Cooperative Agreements with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The deadline for responses is December 30, 2004. To download a PDF of the RFP, click here. For additional information, please contact Dionne Roberts at 202-289-3500, extension 239, or at droberts@nahti.org.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of December 6, 2004 NAHTI releases HOMEfront Newsletter The National Affordable Housing Training Insititute has released its latest HOMEfront Newsletter, which focuses on HOME Tenant-Based Rental Assistance models. Highlighted in this issue, which was produced by the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) as a member of NAHTI, are programs in Clark County, Nevada; Longview, Washington; and Omaha, Nebraska. HOMEfront is an occassionally produced publication used to highlight successful HOME program models. Past models highlighted can be found at http://www.nahro.org/home/homefrnt.html , and questions can be directed to Jeff Falcusan, the Housing & Community Development Analyst at NAHRO, at jfalcusan@nahro.org or 202-289-3500, extension 234.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of November 29, 2004 Access Alliance provides TA through Enterprise Foundation Grant Assistance provided in the past has included feasibility analyses for projects, preparation of purchase/sale agreements, Board development. Projects assisted have ranged from homeownership to preservation of multifamily units to development of assisted living housing.
NAHRO Monitor - November 15, 2004 NAHTI Awarded $1.5 M HUD Grant On Oct. 20, the National Affordable Housing Training Institute (NAHTI), which is administered by Transpire, was awarded $1.5 million in HOME Technical Assistance funds. This three-year award will allow NAHTI members to continue providing HOME-related technical assistance. The NAHTI members include seven national organizations: the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO), the National Community Development Association (NCDA), the Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA), the National Assocation of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA), the National Association for County Community & Economic Development (NACCED), the National League of Cities (NLC), and the National Association of Counties (NACo). Through these groups, NAHTI has been providing technical assistance for ten years. This award is the largest the organization has received in recent history, and will greatly increase its ability to have a positive impact nationwide. As a member of NAHTI, NAHRO will develop activities to assist in increasing affordable housing through the HOME program, and NAHRO members go here for more information on how NAHRO will use its funds. For more information on NAHTI in general, contact Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts at 202-289-3500 ext. 239 or at droberts@nahro.org.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of November 8, 2004 NAHTI Awarded $1.5 million HUD Grant The NAHTI members include seven national organizations: - The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) - The National Community Development Association (NCDA) - Council of State Community Development Agencies (COSCDA) - National Assocation of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA) - National Association for County Community & Economic Development (NACCED) - The National League of Cities (NLC) - National Association of Counties (NACo) NAHTI has been providing technical assistance under this program for ten years, and this award is the largest the organization has received recently, greatly increasing the ability of the organization to have a positive impact nationwide. For more information on how to access NAHTI technical assistance, or for more about the organization, click here, or contact Dionne Roberts at 202-289-3500.
NAHRO Monitor - October 31, 2004 PNRC Enters E-Procurement Revenue Sharing AgreementNAHRO's Pacific Northwest Regional Council has become the first to have a revenue sharing agreement approved by the Transpire Board. This agreement allows the region to share in the e-procurement system's success by sharing revenue increases brought about by the participation of agencies and vendors from their region. PNRC Director Ronald Oldham noted that "housing authorities are under constant financial pressure from rising costs and real or threatened reductions in subsidy income. E-procurement's use of state-of-the-art technology to improve both the effectiveness and efficiency of procurement activities represents a significant 'value-added' feature of NAHRO membership. The Pacific Northwest Regional Council of NAHRO is pleased to be on the forefront of advocating and marketing this service to our members as we work toward achieving our goals of advocacy, professional development, and scholarships for our residents." As part of the agreement, the region serves as an access point for information, education and assistance to its members on the e-procurement system. In addition to direct contact with member agencies, PNRC is providing training through NAHRO to help agencies in their region to get the most from the system. PNRC has also added a third day to national NAHRO's regular procurement session (Nov. 15-17, 2004), and will use the additional time to focus specifically on e-procurement system. Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts confirmed that interest is growing in the approach, and that additional regions have expressed interest in the program.
NAHRO Monitor - October 31, 2004 Ulfers Named to Transpire Board Mark Ulfers, executive director of the Dakota County CDA in Eagan, Minn., was named the newest member of the Transpire Board of Directors earlier this month. Ulfers, a former president of the National Association of Local Housing Finance Agencies (NALHFA), brings to the Board a significant history with tax credits, bond financing, and entrepreneurial approaches to meeting community needs. NAHRO President Jim Inglis noted that, "Mark is a strong advocate for affordable housing and embraces the challenge of forming partnerships and alternative financing concepts. His analytical and problem solving skills will be an asset to Transpire's mission." The Board's other members are: Donald J. Cameron of Charleston, S.C.; Saul N. Ramirez, Jr. of Washington, D.C.; Ann O'Hara of Boston, Mass.; Michael Kelly of Washington, D.C.; Gerald 'Jerry' E. Schock, PHM of Port Huron, Mich.; Jacqueline Rivera of Clearwater, Fla.; Jack Quinn, PHM of Pueblo, Colo.; and Preston Prince of Aurora, Colo.
NAHRO Monitor - October 31, 2004 The winner of Transpire's online raffle, during which visitors to the newly-launched Transpire Web site could register to win a digital camera, is Patricia Krogman, from the Saginaw (Mich.) Housing Authority. The raffle, which was open from Oct. 10-20, was a promotion for the opening of the new Web site of Transpire (formerly NAHRO, Inc.) , which was formally launched during the NAHRO National Conference in Baltimore.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of October 25, 2004 Transpire signs Revenue Sharing Agreement This three year agreement allows the Region to benefit financially from their agencies actively participating in NAHRO's e-Procurement System. To promote participation, the Region will be engaging in educational efforts through their conferences, training and other venues. Transpire provides appropriate support for these activities, and coordinates activities at the national level. This is the first such agreement to share revenue generated by the e-Procurement System, and Transpire expects additional Regions to consider this new opportunity in the coming months. For more information on this approach, contact Transpire CEO Dionne Roberts at droberts@nahro.org, or Pacific Northwest Regional Council Director Ronald Oldham at ronaldloldham@msn.com.
Transpire.org Home Page - Week of October 18, 2004 Transpire Makes a Splash in Baltimore The change of NAHRO, Inc.'s name to Transpire was announced during the opening Plenary session by Transpire Chair Donald J. Cameron. During his remarks, a slide show played for the delegates that spoke to the purpose of Transpire. Transpire sponsored four breakout sessions during the conference: - Changing the Tires While Driving the Production Engine - Preserving the Trust - When to Add to Your Portfolio - Homeownership Models - Build It and They Will Come? - Your Annual Procurement Physical - How Are You Feeling? In addition, Transpire provided a free 1/2 day procurement training that was open to all delegates to attend. More than thirty delegates took advantage of the opportunity, in spite of the lure of the tours of the City. Transpire also had one of the most popular exhbit booths in the Exhibit Hall, complete with Golf Skeeball and live access to the Transpire home page.
NAHRO Monitor - August 15, 2004 NAHRO, Inc. Completes First Capital Fund Financing Management Assessment for Excelsior Springs NAHRO, Inc. has just completed its first Capital Fund Financing Management Assessment for the Exelsior Springs (MO) Housing Authority. The assessment is a HUD requirement for any agency requesting approval of a Capital Fund financing application. The financing, which is being backed by Fannie Mae, is expected to be one of a growing number done by individual agencies using Fannie Mae's new Modernization Express product. Since Exelsior Springs was doing a single-entity application instead of participating in a pool, it was especially important that they find an entity who could conduct the assessment in a timely and cost-effective manner. "NAHRO, Inc. was proud to be a part of the process" said CEO Dionne Roberts. ?Excelsior Springs is a wonderful example of a smaller agency committed to doing great things for its community," she continued."We believe these types of tools should be available to all agencies that can make use of them, and are committed to finding ways to make it easier for agencies to access capital in the marketplace." NAHRO, Inc. will continue to provide this service, and looks forward to an increase in the number of smaller agencies using this tool.
NAHRO Monitor - July 31, 2004 Access Alliance Acquires Technical Assistance Funds The Enterprise Foundation, an Alliance partner, has provided $50,000 to the NAHRO Access Alliance for technical assistance and training. The funds will be used to offset the cost of providing assessments and assistance to agencies interested in affordable housing development. Projects must involve a non-profit organization to access this funding, but other assistance is available as well for agencies that have projects that do not meet this criteria. Interested agencies should go to www.nahro.org/access/alliance/ParticipantProfile.cfm to complete a profile.
NAHRO Monitor - July 31, 2004 Three new NAHRO Mentors have been named as a result of a national RFQ issued earlier this summer. Kurt Creager, Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver (WA) Housing Authority; Louis Riccio, Executive Director of the Madison (NJ) Housing and Redevelopment Authority; and Kevin Day, Assistant Vice President of Capital Transactions at Related Capital Company (NY) all bring extensive knowledge and expertise to bear on the challenges of affordable housing development. Kurt Creager, the immediate Past President of NAHRO, has more than 25 years of experience in the field, and his diversified agency is among the most innovative in the region. In addition to his housing work, he is currently capitalizing a community renewal investment fund and forming a new community development entity for the purpose of land acquisition for redevelopment, including eligibility for New Markets tax credits. Louis Riccio has worked in every phase of affordable housing from concept to occupancy. In addition to the work of his agency, MHRA's nonprofit has been operating since 1992, generating almost 100 units of affordable rental housing, and is now embarked on its first for sale development. Kevin Day is currently involved in executing the sale and repositioning of multifamily properties at the end of their fifteen year tax credit compliance period. With experience in the private market, at HUD and with the New York City Housing Authority, he brings a broad perspective to the challenges facing agencies today. We welcome their commitment to the industry. As NAHRO mentors, they join a growing list of experienced practitioners from across the country dedicated to reaching out to their colleagues and promoting the development and preservation of affordable housing.
NAHRO Monitor - July 31, 2004 An E-Birthday!NAHRO's e-Procurement system, which provides web-based procurement capabilities for NAHRO members, turns 2 years old in August. NAHRO, Inc. CEO Dionne Roberts says that while "it has been a challenging process, more agencies and vendors are now using the system, and the benefit is clear." Roberts notes that "the system has grown and improved over time, and those agencies coming on board now are experiencing a mature system that exceeds their expectations." Roberts also noted that beyond user growth, last year also saw an RFP component added to the system's already tried-and-tested RFQ capability. A bi-monthly newsletter about the system has also just debuted, and is available at www.nahro.org/eprocurement/newsletter/01_01.pdf. To learn more or to sign up, agencies and vendors can go to http://nahro.economicengine.com/ or contact Dionne Roberts at droberts@nahro.org.
NAHRO Monitor - June 15, 2004 Further development of financial innovators is one request that came out of the Public Housing Symposium in March co-sponsored by NAHRO, Fannie Mae and LISC. Discussions pointed out the value of peer-to-peer information sharing and assistance in using "non-traditional" development methods. Because many NAHRO members have experience in this arena, the association and the Access Alliance are issuing a "Call for Mentors." Candidates should have experience in a range of development skills. Serving as a NAHRO Mentor is a leadership role we hope you will consider. Please send a brief statement about what you feel you can provide as a mentor, two references, and a current resume to: Dionne Roberts, CEO; NAHRO, Inc.; 630 I St. NW; Washington, DC 20001 or email nahroaccessalliance@nahro.org by June 25. To work with a mentor,visit www.nahro.org/access/alliance/index.cfm
NAHRO Monitor - May 15, 2004 Further development of financial innovators is one request that came out of the Public Housing Symposium in March co-sponsored by NAHRO, Fannie Mae and LISC. Discussions pointed out the value of peer-to-peer information sharing and assistance in using "non-traditional" development methods. Because many NAHRO members have experience in this arena, the association is issuing a "Call for Mentors" in conjunction with the NAHRO Access Alliance. Candidates should have experience in:
NAHRO Mentor duties will depend on the agency the Mentor works with, but the goal is to help the agency succeed in making good choices that will benefit their agency and their community. Serving as a NAHRO Mentor is a volunteer leadership role, and one that we hope you will consider. Please send a brief statement about what you feel you can provide as a mentor, two references, and a current resume to: Dionne Roberts, CEO; NAHRO, Inc.; 630 I St. NW; Washington, DC 20001. You can also e-mail this information to nahroaccessalliance@nahro.org. The deadline for Mentor applications is June 25, and an announcement of Mentors selected will be made at the July conference in Detroit. If you are interested in working with a NAHRO mentor, go to http://www.nahro.org/access/alliance/index.cfm to complete and return the Alliance profile.
NAHRO Monitor - April 15, 2004A New Face at NAHROKerri Shiflett has joined NAHRO as the new Vendor Relations Coordinator. She will be focused on working with NAHRO Manufacturers and Suppliers Council members and the NAHRO e-Procurement system. Kerri is new to the affordable housing industry, and looks forward to working closely with NAHRO's members.
NAHRO Monitor - September 30, 2003NAHRO Staffer Moves OnAfter 15 years, Michael Nail has left NAHRO to pursue other opportunities. During his time with the association, Nail served as Director of Housing and Community Development, Deputy Director, and most recently as CEO of NAHRO, Inc. NAHRO, Inc. serves as home for NAHRO's entrepreneurial activities, including the NAHRO Access Alliance, the NAHRO e-Procurement System, a partnership with One Economy Corporation and a partnership with Intercorp Inc., providing lead insurance products to better serve the membership. As a member of the advisory board of Active Living by Design, Nail helped NAHRO become involved with a group promoting physical activity, an issue of special concern to low-income Americans. In a letter, NAHRO President Kurt Creager thanked Nail for devoting a major part of his career to the mission, purpose and activities of NAHRO. "… it seems more fitting to recognize that you have always been a consummate professional and your commitment to professionalism has been evident in the activities, programs and projects to which you were assigned over the years." Julio Barreto, NAHRO Department Director for Legislation, Programs and Media, will assume Nail's duties for outreach and the International Committee. Policy Analyst Dionne Roberts will take over operations for NAHRO, Inc. and will report directly to Executive Director Saul N. Ramirez, Jr. |
