Technical Assistance/Training

Since 1992, the Network has been providing high quality training and technical assistance to New Jersey-based community development organizations.  We combine classroom training with individualized technical assistance to help organizations strengthen their operations and better carry out their mission

Click here for an overview of our technical assistance programs.

  Portfolio Asset Management Strategy Program

“AMP” Up Your Rental Portfolio

CDCs need to quantify and assess their situation, and make strategic short- and long-term plans for their assets. Accordingly, the Network is offering a four-month program, from 9/15/08 to 1/6/09, of group training and individual technical assistance in the skills and knowledge needed to evaluate and solve both operating and project condition issues found in rental portfolios. The target participants for the program are NJ CDCs that have rental portfolios of more than 50 units and staff assigned to asset management.

Click here for a brochure on the program, here for a flyer, here for a board resolution application, here for an individual application, and here for a program agenda.

For more information:  Angela Goode at 609 393-3752 ext. 15 jjones@hcdnnj.org or Leonard Robbins at 973 286-0086 lrobbins@hcdnnj.org.

Affordable Housing Development

Community Planning

Economic Development

Organizational Development

Problem Properties Task Force

We currently offer training and technical assistance in the following program areas:

• Affordable Housing Development

   

  Technical assistance and training for New Jersey’s non-profit affordable housing producers is the Network’s longest-running program.  For many years, the Housing Development Training Program served to support members in building their production capacity.

   

  Business Planning Program:  In 2003, the Network completed its pilot Housing Production Business Planning Program which builds the capacity of  CDCs to use a business model to increase their housing production pipeline by at least 50% over 5 years. Eight days of intensive workshops plus  individualized, on-site coaching and technical assistance over a year cover increasing staff capacity, generating greater cash flow from increased volume and efficiencies of scale, reducing dependence on operational grants as a percentage of operating budget, etc. Since initiating the course in 2002, 14 Network members have graduated and are implementing housing production business plans to create a combined total of more than 2,800 units of affordable housing over the next 5 years.

For more information on the Business Planning program, contact Director of Housing Development Leonard Robbins, lrobbins@hcdnnj.org.

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• Community Planning

Initiated in 2003, the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey’s Community Planning Initiative supports resident-driven participatory community planning initiatives which engage broad-based participation in successful holistic neighborhood revitalization, and which are best-practice models for New Jersey.  With community planning and multi-disciplinary community development capacity building by the Network’s TA and Training Center, CDC members will continue to initiate and participate as partners in larger coalitions of stakeholders to implement these plans.  Through on-site coaching and targeted workshops, the Network helps its members organize residents to take leadership of and participate actively in the development of plans, ensures that its members plans meet the qualifications of the NRTC regulations, and even helps develop plans in some instances. Further, the Network participates with partners such as Rutgers University’s Community Development Institute to educate professional planners in more participatory planning techniques.

 

For more information on the Community Planning program described above, contact Managing Director Paige Carlson-Heim at pcarlsonheim@hcdnnj.org.

 

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Sustainable Employment and Economic Development (SEED) Loan Program:  The SEED Loan Program is a predevelopment loan pool designed to provide non-profit, community-based organizations wishing to engage in job-generating or neighborhood revitalization activities with flexible financing to cover many of the project-specific predevelopment costs associated with community economic development projects.  The SEED Loan Program is administered by the by the Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey in partnership with the New Jersey Community Capital. It is capitalized with funding from First Union Bank, the New Jersey Community Capital, Sovereign Bank and Fleet Bank.

For more information on the Economic Development programs, contact Managing Director Paige Carlson-Heim at pcarlsonheim@hcdnnj.org. 

 

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• Organizational Development

While Network staff continue to work with members on board development and strategic planning, increasingly our organizational development (OD) work focuses on working with members to help develop regional strategies for collaboration among members in areas such as addressing common policy issues such as getting a municipal Housing Trust Fund passed, specific development projects, Organizational Capacity Assessment, or other collaborative learning models, such as Future Search.  We have developed relationships with several OD service providers and are able to match member needs with available resources on a case-by-case basis.

For more information on the Organizational Development program described above, contact Managing Director Paige Carlson-Heim at pcarlsonheim@hcdnnj.org.

 

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• Problem Properties Task Force (implementation of the Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act and Multifamily Housing Preservation and Receivership Act)

The Network has formed a Problem Properties Task Force, comprised of Network members, resource people and Network staff, to help us plan our campaign to inform key stakeholders (community organizations, civic associations, local government officials, etc.) about utilizing the new tools in the Abandoned Properties Rehabilitation Act.  This Task Force has developed materials and designed curricula to promote effective use of these tools to reclaim abandoned properties and return them to use as affordable housing and other community assets.  (See summary)

For more information on the programs described above, contact Managing Director Paige Carlson-Heim, pcarlsonheim@hcdnnj.org.

 

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Please visit our Events page for information about all upcoming trainings.

For more information please contact the Technical Assistance and Training Center Director Paige Carlson-Heim, at 609-393-3752, ext. 14, pcarlsonheim@hcdnnj.org.