City Life/Vida Urbana (Urban Revival, Inc.)

Transcription

1 City Life/Vida Urbana (Urban Revival, Inc.) General Information PO Box 317 Jamaica Plain, MA 213 (617) Website Organization Contact Lisa Owens Year of Incorporation

2 Statements & Search Criteria Mission Statement City Life/Vida Urbana is a grassroots community organization committed to fighting for racial, social, and economic justice and gender equality by building working-class power. We promote individual empowerment, develop community leaders and build collective power to effect systemic change and transform society. Throughout its 44-year history, City Life has largely expressed its mission through organizing Boston residents in order to prevent displacement and promote tenants' rights and affordable housing throughout Boston and beyond. Background Statement City Live/Vida Urbana (CL/VU or City Life) organizes low-income and working-class people of diverse race and nationality, serving a long-term commitment to organizing a mass movement for social justice. Among our core values is a belief that affordable housing is a basic human right, and our roots are in protecting tenants and small homeowners from displacement due to eviction. CL/VU is best known for our long history of successful campaigns to protect the homes of lowincome tenants. We use an unusual combination of grassroots organizing and legal defense with a focus on Boston neighborhoods, but have also provided CL/VU training and assistance to replicate our model regionally and nationally. Our work began in 1973, when a group of residents and activists with roots in the civil rights, feminist, and anti-vietnam War movements founded what was then called the Jamaica Plain Tenants Action Group. Early on, members identified affordable housing as a core issue around which people could organize to build power and gain control over their communities. For example, responding to the foreclosure crisis of 27, which disproportionately impacted communities of color, CL/VU ran a campaign to combat the resulting rampant displacement. We galvanized more than 2, tenants and homeowners, and between 211 and 214, made it possible for more than 85 families in Greater Boston to repurchase their homes, overturn wrongful foreclosures, and negotiate stabilizing rental agreements. Since late 212, the foreclosure crisis has evolved into a renters state of emergency, as corporate speculators have been purchasing large numbers of properties in areas where home values are starting to appreciate. Buyers are exorbitantly raising rents and clearing out buildings to turn a fast profit. CL/VU is working with residents across the city to form new Tenant Associations and build strong neighborhood leadership in the battle to protect our communities. 2

3 Impact Statement Recent Accomplishments Passed New Tenant Protection Law: Played a core role in passage of a municipal law in October 217 that will buffer low-income tenants from no-fault evictions. More than 2 rallies, hearings, and phone mobilizations over three years persuaded Boston City Council to vote 1-3 to approve this new law the Jim Brooks Stabilization Act which is now headed to the state legislature for approval. Stabilized At-Risk Families and Communities: Organized tenants against a notorious slumlord in Dorchester and Mattapan. This organizing, combined with legal defense and community development, won nonprofit purchase and long-term affordability for 59 tenants homes. Worked with City to Secure Affordable Housing: City Life has been instrumental in making the City of Boston s new housing stabilization program a success. We organized tenants to win nonprofit purchase of nearly 1 homes procured with subsidies from the new program. The new owners have converted these into long-term affordable homes for the current tenants. Current Goals Win New Protections Against Tenant & Small Owner Displacement: As a leader within the Jim Brooks Act coalition, win state legislative approval for the recently passed Boston law that will buffer tenants and owners from evictions for profit by corporate owners. Develop Resident Leadership in Boston Neighborhoods: Further develop and expand a group of 8 leaders (low- to moderate-income residents) who will coordinate Tenant Associations covering 5 buildings in 6 Boston neighborhoods. Train leaders to tell their stories to the public, media, and elected officials, increasing these leaders' public engagement by 25%. Gain Community Control Over Housing and Land: Through organizing and community development, win nonprofit purchase of 1 occupied, privately owned multifamily homes for conversion into longterm affordable homes. 3

4 Needs Statement City Life seeks funding to expand our organizing capability in some of Boston s high-need neighborhoods through additional staff and translation services. Because our community leadership model creates a ripple effect of resident activism, a small increase in core staffing will allow us to amplify our impact many times over. CL/VU s Top Needs 1. 1 full-time Organizer position to expand tenant organizing in Roxbury and Mattapan-$53, (salary+fringe) Increased real estate speculation is accelerating the pace of displacement in each of these neighborhoods. An increased organizing response is needed to build the power of tenants to fight to save their homes and communities. 2. Popular Education Coordinator Position-$68, (salary+fringe) This new staffperson will structure and implement a new Leadership Training Academy in order to deepen the social movement leadership of City Life members who are already experienced volunteer organizers additional set of simultaneous translation equipment for multi-lingual tenant meetings-$4, 4. Haitian Kreyol translation services for weekly resident meetings-$6,76 Growing numbers of Kreyol-speakers are attending CL/VU meetings, requiring both translation and additional equipment to accommodate increased use. 4

5 CEO/Executive Director Statement In Spring 216, City Life canvassers learned that low-income tenants living on Waldeck St. (Dorchester) and Orlando St. (Mattapan) were being subject to vindictive utility shut-offs, safety code violations and landlord intimidation. As a result, many were now at risk of homelessness. One of these tenants, Darcell, soon found herself with clipboard in hand, organizing her neighbors, undeterred by a foot injury caused by bad building conditions. Supported by a City Life volunteer organizer, Darcell and her neighbors organized four building rallies between August and October, which generated community support for their struggle to remain in their homes. When they learned that the landlord was, in fact, in bankruptcy, our legal services partner, Greater Boston Legal Services (GBLS), recruited two private law firms to represent the tenants interests in Bankruptcy Court pro bono, while GBLS handled the eviction cases. Concurrently, City Life coordinated closely with the City s Housing Chief, who advocated for nonprofit purchase of these homes. The climactic scene played out in Bankruptcy Court, where 35 tenants and supporters in neon We Shall Not Be Moved shirts asserted their claims. It was ultimately the collective tenants voice and the impact of the $3.5 million in legal claims which they had documented claims which they agreed to waive if a nonprofit purchased their homes which swayed the Judge to accept Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation s (CSNDC) bid over the higher cash bid of a for-profit. As CSNDC converts these apartments into long-term affordable homes, the tenants get to remain, and the community gains 59 affordable homes for 5+ years. For nearly 2 years, City Life and our legal services partners have been refining a seamless, collaboration between community organizing offense community legal defense, which we have shared with organizers and lawyers across the country who wish to replicate it. While we also have a history of collaborating with community developers, this campaign has raised this collaboration to a new level. Last Fall, people from many walks of life, races and neighborhood gathered at a City Life tenant meeting to celebrate the Waldeck-Orlando victory. All of the stakeholders in that room acknowledged the critical role the tenants leadership had played. It takes an unusual organization to develop such strong, grassroots leadership, and at the same time, to develop the kind of authentic, diverse partnerships that amplify grassroots power in order to win. City Life is that organization. 5

6 Board Chair Statement City Life/Vida Urbana has been an effective force for racial, social and economic justice in Boston for nearly 45 years, organizing tenants, parents, workers and in recent years, small homeowners alongside tenants. The small, skilled and highly committed staff is supported by many volunteers: lawyers and law students, artists and advocates, and community activists. The extraordinary presence and impact of City Life is greatly enhanced through the empowerment and leadership development of the members and the commitment of the many well-trained volunteer activists. Some of these activists and leaders from the base of people directly impacted by displacement also choose to volunteer their time as members of the Board, and serve on various Board and member leadership bodies: Finance, Fundraising, Arts, Good Jobs, and the Tenant Organizing Committee. While City Life has been successful at implementing its organizing model in response to the foreclosure crisis, in recent years, tenant rights have been threatened by bulk purchase of homes in Boston s historic neighborhoods of color by large real estate corporations. This has led to exorbitant rent hikes and development of luxury condominiums, with an accompanying loss of affordable housing, and is changing the landscape of Boston. This renters crisis presents the organization with an opportunity to build a movement that is changing policy in order to protect tenants, owners, small businesses and communities, but also brings many challenges. There is an organizational need to coordinate hundreds of potential volunteers in order to raise capacity to the level needed to win these reforms. The Board works at multiple levels to build this capacity. Along with its work to develop resources, two Board members have stepped up to lend hands-on support to the critical and consuming task of volunteer coordination. I m proud to be part of such a committed working Board that leads by example. It is an exciting and challenging time, and City Life continues to work to develop a movement for racial, social and economic change and community stabilization while building capacity to maintain its effectiveness for another 45 years and beyond. Service Categories Civil Rights, Social Action, & Advocacy N.E.C. Homeowners & Tenants Associations Alliances & Advocacy Geographic Areas Served CL/VU organizes throughout Boston and beyond, especially in low-income neighborhoods with emphasis in the neighborhoods listed above plus a satellite site located in Brockton, MA. The organization offers trainings and technical assistance regionally and nationally, as well as locally, for other housing organizing groups, community development nonprofits, lawyers and law students, faith communities and others wishing to learn about our organizing methods and campaigns. Please review online profile for full list of selected areas served. 6

7 Programs Boston Anti-Displacement Organizing Description Boston Anti-Displacement Organizing CL/VU s affordable housing and anti-displacement work integrates tenant and owner organizing with direct casework. The program primarily addresses Boston s accelerating renters crisis organizing to prevent no-fault evictions of low- and moderate income residents by corporate landlords and stabilize communities. The project also serves foreclosed tenants and owners still facing the fallout of the foreclosure crisis. Budget Category Population Served Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Other Economic Level, Blacks, African Heritage, Hispanic, Latino Heritage Over 9% of families facing displacement who actively participate in City Life's organizing and legal advocacy will remain in their homes for six months or more past their date of intake, enabling them to negotiate longer term stabilization outcomes. The Massachusetts State Legislature will approve the Jim Brooks Stabilization Act--the home rule petition recently passed by the Boston City Council--to buffer tenants and owners from evictions for profit by corporate landlords This year, win nonprofit purchase of 1 occupied, privatelyowned multifamily homes for conversion to long-term affordable homes A total of 7 grassroots leaders will serve on City Life leadership bodies, including 6 who will run for/serve in elected seats. Member-led Tenant Organizing Committee will coordinate Tenant Associations covering 5 buildings in 6 Boston neighborhoods Increase number of member leaders engaged in public storytelling by 25% Low- to moderate-income residents living in Boston s communities of color will remain in their homes and neighborhoods long-term/permanently Boston's historic communities of color will gain control over land and housing, for example, through community land trusts, gaining formal, substantive representation in the City's planning and development process Tenants and small owners will increasingly assume leadership and ownership of City Life and semi-autonomously organize in their own neighborhoods, children's schools, workplaces and faith communities 7

8 Program Success Monitored By Cases progress is tracked via case notes in Quickbase and reviewed regularly by the Boston organizers and organizing coordinator, who are in regular contact with program participants Numbers of people taking on leadership roles are tracked via headcounts and sign-in sheets When the State Legislature holds a hearing, votes on, and approves Boston City Council's home rule petition protecting tenants and owners from evictions for profit by corporate landlords. City Life staff will personally be present at these events Public announcements/media reporting of finalized nonprofit purchases of occupied homes in Boston's communities of color Reported changes in government or corporate policy/practice which will stabilize the housing of significant numbers of people Members feedback on programs and organization policies is elicited at monthly leadership team meetings and at annual board/staff/member leadership team retreat Staff and Board respectively each hold retreats 2X per year to evaluate programmatic and organizational results. 8

9 Examples of Program Success These organizational achievements also represent achievements of Boston Anti-Displacement Organizing Recent Accomplishments Passed New Tenant Protection Law: Played a core role in passage of a municipal law in October 217 that will buffer lowincome tenants from no-fault evictions. More than 2 rallies, hearings, and phone mobilizations over three years persuaded Boston City Council to vote 1-3 to approve this new law the Jim Brooks Stabilization Act which is now headed to the state legislature for approval. Stabilized At-Risk Families and Communities: Organized tenants against a notorious slumlord in Dorchester and Mattapan. This organizing, combined with legal defense and community development, won nonprofit purchase and long-term affordability for 59 tenants homes. Worked with City to Secure Affordable Housing: City Life has been instrumental in making the City of Boston s new housing stabilization program a success. We organized tenants to win nonprofit purchase of nearly 1 homes procured with subsidies from the new program. The new owners have converted these into long-term affordable homes for the current tenants. Current Goals Win New Protections Against Tenant & Small Owner Displacement: As a leader within the Jim Brooks Act coalition, win state legislative approval for the recently passed Boston law that will buffer tenants and owners from evictions for profit by corporate owners. Develop Resident Leadership in Boston Neighborhoods: Further develop and expand a group of 8 leaders (low- to moderateincome residents) who will coordinate Tenant Associations covering 5 buildings in 6 Boston neighborhoods. Train leaders to tell their stories to the public, media, and elected officials, increasing public engagement by 25%. Gain Community Control Over Housing and Land: Through organizing and community development, win nonprofit purchase of 1 occupied, privately owned multifamily homes for conversion into long-term affordable homes. 9

10 Brockton Anti-Foreclosure Organizing Description Brockton Anti-Foreclosure Organizing Because Brockton, MA was among the cities/towns hardest hit by the foreclosure crisis, City Life collaborated with two local groups in order to replicate our foreclosure organizing model response here in 212. Soon after, members of the newly-formed Brockton Bank Tenant Association (BTA) decided to become part of City Life. Brockton BTA engages in door-to-door canvass of foreclosed owners and tenants, peer-group support and rights training, direct action, and public policy advocacy. Budget 4 Category Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, General/Other Population Served Other Economic Level,, Program Short Term Success Program Long term Success 75% of participants will remain in their homes 6 months or more past date of intake, enabling them at minimum to secure a stable housing transition on their own terms, and in most cases, gain the ability to remain long-term or permanently or obtain a satisfactory moveout settlement. Owners and tenants will retain their affordable housing longterm/repurchase their homes. Over the next 3-5 years, residents will gain local control over land and housing through vehicles such as nonprofit purchases or community land trusts By the end of 218, with co-leadership from the Brockton BTA, Brockton City Council will pass a "Just Cause Eviction" ordinance, buffering law-abiding tenants from evictions for profit. Program Success Monitored By Examples of Program Success Case progress is tracked in Quickbase and reviewed on a weekly basis by the Brockton Organizer and Organizing Coordinator, who are in regular contact with program participants and with legal advocates who work closely with residents. In 213, with active organizing involvement from the Brockton BTA, Brockton's City Council became the first in the country to launch a formal study of eminent domain as a strategy to stop displacement due to foreclosure In 215, with Brockton BTA members playing an intensive role in outreach, public storytelling and educating their neighbors and public officials, Brockton City Council passed a local ordinance which would protect foreclosed owners from bank evictions, allowing them instead to pay rent. 1

11 Management CEO/Executive Director Executive Director Ms. Lisa Owens Term Start Nov 214 Experience A long time Boston resident, Lisa Owens has supported a number of local grassroots social justice organizations in a variety of capacities, including: Executive Director, Board member, donor, and volunteer. She served as Executive Director of award-winning award winning youth leadership program mytown, where she doubled the number of youth served and increased revenues by 23%. She has assisted organizations such as The City School and Boston Mobilization to increase capacity through fundraising and programmatic and staff development. Lisa served on the CLVU Board, and was elected President in 212, and transitioned in June 214 into the Interim Executive Director role at CL/VU before becoming the agency s permanent ED in November 214. As a seasoned educator and trainer, she served as an adjunct faculty member at the Boston Campus of Springfield College's School of Human Services for many years and a Senior Fellow at Boston University s Institute for Nonprofit Management and Leadership-Community Fellows program. She teaches courses on structural racism and US social welfare policy, participatory action research, designing community projects, and nonprofit management and leadership. Former CEOs Name Term Ms. Curdina J. Hill Dec 29 - June 214 Ms. Roxann McKinnon Nov 27 - Aug 29 Senior Staff Mr. Stephen Meacham Title Coordinator of Organizing Experience/Biography Ms. Denise Matthews-Turner Title HR/Office Manager Experience/Biography Staff Information Full Time Staff Part Time Staff Volunteers Contractors

12 Staff Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 5 Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 4 Hispanic/Latino 2 Native American/American Indian Other Staff Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified 5 7 Formal Evaluations CEO Formal Evaluation CEO/Executive Formal Evaluation Frequency Senior Management Formal Evaluation Senior Management Formal Evaluation Frequency NonManagement Formal Evaluation Non Management Formal Evaluation Frequency No Annually Annually Annually Plans & Policies Organization has a Fundraising Plan? Organization has a Strategic Plan? Does your organization have a Business Continuity of Operations Plan? Management Succession Plan? Organization Policy and Procedures Nondiscrimination Policy Whistleblower Policy Document Destruction Policy Directors and Officers Insurance Policy Is your organization licensed by the Government? Permit? Under Development Under Development No No Under Development No 12

13 Awards Awards Award/Recognition Organization Year The Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice Annual Award (Awarded to the Bank Tenant Association) Legal Worker Award (Awarded to the Bank Tenant Association) James Rouse Award for Outstanding Work by an Urban Non-profit Outside the Box Award (Awarded to the Bank Tenant Association) Salt of the Earth Award (Awarded to the Bank Tenant Association) Letelier-Moffitt Human Rights Award The Salem Award for Human Rights and Social Justice 212 Massachusetts Jobs With Justice 21 National Lawyers Guild, Massachusetts Chapter National Community Reinvestment Coalition Chinese Progressive Association 29 Community Labor United 28 Institute for Policy Studies 213 Affiliations Affiliation Year 13

14 Board & Governance Board Chair Board Chair Mr. Ricardo Henry Company Affiliation Massachusetts Communities Action Network Term Nov 216 to Oct 217 Board Members Name Affiliation Status Ms. Dawn Belkin-Martinez Simmons College Voting Ms. Laura Foner Community volunteer Voting Ms. Heather Gordon Community volunteer Voting Mr. Mike Leyba United for a Fair Economy Voting Ms. Carolyn Lomax Self-employed Cosmetologist Voting Ms. Debbie Lubarr Community Volunteer Voting Mr. Wil Renderos Audio Chemists, LLC Voting Ms. Maura Russell Massachusetts Board of Education Voting Ms. Edna Willrich Section 8 Tenants, Inc. Voting Mr. Mike Wolfson Harvard School of Public Health Voting Board Demographics - Ethnicity African American/Black 4 Asian American/Pacific Islander Caucasian 4 Hispanic/Latino 3 Native American/American Indian Other Board Demographics - Gender Male Female Unspecified 4 7 Board Information Board Term Lengths Number of Full Board Meetings Annually Written Board Selection Criteria? 1 11 Under Development 14

15 Written Conflict of Interest Policy? Percentage Making Monetary Contributions Percentage Making In-Kind Contributions Constituency Includes Client Representation 42% 1% Standing Committees Finance Executive Personnel Board Development / Board Orientation 15

16 Financials Fiscal Year Fiscal Year Start July 1, 216 Fiscal Year End June 3, 217 Projected Revenue $85,957. Projected Expenses $75,46. Endowment? No Credit Line? No Reserve Fund? Months Reserve Fund Covers Detailed Financials Revenue and Expenses Fiscal Year Total Revenue $1,144,763 $1,21,88 $1,242,175 Total Expenses $1,228,445 $919,613 $1,163,87 Revenue Sources Fiscal Year Foundation and Corporation $432,721 $659,498 $375,51 Contributions Government Contributions $ $ $ Federal State Local Unspecified Individual Contributions $266,163 $174,226 $24,916 Indirect Public Support Earned Revenue $59,335 $87,477 $376,511 Investment Income, Net of Losses $298 $118 $34 Membership Dues $1,28 $12, Special Events $2,725 Revenue In-Kind $383,324 $265,665 $271,137 Other $1,642 $1,266 $11,81 16

17 Expense Allocation Fiscal Year Program Expense $1,37,23 $76,157 $948,699 Administration Expense $111,764 $13,989 $114,244 Fundraising Expense $79,478 $55,467 $1,927 Payments to Affiliates Total Revenue/Total Expenses Program Expense/Total Expenses 84% 83% 82% Fundraising Expense/Contributed Revenue 11% 7% 17% Assets and Liabilities Fiscal Year Total Assets $674,343 $742,586 $467,585 Current Assets $66,73 $731,181 $458,374 Long-Term Liabilities $ $ $ Current Liabilities $5,77 $35,268 $41,742 Total Net Assets $623,636 $77,318 $425,843 Short Term Solvency Fiscal Year Current Ratio: Current Assets/Current Liabilities Long Term Solvency Fiscal Year Long-Term Liabilities/Total Assets % % % Top Funding Sources Fiscal Year Top Funding Source & Dollar Amount Second Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Third Highest Funding Source & Dollar Amount Capital Campaign Currently in a Capital Campaign? No Comments CEO Comments At the end of FY215, City Life received two temporarily restricted grants. While the revenue was recognized in FY215 for accounting purposes, giving the appearance of a large net surplus, both grants were, in fact, released from restriction in FY216. Since these funds had already been counted as revenue the prior year, the FY216 audit shows a net loss which does not reflect the organization's current strong financial position. Foundation Staff Comments Financial summary data in the charts and graphs above is per the organization's audited financials. Created Copyright 218 The Boston Foundation 17