Anahola, HI — The Homestead Community Development Corporation (HCDC) announces the nonprofit will send staff and board members to the 2019 Rural LISC Seminar, an annual national conference for rural community development professionals. This year’s Seminar will be held in Monticello, New York June 4-7 and will provide a unique forum to learn about new rural economic development opportunities; gain valuable insight on critical issues facing rural America such as the 2020 Census; develop asset building tools and organizational development strategies; and offer a networking environment for sharing knowledge with rural development colleagues from across the country.
“Rural LISC continues to be an important partner in our work on the trust lands of our native Hawaiian people, where we live and raise our families,” said Iwalani McBrayer, HCDC chair of the board of commissioners. “Mahalo to Rural LISC for sharing resources and knowledge to advance our mission to create jobs and affordable housing.”
LISC President and CEO Maurice Jones will welcome attendees with a keynote address. Participants will engage in three days of plenary and workshop sessions organized around:
- Economic Development – exploring new ways to catalyze economic development through downtown revitalization efforts, innovative wealth and skill-building strategies, and Opportunity Zones.
- Capacity Building – discovering how to increase organizational capacity through bridging generational differences in the workplace, asset and property management, and innovative financing tools.
- Community Development – learning about the latest rural community development trends and how to best respond to them, including the opioid crisis, transportation barriers, and fighting isolation/striving for inclusion among our LGBTQ community.
“HCED exemplifies the very best in bringing innovative programming to their community, and we are delighted that they are attending this year’s Seminar,” said Suzanne Anarde, LISC Vice President and Rural LISC Director.
About HCDC
Founded in 2009, HCDC is dedicated to job creation and affordable housing on or near Hawaiian Home Lands, a federal land trust created by the U.S. Congress under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1921. HCDC is the only nonprofit community development corporation governed by native Hawaiian leaders eligible for lands within the HHCA. For the last 10 years, HCDC has developed affordable single-family homes, several economic development projects including a certified kitchen, open-air marketplace, an enterprise center, and is embarking on a 50-unit rental housing project. HCDC is an emerging Native CDFI, delivering technical assistance on tiny homes and additional dwelling units, and is focused on delivering loan capital to family farms and ranches located on Hawaiian Home Lands to advance relevant rural jobs and economic opportunity.
About Rural LISC
Launched in 1995, Rural LISC is the rural component of the largest community development support organization in the country, called LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation). For 24 years, Rural LISC has partnered with rural communities, helping to forge innovative solutions that lead to prosperity and opportunity. Rural LISC’s investments in rural America have totaled $1.25 billion in grants, equity and low-cost loan funds. Rural LISC has leveraged this investment resulting in $3.3 billion from public and private sources, to produce 35,000 affordable homes and apartments, create 4 million square feet of commercial and community space, assist 700 businesses, create 12,000 jobs and support 20 early childhood centers. By generating resources and investing in the grassroots efforts of its 89 partner community-based organizations, Rural LISC is committed to making rural communities good places to live, work, do business and raise children. Learn more at www.lisc.org/rural.