(ShelterForce) The Truth About Security Deposit Alternatives

In This Issue: In Trump's Lame Duck Period, Nonprofits Still Face "Chaotic" Effect of His Orders ● Fighting No-Fault Evictions with a Just Cause Ordinance ● Security Deposit Alternatives: The Misleading Marketing of 'Renter's Choice' ● Also:

Week of Dec. 14 In This Issue: In Trump’s Lame Duck Period, Nonprofits Still Face “Chaotic” Effect of His Orders ● Fighting No-Fault Evictions with a Just Cause Ordinance ● Security Deposit Alternatives: The Misleading Marketing of ‘Renter’s Choice’ ● Also: Jobs ● Industry News ● Opportunities ● Resources ● Events ● You Said It ● In Case You Missed It + Security Deposit Alternatives: The Misleading Marketing of ‘Renter’s Choice’ Alex Williamson, Shelterforce Dozens of cities and states are considering legislation allowing alternatives to upfront security deposits, such as "security deposit insurance." The only problem? It's not actually insurance. Read Full Article Fighting No-Fault Evictions with a Just Cause Ordinance Annie Howard, Shelterforce Like many places across the country, Chicago housing activists are trying to require that landlords have justifiable reasons before initiating evictions. But it hasn't been easy. Read Full Article In Trump’s Lame Duck Period, Nonprofits Still Face “Chaotic” Effect of His Orders Meir Rinde, Shelterforce Nonprofits are struggling with how to respond to the ban on “divisive concepts” in their training and protect their federal funding. Read Full Article In Case You Missed It State Policies Play a Central Role in the Fight Against Vacant Property Who Should Lead Biden’s HUD? A ‘Public Option’ for Low-Income Homeownership? Catch-22: The Tortuous Path to Home Repair Help Industry News Jawanza Malone has concluded his tenure with Kenwood-Oakland Community Council (KOCO) in Chicago, and taken a role at the Wieboldt Foundation. Shannon Bennett, who most recently served as deputy director at KOCO, is their next executive director. Resources National housing nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners worked with Fannie Mae and HUD to put together a free online disaster planning resource with dozens of tools that housing owners can use to create a step-by-step plan before a disaster strikes. The Center for Community Investment at the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and the Catholic Health Association released Investing for Community Health: A Toolkit for Hospitals. This resource is designed for hospital and health care system board members, leaders, and staff who are contemplating investing upstream in the social determinants of health or are ready to get started. Opportunities The Moth and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are offering three virtual storytelling workshops in February and March of 2021. A total of 24 people will be selected to participate in these workshops (8 per workshop) free of charge. They invite all who have powerful personal stories to tell that bring light to the experience of seeking economic security and mobility in the United States. Learn more and apply here. Events Tuesday, Dec. 15, 3 p.m. ET | Stop Evictions, Save Lives: National Briefing on COVID-19 & The Eviction Crisis | Join the Right to the City Alliance and Human Impact Partners for a conversation on the deepening housing and public health crises as the CDC eviction moratorium is set to expire on Dec. 31st. Register here. Thursday, Dec. 17, 3 p.m. ET | Meet Me at the Punch Bowl with Shelterforce | We'd like to invite you to the Punch Bowl. Just some time to chat, partake in trivia (optional!), and connect with your housing colleagues. We’ll have several opportunities to have more or less structured conversations depending on your preference, and some unique ways to let your hair down after a truly challenging year. Register here. Saturday, Dec. 19, 1 p.m. ET | A Deeper Look at Health Care Through Power Mapping | Join Communicate for Health Justice to take a deeper look at healthcare through “power mapping,” a visual exercise that helps you to identify strategic relationships. Register here. We only list free events and resources of national interest.  To learn about advertising, click here. Looking for a Job? Scroll Down... You Said It Why Melvyn Colón loves Shelterforce: “Every issue has an article that's relevant to my work and the things that I really care about . . . I appreciate that it's focused on practice, but also has reflective pieces and articles that address policy issue. . .” Join Melvyn and help keep us strong for years to come. Cindy A. Ramirez: Happy to have donated to @Shelterforce today! It is an amazing resource for folks wanting to learn about housing and homelessness issues, initiatives, programs, etc. across the nation. Via Twitter On “A ‘Public Option’ for Low-Income Homeownership?” Joe Laws: I’m a big proponent of low-income homeownership, but the growing federal student loan debacle shows the perils of direct government lending. Government lending isn’t always a good thing. Via Twitter Barbara Samuels: Excellent suggestion & @Shelterforce article. Via Twitter Deborah Myerson: There are replicable options to support low-income homeownership right in our own backyard—where qualified buyers can borrow from and repay to a federal agency or a nonprofit instead of a private lender. Via Twitter On “The Opposite of Deficit-Based Language Isn’t Asset-Based Language. It’s Truth-Telling.” Michael Savoy: Wonderful article shared with me today. Via Twitter On “Loneliness Kills; Community Developers Can Help” Stephanie Herbers: STL could benefit from more anti-displacement programs, maintained/well funded public gathering spots for all ages, affordable housing near transit, & so much more... Via Twitter On “Will the Joe Biden Administration Bring Rent Relief?” Linsey Ortiz: Ugh… Can I just say that I think our government is disgusting? It's actually embarrassing. So many people suffering, businesses permanently closing and nothing is being done. It’s so so sad. I am behind . . . Read More Jobs Vice President, National Homeownership Programs and Lending, Neighborworks America, Washington, D.C. ● The Vice President, National Homeownership Programs and Lending, leads NeighborWorks’ national efforts to support financial stability and wealth building by providing thought leadership, strategic planning, and program planning and development, including management of . . . Read Full Listing State & Local Policy Manager, Grounded Solutions Network, Remote ● Grounded Solutions Network seeks a full-time State and Local Policy Manager to lead policy consulting engagements. The Manager will also develop online resources and design and deliver trainings and presentations. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. We know that our work is . . . Read Full Listing More Jobs Senior Project Manager, Detroit, MI ● Housing Partnership Network Program Manager - Equitable Neighborhood Development, San Antonio, TX ● National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders Director, Fund Development, Detroit, MI ● Housing Partnership Network Director of Housing Programs, Washington, DC ● Coalition for Nonprofit Housing & Economic Development Click here to post a job! CEO/Publisher, Schlonn Hawkins CEO/Editor-in-Chief, Miriam Axel-Lute Managing Editor, Lillian M. Ortiz Associate Editor, Brandon Duong Assistant Editor, Elizabeth Oguss Operations Manager, Sam Fields Made possible by the generous support of Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ● The Kresge Foundation ● Oak Foundation ● Wells Fargo and  Bank of America Foundation ● Citi Community Development ● The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation ● JPMorgan Chase Foundation ● Kaiser Permanente ● NeighborWorks America ● PNC Bank Foundation● Truist Bank  ● Valley National Bank ... and with the support of readers like you.