Fourth Biennial Convention 2008
“the best one I’ve been to so far”
On a sunny Saturday in November 2008, over 700 people involved in the community economic development movement came together for a day of celebration, learning and action at the Westin Seaport Hotel in South Boston. MACDC’s fourth biennial convention attracted CDC board members, residents and staff people from across the state as well as partners from other non profit organizations, government agencies, foundations, banks and other sectors.
The highlight of the day occurred during the Foreclosure Forum held in the afternoon when homeowners facing foreclosure spoke about their experiences and Congressman Barney Frank spoke about how he and other members of Congress were addressing the foreclosure crisis. MACDC used the Forum to release a new “Report Card” on the mortgage lending industry’s response to the foreclosure crisis. The Massachusetts Mortgage Industry Report Card: A View of the Foreclosure Crisis from the Perspective of Foreclosure Prevention Counselors surveyed non-profit housing agencies that provide counseling to homeowners facing foreclosure. These counselors are on the front lines of the foreclosure crisis working everyday with hundreds of homeowners across the state. The purpose of the survey was to learn which of the major mortgage lenders were most responsive to the needs of homeowners and to see how the industry as a whole was responding.
Earlier in the day, participants attended a number of outstanding workshops tailored to their specific interests and needs. CDC Board members from across the state came together with their peers to learn about Best Practices for Board members. Young people from two Boston-based CDCs led workshop participants through a series of activities exploring who has power in our communities. CDC staff, board and community members held a mock legislative hearing to practice their advocacy skills. In addition to the workshops MACDC unveiled its new legislative initiative, the Campaign for Our Neighborhoods.
As we have in past years, the Convention also provided an opportunity to celebrate and honor leaders in our field with MACDC’s Annual Awards Ceremony. This year’s winners (LINK) include Tina Brooks, Undersecretary for Housing and Community Development, and Mazonson Insurance Co.
MACDC received overwhelming compliments on another successful convention. They are summed up by one CDC staff member’s email message: “the best one I’ve been to so far”.