Community And Shelter Assist Corp

DEVELOPING HOUSING, PROGRAMS, AND FACILITIES FOR FARMWORKERS AND OTHER LOW-INCOME POPULATIONS.

FAMILY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY - CASA ACTS AS THE FIDUCIARY ORGANIZATION AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR FOR THREE COMMUNITY-BASED, INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT INITIATIVES: VIDA, MATCHED COLLEGE SAVINGS PROGRAM (MCSP), AND EARN, EMPOWER, EDUCATE (E3). AT THE CORE OF CASA'S FAMILY ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM (FEOP) ARE THE NOTIONS OF FINANCIAL SECURITY, ASSET BUILDING, AND CONSUMER EDUCATION. IN THIS ROLE, CASA DIRECTS PROGRAM OPERATIONS INCLUDING: PROVIDING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO MEMBER ORGANIZATION; DATA COLLECTION; FUND DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT; AND DISTRIBUTION OF INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT (IDA) FUNDS ON BEHALF OF 58 ORGANIZATIONS AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS THAT COMPRISE VIDA, MCSP, AND E3.THE VIDA PROGRAM IS A COLLABORATIVE OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND HOUSING AUTHORITIES THAT BRING A WIDE ARRAY OF EXPERIENCE INCLUDING HOUSING DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL SUPPORT SERVICES, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE, AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT. VIDA MEMBERSHIP HAS GROWN FROM NINE ORGANIZATIONS IN 2001 TO 40 ORGANIZATIONS IN 2021. THE MCSP COLLABORATIVE CURRENTLY CONSISTS OF EIGHT HIGH SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES. THE SCHOOLS ACCESSING MCSP FOCUS ON CREATING ACCESS TO POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION FOR UNDERREPRESENTED STUDENTS, SUCH AS STUDENTS OF COLOR, FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS, AND NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS. E3 IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE OREGON ALLIANCE FOR INDEPENDENT COLLEGES (OAICU) AND EIGHT PARTICIPATING EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS. FINANCIAL AID STAFF WORK CLOSELY WITH CASA TO IDENTIFY AND ENROLL ELIGIBLE SAVERS. CASA PROVIDES COACHING AND DEVELOPMENT WHILE THE STUDENTS SAVE. TOGETHER, VIDA, MCSP, AND E3 SERVE 32 COUNTIES IN OREGON. SINCE 2001, MORE THAN $217 MILLION HAS BEEN LEVERAGED IN COMMUNITY INVESTMENTS (SUCH AS MORTGAGE LOANS), 778 SMALL BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN CREATED OR EXPANDED, AND $15.1 MILLION HAS BEEN INVESTED IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR LOW-INCOME OREGONIANS.IN ADDITION TO FUNDS FROM STATE AND FEDERAL RESOURCES, FEOP RECEIVES FEES FOR SERVICES FROM OAICU AND THEIR MEMBER SCHOOLS AS WELL AS OTHER ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE OVERSIGHT AND MANAGEMENT OF THEIR IDA PROGRAMS.

MANUFACTURED HOUSING COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT - THE PRESERVATION OF MANUFACTURED HOME COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE CREATION OF RESIDENT-OWNED COMMUNITIES IS AT THE HEART OF THE MANUFACTURED HOUSING COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MHCD). USING A MULTI-FACETED APPROACH, CASA'S PROGRAM FOCUSES ON POLICY ISSUES, AS WELL AS ON-THE-GROUND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN ORDER TO MAKE RESIDENT OWNERSHIP A VIABLE OPTION.IN MAY 2008, CASA BECAME ONE OF NINE CERTIFIED TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS (CTAPS) UNDER THE NATIONAL ROC USA NETWORK. AS A MEMBER OF THE ROC USA NETWORK, CASA DELIVERS PRE- AND POST-PURCHASE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND HELPS MANUFACTURED HOMEOWNERS SECURE THE FINANCING NEEDED TO BUY THEIR COMMUNITIES AND SHAPE THEIR ECONOMIC FUTURES THROUGH RESIDENT OWNERSHIP. SINCE 2008, CASA HAS CONVERTED 20 MANUFACTURED HOUSING PARKS (TOTALING 1,366 SPACES) INTO RESIDENT-OWNED COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDES ONGOING, POST-PURCHASE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING TO THE COOPERATIVE BOARD AND MEMBERS. THE AGGREGATE ?AS-IMPROVED" MARKET VALUE OF THESE PARKS IS ESTIMATED AT $80 MILLION. AGGREGATE GRANT FUNDS LEVERAGED FOR ACQUISITION IS ESTIMATED AT $29.4 MILLION. CASA CONTINUES TO EXPAND ITS MHCD PROGRAM WITH THE GOAL OF CONVERTING AT LEAST TWO MANUFACTURED HOUSING COMMUNITIES ANNUALLY.

HOUSING AND FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT - CASA WAS ORIGINALLY ESTABLISHED TO ADDRESS THE HOUSING NEEDS OF FARMWORKERS THROUGHOUT OREGON. WORKING PRIMARILY WITH LOCAL COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, THE HOUSING AND FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT (HFD) DEPARTMENT SEEKS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF FARMWORKERS AND OTHER LOW INCOME HOUSEHOLDS IN RURAL OREGON. DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE NEW CONSTRUCTION, REHABILITATION, AND PRESERVATION OF SUBSIDIZED PROPERTIES. CASA PROVIDES A FULL SCOPE OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, INCLUDING: IDENTIFYING AREAS OF NEED; IDENTIFYING APPROPRIATE PROPERTIES; ASSEMBLING THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM (ARCHITECT, CONTRACTOR, SURVEYORS, ETC.); PREPARING BUDGETS AND FUNDING APPLICATIONS; CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT; FINANCING; AND ASSISTING WITH MARKETING AND LEASING. SINCE 1989, CASA HAS DEVELOPED 60 PROJECTS WITH OVER 2,800 UNITS AND NINE COMMUNITY FACILITIES, INCLUDING HEALTH CARE CLINICS, HEAD START FACILITIES, AND COMMUNITY CENTERS.CASA SPONSORS A BIENNIAL FARMWORKER HOUSING CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES FACING AGRICULTURE WORKERS.