Co-sponsored by the American Planning Association – MA Chapter (APA-MA) and the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)

Date: Friday, September 24, 2010
Time:  8:30am -1:15pm
Location: Central Massachusetts Regional Planning Commission, Union Station, Worcester

Please join to learn and discuss how communities have successfully used the Commonwealth;s Urban Renewal Program to stimulate private development and economic revitalization

Program Schedule for September 24, 2010
8:30 AM – 9:00 AM Registration and Breakfast

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM Welcome by Worcester City Manager Mike O’Brien

9:15 AM – 10:30 AM Panel I:
Urban Renewal—A Powerful Planning Tool Jef Fasser, VHB (moderator)

Urban Renewal in Massachusetts: A Historical Overview Maureen Hayes, President, Hayes Development Services

Why Urban Renewal as a Redevelopment Strategy? Adam Baacke, Assistant City Manager/DPD Director, City of Lowell

Urban Renewal from Planning to Implementation John Fitzgerald, Urban Development Coordinator, DHCD

10:45 AM – 12:00 PM Panel II:
Implementation Strategies—Weathering the Storms and Creating Success Jef Fasser, VHB (moderator)

Adapting Urban Renewal to Changing Market Conditions Jay Ash, City Manager, City of Chelsea

Slow and Steady; Staying the Course Lisa Wong, Mayor, City of Fitchburg

Urban Renewal as a Catalyst for Private Investment Sean McDonnell, President, Architectural Heritage Foundation, Inc.

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM
Lunch

12:30 PM – 1:15 PM
Keynote Address: Creative Financing for Redevelopment Ted Carman, President, Concord Square Planning & Development, Inc.

Registration

Date:  Monday, September 27
Location:  Sheraton Framingham Conference Center

This fall, the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and Associated Grant Makers are once again partnering to host a second annual joint statewide nonprofit conference.  Nonprofit Innovation: Doing things Differently – Doing Different Things will bring together nonprofit organizations as well as consultants and foundations to bolster their knowledge of effective practices thus strengthening their ability to carry out their mission and work.

Innovation has been, and will continue to be, an omnipresent theme for nonprofits throughout the Commonwealth. In these times, a creative lens is paramount to organizational sustainability and significant change. In 2010, the symposium comprises 24 workshops chosen from over 70 proposals that exemplify both “Innovation” (cutting edge, new thinking) and “What Works” (best practices that have been tried across several situations and organizations). This year, a minimum of 650 individuals are expected to attend and take part in this exciting opportunity.

Additional Information and Registration Here

Sponsored by NHN Learning Alliance

The NHN Learning Alliance (NHNLA) is currently registering senior counselors and managers for the Housing Counseling Program Management training in Washington, DC. The training will begin on Monday, September 27 at 8:00 a.m. and go through Wednesday, September 29 at 3:00 p.m. Breakfast and Lunch will be provided for participants.

Scholarships are available.

Additional Information and Registration here

Presented by the Immigrant Learning Center

Date:  September 29 – October 1, 2010
Location:  Westin Boston Waterfront

The National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC) will be held in Boston, Massachusetts this fall. The 1st NIIC successfully brought together over 300 stakeholders: policy makers and community based organizations, service providers and the government sector last June. The focus in Denver was how to move integration efforts forward at the local, state and national level. The Boston conference will emphasize promising practices with four broad themes:   Immigrants and Naturalization, Immigrants and the Economy, Host Communities and Justice with 24 workshops on naturalization, civic engagement, public education, language, workforce development, recertification, integration models, community development and public services.

The Partnership for New Americans selected Boston because of the rich diversity of immigrant communities and the long history of progressive integration policies in the state.  The breadth and depth of Massachusetts’ immigrant community, the 7th largest overall immigrant population in the nation, provides a unique backdrop for inclusion and integration discussions as it represents one of the nation’s most diverse populations.  Governor Patrick will offer his New American Agenda as one example of uniting forces across all sectors to foster immigrant integration.   New Jersey and Massachusetts are among the first states to work on an integration policy.

Register today: www.integrationconference.org

Date:  September 29 – October 1, 2010
Location: The Westin Boston Waterfront (425 Summer St. Boston, MA 02210)

Three hundred policymakers, practitioners, and experts and are expected to gather at this year’s conference to address four critical areas: naturalization, economic growth, host communities, and justice.  NIIC will gather a cross-sector group of valuable leaders from education, government, labor, advocacy, business and CBOs, from local, state and national levels.

Recognizing that global migration is increasing and continues to bring challenges and opportunities, this conference is a unique occasion to share promising practices, provide timely updates on current developments in the field, reinforce existing networks and work together to impact the advancement of immigrant integration policies and practices.

Additional information and registration here

Date:  Friday, October 8, 2010
Time:  10:00am – 4:30pm
Location:  Lawrence CommunityWorks (168 Newbury St. Lawrence, MA 01841)
Instructor:  Harry Smith

Registration Fees:
Students/AmeriCorps members – $25.00
MACDC Members – $50.00
Non-MACDC Members – $100.00

The Intersection of Sustainability, Revitalization, and Policy Reform

Date:  October 13-15, 2010
Location:  Cleveland, Ohio

Help your community realize its potential by participating in the Reclaiming Vacant Properties conference!

This past year has proven that by working together, communities can overcome the immense challenges caused by vacant and abandoned properties. While waves of foreclosures and a strained economy have ravaged neighborhoods throughout the country, public agencies, private companies, and residents banded together to develop solutions to preserve their communities and make sure they would come back stronger than ever.

Join hundreds of your peers from communities from the Sunbelt to the Rustbelt, to learn about the policies, tools, and strategies to catalyze long-term, sustainable revitalization. Share your experiences and insights, and become a part of the only national network focused on building the knowledge, leadership, and momentum to reclaim vacant and abandoned properties to foster thriving neighborhoods.

http://reclaimingvacantproperties.org/