Advancing Communities

Each month, Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together our Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others who are making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Our guests share their experiences and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities.

Each month, Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together our Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others who are making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Our guests share their experiences and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities. In this episode, Jim sits down with Kevin Nowak, executive director at CHN Housing Partners in Cleveland, to talk about transitioning families from renters to homeowners through the Lease Purchase Program. CHN is nationally recognized for its Lease Purchase Program - a 15 year pathway to homeownership for low-income individuals and families - and is eager to help other cities and organizations replicate the model. Cinnaire is currently partnering with CHN on a pilot program in Detroit designed to transfer ownership of 188 single-family affordable homes to renters. Jim and Kevin have discuss the components of the program, success stories and best practices to model the program in markets across the U.S.

In our 7th Advancing Communities episode, Cinnaire Chief Strategy Office Jim Peffley sits down with Adina Abramowitz, founder of Consulting for Change and a pioneer and recognized leader in the CDFI industry. Adina consults with CDFIs nationwide and served with Opportunity Finance Network guiding the organization’s strategy to develop CDFI growth.  In this wide-ranging conversation, Adina discusses CDFIs as a tool to bring about social justice in housing and communities, the role they play as a correction to capital markets and the challenges they face going forward.   Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to Advancing Communities so it hits your podcast app each month and follow us on Twitter at @Cinnaire. Thanks for listening!

Each month, Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together our Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others who are making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Our guests share their experiences and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities. In this episode, Jim sits down with Tim Hunnicutt, founder and CEO of Zero Day, a non-profit organization providing housing and critical supportive services for struggling veterans. Tim shares the story of Zero Day and the role housing, job training and therapeutic services play in transitioning military veterans into a healthy and productive civilian life. Through Zero Day, Tim has served hundreds of returning veterans. Tim also shares his work with Cinnaire to develop Silver Star Apartments, an affordable living community providing housing and support services to veterans in Battle Creek, MI. The development was the first affordable housing community for veterans in Michigan and has become a model for affordable veterans housing nationwide.

 Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together our Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others who are making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Guests share their experience and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities. In episode 5, Jim is joined by Judge Harvey Hoffman and Mike Hurst, two individuals who have led the Permanent Supportive Recovery Housing initiative in the State of Michigan. The program is one of the first in the country to address the nation’s opiate epidemic at the Treatment Court level with long term sober housing and recovery support services. Harvey and Mike recently worked with the Treatment Courts and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to launch Andy’s Place in Jackson, Michigan the first of several Permanent Supportive Recovery Housing projects planned in the state. In this episode, Mike and Harvey discuss Andy’s Place and how the Permanent Supportive Recovery Housing model can be a long term solution for addressing opiate addiction in Michigan, and across the country.

Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together our Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Our guests share their experiences and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities. In this episode, Part 2 of 2, Jim continues his conversation with Dan Selekman, a recently retired police officer with the City of Wilmington, DE. As a member of the Wilmington police force, Dan became well known for his approach to community policing in the West Center City neighborhood, an area that had experienced a rise in shootings and violence.  Tune in as Dan tells his story along with the powerful lessons he learned about community policing and engaging people.

Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others who are making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Our guests share their experiences and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities. In this episode, Part 1 of 2, Jim is joined by Dan Selekman, a recently retired police officer with the City of Wilmington, DE. Dan is well known in Wilmington for his approach to community policing in the distressed Center City neighborhood, an area that had experienced a rise in shootings and violence.  As he engaged with residents there, he built a strong bond based on compassion and human connection and as a result the community experienced a a significant decrease in gun violence and improvement in overall public safety. Dan's approach to community policing is a model being replicated in cities seeking to create healthy communities nationwide. Tune in as Dan tells his story along with the powerful lessons he learned.

Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together our Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others who are making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Our guests share their experiences and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities. In this episode, Jim discusses community revitalization with Wilmington, DE Mayor Mike Purzycki. Purzycki shares his thoughts on the critical importance of creating healthy, thriving neighborhoods as the foundation for improving the City. The challenges facing some of Wilmington’s neighborhoods – poverty, blight, crime, school performance and joblessness – are not unique to Wilmington but are American problems. Tune in as Jim and Mayor Purzycki discuss taking these issues head on and improving communities and people’s lives through neighborhood investment and revitalization.

Cinnaire’s Advancing Communities Podcast brings together our Chief Strategy Officer Jim Peffley with thought leaders, policy makers and others who are making an impact in the community development and affordable housing industries. Our guests share their experiences and perspective on a range of topics, each supporting the belief that all people deserve the opportunities provided by living in healthy communities.   In episode 2, Jim sits down with Reverend Terrence Keeling. Reverend Keeling is Pastor of Central Baptist Church and president of the Central Baptist Community Development Corporation (CBCDC) in Wilmington, DE, one of Cinnaire's Priority Cities. Tune in to hear Jim and Reverend Keeling discuss the mission and purpose of the CBCDC,what makes a healthy community, barriers to success in community development, how to overcome those challenges, and designing programs that provide communities and people opportunities for empowerment.

It's the debut of Advancing Communities with your host Jim Peffley - an executive VP at Cinnaire. Cinnaire is a non profit organization focused on community development and affordable housing. Listen in as he chats with his guest Jeff Hayward who is an Executive VP with Multi Family which is part of Fannie Mae.