The National Center for Tenant Ownership (NCTO), a program of The Harrison Institute for Public Law at Georgetown University Law Center, was established to develop and implement procedures and policies to further the goals of self-help and self-determination for low- and moderate-income people. NCTO pursues these goals by supporting community-based economic development and assisting the provision of affordable housing in low and moderate income communities across the country. NCTO has fulfilled this mission by developing and analyzing policy options and by providing hands-on technical assistance, training and development expertise to nonprofit housing developers, local resident groups, community organizations and federal, state and local agencies.

Capabilities & Approach

NCTO has both internal and external capacity because of its broad staff experience and its ability to draw on the varied resources of Georgetown University. In particular, NCTO is capable of creating and analyzing policy initiatives; developing, managing and evaluating national programs; assisting in the development and financing of affordable housing; providing technical assistance concerning the development and interpretation of government programs; supporting the establishment and operation of community-based businesses and economic development initiatives; and training and building the local capacity of community residents, nonprofits and government agencies in housing, economic development and other business areas. NCTO has implemented a strategy for providing practical, hands on assistance to help its constituents meet housing, economic development and community empowerment objectives. Our staff capabilities are accessible through conventional means such as onsite or telephone consultation and through cutting-edge technologies such as teleconferencing, satellite linkages and the Internet.

History

NCTO is a program of The Harrison Institute for Public Law, one of 11 institutes or clinical programs at the Georgetown University Law Center. The Harrison Institute was established in 1972 to support community groups seeking to effect political and economic change and provide assistance to local governments and other public institutions to enhance their responsiveness and effectiveness. The Institute has extensive experience in providing direct legal representation to clients including government agencies and citizen organizations in the areas of affordable housing, public policy, practicing/teaching law and new government and quasi-government entities. NCTO was created in 1992 to empower low and moderate income persons so that they would be able to own and/or manage their housing and participate as active members in shaping their housing and economic futures. With a $3 million multi-year grant from the U.S Department of Housing & Urban Development , NCTO began working directly with nonprofit housing groups, resident organizations in HUD-assisted housing, HUD staff and local governments nationwide on a variety of HUD-sponsored housing and economic development initiatives.

Summary of Service Areas

National and On-site Training Services & Materials Development

NCTO has a long history of designing and conducting training sessions and developing materials for a variety of clients based on its housing development, financial, federal grant administration and economic development expertise. The Center has developed and presented training sessions using a variety of media including national satellite training sessions, teleconferencing, videoconferencing, on-site training sessions and conference calls. NCTO also has a well-documented background of developing and presenting complex materials in an easy-to-understand format whether it is for a national conference, on-site training or instructional manual. Our training and materials, which are developed with substantial input from clients, have been used by Boards of Directors of resident organizations, nonprofit managers, federal managers and program staff as well as other nonprofits. Our major training areas include the following:

• Organizational Development

  • Organizing and Developing Resident Organizations
  • Homeownership Training for Resident Groups
  • Organizing and Operating Business Entities
• Economic Development

  • Housing-Led Economic Development
  • Microenterprise
  • Neighborhood Computer Centers
  • Community-based Business Enterprises
• Federal Programs & Regulations

  • HUD's HOPE 2 Grant Program
  • Nonprofit requirements for HUD grants
• Multifamily Housing Development and Finance

  • Program Coordination and Development
  • Financial Packaging and Asset Management

Representative Project:

Aspen Systems Corporation. Under a subcontract with Aspen Systems Corporation, which was under contract with HUD, NCTO produced Neighborhood Networks: A How To Manual, a step-by-step guide to the successful development of neighborhood-based computer learning centers. This manual addresses many issues affecting the development of computer centers, including the following:

• Explaining the computer learning center process, including a description of the HUD program Neighborhood Networks, development of a time line for starting a steering committee and discussion of a governing structure;
• Assessing resident needs and identifying community assets in preparation for choosing a program focus;
• Selecting the appropriate program based on the adult education, afterschool tutoring, job preparation, job placement, senior services or electronic commerce focus of most computer centers;
• Evaluating the operational needs for the center, including equipment, staffing, volunteers, marketing and evaluation;
• Exploring funding options for the computer center; and
• Developing a business plan based on programmatic, operations and financial concerns.

The manual also includes success stories from established neighborhood computer centers as well as a listing of related reference materials. NCTO staff also developed and presented two training sessions at the four regional HUD-sponsored workshops on Neighborhood Networks in 1996. The two sessions include:

• "Assessing Resident Needs and Building Community Partnerships," which addressed the initial steps in planning a neighborhood-based center; and
• "How to Write a Business Plan," which guided participants through the essential elements of preparing a business plan to seek funding for a center and presented possible funding options.

More than 1,000 participants, representing multifamily housing owners and managers, residents, local nonprofits, state and local governments and HUD offices throughout the country participated in these training sessions.

Revised June 27, 2003 (ML)