pic by jessamyn

No you cannot have housing if you abandoned public housing without good cause.
No you cannot have housing if your not meeting the 30 hour a week work requirement.
No you cannot have housing if you have not saved 30 % of your income.
No you cannot have housing if you have been evicted from public or subsidized housing.
No you cannot have housing if your household has someone with an outstanding default or arrest warrant.
No you cannot have housing if you rejected one offer of housing without a good reason.
So what if there is a 5-8 year wait list for section 8 housing vouchers.
So what that you are waiting for a section 8 voucher that is worth thousands of dollars.
So what that the minimum wage of $8 at forty hours a week provides at 30% income only $416 to use towards rent.
So what that public housing area crime statistics are higher than most other locations.
So what that you feel your life is at risk in public housing.
So what that your child must experience a life cycle that includes gang recruitment.
So what that the economy is in a recession, no one hires you while in a shelter and you do not know where your going to live in order to know how you will get to the job.
So what that you did not know that someone in your household has an outstanding warrant.
So what that you cannot understand the definition of without good cause.
So what that you cannot understand the definition of a good reason.
So what that the interpretation of life consequences can be random.

Your homelessness is not about measuring the fact that your attaining the goals jointly agreed upon.

Your homelessness is necessary so that government can serve as many as possible knowing that the majority will succeed just by the fact that human nature drives people to overcome obstacles.

Nonprofits need to balance what the government will pay for and what their private funders will pay for.

The strategy to overhaul the Homeless Shelter system by more quickly moving the homeless into more permanent housing only works if there is sufficient subsidized housing or housing within 30% of a persons income will fail unless there is a large increase in subsidize and truly affordable housing. The traditional service model of serving long-term needy families and individuals in emergency housing is evolving to separate the chronic families/individuals from short term needy families/individuals. I question whether a more medical services model is necessary to better target those whom want treatment and those whom refuse treatment.

Maybe the new government motto should be “Be an Active Participant or Get Lost”

If you want real answers check your local nonprofits since they are usually available even when the government is not.

pic by Sclopit

The Clean Air Act of 1970 provides California as the only state along with the EPA whom can set vehicle pollution standards. However, California may set a stricter standard which the EPA must approve. Any state then can either abide by the federal or California standard. 13 states utilize the California standard which represents 40% of the vehicle market. In 2002 California passed a law to reduce green house gas by 30% by 2016. While there had been a surprised rejection in 2002, there law is be reconsidered by the EPA and is likely to become the stricter standard for the 13 states.

President Obama has a goal to put 1 million Plug-In Hybrid cars that can get up to 150 miles per gallon on the road by 2015, with the cars built in America.

The Stimulus bill includes within the appropriation support for $300,000,000 to be spent for replacing part of the federal fleet vehicles that meet a much higher standard.  This is a great opportunity towards jump starting new fuel  efficiency in a big way.  I would suggest that the Federal government allow states and nonprofits to join in any purpose plan to take advantage of any bulk buying discount they receive.  Thereby, allowing even more impact by the Stimulus bill.  I would further suggest to the degree possible try to meet the California standard.

I am waiting to buy my new vehicle once the fuel standards jump much higher, since I want to keep my gas costs low, I can and support the costs to change the USA energy use. I think keeping prices of gas at price floor provides money to provide incentives to increase fuel efficiencies, support use of alternative energies and the use of alternative transportation.  I going to bond to the California way of thinking.

pic by Hartboy

Health Care and Technology

The number one compliant about the electronic medical record is entry errors of conducted tests.  Instead of letting complaining get in the way of health care improvements congress is pushing forward.  Why, because the risk is too high not to do something.  Improvements in health have not been created by waiting until all facts are known, problems resolved or concerns addressed.  Risk management shows that number of individuals more likely to be helped outweighs the common statistical weight of a negative outcome for some.  Health Care data will identify trends in disease, outbreaks of a disease, the efficiency of treatment, the effectiveness of treatment, cost analysis, inappropriate medical procedures, the procedures that should be replicated, lowers barriers to treatment and brings together more knowledge to be shared more broadly.

The issue of privacy under the rules of HIPPA has become a tool for arguing against common systems and to drive up the costs of the electronic record keeping.  It is utilized to shut down the effectiveness and efficiency of the electronic medical record.

As one whom has been involved in many team approaches to treatment and the need to have payers billed for the services the issue of privacy comes down to two types of entities.  Those entities who utilize medical information to make informed choices in their role on behalf of the individual; and those who wish to manipulate or gain from the information.

The simple way to make this work from a HIPPA perspective is to have clear serious penalties for those who want to manipulate the medical system or try to gain from the information.  This means financial high penalties, including and paying the legal fees of those that brought suit and jail time.  It is easy to file for bankruptcy but not walk away from jail.

So when your effected by the someone or an entity misusing your data make sure the penalty is high enough to make it not worth misusing the data in the first place.  Too many laws are past where it is cheaper to pay the fines than to follow the rules.

Why always me, is usually more a perception than a reality.

High Hopes Vs Manipulation

I found it amazing that some in Congress whom opposed the Stimulus bill resorted to lies and manipulation to try to make a point.  I appreciated that President Obama allowed all sides to voice an opinion but in the end it was about creating jobs and changing the direction of America.  In as many cases as possible there was a three step theme he promoted.  Does it create jobs, does it subsequently decrease spending, and does it change the United States reliability on oil.

Three of the most outrageous statements I heard which turned out to be false are noted below.

“30 million is being spent to save mouse.”  In reality it is 30 million for restoring a certain type of animal habit in which the mouse is just one of many specifics that will be effected.

“Millions to be spent for abortions”.  In reality separate from the Stimulus bill the restricting for organizations to receive federal funding has been lifted.

I have read much of the Stimulus bill language and I must say it is a far better bill, (and thought out bill) than the Tarp that provided financial institutions billions with no requirements, no goals and no measuring of the outcomes.

So in the name of truth I ask each of you to read instead of listening to the rhetoric and you will find a lot of improvements you should see and touch fairly quickly.

Mergers, Affiliations, Partnerships and Linkages work best when mission and vision are similar.  Negotiating in good faith is about getting to “Yes”, which means both parties feel they got something they wanted.

The time is now to work together to divide the very large pie to accomplish new and better ways to accomplish the goals.  I would say that the newest way is in partnership and communication.  Think about the long term effects that you want this money to make, even if it is about saving jobs from being cut.  The time of blowing in the wind is over.  The catalyst to create real power in each individual, business and government to make changes is upon us, lets not blow it.

pic by pehis

Did you think love was dangerous? Well it’s not.  Love is your heart, it’s your soul. Give a little time and do some volunteering.

pic by M_Drock

Breaking the Impasse on Foreclosures and Downward Property Values

The current problem to resolving the Foreclosure problem is the fact that there are just too many people dependent upon saying yes.  Here is an easy solution to the problem: Scattered Site Cooperative Ownership.

The government can offer to anyone whom wishes to participate the ability to join the Housing Cooperative financed by the government.  For the life of the loan the property is part of the Housing Cooperative.  Allow all home owners to refinance their properties for all loans more than two years old at an interest rate of 4.5%.  The loan can be selected to be a 15, 20, 30 or 40 year amortization schedule. This should include a first and second mortgage be able to be refinanced into one mortgage.    Since the loans were already processed by the financial industry they should not require further venting unless the particular lending was charged with fraud.  Remember the property is a long term investment and therefore as a Cooperative expectations are that the value would hold for the said period of time.  Therefore, regardless of the current state of housing prices, it is reasonable to expect that over a 15 plus year period property values would increase on an average of 4% or more a year.

Home ownership is about permanency and becoming part of the community.  There is not the intent to usually buy and sell in a short period of time.  To buy and sell in a short period of time means the owner is speculating.  Since ownership is long term than the fact that prices have fallen should not matter since the value is only critical if you want to sell or refinance for a lower rate.  Variable rates are a bad choice when the rates rising is not within the control of an individuals ability to pay.  Thereby, causing the implosion of defaults at the same time that individuals are losing their jobs.  It is one thing to have to cut your expenses that you control, it is another to have them increase uncontrollably.

Investors may cry foul that homeowners get to turn in their current mortgages of higher rates for a better one but that is better for the government because we are all healthier for it, no one individual is chosen over another to help, economically monthly debt is reduced, investors receive their money to do whatever with it and the housing stock is stabilized.

If at any time the individual defaults the Cooperative takes control of the property and can sell the property to another individual for the outstanding balance or higher.  An individual can leave the Cooperative by paying off the mortgage.  The Cooperative does not sell its mortgages to another party.  However, parties can invest in the government back Cooperative.  The Cooperative would have as a goal to constantly create opportunities to provide home ownership for individuals on 31% of their income, which includes those making minimum wage.  That would mean that a certain percentage of the housing stock has to be able to be based on monthly payments closer to $500.

Due to the fact that affordable housing is such a problem for most levels of income it would seem that the Housing Cooperative’s second goal would be to buy foreclosed property as any other investor to turnaround and sell under its Housing Cooperative at a price that is affordable.  Thereby, creating a pricing ceiling for properties it would buy on the open market.

The only way for government and nonprofits to make affordable housing a norm is to compete with a preference provided to the mission.  Either the private sector makes it truly affordable or they do not get the funding or property rights.

CETA 1977

I had just graduated from high school at age 19 and was an orphan with no job experience.  The child welfare agency put me in touch with CETA and within a week I had a job working at Hogan Berry for the Developmentally Disabled.  It was during these three months I realized I had a way to afford college and I learned many valuable lessons.

In three months:

I learned what it meant to get up and go to work each day.
What it meant to be a responsible person.
What it meant to choose my words carefully.
What it meant to listen.
What it meant to measure improvement on the smallest scale.
What it meant to appreciate what I had.
What it meant to observe.
What it meant to make a difference in another persons life.
What the value of a dollar meant.
What it meant to manage my time.

Today, 32 years later I watch the government reaching out again to provide the funds to put many people to work.  There are many needs.  There is no lack of jobs to create.  In education alone there is tremendous need for teachers aids, teachers for a reduction of class sizes, arts, music, physical education, and tutoring.  In the restoration of lands, park maintenance, and cleaning up polluted sites, there are years of manual labor by thousands.  There are wait lists of people in need of in home supports in the thousands. The numbers are great and the funds will only go so far but for the next two years there is much that can be accomplished.The cost of most any program, project, and item is 65%-75% related to employee compensation.

The scale of Change 32 years ago by a smaller scale jobs program created the building blocks for a number of individuals like me.  The Public Works projects from the Depression I see every day.  They built my son’s public school, built flood control aqueducts in my spouses hometown and thousands more thorough out the USA which stand strong today. I look forward to measuring the effect of this stimulus of jobs and Change for America.

Proud to be an American.  Proud to be part of this time of Change.

Nonprofits are able to offer a lot more than what government programs offer when job training means sitting in a room and going through the steps for applying for employment.  It is time to utilize more of the job training money to accomplish work while awaiting for opportunities.  Unemployment benefits should require a balancing of work and applying for the perfect job.  On the job training is the best way to create opportunities for those whom wish to be employed and those employers who are looking to test out employees.  Temp to hire should be a concept that government pushes more to enable the building of a persons resume with work experiences.  It also provides an opportunity to support the accomplishment of goals in ones community.

 pic by Combined Media

When an industry experiences fundamental changes as the financial industry abruptly did in 2008 it effected a broad number of industries including nonprofits endowments and financing. 

• Donor Advisor Funds
• Charitable Trusts
• Foundations
• Nonprofit Bonds
• Family Trusts
• Credit Swaps
• Credit Markets

Possible Tools for Changes

• Web
• Evidence base practices
• Online reporting of performance
• Recognition of the need of an economic mix for investing including with nonprofits
• Recognition of mission and vision and ownership of the investment
• More Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s) approaches to resolution of a problem

(pic by daniel</geek)

Congress has done its piece.  Prepare now by partnering with other nonprofits, foundations, donors and businesses to maximize the federal dollars to go even further.

(pic by hartboy)

Nonprofits to do some heavy lifting for the economy.  Ready and willing to bring their muscle and means to the table to overcome the enemy.