NeighborWorks Florida Collaborative to Launch Next Week in Orlando

ORLANDO, FL--(Marketwired - Aug 14, 2014) - All ten Florida-based members of the nonprofit NeighborWorks network today announced the formation of a new effort to increase affordable housing opportunities throughout the state by enhancing their inter-organizational work, improving partnership with local and state government and boosting engagement with private sector businesses and philanthropic institutions. The ten organizations invested more than $255 million in Florida in 2013, while helping to create more than 1,200 homeowners and own and manage more than 4,300 rental homes.

The NeighborWorks Florida Collaborative, whose members reach into every corner of the state, will hold its first meeting this week at the NeighborWorks Training Institute (NTI), the country's largest gathering of nonprofit professionals working in community development. The NTI is a week-long education and training event sponsored by NeighborWorks America, a national organization which creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities.

"Historically Florida has been at the forefront of housing and community development both in terms of need and state and local response," said Bob Ansley, president of Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corporation. This is a unique opportunity for Florida community development professionals to learn from the nations' finest.

The members of the Collaborative have a strong track record and are the following:

• Centro Campesino Farmworker Center (Florida City)
  
  
• Clearwater Neighborhood Housing Services (Clearwater)
  
  
• Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa (Tampa)
  
  
• Housing Partnership (Riviera Beach)
  
  
• Neighborhood Housing and Development Corporation (Gainesville)
  
  
• Neighborhood Housing Services of South Florida (Miami)
  
  
• Orlando Neighborhood Improvement Corp. (Orlando)
  
  
• Rural Neighborhoods (Florida City)
  
  
• Tallahassee Lenders' Consortium (Tallahassee)
  
  
• Tampa Bay Community Development Corporation

About NeighborWorks America
For 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $22.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation's leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.