“Theme of the workshop is “Providing Resources, Producing Results”
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will host a workshop at the JW Marriott in San Francisco July 9–11 to help expand computer access to lower income residents living in government-insured and assisted housing developments. The workshops provide property owners and other stakeholders with the tools they need to help residents of Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured and assisted multifamily housing communities to achieve even greater results. Nearly 200 persons from across the nation participated in the first workshop held April 23–25 in Nashville.
HUD launched Neighborhood Networks in 1995 to encourage property owners to establish community learning centers in FHA-insured and assisted multifamily housing properties. Neighborhood Networks was one of the first federal initiatives to promote self-sufficiency by providing computer access to residents. Today, there are nearly 1,400 centers in operation throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The San Francisco workshop will offer 28 customized workshops to meet the specific needs of Neighborhood Networks centers staff, property owners and managers, residents, and volunteers. From building mutually beneficial partnerships and securing funding to launching age-appropriate programs and providing training on the latest technology, the workshop showcases and explores techniques centers can use to move residents toward greater self-sufficiency.
To deliver a unique learning experience that combines proven expertise and practical experience, HUD is inviting staff members from Neighborhood Networks centers nationwide to co-present or lead many of the workshops. The agenda for the workshop also includes formalized networking opportunities aimed at helping attendees build and expand their professional networks.
A two-day grant writing workshop will be offered prior to the workshop. A consistently popular workshop, the comprehensive grant writing session offers strategies and tips for writing award-winning grants from a proven grant writing expert. The sessions will cover the entire grant writing process from identifying potential funding sources to submitting a complete proposal.
“Based on the feedback we received from attendees of the Nashville workshop, I can say with a high level of confidence that the first 2008 Neighborhood Networks Regional Technical Assistance Workshop was a resounding success,” said Delores Pruden, director of Neighborhood Networks. “Attendees’ response to the peer-to-peer networking opportunities was particularly positive. We fully expect the San Francisco workshop to equal, if not exceed, the level of success we achieved with the Nashville workshop.”
For More Information
Individuals interested in attending the San Francisco Neighborhood Networks RTAW can obtain additional information, receive an agenda, and register online by visiting the Neighborhood Networks Web site or by calling the Neighborhood Networks Information Center toll free at (888) 312-2743. The hearing impaired may access the number via TTY by calling the Federal Information Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.
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HUD is the nation’s housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation’s fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.