Lizette Reyes, LA HIP AmeriCorps Alum Making Moves
3.14.2022
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LISC StoriesAffordable Housing
Lizette Reyes was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. She grew up in a predominantly Latinx and low-income community.
"The more I learned about urban policy in higher education, the more I wanted to become an advocate for BIPOC and work against systemic racism and discrimination," she said. This led her to get involved with the LISC LA Americorps program. "I grew passionate about many topics in urban studies, especially housing policies and affordability."
LA HIP AmeriCorps is a LISC LA program funded by Merritt Community Capital Corporation that brings people together to tackle the country's most pressing challenges through local service and volunteering. Since 1994, LISC has paired passionate and dedicated AmeriCorps volunteers with local partner organizations focused on housing, financial services, research, and youth services.
After her AmeriCorps service, Lizette was hired by NEW - New Economics for Women full-time. She has since joined the LISC LA Keep It Affordable Academy as a cohort member on behalf of NEW.
The main objective of the Keep It Affordable Academy is to provide training and technical assistance to mission-driven organizations in order to grow their understanding of affordable housing preservation and financing.
In early 2021, LISC LA began qualitative and quantitative background work to set the stage for the Keep It Affordable Action Academy. This work included engaging with stakeholders to understand the general preservation landscape and preliminary data analysis. The team’s findings helped them narrow down on neighborhoods most in need of preservation efforts and potential training topics.
In a survey conducted with developers in Koreatown, Long Beach, Crenshaw, Leimert Park, Little Tokyo, and the Westside, LISC LA found that specific legal and policy changes were needed to increase preservation through community ownership. All respondents thought preservation efforts would benefit from low-interest, permanent financing, and otherwise flexible, accessible financing from banks and public agencies.
The Keep It Affordable Academy has been made possible by the support of the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation. "At the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation, we invest in community leaders and initiatives that address racial and social inequities in the Affordable Housing, Criminal Justice, and Environmental Justice sectors. LISC Los Angeles' work aligns well with our mission, and its programs – from financing to the Housing Development Training Institute to the AmeriCorps Program – ensure that the backbone of our communities, the people, remain in place and thrive," ~ Roger Perez, Program Officer at the Roy and Patricia Disney Family Foundation.
In July 2021, California implemented AB 140, which creates the Foreclosure Intervention Housing Preservation Program (FIHPP) with $500 million in funding over 5 years. With support from Capital One, LISC will build the affordable housing development capacity of developers of color in three local markets. This investment will increase the wealth and financial strength of developers of color, increase the supply of affordable housing, and increase family stability.
"LISC Los Angeles is unique in that it is able to leverage its exceptional team and a suite of services to maintain and increase the number of affordable units in the City. We applaud LISC LA for its efforts to solve the persistent affordability crisis in Los Angeles and look forward to the future," says Roger.
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