Neighborhood Tours at OFN Conference Showcase CDFIs in Action
Debby Stefaniak
CDFIs in Action Tours at the OFN Conference are an opportunity for Conference co-hosts to highlight interesting lending successes in the region. Choose any of the following tours:
Baltimore: A Tale of Two Cities
Sunday, October 20
Baltimore is a tale of two cities—from nine vibrant colleges and universities that attract the educational elite, to a declining population with a poverty rate of 23 percent, approximately double the national average. This five-hour tour will feature CDFI partnerships with others to finance complex community development adaptive reuse of historic buildings.
CDFIs in Action Tour: Columbia Heights en Español
Monday, October 21
Visit Columbia Heights, a neighborhood with a long history of Latino culture and organizations serving the Latino community. Learn about the various community groups and businesses that have made the Columbia Heights neighborhood such a unique part of Washington, D.C.
CDFIs in Action Tour: Minnesota Avenue Main Street
Monday, October 21
Part of the D.C. Department of Small and Local Business’s D.C. Main Streets program since 2017, Minnesota Avenue Main Street is one of the largest historical commercial districts east of the Anacostia River. Come see equitable economic development in action and hear from entrepreneurs along the Minnesota Avenue corridor.
CDFIs in Action Tour: Northeast DC +
Monday, October 21
This tour will focus on community development activity in the Northeast quadrant of Washington, D.C., and on the Maryland border. The tour will highlight the myriad of ways CDFIs support communities, including affordable housing, charter schools, a grocery store, and a new high-quality childcare facility that is still under construction.
CDFIs in Action Tour: Creating Impact by Co-Locating Health, Housing, and Services
Tuesday, October 22
Visit the Conway Center, an innovative mixed-use development co-locating housing and services, which serves as a launch pad to opportunity for community members. This development represents multiple complex financings, which included New Markets Tax Credits and the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) loan guaranty program. Learn about the services and how co-location amplifies their impact on participants and the broader community.
CDFIs in Action Tour: LEDC Food Tour
Tuesday, October 22
Tour some of the most recent food businesses that the Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) has helped open this year in Washington, D.C. Participants will travel through the Shaw, Union Market, and H Street Corridor neighborhoods. The highlighted businesses will graciously provide samples of their products.
Additional fees apply to all tours. See the OFN Conference agenda for more details.