2014 Annual Report

COMMUNITY
CHANGE:
You Gotta Be All In!

BOARD
MESSAGE
THE MISSION OF URBAN
EDGE is to develop and sustain
stable, healthy and diverse
communities in Jamaica Plain,
Roxbury, and surrounding
neighborhoods. Urban Edge
achieves this mission through
the production and
preservation of affordable
housing for ownership and
rental, homeowner services
and financial education, asset
management, commercial and
economic development, and
community building and
organizing initiatives.

Last year, we paid tribute to the thousands of people who have labored to transform divided, at-risk
neighborhoods into united communities of choice across Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. In the four
decades since our founding, Urban Edge followed the path laid out by creative community leaders
and reached milestone after milestone thanks to the right combination of vision, collaboration
and determination. They were all-in, dedicated to the hard work of building connections
and community.
Prominent among those creative leaders is Chrystal Kornegay, Urban Edges third chief executive.
Anyone who knows Chrystal knows she was all-in! Chrystal led us out of our financial wilderness.
She called us to set outcomes first and then identify the programs and resources to achieve them.
And then she did, in fact, achieve them. Chrystal constantly affirmed our community roots and the
strength in our community and neighbors. She demonstrated that we achieve more in partnership
than going it alone. As she moves on to drive impact and forge partnerships with communities
across the Commonwealth, we recognize that weve been blessed by Chrystals leadership and
thank her for enriching our community.
As we navigate this transition, we are guided by one of Chrystals legacy achievements and gifts.
Chrystal launched us on our new 5-Year Strategic Plan, which we announced in last years 40th
Anniversary Report. At the mid-point of the Plans first year, we are hitting milestones, launching
initiatives and using the foundation of our Strategic Plan to guide our search for a dynamic new leader.
The Strategic Plan envisions greater opportunity and vibrancy in the Egleston-Jackson corridor.
Building on the communitys great work to date, the newly completed Jackson Commons is
another step forward, with 37 apartments for rent to working families across a mix of incomes.
Jackson Commons also houses a community learning center, a small retail space and Urban Edges
new offices. Next up is Walker Park Apartments, 49 apartments just east of Egleston Square,
appropriately named after another creative community leader, the late Delphine Walker. These
projects build toward our vision of a healthy mix of households at many income levels, together
with growing local business districts, walk-to parks and recreation facilities, all with easy transit
access to metro Bostons jobs and attractions.
In addition to rental housing, Urban Edge has long had a focus on financial resilience and
homeownership. We sustain one of the leading foreclosure prevention counseling initiatives in
Greater Boston. Recognizing that student loan debt contributes to home foreclosures and impedes
home purchases, Urban Edge launched a new focus on student debt, counseling almost 500 hardpressed student loan borrowers to restructure and more readily manage their debt. Urban Edge
provided wrap-around economic resiliency programs personalized financial counseling, public
benefits enrollment, free tax preparation and distribution of donated resources to over 3,000
people in our community. Urban Edge also continues to innovate and grow. In 2014, we expanded
our homebuyer education programs and launched CUE Realty to match qualified buyers with
quality homes and to help ensure that local real estate markets meet the housing demands of
families at all income levels. Were exploring how best to contribute to the health and wellness
of the community and to expanding educational opportunities, consistent with the priorities of
our Strategic Plan. We are all-in, together with our many partners and funders, to keep driving
community change and opportunity. On behalf of the Board and staff, thank you for your support as
we launch our next chapter and for another very good year.

Urban Edge
1542 Columbus Avenue
Roxbury, MA 02119
617-989-9300
www.urbanedge.org
Facebook: /UrbanEdgeBoston
Instagram: @UrbanEdgeBoston
Twitter: @UrbanEdgeBoston #ALLIN

Tom Davis

Karen Royston

Natacha Dunker

Chair
Urban Edge Board of Directors

Vice Chair
Urban Edge Board of Directors

Vice Chair
Urban Edge Board of Directors

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Stronger Families, Active Local
Leaders, Resilient Neighborhoods
Resident Leadership:
In order to inspire community change, residents need to feel that they
influence and are influenced by their neighborhood. Community Engagement
developed a resident leadership matrix that helps match residents with
meaningful opportunities for participation and helps them gain the necessary
skills to reach for higher levels of engagement as part of their own individual
growth trajectory. This leadership matrix has four tier levels that track
resident engagement:

Resident Leadership Matrix

The resident spearheads
his/her own project.

The resident volunteers

to take on part
of a project.

Urban Edges Community

Engagement Department helps modestincome families make the most of the opportunities
provided by Urban Edges safe, stable and affordable housing
developments. Residents work with staff to secure public
benefits, increase family incomes and manage household
budgets. Affordable rents combined with improved finances
are solid footing on which to build civic engagement and
leadership on any level, from the tenant council to the
neighborhood association to the councils of government.
These grass-roots leaders learn how to influence decisionmaking and access resources for further neighborhood
improvement, building on generations of investment in local
infrastructure, housing, commercial space and human capital.
Strong communities grow from the inside out.

The resident takes

on a small responsibility.

The resident attends or

participates at a
community meeting.

In 2014
1,550 families received donated resources including back-to-school supplies, winter coats,
Thanksgiving turkeys and holiday gifts for children
20 young people were placed into meaningful jobs through the Summer Youth Leadership Academy
8 families completed a five-week pre-K readiness program, which helps develop childrens early literacy

skills and enhances parents nurturing skills based on understanding of child development

203 individuals received personalized, one-on-one financial counseling to reduce debt, improve credit, and

manage a household budget

530 residents received free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA),
resulting in $955,766 in refunds for residents and their families
617 individuals were screened for public benefits, including SNAP (food stamps), WIC, home heating assistance,
SSI and SSDI, and MassHealth, through AccessBenefits Online (ABO). Households were connected with $357,472
in government benefits, resulting in a 23% increase of the average household net income.
291 families avoided evictions through the Tenancy Preservation Program
138 of ABO participants were enrolled in public benefits
516 resident leaders are in the leadership matrix, and 38% have increased a tier level (diagram above)

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT:

Increasing Housing Supply
and Improving Housing Quality
Urban Edges Real Estate Department implements
the organizations comprehensive approach to building and preserving highquality, green, affordable housing for low- and moderate-income families.
Improving the quality, safety and resource efficiency of its older housing
developments many built at the beginning of the last century has made Urban
Edge adept at occupied rehabs, completing renovations without displacing
tenants. The current project of this kind is Walnut Washington Apartments, a
65-unit scattered-site development in Roxbury and Jamaica Plain. Community
Engagement provides the liaisons between tenants and contractors that make
occupied rehabs possible. Construction is now over 80% completed. Bonds
issued by MassDevelopment support upgrades to energy and life safety systems.
Boston Private Bank & Trust is providing construction and permanent financing.
As of this writing, construction of Urban Edges first Jackson Square project
is nearly complete and ready for occupancy. Jackson Commons is a 37-unit
mixed-income rental development with offices, retail and community space on
the ground floor. Nearly 1,500 households applied for apartments when leasing
began in January. Like The Community Builders 225 Centre Street on the other
side of Columbus Avenue, Jackson Commons is a final product of the 20-year
community planning process, initiated by Urban Edge, that guides the full buildout of Jackson Square, project by project.

Jackson Commons today, Spring 2015

On the immediate horizon is Walker Park Apartments, 49 affordable apartments

in Egleston Square. Walker Park is being named in honor of Delphine Walker,
who lived on the land on which this housing will be built. Urban Edge has
undergone a nine-month community process and received letters of support
from a multitude of community-based organizations such as Garrison Trotter
Neighborhood Association. Urban Edge is using Lean Design and Construction
methods to reduce costs while maintaining quality. As part of this process,
Commodore Builders has been selected as the general contractor in a
competitive bid process before design of the project began.Urban Edge is
submitting an application for funding to the Massachusetts Department of
Housing and Community Development (DHCH) in Spring 2015. Thus far,
project funders include Enterprise Community Partners and Massachusetts
Housing Partnership.
Schematic Rendering of Walker Park Apartments

Current rehabilitation on Walnut Washington Apartments

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS:
Promoting and Preserving Affordable
Homeownership for Working Families

Homeownership was Urban Edges original focus back in

1974, when the housing market was riven by arson, redlining,
displacement and abandonment. The challenges faced by
modest-income buyers and owners 40 years later, and especially
following the real estate crisis, are less grim, but much more
complex. Community Programs current initiatives are designed
to help residents acquire homes, avoid foreclosure, and
strengthen their finances.
Addressing the lingering hangover of home foreclosures
remains a priority, and the counseling staff continues to achieve
the highest rate of positive outcomes for clients. The ranks of
homebuyer education graduates and new buyers increase,
while the risks of future foreclosures vanish thanks to the
knowledge and skills imparted by staff and guest experts.
Getting debt relief for student loan borrowers reduces the
drag on home buying by young people eager to leave renting
behind and build assets. With the startup of CUE Realty (see
below), Urban Edge is surely returning to its 70s roots as the
alternative broker for buyers and sellers who say No Sale to
frenzy and pressure.

CUE Realty
CUE Realty brings a unique value to hardworking families on
the pathway to homeownership by providing custom-tailored
real estate brokerage services. CUE Realty also brings an
opportunity to sellers to have direct access to preapproved
buyers in order to sell their homes. Over the past ten years,
Managing Broker Linda Champion has owned and operated a
boutique real estate brokerage company primarily focused on
educating hundreds of first-time home buyers and helped assist
over 70 modest-income families.

The purchase or sale of a home can be an exciting time. We are not

looking for a place for families to just live but for a home where they can
build and begin their lives.The purchase of a home is one of the biggest
purchases a buyer will make in their lifetime and it is an honor to be part
of that process.
Linda Champion

In 2014
500 people were educated in interactive first-time home-

buying workshops

Of those class participants, 150 became homeowners

40 first-time homebuyers received individual post-purchase

counseling

137 homeowners received foreclosure prevention counseling

121 families were able to keep their homes through foreclosure

prevention, and others are awaiting loan modifications

228 borrowers received student loan repayment counseling and were

able to consolidate their loans, refinance, explore repayment options, and

remove defaults

2 local businesses received small, low interest loans to help fund

equipment purchases, inventory purchases, working capital, storefront
improvements, etc.

FINANCE:
Summary of 2014 and 2013
Financial Statements

URBAN EDGE HOUSING CORPORATION and URBAN EDGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FUND CORPORATION
Summary of 2014 and 2013 Financial Statements

STATEMENTS OF ACTIVITIES AND CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2014 and 2013

Total operating revenues (including

net assets released from purpose restrictions)
Total operating expenses before depreciation
Less: Depreciation
Change in net assets from operations

Total other income (expenses, reserves)

Changes in unrestricted net assets
Changes in temporarily and permanently restricted net assets
Change in net assets
Net asset transfers
Net assets at prior year-end
Ending net assets

UNAUDITED 2014

AUDITED 2013

HOUSING CORP

HOUSING CORP

4,833,379
3,779,897
1,053,482
117,224
936,258

173,779
1,110,037
(149,077)
960,960
415,315
4,301,465
5,677,740

4,523,826
3,364,033
1,159,793
111,299
1,048,494

1,048,494
599,779
1,648,273
270,961
2,382,231
4,301,465

STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

AT DECEMBER 31, 2014 and 2013

HOUSING CORP

HOUSING CORP

Total current assets

Total non-current assets
Total assets

4,690,375
5,103,526
9,793,902

3,702,758
4,686,823
8,389,581

Total current liabilities

Total long-term debt
Total liabilities
Net assets:
Total unrestricted net assets
Total temporarily restricted net assets
Total permanently restricted net assets
Total net assets
Total liabilities and net assets

2,040,309
2,075,852
4,116,162

1,579,457
2,508,659
4,088,116

3,391,338
1,157,612
1,128,790
5,677,740
9,793,902

1,876,498
1,093,132
1,331,835
4,301,465
8,389,581

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board of Directors
Darlene Atkins

Tom Davis

Beryl Harris

Karen Royston

Viki Bok

Natacha Dunker

Noemi Mercado

Johanna Smith

Jacque Cummings-Furtado

Bruce Ehrlich

Anne McKinnon

Diane Stafford

Genie Curry

Benjamin Forman

Donovan Montrose

Nate Zielonka

Susan Curry

Alison Haight

Elizabeth Relerford

Not pictured: Jeanette Callahan, Eddie Jenkins, Darryl Pelton, Teresa Rodriguez, Andrew Sobers

STAFF

Staff
Executive:
Susan Davy, Interim CEO
Cheryl Sandler Thompson, Executive Assistant

Asset Management:

Finance:

Alice Wong, Asset Manager

Keven Spillane, Asset Manager

Lisa Laramee, Director

Digna Del Rosario, Accounting Manager
Gail Graziano, Controller

Community Engagement:
Katie Provencher, Director
Robert Torres, Associate Director
Alia Abubakar, Community Engagement Manager
Sahar Lawrence, Community Engagement Officer
Nicole Chandler, Community Engagement Officer

Community Programs:
Bob Credle, Director
Alexandria Connelly, Student Loan Coordinator
Elizabeth Bain, Manager of Homeownership Services
Eva Osorio, Manager of Homeownership Services
Gercide Luc, Foreclosure Prevention Manager
Junie Celestin, Foreclosure Prevention Counselor
Molly Goodman, Foreclosure Prevention Associate
Luis Rivera, Intern

Operations:
Sharon Zimmerman, Managing Director
Maria Caceres, Office Manager
Gisel Pena, Office Assistant

Real Estate Development:

Jeremy Wilkening, Director
Caroline Edwards, Project Manager
Peter Erhartic, Project Manager
Shaina Korman-Houston, Project Manager

Resource Development:
Saty Singh, Resource Development Associate
Sophia Abbasi, Communications Coordinator
Michael Rousseau, Grant Writer

Not pictured: Alia Abubakar, Vilma Calderon, Junie Celestin, Gisel Pena, Katie Provencher, Sharon Zimmerman

DONORS &
SUPPORTERS 2014

Individual
Donors 2014

Darlene Atkins
Wayne E. Beitler
Patricia Belden
John Benson
Derek & Sisela Bok
Tomas Bok
Viki Bok & Dick Jones
Robert & Ann Buxbaum
Jeanette Callahan
Daniela Carusi
Paul Casilli & Eileen HymanCasilli
Phil & Cassandra Clay
Melissa Charles
Genie Curry
Susan Curry
Jacque Cummings-Furtado
Tom Davis
Natacha Dunker
John Dunlap
Bruce Ehrlich
Brika Eklund
Gayle Epp
Jeffrey Ferris
Matthew Fishman
Carrie Fletcher
Benjamin Forman
Bruce & Barbara Freeman Sachs
Beverly Gallo
Diane Gordon
Laurie Gould
Alison Haight
Beryl Harris
Michael Haynes
Janet Hunkel
Eddie Jenkins
Willie Jones
Karen Kelleher
Jonathan Klein
Andy Koines
Judith Kolligian
Henry Korman & Ann
Houston

David & Christine Letts

Tucker Levy
Maria Maffei
Gina Martinez
Maureen McElroy
Anne McKinnon
Noemi Mercado
Kevin Micka
Janet Miner
Donovan Montrose
Michael Mullan
Robert Nault
Tom OMalley & Beverly
Arsem
Scott Payette
Armando Perez & Karin
Hobrecker
Darryl Pelton
Jeanne Pinado
Marjorie Posner
Elizabeth Relerford
Teresa Rodriguez
Adam Rogoff
Anne Rousseau & Nancy
Sableski
Karen Royston
Roberta Rubin
Kelsey Ryan
Monica L. Salas
Electa Sevier & Jonathan
Nicholas
Johanna Smith
Andrew Sobers
Keven Spillane
Teresa Spillane
Mark & Joyce Splaine
Diane Stafford
Jordan Stone
John Tobin
Susan & Jim Warram
Robert & Judith Weber
Zoe Weinrobe
Morgan Wilson
Nathan Zielonka

Corporations,
Foundations &
Public Sector:

Abt Associates
Boston Private Bank and Trust
Company
Citi Foundation
Citizens Housing and Planning
Association (CHAPA)
City of Boston Department
of Neighborhood
Development (DND)
City of Boston Economic
Development and Industrial
Corporation (EDIC)
Davis Square Architects
First Church Boston
Ford Foundation
Growth Spark
Hyams Foundation
Janey Construction
Klein Hornig LLP
Mass Division of Banks
Mass. Housing Investment
Corporation (MHIC)
Mass Housing Partnership
(MHP)
MassVOTE
NeighborWorks America
PrimeLending
Santander Bank
Starfish Market
United Way of Massachusetts
and Merrimack Valley
University of MissouriSt.
Louis
U.S. Dept. of Housing and
Urban Development
The Vincent Mulford
Foundation
WB Mason
WinnCompanies

Sponsors
of 40th
Anniversary
Celebration
and Annual
Meeting

AAFCPAs
A Best Abatement
Anderson Insulation, Inc
Anchor Insulation
The Architectural Team, Inc
Bank of America
Bargmann Hendrie +
Archetype Inc.
Boston Community Capital
Boston Financial
The Boston Foundation
Boston Private Bank & Trust
Company
Bunker Hill Community
College
Citizens Bank
The Community Builders, Inc.
Community Economic
Development Assistance
Corporation (CEDAC)
Covenant Fire Protection
CS2C/NE
Davis Square Architects
Dellbrook Construction
Eastern Bank Charitable
Foundation
Ercolini & Company, LLP
G&O Inc.
Gina Martinez
ICON architecture, Inc.
Insource Services, Inc.
Johanna Smith
Josef Rettman
K. Regan Mechanical
Keith Construction
Kevin Fish

Kevin P. Martin & Associates,

P.C.
Klein Hornig LLP
Longwood Security
Marc Marcelli
MassHousing
Mass. Housing Investment
Corporation (MHIC)
Maloney Properties
Mordechai Levin
Murtha Cullina
NEI General Contracting
Neighborworks America
Nixon Peabody
Nolan Sheehan Patten LLP
Norfolk Hardware
Paint & Coatings Services, Inc
Patricia Belden
Peabody Properties, Inc.
Pella Windows & Doors
Peter Munkenbeck & Renata
Von Tscharner
Petersen Engineering, Inc.
Preservation of Affordable
Housing (POAH)
Pyro/Bain
Recap Advisors
Reform Masonry
Superior Plumbing
Tara Construction
Terratec Construction
Tom Davis
Tom OMalley and Beverly
Arsem
United Way of Massachusetts
Bay and Merrimack Valley
Village Forge, Inc.
WinnCompanies
We apologize if your
name has been omitted,
misspelled, or otherwise
improperly reported.
Please contact us so we
can correct our records
(617) 989-9328.

Urban Edge is one of 235 member organizations nationwide that

make up Neighborworks America. Together, these organizations
are committed to excellence in community development
and serve more than 4,500 urban, suburban, and rural
communities throughout the 50 U.S. states, District of
Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Copy/Editor:
Graphic Design & Printing:
Sophia Abbasi &
Leroy Stoddard

1542 Columbus Avenue | Roxbury, MA 02119

617-989-9300
www.urbanedge.org
Facebook: /UrbanEdgeBoston | Instagram: @UrbanEdgeBoston
Twitter: @UrbanEdgeBoston #ALLIN

Photography:
Sophia Abbasi;
Urban Edge photo archive