By Dana Bykowski
February 3, 2003

CitiesFirst™ hosted their second annual task force meeting last week at the Conference of Mayors 71st Annual Winter Meeting. Denver Mayor Wellington Webb chaired the meeting held to explain to mayors that cities can utilize affordable housing community development resources such as down payment assistance, special needs housing and mixed-use development programs.

"Nehemiah is already doing business in a lot of cities across the country, through their down payment assistance program. I encourage mayors to find out what other resources might be available to local governments through the CitiesFirst partnership between the Conference of Mayors and Nehemiah Corporation of California," said Webb.

Mayor Webb is leading the development of a new initiative specifically through CitiesFirst™, called the CitiesFirst Second Mortgage Program. This program will expand the market for housing construction, home sales and mortgage lending to inner city neighborhoods. By offering a new flexible financing option, the Second Mortgage Program will create opportunities for cities to obtain USCM best practice awards and grants for innovative and notable community development activities. This initiative is completely separate from the Nehemiah Corporation, and is still awaiting HUD approval but would support city efforts to bring hope to struggling neighborhoods through the construction of new homes for families who have good jobs, good credit, and the ability to make mortgage payments but who lack sufficient funds for a down payment.

Mayors attending the task force meeting included Matt Pryor from Troy (MI), Ray Martinez from Fort Collins (CO), Robert Baines from Manchester (NH), and Beverly O'Neill from Long Beach (CA).