March 20, 2006

Bridgeport (CT) Mayor John M. Fabrizi, third from left, with speakers at a meeting of Mayor’s Assistants to the Conference of Mayors Task Force on Vacant and Abandoned Properties. From left to right, Joe Schilling, Policy and Research Director of the National Vacant and Abandoned Properties Campaign; Jennifer Leonard, Director of the National Vacant Properties Campaign; Mayor Fabrizi; and Alan Mallach, Research Director of the National Housing Institute. Fabrizi is Chair of the task force. The mayor’s assistants met at the office of the Conference of Mayors March 9 to prepare and plan for a meeting of the task force on April 6 in Baltimore.

Conference of Mayors Trustee Miami Mayor Manny Diaz and Lima, Peru Mayor Luis Castañeda Lossio signed a Memorandum of Understanding February 28 geared towards increasing cultural exchanges and promoting trade and commercial relations between Miami, Lima, Peru and the United States.

Diaz hosted the city of Lima’s chief executive in Miami Feb 27 and 28, with activities taking place as part of the Miami Mayor’s International Council outreach efforts.

The agreement looks to deepen relations forged as a result of the recently finalized Free Trade Agreement between Peru and the US. In addition to the signing ceremony, Castañeda held several meetings with local business leaders, highlighting his administration’s accomplishments in Lima over the past three years.