As we enjoy the Holiday season and look forward to the promise of 2016, I’d first like to take this opportunity to thank the many partners who helped make our inaugural Innovations in Community Development roundtable on October 9th such a success.

Presented by JPMorgan Chase  & Co., and co-sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the breakfast highlighted best practices in local community and economic development programs. These public-private partnerships help foster investment in neighborhood economic development.

Panelists included (photo above, left to right) Shani Searcy, JPMorgan Chase; Ed Lopez, LISC San Diego; and Leilani Barnett, Federal Reserve Bank.

Looking ahead to 2016, we are proud to announce another program - Neighborhood Economic Development - that’s sure to bring positive economic growth and social interaction to the neighborhoods served by LISC and our supporters.

Please learn more by reading our stories below.

On behalf of myself, our dedicated LISC staff and community partners, I wish you a happy and healthy Holiday season.

Sincerely,
Edward Lopez

San Diego's Best-Practices

On Friday, October 9th, LISC San Diego convened 150 community development specialists to discuss the latest programs to improve San Diego's neighborhoods. Sponsored by JPMorgan Chase and co-hosted by SDG&E along with the Federal Reserve Bank, the guest panelists highlighted great neighborhood revitalization efforts.

The diverse panel included leaders from the City of San Diego's Economic Development Department, San Diego State University's Center for Entrepreneurship and LISC.  Audience members - representing financial institutions, community groups and supporters - learned of neighborhood economic development initiatives, successful workforce training programs and public-private partnerships that have made a difference in San Diego's low-to-moderate income communities.

We thank our many great sponsors and partners.  Please click here to see more highlights.

Helping Businesses Make More and Families Keep More

Economic development has always been a central pillar of LISC’s comprehensive neighborhood strategy.  Now, thanks to Citibank Foundation, LISC San Diego is proud to pilot a new Neighborhood Economic Development program to support small businesses and families.

LISC Neighborhood Economic Development revives struggling neighborhood economies by helping small businesses grow and families overcome poverty.

We will help local businesses start, grow and expand by attracting more customers, accessing capital, and increasing profits.  We will start by working with neighborhood business groups to assess micro/small business opportunities and growth markets in City Heights and Greater Logan Heights.  We will then build upon those opportunities with technical assistance and training.

In our neighborhoods, we will continue to help local families to "make more" with workforce and benefits programs, and "keep more" with affordable housing, savings and asset building programs.  In 2016, LISC will usher in a new Financial Opportunity Center program - Bridges to Career Opportunities - to expand our successful job training and financial coaching efforts.

Please click here to learn more about Bridges to Career Opportunities.

Below please find stories about "early-action" efforts to create place in business corridors and grow business.

Creating Place in Logan Heights

On the bright Saturday morning of November 14th, Greater Logan Heights celebrated the official opening of Gilliam Family Community Space & Garden. Located on Imperial Avenue between 28th and 29th streets, the space has been brought back to life, thanks to community members and partners.

Now, the community space features an amphitheater, multi-story children's treehouse, play area, seating areas and a small garden area used for educational programming.

Located on a property donated by the family of the late  Earl B. Gilliam, the first African-American jurist in San Diego,  the project transforms a vacant lot into a unique gathering place in the heart of Greater Logan Heights.

Upon completion, the space will be a neighborhood gathering place for residents, business owners, and community members. This community-inspired project is a shining example of what is possible when residents work together to breathe renewed life and vitality into our region’s underserved neighborhoods.  LISC helped fund this project and has been privileged to join our longstanding partners, BAME Renaissance CDC and Space 4 Art, in "creating place" in the neighborhood.

For updates on the building of the Gilliam Family Community Space & Garden, please visit BAME Renaissance CDC's Facebook Page.

Adding Zip to Funding

LISC MetroEdge, our commercial corridor program, supports neighborhood economic development by developing viable commercial corridor and economic development strategies.  LISC’s approach corrects misperceptions of urban markets, describes emerging markets, identifies hidden assets and trends and helps communities exercise more control over their economic futures.

Across San Diego’s business districts and neighborhoods, the lack of access to capital has been identified as an obstacle to micro/small business growth.  To address this, LISC has partnered with Kiva Zip, an online loan crowdfunding platform that enables entrepreneurs to get small business loans of up to $5,000 at 0% interest. The goal of this shared mission is to expand financial opportunities for underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses in low-to-moderate income (LMI) neighborhoods.

LISC San Diego and LISC Small Business will pilot and promote the Kiva Zip program, which includes a revolving loan fund to help complete the funding process for micro-enterprises.  We will also partner with non-profits and other organizations to become Kiva Zip Trustees, providing support, training and a curriculum for micro-entrepreneurs.

Thanks to a new Kiva Zip grant from the City of San Diego, LISC looks forward to working with community and government leaders to continue to help grow and attract businesses in San Diego's urban neighborhoods.

LISC, and the entire San Diego region, are fortunate to have generous corporate citizens and partners to help build better, stronger and healthier neighborhoods. Thanks to Citibank, LISC San Diego looks forward to 2016 and our new Neighborhood Economic Development program.  Together, we will promote economic progress and expand financial inclusion among all communities.

Chi Elder, our local Citi Community Development Officer, has long provided her expertise and leadership to LISC and other community groups. In so doing, she has made available such programs as LISC’s Housing Development Training Institute, offering resources that allow us to continue our Commercial Corridor Initiatives.

We are proud to have Citibank serve on our Local Advisory Council.

Citibank works tirelessly to provide consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial services and products. Citibank creates the best outcomes for its clients and customers with solutions that are simple, creative and responsible.

Learn more about the Citi Foundation.