CommonBond Communities in St. Paul, Minnesota, works with communities in Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Wisconsin.  Right now, organization leaders say, many of the neighbors who live in those communities are struggling.

As communities struggle to find balance and recover from the impacts of COVID-19, high unemployment and social injustice, NeighborWorks organizations are working to balance the need for change and supporting equality while also keeping residents united and safe. 

In Minnesota, it seemed like a simple thing: Amanda Welliver wanted to send chalk to 200 new homeowners in the Twin Cities that her organization, NeighborWorks Home Partners, had helped with down payment assistance.

Since 1993, NeighborWorks America has convened over 15,000 lower-income resident leaders at its annual Community Leadership Institute (CLI). The nation's largest effort to amplify resident voices equips these leaders with the tools, seed funding and network of support they need to drive changes in their neighborhoods. 

As we enter a new year, NeighborWorks America's network organizations examine the lessons they're carrying with them from 2019. Last time, we heard about a community project and the art of the ask. Today, regional representatives talk about forming partnerships, tiny houses, competing for new hires and the challenges of NOAH projects. 

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Sarah Norman, Director of Healthy Homes & Communities, NeighborWorks America
Leah Ettman, Senior Associate of Health & Wellness, National League of Cities