2010 Community Initiatives

Real Estate 101
Nonprofit community organizations in the Dallas area need significant support in making real estate decisions on an ongoing basis, particularly those who serve the low- to moderate-income communities. Real Estate 101 is a new curriculum developed by The Real Estate Council to provide an introductory overview to the complexities of real estate. Course work will provide community organizations with the technical expertise and skills needed to analyze real estate needs (such as the decision to lease, buy, or develop) and navigating the development process including financing and political advocacy. This is a capacity-building program that will provide nonprofits with the capabilities to make educated real estate decisions. Our targets are organizations serving low- to moderate-income neighborhoods.

Apply Now
The Center for Nonprofit Management is now accepting applications for the Real Estate 101 program through August 27. Please download the application now and submit it to Stacey Bruenning (bruenning@cnmdallas.org) for consideration.

Green Building Education Program
The Real Estate Council, in partnership with the Meadows Foundation, is pleased to announce details regarding the next five sessions of the Green Building Education Program. The course will be taught over six months with one learning module per month. The first session was led by Betsy del Monte, AIA, of the Beck Group on July 15th. Betsy gave a wonderful overview of the mandates and what is to come in the program. The following five modules have been scheduled, so please mark them on your calendar.

Thursday, August 26, 2010, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. Dallas Green Building Code – Commercial Under 50,000 Square Feet register now

Thursday, September 30, 2010, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Dallas Green Building Code – Commercial Over 50,000 Square Feet
Thursday, October 21, 2010, 9 a.m. Dallas Green Building Code – Residential
Thursday, November 18, 2010, 9 a.m. iSWM
Thursday, December 16, 2010, 9 a.m. Tree Ordinance

All of the modules will be held at Beck's Imaginarium (1807 Ross Ave Suite 500 Dallas, TX 75201). Registration is now open for the August 26 session. Seats are limited, so reserve your spot now.

The Real Estate Council developed the Green Building Education Program to train City of Dallas staff, design and development professionals, and nonprofits about how to create projects that will comply with the various new “green” programs mandated by the city. These include the Green Building Ordinance, which went into effect on October 1, 2009, as well as new policies for integrated storm water management and tree mitigation. This education program provides necessary training for which the city has insufficient budgetary funds. It helps ensure the effectiveness of these green programs and prevents the stall of new development that often occurs when new ordinances go into effect by facilitating positive relationships between city staff and the development community. The Real Estate Council has worked closely with the city staff as well as our own member architects, engineers and developers to develop the curriculum. We will also utilize our members to teach the program, which will be provided at no cost to the participants.

Pro Bono Professional Services Program
In 2009 The Real Estate Council provided pro bono professional services estimated at $500,000 to help nonprofits in the Dallas community. While our members donate their time to the programs and projects we support, there is a cost to coordinate these efforts. Managing these projects with highly complex volunteer efforts requires supplemental funding from our funding partners beyond what we receive from member contributions. In addition to the value we add through this effort, we engage in sophisticated vetting of projects in which we invest time and dollars.

Current Projects:

Jubilee Park and Community Center Corporation: Providing development consulting for seniors’ apartments, title and brokerage services and zoning advocacy.
McCormick Baron Salazar Master Plan: Providing planning, predevelopment and engineering services for mixed-use developments on four sites in Fair Park, Frazier Park, 5 Points and the Lancaster Corridor.
Pittman Place: Providing predevelopment work including cost estimate versification, site planning and construction management associated with 19-lot affordable subdivision at Pittman Place.
Big Thought: Development of a creative after-school curriculum and program teaching junior high school kids about real estate development.
Shared Housing: Providing due diligence and predevelopment services as well as project management, cost estimating and legal services for ground up development of green apartments as transitional housing for women victims of domestic violence.
Builders of Hope: Preparation of Master Plan for Westmoreland area.
Center of Hope: Providing due diligence and other predevelopment services needed to build a facility to deliver programs to distribute nutritious food to needy children. Scope includes a food distribution facility, retail outlet, teaching kitchen and supportive services. Also provided property acquisition services.
South Fair Community Development Corporation: Completed project providing legal assistance with resolution of 501(c)3.
Habitat for Humanity: Completed creation of a presentation piece for West Dallas to identify neighborhood revitalization opportunities.

Operation Relief: Providing predevelopment services and development oversight for a ground up housing project to for disabled veterans.

2009 Community Initiatives