Project Descriptions
Alaska Housing Finance Corporation
During 2008 czb analyzed all 300 housing markets in the state of Alaska, evaluating population trends, housing demand, and market conditions, against the performance of AHFC’s single and multifamily housing portfolios. czb evaluated all low income housing tax credit projects in the state, and redesigned the state’s new multi-source qualified allocation plan.
Annie E. Casey Foundation
In 2009 czb evaluated market and demographic conditions of Southwest Atlanta for the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Atlanta Civic Site project, focusing on the impacts of predatory lending and foreclosure in the Pittsburgh neighborhood. czb prepared a detailed market stabilization strategy for the neighborhood, complete with revitalization budget and action plan.
Bridgeport, CT
In 2007 czb evaluated all 19 of Bridgeport’s neighborhoods, as well as market and demographic conditions in surrounding Fairfield County. czb prepared the city’s new comprehensive housing policy, and in 2008 evaluated the impacts of foreclosure on Bridgeport, the hardest hit in Connecticut and one of the hardest hit in the US. czb wrote the city’s NSP strategy, which received recognition on the US Senate floor by Hon. Senator Dodd, and later in a site visit by the White House and HUD.
Fannie Mae Foundation
In 2002 and 2003, czb was a consultant to the Fannie Mae Foundation. Charles Buki was a member of the Foundation's Advisory Committee on Organizational Effectiveness. In 2003 he was panelist for the Foundation's Annual Housing Conference. In 2004, Charles Buki is a member of the Foundation's Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing Leadership.
Federal Reserve Bank
In 2004, czb delivered the keynote at the Federal Reserve Bank’s bi-annual meeting on community reinvestment. Addressing an audience of 500, Charles Buki argued that the community development field in 2004 is rudderless and an antiquated version of what is needed to respond to the needs of low income communities today. czb is presently providing consultation services to the Federal Reserve Bank’s Office of Community Affairs and to the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Charles Buki and Michael Schubert collaborated in 2000 to develop an internal policy brief for the MacArthur Foundation on the intersections of community development and Smart Growth. Work on this internal document formed the basis for later work by Charles Buki for the Millennial Housing Commission in 2000 and 2001.
City of Hartford
Beginning in 2002, Charles Buki and David Boehlke of czb collaborated with the newly elected Mayor of Hartford and the Fannie Mae Partnership Office to develop a homeownership strategy for the city. This was expanded in 2002 and 2003 to a citywide Healthy Neighborhoods strategy built on the influential work of David Boehlke in Baltimore and Battle Creek. czb assisted in the creation of Neighborhoods of Hartford, Inc., and helped raise $6M in loan capital and operating support. czb provided the essential data for selecting key working class neighborhoods in Hartford for concentrated, targeted reinvestment linking revitalization activities to homeownership development.
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City of Ogden, Utah
czb was retained by the City of Ogden for two purposes: to evaluate the conditions of its inner downtown neighborhoods and to provide case studies of similarly-situated weak market communities across the nation that have attempted to dig out. czb provided deep analysis of the regional housing market, trade area strength, and strategy recommendations for uncovering hidden assets in Ogden that could trigger private market investment in struggling neighborhoods.
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Addendum to Report to City of Ogden >
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City of Santa Fe, NM
From 2007-2009 czb analyzed Santa Fe’s municipal economic development plans and helped guide the city’s modification of existing plans as well as implementation. Work focused on diversifying Santa Fe’s economy and workforce, overhauling youth development initiatives, and retooling the city’s approach to grant making with an emphasis on innovation.
City of Seattle
In 2001 and 2002 czb provided housing market analysis and neighborhood econometric analysis to the Office of Housing of the City of Seattle for the purpose of assisting the Mayor's Office with the development of an $86M Housing Levy. The Levy was structured to provide incentives for moderate-income buyers the city might lose to the suburbs, and assistance to low income buyers priced out of the costly Seattle housing market.
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Metropolitan Planning Council
czb serves as an advisor to MPC on affordable housing policy and programs. With support from the Fannie Mae Foundation, Charles Buki provides consultation to MPC in the form of Consolidated Plan and Comprehensive Plan design and evaluation for cities in the greater Chicago region, as well as Housing Element review and design. He has provided assistance to MPC on regional balanced housing policy development, and support to the Mayors Caucus.
Millennial Housing Commission
Charles Buki was one of 22 consultants retained by the Bipartisan Millennial Housing Commission in 2001 to help develop its report to Congress. czb provided consultation to the staff and commissioners on the intersection of smart growth, growth management, and affordable housing.
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Park City, Utah
In 2009 czb led a community engagement and visioning process for Park City, UT as the first step in its effort to rewrite its new General Plan. czb conducted more than 450 interviews, held small and large group sessions, evaluated historical planning and market documents, and make a series of recommendations to the Mayor and City Council using czb’s 3Eq approach to comprehensive planning.
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