DAVID CRAMER
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Summary: Over forty years of community development
experience, 15 years as an independent consultant, 12 years as a program
director for a national intermediary, nine years directing nonprofit
organizations and five years as a neighborhood organizer.
Cramer•Crystal,
1996 - present Principal - Technical assistance (TA) and training for
local governments and non profit housing development organizations in capacity
building, business/strategic planning, merging, executive transition
management, housing program design and implementation, housing development and financing.
Technical assistance has been
provided to 64 clients in various locations around the country concentrating in
Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Ohio. (See www.cramercrystal.com/clients.htm for a complete list.) An average of six to eight clients are assisted each year, most are repeats or continuations from
prior work.
Since 2009, Training and Development Associates (TDA) has been and continues to be a major client and partner in delivering technical assistance and training using HUD Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funds to assist NSP grantees through assessments, regional problem solving clinics, webinars, lease-purchase toolkit and direct assistance to implement NSP strategies. TDA is also the source for using HUD Community Development TA funds to provide TA and training to HOME PJs and CHDOs.
Other major accomplishments include:
·
Merging
facilitation resulting in new and more productive nonprofit housing
organizations;
·
Business and
strategic planning facilitation resulting in expanded territory and services;
·
Affordable
housing assessments resulting in new local affordable housing tools and
policies
·
Facilitation of
collaborative efforts resulting in increased housing production for under-served
populations and revitalized neighborhoods;
·
Coaching and
technical advice resulting in expanded capacity and more stable organizations.
·
Financial
packaging resulting in New Markets Tax Credit and Low Income Housing Tax Credit
awards;
Training courses are
delivered in various locations for national and regional intermediaries and
local sponsors. Four of these courses were
developed including participant and
trainer’s manuals sufficient for other trainers to present the course. Courses including Community Building: Principles and Applications, and Civic Engagement:
Responsibility and Accountability areprocess oriented; other courses including REO Solutions: Strategies for Selling, Leasing or Renting REO Rehabbed Properties,
HOME, Lease Purchase, and Introduction to Housing Development are technical.
The
1993-1996 HUD TA Project Director - Created and managed
a system to implement a technical assistance and training program for 150+
non-profits and 30 city governments funded by HUD grants totaling $8.3M. Ongoing effort included: negotiated a master
agreement and 85 subordinate agreements with 23 local HUD offices, coordinated
Enterprise's work with 20 other national and state TA providers, arranged
contracts with 20 sub-contractors, trained and directed the work of 50
Enterprise staff from ten offices and developed an innovative computer program
to track agreements, assessments, and reports.
1991-1993 Senior Program Director - Supervised
teams conducting five comprehensive
housing needs assessments in two cities and three counties. Developed and implemented strategic plans and
created nine housing development organizations and public/private/partnerships
in
1985-1991 Field Officer - Created and/or enhanced
housing development organizations at neighborhood, city, and multi-county levels. Provided technical assistance in real estate
development, financing and organizational development. Utilized federal, state, and local public financing sources, r and special
loan fund sources to assemble the financing for nonprofit developers for 30 projects totaling over $15M. Underwrote loan requests for Foundation
approval. Processed and closed 40 projects.
COIL Community Economic
Development Corporation,
1982-1984 Director - Directed a housing/commercial real
estate development and business development subsidiary. Supervised a 10 person staff. Developer/project manager for rental and for
sale housing developments.
COIL Housing Services,
1979-1982 Director - Managed overall operations,
including fund raising and operating budget.
Created acquisition/rehab financing pools; supervised staff who converted
250 low-income tenants into homeowners.
Northeast Community
Organization,
1976-1978 Executive Director - Directed staff of
neighborhood organizers and developed revitalization programs including a
marketing program and a Neighborhood Housing Service.
Associated Catholic
Charities,
1972-1975 Community Organizer - Organized neighborhood
and city-wide issue campaigns.
EDUCATION
1983 Development Training Institute, Community Economic
Development
1972 University of
1970
ANCILLARY SKILLS
Publications: “A Merger
of Equals”, Shelterforce, Winter 2006, Principle author of assessment
and strategic planning reports for Frederick County, MD, Wayne County, PA, Howard
County, MD, Harford County, MD, Topeka, KS, Knoxville, TN, and Peoria, IL. Authored
"Assessing Apartment Complexes:
Conference speaker: Lilly
Endowment Fund, MD Association of Housing and Redevelopment Agencies,
Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Prince George's County Housing
Conference, MD Planners Association, Urban Land Institute, Federal Home Loan
Bank of Atlanta, Christian Community Development Association, the Enterprise
Foundation Network, Community Action Association of Pennsylvania and NAHRO
conferences.
VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY
Treasurer, Architects Row Community Association; previous Chairperson, St. Matthews Parish
Facilities Committee; past President, Maryland Low Income Housing Information Service;
Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations
