RUTH CRYSTAL

EMPLOYMENT

Cramer·Crystal, Principal, 2000 - present
As a consultant, provides assistance to nonprofit organizations and government agencies focused on:

§ Research and technical writing in the fields of affordable housing, community development, and human services.

§ Technical assistance in program planning, and client services.

§ Assignments include:

§ Surveyed the capacity of local CDCs and the funding they received from various government and non-government sources for a Foundation to use in determining how they should best position themselves to assist in increasing CDC production.

§ Studied County mobile home parks, identified recommendations of best practices from other jurisdictions for legislation addressing potential displacement.

§ Co-authored a study of best practices for using Section 8 to deconcentrate poverty and assessment of possibility for implementing locally.

§ Designed a family readiness program as part of a $19M remedy to a public housing segregation lawsuit.

§ Designed and executed survey of participants in a self-help homeownership program.

Community Assistance Network, Baltimore County,

Director, Baltimore Regional Housing Opportunity Program, 1997 - 2000

§ Designed and implemented a program to assist families throughout the Baltimore region to move to new homes in low poverty neighborhoods.

§ Program received the number one HUD “Best Practices” award in 1999 and has assisted over 300 families and individuals from Baltimore City and the surrounding metropolitan counties in finding new homes.

§ Supervised a staff of seven who provided workshop, case management, housing search and landlord liaison services.

§ Developed computer systems to track program participants and housing units.

§ Operated program with five-year federal grant of $2.1 million.

Director, Moving To Opportunity, 1994-1997

§ As a part of a national research project, designed and implemented a program to assist families in moving from high rise public housing to low poverty neighborhoods.

§ Supervised staff of five who provided case management, housing search, and landlord liaison services.

§ Worked with 228 families, 146 of who successfully relocated in the City and five surrounding counties.

Maryland Low Income Housing Coalition/Information Service, Executive Director, 1990-1994

§ Responsible for program development, lobbying, board development, budget, fundraising, and personnel.

§ Successful in lobbying for creation of Maryland Affordable Housing Trust, which raised $1.5 million in its’ first two years of operation. As a board member of the trust, participated in the first round of funding decisions.

§ Successful in working with 28 board members who were geographically, professionally, ethnically, and economically diverse.

§ Programs implemented include: three successful annual membership conferences, managing a $237,000 federal grant to provide technical assistance to new community- based housing groups, and developing a curriculum to train housing counselors.

Department of Housing and Community Development, City of Baltimore,

Executive Assistant and Legislative Liaison, 1985-1990

Managed the agency’s intergovernmental relations; developed and lobbied for City positions on state and federal housing legislation with the state housing agency, state legislators, and Congressional staff. Assisted in the successful merger of two major city agencies, creating and coordinating a variety of workgroups.
Solved organizational problems and responded to state, federal, and public requests.

Mayor’s Office of Manpower Resources, City of Baltimore, Manager, Information Systems, 1974-1985

Created and supervised information management function for a program with an annual budget exceeding $100 million.

Created the nation’s first automated client tracking system for CETA (a federal employment and training program), and upgraded it to use database technology.

Planned and implemented an integrated office automation system that supported professional and clerical users.

School Without Walls, New York City Board of Education, Adult Education Teacher, 1971-1973

Urban Teachers Corps, Intern, 1970-1971

Gladstone Associates, Research Associate, 1968-1970

Nassau Suffolk Regional Planning Commission, Assistant Planner, 1966-1967

EDUCATION

NeighborWorks, Success Measures, a participatory evaluation method for community based organizations, 2007

Masters of Business Administration, concentration in Information Systems, University of Maryland 1983

Masters of Arts in Teaching, Antioch College 1971

Bachelors of Arts in Urban Studies, Cum Laude, Hunter College 1966

PUBLICATIONS

“What can the League do towards increasing the supply of housing affordable to low and moderate income households in Maryland? A resource guide”, September 2006, editor and chair of study for League of Women Voters Maryland

“Affordable housing update fact sheet”, September 2006, editor, League of Women Voters Maryland

http://www.lwvmd.org/ELib/LWVMD-housingupdate.html

“The Unrealized Promise of Housing Vouchers: Administration of the Section 8 Program in the Baltimore Region”, May 2003, co-author of report for CPHA.

“Survey of Nonprofit Housing Groups in Baltimore”, July 2002 for Baltimore Community Foundation

“Affordable Housing in Baltimore City and Baltimore County”, April 2001. Co-author of working paper for a regional League of Women Voters meeting discussing section 8, the public’s perceptions, and where to go from here.

“Bridging Families to Better Neighborhoods”, July 1997. Co-author of a participant’s training manual for the Baltimore Regional Housing Opportunity Program.

“Welcoming Diversity in Neighborhoods”, September 1997. Co-author of a report by the Baltimore City and Baltimore County League of Women Voters.

COMMUNITY WORK

Current

Dyslexia Tutoring Project, tutor

Baltimore Tikkun community, steering committee

Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, chair Green Team

Prior

National Low Income Housing Coalition, Board member, public policy committee member

Maryland Affordable Housing Trust, Board member

Coalition for Low Income Community Development, Board member

Maryland Alliance for Responsible Investment, Board member

Maryland Alliance for the Poor, founding member

Baltimore County Housing Coalition, Board member

League of Women Voters Maryland, Board member

Baltimore City League of Women Voters, Board member, co-chair housing committee

Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, Board of Electors, Social Action Committee Chair

Maryland Center for Community Development, public policy committee member

LiteracyWorks, adult literacy teacher

		RUTH CRYSTAL EMPLOYMENT Cramer·Crystal, Principal, 2000 - present As a consultant, provides assistance to nonprofit organizations and government agencies focused on: § Research and technical writing in the fields of affordable housing, community development, and human services. § Technical assistance in program planning, and client services. § Assignments include: § Surveyed the capacity of local CDCs and the funding they received from various government and non-government sources for a Foundation to use in determining how they should best position themselves to assist in increasing CDC production. § Studied County mobile home parks, identified recommendations of best practices from other jurisdictions for legislation addressing potential displacement. § Co-authored a study of best practices for using Section 8 to deconcentrate poverty and assessment of possibility for implementing locally. § Designed a family readiness program as part of a $19M remedy to a public housing segregation lawsuit. § Designed and executed survey of participants in a self-help homeownership program. Community Assistance Network, Baltimore County, Director, Baltimore Regional Housing Opportunity Program, 1997 - 2000 § Designed and implemented a program to assist families throughout the Baltimore region to move to new homes in low poverty neighborhoods. § Program received the number one HUD “Best Practices” award in 1999 and has assisted over 300 families and individuals from Baltimore City and the surrounding metropolitan counties in finding new homes. § Supervised a staff of seven who provided workshop, case management, housing search and landlord liaison services. § Developed computer systems to track program participants and housing units. § Operated program with five-year federal grant of $2.1 million. Director, Moving To Opportunity, 1994-1997 § As a part of a national research project, designed and implemented a program to assist families in moving from high rise public housing to low poverty neighborhoods. § Supervised staff of five who provided case management, housing search, and landlord liaison services. § Worked with 228 families, 146 of who successfully relocated in the City and five surrounding counties. Maryland Low Income Housing Coalition/Information Service, Executive Director, 1990-1994 § Responsible for program development, lobbying, board development, budget, fundraising, and personnel. § Successful in lobbying for creation of Maryland Affordable Housing Trust, which raised $1.5 million in its’ first two years of operation. As a board member of the trust, participated in the first round of funding decisions. § Successful in working with 28 board members who were geographically, professionally, ethnically, and economically diverse. § Programs implemented include: three successful annual membership conferences, managing a $237,000 federal grant to provide technical assistance to new community- based housing groups, and developing a curriculum to train housing counselors. Department of Housing and Community Development, City of Baltimore, Executive Assistant and Legislative Liaison, 1985-1990 Managed the agency’s intergovernmental relations; developed and lobbied for City positions on state and federal housing legislation with the state housing agency, state legislators, and Congressional staff. Assisted in the successful merger of two major city agencies, creating and coordinating a variety of workgroups. Solved organizational problems and responded to state, federal, and public requests. Mayor’s Office of Manpower Resources, City of Baltimore, Manager, Information Systems, 1974-1985 Created and supervised information management function for a program with an annual budget exceeding $100 million. Created the nation’s first automated client tracking system for CETA (a federal employment and training program), and upgraded it to use database technology. Planned and implemented an integrated office automation system that supported professional and clerical users. School Without Walls, New York City Board of Education, Adult Education Teacher, 1971-1973 Urban Teachers Corps, Intern, 1970-1971 Gladstone Associates, Research Associate, 1968-1970 Nassau Suffolk Regional Planning Commission, Assistant Planner, 1966-1967 EDUCATION NeighborWorks, Success Measures, a participatory evaluation method for community based organizations, 2007 Masters of Business Administration, concentration in Information Systems, University of Maryland 1983 Masters of Arts in Teaching, Antioch College 1971 Bachelors of Arts in Urban Studies, Cum Laude, Hunter College 1966 PUBLICATIONS “What can the League do towards increasing the supply of housing affordable to low and moderate income households in Maryland? A resource guide”, September 2006, editor and chair of study for League of Women Voters Maryland “Affordable housing update fact sheet”, September 2006, editor, League of Women Voters Maryland http://www.lwvmd.org/ELib/LWVMD-housingupdate.html “The Unrealized Promise of Housing Vouchers: Administration of the Section 8 Program in the Baltimore Region”, May 2003, co-author of report for CPHA. “Survey of Nonprofit Housing Groups in Baltimore”, July 2002 for Baltimore Community Foundation “Affordable Housing in Baltimore City and Baltimore County”, April 2001. Co-author of working paper for a regional League of Women Voters meeting discussing section 8, the public’s perceptions, and where to go from here. “Bridging Families to Better Neighborhoods”, July 1997. Co-author of a participant’s training manual for the Baltimore Regional Housing Opportunity Program. “Welcoming Diversity in Neighborhoods”, September 1997. Co-author of a report by the Baltimore City and Baltimore County League of Women Voters. COMMUNITY WORK Current Dyslexia Tutoring Project, tutor Baltimore Tikkun community, steering committee Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, chair Green Team Prior National Low Income Housing Coalition, Board member, public policy committee member Maryland Affordable Housing Trust, Board member Coalition for Low Income Community Development, Board member Maryland Alliance for Responsible Investment, Board member Maryland Alliance for the Poor, founding member Baltimore County Housing Coalition, Board member League of Women Voters Maryland, Board member Baltimore City League of Women Voters, Board member, co-chair housing committee Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, Board of Electors, Social Action Committee Chair Maryland Center for Community Development, public policy committee member LiteracyWorks, adult literacy teacher