This page is a repository for the many White Papers, programmatic reports, and other reports we have prepared over the years:
2016
Written Testimony in Support of Affordable Housing Impact Statements. Submitted to the New Orleans Planning Commission (July 02, 2016)
The New Orleans Planning Commission studied the possible adoption of an Affordable Housing Impact Statement policy in 2016, following Atlanta’s adoption of AHIS in 2015. SMART ALEC Board Members Matthew Charles Cardinale and Dr. Dwanda Farmer visited New Orleans and met with city officials to discuss the benefits and implementation of an AHIS policy. SMART ALEC later submitted these written comments to further discuss the benefits and implementation of AHIS. New Orleans later adopted AHIS in 2017.
Response to HBAGNO on Affordable Housing Impact Statements; Commending Planning Commission (July 26, 2016)
SMART ALEC made the following statements in response to the Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans (HBAGNO), while the New Orleans Planning Commission continued to study the feasibility of Affordable Housing Impact Statements.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HrBypLARQaVZTaiBwMst6QB869obuOGYLREFdNK6jd8/edit?usp=sharing
Programmatic Report: SMART ALEC’s Homeless and Low-Income Political Empowerment Program. (December 2016)
This report provides a review of SMART ALEC’s pilot program, Homeless and Low-Income Political Empowerment program, that we operated in Portland, Oregon, in 2016.
This report includes a survey that our program participants conducted with fifty of their homeless peers in downtown Portland regarding their political participation, attitudes, knowledge, and perceived self-efficacy.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wrbFHptXEuZgz7VFNau7ns16gk41UTFHVfLAkNh-_v4/edit
Preservation First: A Community-Led Approach to Housing Policy (December 2016)
This report, prepared for the Fulton Atlanta Community Action Authority, explores the possibility of pursuing a series of community meetings in and around Atlanta, Georgia, concerning the drafting a Model Ordinance for “Preservation First.”
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tve7pauLPFxPM9mNPjCQK5RvouTD7WdLLYVWb25SonY/edit?usp=sharing
2017
Utilizing Surplus Property to Address Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Needs: Best practices and proposed ordinance for the City of Atlanta. (July 17, 2017)
This paper, prepared for Councilmembers Michael Julian Bond (Post 1-at-large) and Natalyn Archibong (District 5), led the eventual enactment of Atlanta’s Surplus Property Affordable Housing Policy in 2017.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1uzDtCian5bAMBvsqCwuB3yKIXl5fRctxz58uaEuC4po/edit?usp=sharing
Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Impact Statements: Report on One Year and a Half of Implementation (November 14, 2017)
This paper reviews various issues with the implementation of the Affordable Housing Impact Statement legislation in Atlanta that was the impetus for SMART ALEC’s founding. Atlanta adopted AHIS in November 2015, and it went into effect in mid-2016.
Following this paper, Atlanta adopted in early 2018 a round of amendments to its AHIS policy.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_fL_celHGRKSY2Vr5OKd6k8CCGWwV2D3GAwevse1sdo/edit?usp=sharing
2018
A Voluntary Rental Registration for Atlanta: A Path Forward in Atlanta to Promote the Health and Safety of Atlanta’s Renters. (Draft). (March 18, 2018)
Prepared for Councilman Michael Julian Bond (Post 1-at-large), this paper explores options for implementing Atlanta’s Housing Inventory policy, including the adoption of a Voluntary Rental Registration in the City of Atlanta. SMART ALEC produced this draft report, after considerable research and stakeholder engagement.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gbfjNzjDCfMU7BqI7GKtftefW-uaQh8LwCrHZrZFMEE/edit?usp=sharing
“Housing Strategy 2018.” City of Clarkston, Georgia (October 2018)
Produced with grant support from the City of Clarkston, the Housing Strategy 2018 includes a baseline Affordable Housing Inventory for the City of Clarkston – an extraordinary resource for a jurisdiction to understand how much housing they have of each type and each level of affordability – and recommended legislation, along with a description of our community engagement activities around affordable housing in Clarkston.
SMART ALEC Programmatic Report 2018
This Programmatic Report lists SMART ALEC’s accomplishments for 2018.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tUCarodQv6Nk5ieiRmQYKCBlkbIwp0m0eIPh1mA6zU0/edit?usp=sharing
2019
Review of Fulton-Atlanta CHDO, Inc. (Community Housing Development Organization) Compliance with Federal Requirements
This report, commissioned by Fulton-Atlanta CHDO, reviews the organization’s By-laws, Articles of Incorporations, and Tax-Exempt Status, and makes a recommendation regarding a needed By-law amendment regarding low-income community input and participation, which was later adopted by the organization.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XilhlBaZu02PMK8Sxy6OiL4bTYwJv82WPl7sNVk8M_0/edit?usp=sharing