When RUPCO began developing Energy Square at the site of a former bowling alley in Kingston, New York, the goal was to incorporate space for a creative arts center along with space for 57 rental apartments. But the goal of making the building "net zero for living" was always in the back of leaders' minds. 
 

An outreach team at Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore is working on "doorknockers" and postcards to let the community know they're ready to provide foreclosure assistance and prevention.

Energy awareness, weatherization and home repairs can make a difference in a resident's power bill. William Achnitz, vice president of home improvement and optimization for Community Development Corporation of Long Island (CDCLI), has a list of improvements his organization makes that have a significant impact. "Insulation, air sealing, window replacement, caulking, weather stripping, door sweeps, fans to increase ventilation, heating system repairs," he begins.

Preem Cabey had wanted a house for years. But when she found the perfect home, a "fixer-upper" available through the Albany County Land Bank, she didn’t qualify for a loan that would cover the repairs. "I wasn’t working enough hours," says Cabey, who had been a director of a recreational facility while working as an artist and community advocate.

Jennifer Sun's parents had strong opinions about what her career path should be. Her mom wanted her to be a teacher. Her father wanted her to have a corporate job. They'd fled Communist China for Taiwan and left Taiwan for the United States, and security, financially and otherwise, was paramount to them.
 

Thomas Yu hadn't planned on a career in community development. But as an immigrant growing up in lower Manhattan, there was something about it that felt right.
 
"My family lived in affordable housing, so that theme runs throughout my life," says Yu, who serves as co-executive director of Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) with Jennifer Sun. "There's a strong belief in my family that the pathway to security and economic mobility starts with a safe and affordable place to live."