Volume I, Number VI, December 2007

In this Newsletter you will find:

*An Article by Nadia Mian on Housing, Gentrification and Religion in New York City

*An Article by Max Herman on Immigrants and Immigration Policy: A Call for Collaboration

*Upcoming News and Events at New York Theological Seminary and The Ecologies of Learning Project

A Letter from Lester Edwin J. Ruiz, Ph.D.

Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean

        After intensive discussions among members of the Seminary’s senior administration, consultation with the Director of Ecologies of Learning Project (EOL), and in the spirit of the July 5, 2007 letter which outlined the Seminary’s administrative policy and practice concerning administrative oversight of its academic-related programs—of which EOL is one—the Vice President for Academic Affairs will assume the position of Interim Director of EOL effective December 1, 2007.

        This action is necessitated by the recent developments in Professor Lowell Livezey’s health situation which requires that he devote all his time and energies to taking care of his health.

        The primary function of the Interim Director will be to exercise the kind of collaborative leadership that will ensure that the program of EOL as it has been designed to date can move forward as planned.  The strategic plan and the guidelines for the plan are all in place, as are the members of the staff and the advisory team. Consultation with the Director will continue as he is able to make sure that he is apprised of the situation, and that his vision for EOL is honored.

        In addition, Dr. Livezey will remain Professor of Urban and Religious Studies and will continue with his spring 2008 courses, unless the situation requires that other faculty be appointed to cover these courses for the period noted. In this context, as is standard practice at NYTS in situations such as these, his responsibility for student advisement will be re-distributed among other NYTS faculty.

        These are difficult, if not challenging times. Therefore, I call on each of you to support even more fully not only the missional, financial, and administrative goals of the Seminary and EOL, but also the existing practice, policy, and strategy that senior administration has adopted as it seeks to ensure that EOL continues to make the important contributions that it has made to the life and work of theological education as ministry.

        I join the Seminary in praying for Lowell and Lois.

Lester Edwin J. Ruiz, Ph.D.
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean
Professor of Theology and Culture

Webber Panel on Housing, Gentrification and Religion in New York City

By Nadia Mian
Research Fellow 

        In a highly informative, but brief animated panel discussion on religious institutions, housing, and gentrification, a number of items were covered ranging from: the role of religious institutions in housing, which government programs to pursue, grants and loans to apply for, types of development that are most in need, and how to develop a successful project.  Much gratitude is extended towards panelists Alexandra Klein from Community Preservation Corporation; Carol Lamburg from Settlement Fund; Sean Moss, Regional Administrator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development; Carrie Mobly, Clergy Coordinator from the New York City Council Member Services Division; and Gail Badger-Morgan from Marion Scott Real Estate, for their thoughtful insight and advice.

        The panel emphasized that the role of religious institutions in neighborhoods is to help those less fortunate; utilizing their position as a stakeholder in the community is to mobilize and help others, including one another.  Faith based organizations should be speaking with and learning from one another regarding housing and development.  

        Cities are in desperate need of housing for the elderly, as well as those with low-to-moderate incomes. An estimated one million seniors are in need of housing in the United States.  Housing for the elderly can be provided through loans that will cover the full cost of the project.

        HUD’s Section 202 Program provides capital grants for the construction of housing for low-income elderly people.  However, there is only $643 million allocated towards this grant, with $34 million for New York, which equals approximately 3 buildings.  Resolution A funds are also available through the borough president’s office to help build affordable housing.  Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) utilizes city bond programs and co-op programs to help construct housing.  CPC also creates housing under the 80-20 program, which provides developers with tax credits and low interest bond financing if they reserve 20% of the units in a building for low and moderate income households.

        Successful projects require a strong management team, as well as attorneys, to ensure the project is completed but remains maintained. Pursuing investors also helps cover costs, as investors are able to obtain tax abatements.  The panelists urged religious institutions to be aware and keep themselves educated regarding help that is available, but to be aware of developers who might take advantage of their most valuable resource:  land.

Friday, October 26,2007: Webber Panel discussion on Housing, Gentrification and Religion in New York City

Webber Panel on Immigrants and Immigration Policy: A Call for Collaboration

By Max Herman
Research Associate Professor

        On Friday, October 26th at 5pm, a group of approximately 40-50 people gathered in the Robing Room of the Interchurch Center to hear a group of distinguished panelists share their thoughts on the topic of “Immigrants and Immigration Policy”. Members of the panel addressed the role that faith and faith based organizations play in providing assistance to immigrants and discussed how faith based organization can work with municipal agencies to ensure the rights of immigrants under the currents laws.

        Juan Carlos Ruiz of the New York Sanctuary Coalition spoke first, providing an historical overview of the concept of sanctuary-- an idea which he noted dates back to the ancient Hebrews where certain cities were specified as places of refuge for those fleeing from persecution or prosecution in their native lands. Ruiz spoke about the relevance of sanctuary today at a time when approximately 300 New Yorkers are being deported every day. He emphasized that the many of those being deported are people of color whose darker skinned marks them as different from other immigrants and makes them especially vulnerable. Tom Dobbins from Catholic Charities of the NY Diocese also spoke about the concept of sanctuary, noting that people of faith have a sacred duty to respect the dignity of the human person and to protect the poor and the vulnerable. He talked about the biblical roots of compassion toward foreigners and warned that the current debate about undocumented immigrants threatens to create a sub-class of human beings in this country. Guillermo Linares of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, himself the son of Dominican immigrants, spoke of the fear that prevents immigrants from utilizing social services that are available to them. Linares noted that immigrants often turn first to the church for assistance because of the sense of trust that immigrants have in religious leaders. Describing the city’s “privacy policy” which prevents city officials from inquiring about an individual’s immigration status unless they are charged with a crime, Linares asserted that immigrants (whether they are documented or undocumented) need not be afraid to utilize city services.

        Having discussed the role that faith plays in ministering to the needs of immigrants, each of the panelists talked about what their respective organizations were doing to help assist undocumented immigrants at the present time and in the future. Juan Carlos Ruiz spoke about how the NY Sanctuary Coalition, part of a larger Sanctuary Movement enlists congregations to become part of provide safe spaces for undocumented immigrants facing the threat of deportation. Tom Dobbins of Catholic Charities described how his agency helped day labors document the number of hours they worked and hold their employers accountable for paying the wages owed to them. Anticipating the passage of comprehensive immigration reform, Dobbins mentioned how attendance records from church services could be used by “undocumented” immigrants to provide proof of how long they have been in the country—a strategy that might eventually enable them to acquire legal status after the passage of a federal comprehensive immigration reform bill. Guilleromo Linares, and the other panelist cautioned however against waiting for the eventual passage of such federal legislation before taking stronger measures to provide for immigrant’s needs. Linares emphasized that “until the federal government gets it act together with respect to comprehensive immigration reform, those who wish to help immigrants need to focus on what they can do at the neighborhood level where immigrants strive and struggle to survive”. He offered the assistance of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to help coordinate such efforts.

        Heeding Linares’ call, the panel concluded with an appeal to those present to think of “concrete and specific ways of enhancing collaboration between stakeholders” such as churches, social service agencies and government, as well as the corporate sector in helping address the needs of immigrants in the neighborhoods where they reside. This call for collaboration resonates strongly with the mission of our EOL research project, which investigates socio-demographic changes occurring at the neighborhoods level and seeks document the ways in which faith based organizations can work together with government and social service agencies to address issues of importance to their communities. We looking forward to continuing this dialogue in the coming year.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

New York Theological Seminary Winterim Courses/Registration:

• Winterim registration will be held on Thursday, November 15, 2007 from 12 to 6 pm.

• Mark your calendars: Spring Registration is Tuesday and Wednesday, Jan. 15, 16, 2008, 12 – 6 pm.

• If you need to register on a different date or time, please call 212-870-1211 to make an appointment.

• We look forward to seeing you at registration!

Upcoming Spring Forums will be announced in our next newsletter and will focus on the following themes:

• Interethnic Relations in Flushing (focusing on Korean-Chinese relations)

• Gender-The Religious Time Bind

• Religious Responses to Gentrification-The Lower East Side and Williamsburg

• Religion and Redevelopment in Manhattanville

• Other ideas/proposals are most welcome. Please feel free to email them at sgobin@nyts.edu.