Posted on June 25, 2019
BOSTON --- The Mel King Institute for Community Building (MKI) honored MHP's Susan Connelly with an MKI Champion Award at its 10th anniversary breakfast on Tuesday, June 25, at the Boston Park Plaza.
MHP has supported MKI since its creation and Connelly has been its point person, serving on MKI’s steering, curriculum and real estate committees. Training programs she has worked with MKI to develop include how to drive a loan closing, creating a development pipeline, building financial strength and project manager education in partnership with Wentworth University.
"We are recognizing Susan for her commitment and dedication to the Institute and the community development field," said Shirronda Almeida, MKI's director. "Sue has served on the MKI Steering Committee since its founding, helped us expand and enhance our programming with the Public Housing Board Training program and has supported our ongoing curriculum development. She’s been an incredible partner and that’s why she is being acknowledged as an MKI Champion."
This is the first year MKI is giving out Champion Awards. Also honored were John Fitzgerald, a longtime MKI volunteer and chairman of the Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corp. board, and Alison Moronta, loan officer and grant program manager at Mass. Growth Capital Corporation.
"Like Susan, we are honoring John and Alison for their longtime help and dedication to making the Mel King Institute what it is today," said Almeida, who is also a member of the management team at the Massachusetts Association of Community Development Corporations, which created MKI.
In addition to honoring the three MKI champions, this year's keynote speaker was Michael McAfee, President and CEO of PolicyLink, a national research and action institute focused on advancing racial and economic equity.
The breakfast also featured a performance by Ashley-Rose Saloman, a Haitian-American educator, organizer, actress and award-winning poet from Boston.
MKI was created to strengthen neighborhoods and communities by collaborating with partners to advance the skills, knowledge and leadership ability of professional practitioners and volunteer leaders in the community development field.
Connelly joined MHP in 2004 after 17 years in real estate development and management. As Director of Community Housing and Strategic Partnerships, she is responsible for overseeing MHP's support of municipalities, non-profits, public housing authorities and community groups in their efforts to advocate and promote affordable housing. She also works collaboratively with other stakeholders on policy and efforts to increase affordable housing production. In her spare time, she is a Cambridge Housing Authority commissioner.
About MHP: MHP works with communities to create innovative policy and financing solutions that provide affordable homes and better lives for the people of Massachusetts. Since 1990, it has used its capital sources to provide $1.4 billion in long-term loans for the financing of 26,000 apartments and it has partnered with lenders to provide $3.7 billion in mortgage financing to help 21,000 families purchase their first home through its ONE Mortgage Program. In addition, MHP has provided technical assistance to over 300 communities while its Center for Housing Data has been a strong and credible voice at the State House and across the Commonwealth on the compelling need for new housing at all price levels.
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