Community development groups from across the state gathered in Fresno, California from February 21-23 for our latest CalCORE convening. An initiative developed by Community Vision and Genesis LA, CalCORE works to advance locally owned and controlled real estate through virtual and in-person educational sessions, along with one-on-one project support, for developers of color deeply rooted in their communities.
The three-day event in Fresno marked the final gathering for CalCORE’s third cohort of emergent community-based real estate entities. CalCORE III focuses on acquiring and operating naturally occurring small-site housing developments, as well as preparation for the state-run Foreclosure Intervention Housing Preservation Program.
With a strong emphasis on collaboration, the convening’s activities ranged from workshops and participant share-outs to networking sessions and site tours. Through these opportunities for peer mentoring and mutual learning, participant organizations shared their wins, challenges and knowledge gained through their various projects and areas of focus—from tiny home clusters in Fresno to preliminary work around environmental resilience concepts in Los Angeles.
Another highlight was the tour of multiple affordable housing projects spearheaded by current and former CalCORE participants Lowell Community Development Corporation, Southwest Fresno Development Corporation and South Tower Community Land Trust. These visits provided invaluable insights and inspiration, showcasing tangible examples of community-driven development in action.
We want to extend a special thank you to Vision View, a Community Vision client, for serving as the main venue for the event. Founded by Laneesha Senegal, Vision View has evolved into one of the largest and most comprehensive entrepreneurship centers in the Central Valley. By holding the event in this space, the convening directly supported over seven BIPOC-led small businesses, aligning with CalCORE’s commitment to community empowerment.
Finally, we offer our gratitude to all the participants, partners and presenters for their time, energy and engagement. Thank you also to CalCORE’s sponsors, Northern California Grantmakers, The California Endowment, The James Irvine Foundation and JPMorgan Chase for helping to make this program possible.
Learn more about CalCORE III participants:
- East Bay Permanent Real Estate Cooperative (EBPREC) – Oakland
- East Palo Alto Community Alliance Neighborhood Development Organization (EPACANDO) – East Palo Alto
- Eastwest Community Services – Oakland
- Logan Heights Community Development Corporation – San Diego
- Lowell Community Development Corporation – Fresno
- Mammoth Lakes Housing – Mammoth Lakes
- Neighborhood Housing Services of the Inland Empire – San Bernardino and Riverside Counties
- Neighborworks Sacramento – Sacramento
- Pacoima Beautiful – Los Angeles
- Richmond Neighborhood Housing Services — Richmond
