11.08.2007 - 11:24am ET

(CSRwire) COLUMBIA, MD. - November 8, 2007 - Nearly 1,000 community development practitioners are expected to attend the Enterprise Community Conference on November 14-16, 2007, at the Renaissance Hotel in Cleveland. Enterprise is a leading provider of the investment capital and technical expertise needed to build decent, affordable housing and rebuild communities. The conference will offer special break-out sessions on all aspects of community revitalization, including green building, foreclosure prevention and community stabilization solutions, work force housing, sustainable rehabilitation and development, and strategies for housing innovations and policy solutions.

"We are truly excited to be celebrating 25 years of building hope and homes in a city known for its dedication to community development," said Doris Koo, president and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners. "This is a monumental year for Enterprise, for our network members and for those we've helped through our work. At Enterprise, we are looking forward to new opportunities and continued dedication to the communities we will serve for the next 25 years and beyond."

Special guests include: Dan Abrams MSNBC's Live with Dan Abrams; Henry Cisneros, chairman of CityView companies and former U.S. Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development; Norman Rice, distinguished visiting practitioner at the University of Washington's Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs and former Seattle Mayor; John Knott, president, CEO and co-founder of Noisette Company; and Edward Skloot, former president of The Surdna Foundation; and (invited) Sen. George V. Voinovich (R-OH).

"As a provider of $1 billion a year of capital through housing and commercial revitalization tax credits, other debt and equity products, as well as direct development, Enterprise brings critical financing to community revitalization efforts across the country," said Jeffrey Donahue, president and CEO of Enterprise Community Investment, Inc. "Our partnerships with local governments, developers and community organizations allow us to fulfill our mission of building and preserving affordable housing, creating green, sustainable housing, as well as building supportive housing for people with special needs and employment opportunities for those in underprivileged neighborhoods. Through this conference, we're proud to provide advanced-level workshops on using federal renewable energy tax credits, preservation strategies and industry trends and analysis."

As a tribute to Enterprise's strong environmental stance, this conference promises to be the "greenest" conference in Enterprise history. The organization has taken steps to make the event "carbon neutral" by using less paper for conference materials, offering conference giveaways made from recycled materials and partnering with eco-friendly businesses. The remainder of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the travel and hotel stay of conference attendees will be offset through a contribution to the Green Communities Offset Fund TM to support green affordable housing development.

"We are excited to host the Community Conference this year," said Bill Whitney, director of the Enterprise office in Cleveland. "Over the past 20 years, Enterprise has seen growth and development in Cleveland's neighborhoods and communities. It's a pleasure to have our colleagues and friends from around the country here to see this amazing city and the reinvestment that has occurred."

Additional program highlights include mobile workshops, the 25th birthday bash at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, EXPO and special plenaries including Reflections on twenty-five years of community development - new opportunities and perennial challenges. Lead sponsors include KeyBank, Capital One and Bank of America. For a full list of conference workshops, speakers, special events and sponsors, go to the conference website: www.enterprisemeetings.org/ac2007. Media passes are available.

Enterprise is a leading provider of the development capital and expertise it takes to create decent, affordable homes and rebuild communities. For 25 years, Enterprise has pioneered neighborhood solutions through public-private partnerships with financial institutions, governments, community organizations and others that share our vision. Enterprise has raised and invested $8 billion in equity, grants and loans to help build or preserve 225,000 affordable rental and for-sale homes to create vital communities. Enterprise is currently investing in communities at a rate of $1 billion a year. Visit www.enterprisecommunity.org and www.enterprisecommunity.com to learn more about Enterprise's efforts to build communities and opportunity, and to meet some of the half a million people we have helped.

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