by Julio Barreto

The discussion on an economic stimulus package by leaders in Washington, D C. represents the best chance for Hispanic housing and community development advocates to see a potential Increase in funding this year.

Washington is going to be mired in presidential politics in 2008. As a result’ the most substantive work to come out in 2008 will be this stimulus package and a 2009 budget.

There is a chance that other initiatives will pass during a presidential election year. Yet the budget, which will fund federal programs in fiscal year 2009’will be the only legislative measure Congress will pass this year affecting the Hispanic and other housing and community development communities.

Here are a few things Latino advocates and organizations working in those fields can do in 2008 that will help their cause:

• EMPHASIZE JOB GAINS: Highlight the leverage of your programs. It is important in discussing the stimulus package that you show how much financial leverage, i.e. private sector jobs, is generated by your programs locally. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the Home programs are great examples of federal dollars that stimulate the local economy.
  The public housing program is another that generates private businesses in construction and services. This type of information is critical to secure funding for your community in a stimulus package.
• FINANCIAL EARMARKS: Do you have a specific initiative you want funded?
  A project for seniors in one of your program areas? Talk to your congressional representatives about placing “earmarks” in the next budget. Earmarks, commonly known as pork, are specific items a member of Congress slips into an appropriations bill for a project in his or her district. During an election year, they provide a great way to fund a specific project. Although Congress reduced the percentage of “earmarks” by 50 percent in FY 2008 compared with FY 2006, it is unlikely they will be eliminated altogether. In FY 2008 $179.8 million was appropriated for Economic Development Initiative (EDI) “earmarks” and another $46 million for neighborhood Initiative “earmarks” within CDBG. Examples of HCD “earmarks” in FY 2008 can be accessed at: http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi.?dbname=110_cong_reports&dorid= f:hr497.110.pdf. (Pages 599 thru 806).
• MORTGAGE CREDIT CRISIS: The economic stimulus package is designed to ease any short term recession caused by the current credit crisis. Additional legislation may be offered. Therefore, it is important that you, your agency and your organizational representatives are active participants in the discussion on the credit solution so it does not adversely affect access to the bond markets for tax credit production and low-income homeownership initiatives. Efforts must be made to push Congress, the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to represent your interests in this matter.
• DISTRICT VISITS: Election year it gets them Invite your congressional delegates to as many photo opportunities as possible. Whether they come or no  is irrelevant. During an face time in front of your activities and provides you with a chance to promote your agency’s work and to illustrate that you are a valuable resource to your congressional representatives and their staffs… You should also invite the opponent as well; however~ protocol certainly calls for the incumbent to be invited.
• PRIVATE INVESTMENTOPPORTUNITIES: Learn as much as possible about the Community Reinvestment Act. CRA is legislation enacted 30 years ago which requires banks to invest in low income communities. Here is a web site with useful information: http://www.ncrc.org/. The more tools you are able to use outside of the normal HUD structure, the more successful your agency will be.
• VOTE: You need to vote and encourage others to vote. Your vote does count and will have a huge difference in both the local state and national election. Hispanic Link. -Julio Barreto worked for NAHRO for 13 and was legislative director for 10. He has worked in and around Washington politics for 26 years. He can be reached at jmsbarreto@comcast.net.

by Craig Trimbach

Foto de Hispanic War Veteran

For the fourth consecutive year, the Army experienced a drop in both quantity and quality of new recruits —and Hispanic military experts contacted by Weekly Report are offering a unique solution: openly recruit undocumented immigrants.

Thousands of young Hispanics who lack papers were brought by their parents into this county as small children, excelled in school and are leading exemplary lives, the Latino experts say.

Army policy states that recruits must be legal residents. But an unknown percent age enlist using false papers or aren’t asked their residency status by recruiters.

Three percent of recruits are identified as “non-citizens” in a new survey by the National Priorities Project.

Army officials confirm that despite reduced standards of entry, the recruitment benchmarks set by the Department of Defense have not been reached.

The survey by the Massachusetts based research group, which publicly opposes the Iraq war, concluded that nearly 25 percent fewer recruits are of “high quality”—high school graduates with military qualification test scores above the 50th percentile—and overall recruitment efforts are down 2.5 percent.

HISPANIC NUMBERS DROPPED

The Hispanic composition fell from 11.8 percent to 10.7 percent from 2005 to 2007.

According to the study’s research director, Anita Dancs, “It had been increasing until 2005 because of Hispanic-focused recruiting efforts.” However, with the cessation of these efforts, “youths who have more options are not going into an unnecessary war,” she said.

While Hispanics represent 15 percent of the U.S. population, the steady decline in recruiting numbers almost guarantees under-representation in the armed services.

What should the Army do?

In a surprising show of solidarity, the Hispanic military experts support undocumented immigrants’ entry into the armed services as a way to serve their country and earn a faster path to citizenship.

The chairman of senior advisors for the Hispanic War Veterans of America, Major General (ret.) Al Zapanta explained that Hispanic recruitment has been frustrated by a lack of information in predominantly Hispanic schools and language barriers on qualification tests. “A large portion of young Hispanics drop out of high school and cannot be recruited,” he said.

Zapanta added that young Hispanics lack high-ranking military officers to emulate. “Currently, only three are General officers.

HispanicWarVeterans of America national secretary Jess Quintero stated, “By and large, the military doesn’t appear to be an attractive option…” but “Hispanics are patriotic. They serve with pride. We know the services are hurting for recruits. We should support undocumented troops.’’

LATINOS ‘ABOVE AVERAGE’

Former commander of coalition forces, Lieutenant General (ret.) Ricardo Sanchez agreed, “The Army is working very hard to alleviate the disparity,” he told Weekly Report. He added that Hispanics under his command were “above the average” and ‘far exceeded” his expectations of soldiers, thanks to a tradition of competition machismo among Hispanic troops.

Louis Caldera, the only Latino everto serve as Army Secretary, added, “The Army can provide upward social mobility and job skills to Hispanics without resources.

­There are many who are undocumented and willing to serve as a path to residency and citizenship. Recruiters have asked me for help getting these kids to serve.”

Caldera’s message to the Army is the same today as it was in 2001: “The country must learn to tap into the Hispanic community at every opportunity. We’re losing talent we can’t afford to waste. Hispanics are critical to the future success of the Army.” Hispanic Link.

by Contessa Abono

Parks in for a face lift if Propsition A passes Children play at Dolores Park in San Francisco. (photos by Stephen Morrison)

The $185 mil­lion bond measure to improve 12 neighborhood parks including their trails, athletic fields and restrooms, had its first bilingual press briefing and park tour lead by Supervisor Gerardo Sandoval Jan. 16 at the Mission Playground on 19th St.

The bond will be on the upcoming Feb. 5 ballot and supporters claim that the bond is needed because the city cannot afford to keep up with maintenance for improvement projects at the more than 200 parks in San Francisco.

Sandoval is in strong support of Prop. A and has made it his mission to inform the Spanish-speaking community about the bond and its benefits to their children ­and themselves.

Meredith Thomas is the Stewardship Program Manager for Neighborhood Parks Console. Thomas says the NPC is in support of Prop. A and that the  bond will provide much needed funding “we are particularly excited about the parks urban forestry and opportunity to fund neighborhood parks,” said Thomas. “There is a huge need because the forestry is so mature, it needs to be assessed to best care for the foliage.”

The NPC will hold their monthly public collation meeting to discuses Prop. A on Tue. Jan. 29 at City Hall, room 305 at 6-8 p.m. “What we want to do is get peopleʼs minds on the situation and get people more involved with our parks especially the work we are doing with the eastern shoreline and developments on the bluegreen wave trail and open waterfront parks.”

Children play at a park

Proposition A is an $185 million bond measure, which will appear on the Feb. 5 San  Francisco ballot, allotting the following projects:

• $117.4 million for 12 neighborhood parks: the Chinese Recreation Center, Mission Playground, Palega Recreation Center, Cayuga Playground, McCoppin Square, Sunset Playground, Fulton Playground, Mission Dolores Park, Cabrillo Playground, Glen Canyon Park, Lafayette Park and Raymond Kimball Playground.
• $33.5 million for waterfront parks.
• $11.4 million for park restrooms.
• $8.5 million for athletic fi elds.
• $5 million for trail restoration.
• $5 million for community-nominated projects.
• $4 million for park reforestation.
• $185,000 for oversight audits of the bond program.

The measure needs 2/3 support to pass. For more information visit www.sfnpc.org and­www.fixourparks.com.­