Mid South Delta
George Miles
Chair, Local Advisory Committee:
Dr. Ivye Allen,
Foundation for the Mid South
Established in 1995
Achievements by the Numbers:
(By LISC and Affiliates since inception)- 2,323 homes and apartments
- 291,377 square feet of commercial space
- $54.8 million total investment
- $170.8 million leveraged
- Download Mid South Delta LISC Program Summary (PDF, 532 KB)
- Learn more at: www.lisc.org/mid_south
Profile
Mid South Delta LISC provides training, technical assistance, loans, and grants to 56 distressed counties and parishes in the Delta region of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Since 2008, Mid South Delta LISC has developed Quality-of-Life plans in three Delta communities as it adapts LISC’s national Building Sustainable Communities strategy to the region. Project managers are working with local partners in each site to successfully implement the resident-led plans and to leverage investment into previously disinvested communities. LISC is working to transform these distressed Delta communities into better places to live, work, and raise children.
Through the Delta Homeownership Initiative, Mid South Delta LISC supports multiple projects in the tri-state area that results in 75 new homeowners and leverages $8 million into low-income communities each year. Through LISC’s network of counselors, 800 people in both 2009 and 2010 received financial literacy training, credit counseling, and homebuyer education. Due to a $500,000 line of credit to the Canton Housing Authority in 2010, 36 homes for ownership will be renovated for low-income families.
Due to Arkansas and Mississippi’s lack of public affordable housing funds, Mid South Delta LISC’s recent public policy efforts have included a multi-state strategy supporting the creation of affordable housing trust funds. To improve the quality of life, Mid South Delta LISC will train rural CDCs in best practices in green development. Additionally, other nonprofit affordable housing clients working in the region will receive business planning support, board development training, and financial management training.