Joanna Balsamo-Lilien

Project Manager

• Solid academic background in public policy research and analysis
• Direct work experience in the government and nonprofit sectors
• Thorough understanding of community-based organizations, issues surrounding poverty and the centrality of affordable housing to the success of lower-income households
• Work experience with affordable housing finance programs and their management

Joanna Balsamo-Lilien joined the Partnership in July 2006. She provides technical assistance to Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) and Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) under the Partnership’s contracts with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Joanna also consults on non-HUD contracts with community-based organizations, local and state units of government, and for-profit developers.

Joanna has compiled a record of success in working with clients on a number of consulting contracts.

• Community Housing Development Corporation (CHDC), Des Moines
  
  Assisting CHDC with capacity building to enhance the agency's ability to serve the housing needs of the greater Des Moines area. Analyzed board capacity and made suggestions for enhancements. Conducted in-depth reviews of each area of CHDC's work by surveying community members, identifying competitors and defining distinguishing features of the CHDC model. Suggested opportunities for program expansion and additional fund raising.
  
  
• Madison Area Community Land Trust
  
  Helping this CHDO develop strategies for expanding membership and entering new programmatic areas. Also helped analyze the possibility of merging with a sister organization.
  
  
• Southwest CAP - Dodgeville
  
  Assisting this community action agency with the design of a lease-purchase program for lower-income households in their service area. Developing a program manual to describe program operations. Ensuring that program design and purchase process will comply with financing source requirements, especially those relating to the federal HOME program. Also assisting Southwest CAP with financial packaging, including funding sources for Green Built construction, to finance development of the homes for the first phase of the project.
  
  
• Movin' Out, Inc.
  
  Assisted Movin' Out in absorbing the rental housing activities of the Wisconsin Initiative for Sustainable Housing (WISH). Helped design a comprehensive system for managing rental program activities and creating additional rental housing opportunities for people with disabilities.
  
  
• Fox Cities Housing Coalition (FCHC)
  
  Carried out comprehensive research of coalition models across the country and assisted in preparing a report. Worked with FCHC to analyze its current capacity and recommended steps to help the coalition address its mission more effectively.
  
  
• Neighborhood Housing Services of Richland County
  
  Helped NHS Richland County review market conditions in its service area and recommended adjustments to the marketing program to address current conditions.
  
  
• HOME Program Administration/HOME Consortium, Waukesha
  
  Updated and expanded the website for this four-county consortium based in Waukesha. Created a corresponding PowerPoint presentation to explain the consortium’s structure and programming.

Before joining the Partnership, Joanna compiled a solid record of success in working with both public sector agencies and nonprofit organizations.

• For Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Inc., performed research related to affordable housing development and provided supervision to case management staff
• As a program evaluator for the Wisconsin Legislative Audit Bureau, collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data, including personal interviews, to support reports written for Legislature review
• During a year with the Volunteers in Service to American (VISTA) , assisted Century Place Development Corporation, Chicago, with low-income housing development projects; work included community research, grant writing and community organizing
• Also at Century Place, assisted in establishment of standards for new development and building operations
• As a research intern for the Hudson Institute, assisted with research on Wisconsin welfare policy

Joanna is certified as a housing development finance professional by the National Development Council. As a 2001 graduate of the masters program of the La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she has both academic and employment experience in public policy, research and grant writing. In addition to her master's degree, Joanna holds a bachelor's degree in women’s studies and political science from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor.

Email Joanne Balsamo-Lilien at joannabalsamo-lilien@wphd.org, or call 608/258-5560 x33.