Urban Strategies, Inc.

06/04/2026

In two weeks, we will host the final webinar in our Investing in Places, Investing in People series! This upcoming webinar, Mixed-Income Communities: Opportunities, Tensions, and the Future of Place-Based Investment, will be hosted on June 17, 2026, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. CST.

Mixed-income communities have long been positioned as a transformative strategy for neighborhood revitalization, promising economic assimilation, improved outcomes, and shared prosperity. But do mixed-income communities truly deliver on their promise?

This forward-looking webinar confronts both the potential and the complexity of mixed-income development. We will explore what decades of research tell us about economic mobility, social cohesion, displacement, and long-term neighborhood outcomes. Just as importantly, we will examine the tensions that continue to shape this work.

➡️ Register now: bit.ly/4tg5WXj

06/01/2026

Thank you so much to the for awarding the CARE Award to our leader of the USI Columbus team, Tifani Kendrick!

This award to Tifani is well-deserved, recognizing her outstanding work with Columbus CARE and her leadership around trauma-informed care. USI is honored to have her on our team and celebrate this incredible accomplishment with her.

05/29/2026

Mental Health Matters.

From February through May, our senior residents at Emerald Vista were positively impacted by the USI Puerto Rico team, students from the Office of Women’s Affairs of the Municipality of Caguas, and doctoral students from the highly regarded Psychology Doctoral Program at Carlos Albizu University.

Over the course of several Thursdays, participants engaged in group sessions where they were able to socialize and openly express their feelings in a safe and supportive environment.

This short video provides a recap of how participants were positively impacted by this initiative.

05/28/2026

Our vision is clear. Our work is rooted. Our results are real. For nearly 50 years, we have built bridges, informed policy, managed public-private partnerships, and transformed the places we call home. For nearly 50 years, our work has been rooted in love. 💙

05/26/2026

Rooted conversations. Strong connections. Real community impact.

The USI CDFI had an incredible time connecting with local entrepreneurs, professionals, and community leaders during an evening centered around culture, collaboration, and opportunity.

Spaces like the Enterprise Center hosting Minority Professionals Networking Nights create valuable opportunities for professionals and entrepreneurs to build relationships, exchange ideas, and strengthen community connections.

Networking is more than exchanging contact information, it opens doors to mentorship, partnerships, visibility, and long-term growth.

At Urban Strategies, Inc., we believe meaningful connections are a critical part of economic mobility and long-term community impact, and we’re proud to continue supporting spaces that bring people together. Go Blues!

05/19/2026

Join us tomorrow from 1 – 2:30pm CST for third webinar in the Investing in Place, Investing in People webinar series! Sign up now: bit.ly/4vh1fOe

Tiffany D. Thomas
City of Norfolk Government
The Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers
Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools
Fort Worth Housing Solutions

05/14/2026

For more than three decades, federal place-based housing policy has shaped the trajectory of neighborhoods across the country. From the bold transformation efforts of HOPE VI to the more comprehensive, cross-sector model of Choice Neighborhoods, communities have wrestled with a central question: how do we revitalize neighborhoods without displacing opportunity?

Our panel of experts across multiple sectors, cities, and lived experience will be weighing in at our upcoming webinar, Hope to Choice: Connecting the Past to the Present—and the Path Forward.

We encourage you to join us on May 20th from 1 – 2:30 pm CST. bit.ly/4vh1fOe

Our Moderator:

➡️ Tiffany D. Thomas was re-elected in 2024 as the first female Houston City Council Member for District F. Since taking office, Council Member Thomas has delivered measurable changes across public infrastructure, affordable housing, homelessness, public safety, and disaster preparedness. She acts as Chair of the Housing and Affordability Committee at the forefront of housing affordability and investment championing policy reforms.

Our Panelists:

➡️ Marcia Davis has more than 21 years of public housing development experience and currently serves as the Executive Director for The Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers. Davis has directly designed and managed several complex affordable housing redevelopment projects and is experienced with administering HUD programs including HOPE VI implementation, Choice Neighborhoods Initiatives, and more to further the redevelopment of communities.

➡️ Mary-Margaret Lemons is the President of Fort Worth Housing Solutions. She has led the transformation of FWHS from a traditional housing authority to an innovative developer and community collaborator recognized as a national leader in affordable housing. Mary-Margaret serves as Vice-Chair of the Continuum of Care for Tarrant County, Vice-President of Professional Development and Trustee for the Public Housing Authority Director’s Association, committee member for the International Research and Global Exchange of NAHRO, Senior Vice President of Texas NAHRO, and Board Chair of North Texas LEAD.

➡️ Dr. Effie McMillian currently serves as the Chief of Staff and Strategic Planning for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools. Dr. McMillian has had the opportunity to consult and collaborate with leaders and facilitate conversations with audiences across the nation, as well as in Puerto Rico and Canada. She is an author and research interests include educational equity, school integration, trauma, literacy, and culturally responsive pedagogy.

➡️ Dr. Susan L. Perry is the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for the City of Norfolk Government. She also leads the City’s St. Paul’s Transformation initiative. She advances equitable, people‑centered revitalization through the redevelopment of three public housing communities into a mixed‑income neighborhood, ensuring long‑term residents benefit from new investment. Dr. Perry also oversees citywide residential development, federal entitlement funding, housing preservation strategies, and fair housing efforts.

Learn from these distinguished leaders on housing by registering for the upcoming webinar on May 20th from 1 – 2:30 pm CST.
➡️bit.ly/4vh1fOe

05/13/2026

We know that data drives results. Today, our CEO, Esther Shin, our COO, Donovan Duncan, our VP of Policy & Influence, Kristie Stutler, and our VP of Educational Initiatives, Tyronda Minter, attended the Results Count 10 Year Celebration, held by our esteemed partner, Annie E. Casey Foundation.

We utilize the Results Count® framework, a proven, data-informed method to clarify high-level goals, ensure accountability, and track progress across systems and stakeholders. With this disciplined approach, we cultivate alignment, unlock impact, and ensure the communities we serve don’t just survive but thrive.

05/12/2026

"Housing instability may not be as visible as homelessness, but it is present in every neighborhood, in every council district across this city. We are asking you to meet that challenge with innovation and data-driven solutions. Because housing stability is not just a service, it is the foundation on which everything else in a person's life is built."

Our Senior Director of Operations in Louisville, Ta'Londa Holland was featured on WDRB News recently, advocating for more funding for housing stability in Louisville City's budget.

See Ta'Londa speak:

The coalition called Safe & Stable: Housing for All wants funding included in next year's city budget.Subscribe to our channel: https://wdrb.news/3dTREaiDown...

05/12/2026

The past offers lessons. The present demands clarity. The future requires courage.

Next week, we’re hosting a powerful webinar that bridges decades of practice and policy to explore what we’ve learned, what has evolved, and what must come next in federal place-based housing programs.

From the bold transformation efforts of HOPE VI to the more comprehensive, cross-sector model of Choice Neighborhoods, communities have wrestled with a central question: how do we revitalize neighborhoods without displacing opportunity?

Through candid reflection and forward-looking dialogue, this session connects policy to lived experience, lifting up lessons and best practices from a panel of expert leaders who have shaped and implemented these transformative initiatives.

This webinar is being held on May 20th from 1 – 2:30 pm CST.
We encourage you to register: bit.ly/4vh1fOe

Tiffany D. Thomas City of Norfolk Government The Housing Authority of the City of Fort Myers Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Fort Worth Housing Solutions