History

The New England region has been way ahead of the curve on the important issue of service coordination dating back to the early 1990’s when the Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont HFAs were five of ten states selected nationally as grant recipients under Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Supportive Services Program in Senior Housing. Models of service coordination were further refined when several of these states also received Administration on Aging funding to expand the concept of resident service coordination in housing. NERSC emerged as a direct result of these programs when at a 1998 National RSC Conference, a group of New England Resident Service Coordinators, other housing professionals, and several state and regional agencies initiated the development of a training conference. The conference was planned based on successful conference collaboration between New Hampshire Finance Agency and Maine State Housing Authority. On September 23, 1998 the first meeting was held by the group, hereinafter known as the New England Resident Service Coordinators Committee (NERSC), at the offices of the New Hampshire Housing in Bedford, NH to begin planning the first New England Resident Service Coordinators Conference.

NERSC’s first conference, RSC 2000: A Challenging Profession for a Changing World, was successfully held in Portland, Maine June 2-4, 1999 with three workshop tracks (Advanced Elderly/Disabled, Beginning Elderly Disabled, and Family) with over 90 workshop choices and three keynote speakers.

2000: Pathways to Success, Vision for Tomorrow, was successfully held in Providence, Rhode Island May 10-12, 2000 with three workshop tracks (Elderly/Disabled, Family/Family Self Sufficiency, Professional Development); one day of workshops and networking sessions on cross-over issues affecting both The RSC and the Management staff; three keynote speakers; a networking roundtable session; and two evening events.

2001: Collaboration: The Business of Building Strong Partnerships, was successfully held in Hyannis (Cape Cod), Massachusetts May 9-11, 2001 with four educational tracks (Elderly/Disabled Populations, Family Populations, Family Self Sufficiency, Professional Development); one day of 4 hour Intensive Sessions; 2 keynote speakers; and one evening event.

2002: Climbing Mountains & Reaching New Heights, was successfully held in Bartlett, New Hampshire May 8-10, 2002 with four educational tracks (Elderly/Disabled Populations, Family Populations, Family Self Sufficiency, Professional Development); one day of 4 hour Intensive Sessions; Program/Ideas Exchange Forum; 2 keynote speakers; and the first NERSC Talent Show showcasing the artistic gifts of conference participants.

2003: The Future is Here and We Are Waiting For It, was successfully held in Burlington Vermont, May 14-16, 2003 with four educational tracks including Elder/Disabled Populations; Family Populations; Family Self-Sufficiency; Professional Development with an emphasis on the Advanced Resident Service Coordinator; 3 Keynote Speakers and a Welcome Reception at the Burlington Boathouse hosted by Vermont Housing Finance Agency.

NERSC, Inc. Incorporation - During 2003, a subcommittee of the NERSC Conference Planning Committee, the Future of NERSC Committee, with the support and direction of legal counsel, diligently worked toward bringing the NERSC organization from a grassroots committee focused on professional development through the planning, coordination and facilitation of an annual training and networking conference to an organization with a broader mission of enhancing the service coordination profession through continued professional development opportunities, advocacy, public policy initiatives, and resource development. The new organization was incorporated in the state of Massachusetts as a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization on March 22, 2004 and received its 501 (c) 3 designation from the IRS.

2004: Navigating the Tides of Change, was held May 5-7, 2004 at the Mystic Marriot in Groton, Connecticut. The conference featured 40 sessions focused on issues related to the elderly, family self-sufficiency and professional development for Resident Service Coordinators and other housing staff; two keynote speakers; a welcome reception hosted by CT Housing Finance Authority at the Sea Aquarium and an evening excursion to the Mohegan Sun Resort.

2005: Lighting the Way, was held May 2-4, 2005 at the Samoset Resort on the ocean in Rockport, Maine. Conference highlights included 41 sessions, a Lobster Bake sponsored by Maine Housing, an exhibitor symposium, State RSC reception and entertainment provide by renowned Maine humorist Tim Sample.

2006: Building Bridges in Housing, was held May 1-3, 2006 at the Newport Marriott in Newport, Rhode Island. The conference featured 38 sessions, a pre-conference wine tasting reception, exhibitor showcase, a tour of the Newport Heights mixed income housing development, the first Excellence in Service Awards winners and Best Practices Round Table discussions with each of the State Associations represented.

2007: Creating Foundations of Strength, was held May 8-11 at the beautiful Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster, Massachusetts. Framed by 37 great sessions, the conference featured a welcome reception sponsored by Mass Housing, Wellness Fair, Internet Café, exhibitor showcase and raffle, a Lobster Bake, nighttime bonfire on the beach and the second Excellence in Service Awards.

2008: 10 Years and Still Moving Mountains, was held May 6-9, 2008 at the breathtaking North Conway Grand Hotel in North Conway, NH. Framed by 56 insightful sessions, the conference featured a welcome reception sponsored by New Hampshire Housing, brand new tracks focusing on supervisory/management issues, intensives and a first-timers special event.

We are now planning our 11th Annual Conference, Reflections on Service and Community. A fabulous Welcome Reception is being planned at the ECHO Center on Lake Champlain and other memorable events. The conference will be held April 28 through May 1st at the Burlington Hilton located in the heart of Burlington, VT.

CONFERENCE CONVENORS

For the past ten years, the New England State Housing Finance Agencies have proudly convened the New England Resident Service Coordinators Conferences, supporting resident service coordination in housing and continuing education through collaborative programming. In a special note of appreciation, we would like to acknowledge the extraordinary contributions of these six New England State Housing Finance Authorities/Agencies who proudly convened the first ten NERSC Conferences. Without their generous support and involvement, our success would not have been possible.