Author

Carlos A. Permell has over 20 years of community building and economic development experience. Honing his organizational and community building experience in New York City (Brooklyn, Manhattan: East Harlem, Central Harlem and the South Bronx), he is passionate about equality, justice, affordable housing, social entrepreneurship, community reinvestment, education and comprehensive community development — sustainability.

While living in New York City, Carlos worked for Brooklyn Ecumenical Cooperatives as part of a community building process. The comprehensive initiative created over 500 units of affordable housing, a local credit union, and the development of a socially responsible bank: Community Capital Bank.

His work in Manhattan with East Harlem Interfaith and New York Law School created a guide to reinforce the Community Reinvestment Act; leveraging a regional bank to commit to reinvesting $15 million in New York State with $5 million specific to the East & Central Harlem communities by way of economic and community development.

In the South Bronx he organized a Tenants Consortium, 200 units. Was part of an exploration in the development of a recycling plant working with Natural Resource Defense Council and working with the Surdna Foundation as part of the Comprehensive Community Revitalization Plan, involving six CDC’s addressing economic and community development. In essence, Carlos has been working on Quality Of Life Plans, before the buzz words “sustainable communities” became prominent.

As an Indianapolis resident, he works closely with the Mid-North Quality of Life Plan in the areas of Housing, Plan Implementation and Sustainability.  In addition, Carlos is currently working with the Martindale-Brightwood community as a consultant, designing a process for the community to refine its Quality Of Life Plan; through the Central Indiana Community Foundation – C.I.C.F.  He also served as a panelist on WFYI IndyTalks: The Lasting Legacy: A discussion about the lasting legacy of the Super Bowl: http://www.wfyi.org/TheLastingLegacy.asp.  As an organizer Carlos has emerged as community development process specialist with a passion for issues related to race, poverty, gender, sustainability, social entrepreneurship, philanthropy, economic and community development,  social justice and hip-hop culture.