Neighborhood Concepts Inc. in Huntsville will honor former Business Council of Alabama chairman Phil Dotts later this month in recognition of his three decades of service with the non-profit organization that works to solve housing shortages for low-income Alabamians.
Sponsorships for the event on Sept. 28 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Huntsville Depot Roundhouse are available here.
Neighborhood Concepts, Inc. operates with a volunteer board of directors that offers expertise in real estate development, finance, banking, law, architecture and engineering, social service, community development, and civic responsibility.
Dotts, principal with Public Financial Management Inc., chairman of the BCA in 2009 and currently a BCA board member, has served on the NCI board of directors since its creation 30 years ago.
Proceeds from the Sept. 28 event will support NCI’s efforts to strengthen communities through the development of affordable housing and advancement of economic opportunities.
In addition to recognizing and honoring Dotts, a portion of the proceeds will endow the Kathleen and Philip Dotts Scholarship Fund that will provide financial support to low-to-moderate income residents who are pursuing education opportunities and/or certificate employment programs.
NCI began after the Huntsville Housing Authority in the 1980s decided to demolish public housing that was originally built in World War II to house African-American soldiers working on Redstone Arsenal. When residents went to the Huntsville City Council to voice their concerns over deteriorated housing and living conditions, Dotts decided to try to do something to address the matter.
As a result of a lawsuit and through Dotts’ efforts, NCI was formed in 1988 and tasked with rebuilding 90 of the units scheduled for demolition. Since then, NCI has been successful in developing over 1,000 units of affordable housing throughout Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
To date, NCI also has provided financing of approximately $1.5 million to almost 40 small businesses and entrepreneurs.