Reporting for Shelterforce

I’ve been with Shelterforce magazine since February 2016. Shelterforce is a nonprofit publication that covers the worlds of community development, affordable housing, and neighborhood stabilization. While most of my time is spent editing and planning our upcoming series and special events, I also continue to write when I can. Below is some of my work with Shelterforce:

 

Town-Hall-PhotoAffordable Housing for LGBTQ Seniors

LGBTQ seniors are more likely than peers their age to experience discrimination, leaving them more likely to be poor and have chronic health problems. What does it take to create affordable, LGBTQ-friendly senior housing? Read More

 

Photo-Oct-06-5-35-30-PM-e1553201863707-547x420From PETRA to RAD—The Path to Converting 140,000 Public Housing Units

More than $10 billion in private financing has been invested in public housing thanks to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program. But housing advocates say it comes at a cost, and there still isn’t enough oversight of the program. Read More

 

LATU_Mariachi_Building_Timo_Saarelma_2017Tenant Power: Organizing for Rent Strikes and Landlord Negotiations

In the face of high rent increases and substandard housing, many tenants are realizing they are not alone in their landlord troubles and are joining together to push for building-level wins, and policy change. Read More

 

How a Risk-Averse Hospital and a Risk-Taking CDC Built a Functional Partnership

Hospitals across the country have been taking steps to work with community-based organizations to address a major cause of poor health in neighborhoods: substandard housing. Shelterforce recently chatted with Angela Mingo, community relations director of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and the Rev. John Edgar, the executive director of Community Development for All People, to learn more about their partnership, how it came to be, and to find out how others can form similar partnerships to help residents in their respective communities. Read More

 

Will Limited-Equity Co-ops Make a Comeback?

Federal programs and cultural attitudes that helped launch a majority of the large limited-equity co-ops across the nation are long gone, but at a smaller scale, this model of resident-controlled, long-term affordable housing may be experiencing new interest. Read More

 

A Community Benefits Proposal Is Ignored. Is Displacement Far Behind?

Four historically Black neighborhoods in Atlanta are in the midst of an occupation of Turner Field—the former home of the Atlanta Braves. The organized resident groups have demanded, since 2013 when the baseball team announced it was leaving, to be considered and included in the planned development of 67 acres of commercial and housing on the land. So far, they’ve reported little to no luck in getting a community benefits agreement considered. Read More

 

Exploring Foreclosure Through Art

Following the burst of the housing bubble in the late 2000s, millions of homeowners across the United States came face to face with foreclosure. Given that foreclosure is an emotional and often dramatic experience, it isn’t a surprise that some have turned to art to explore its aftermath. Read More

 

 

Using Business as a Force for Good

B Corps are for-profit businesses that focus strongly on their social and environmental impact. The movement has grown to 1,800-plus worldwide and now cities, economic authorities, and activists are trying to attract more of these mission-driven and worker-friendly companies to help spur economic growth. Read More

 

Challenging the Almighty Credit Score

Credit scores go hand in hand with buying a home, renting an apartment, or leasing a car. But as more and more companies begin to rely on that three-digit number for a bevy of purchases, including non-loan items such as insurance and utility rates, some are recognizing that those scores don’t tell the whole story. Read More

 

 

About me

Hi! Thanks so much for checking out my portfolio.

Lillian Ortiz

I’m Lillian Ortiz and I love the news. I’ve worked at print publications and digital news organizations since 2000, covering New Jersey municipalities for a large part of my early career. For more than a decade now I’ve managed small newsrooms, first as managing editor of The Montclair Times, then as editor of The Verona-Cedar Grove Times. During that time I earned dozens of awards for my reporting, layout and design work, and even photography (that was definitely a surprise!), and my newspapers were often cited as the best weekly in the state. (See related awards and accolades)

In 2016 I joined the team at Shelterforce magazine, a national nonprofit publication that promotes just and equitable communities. We report on affordable housing, neighborhood change, equity, the social determinants of health, and lots more. At Shelterforce, I spend most of my time working with reporters and editing their stories, planning future content and series, and developing our publication schedule. I also plan most of our promotion, including for webinars and events, and I lead our audio efforts.

In another life, I wrote about astronomy for my space blog and for Universe Today. Fun times.

I consider myself a Jill of all trades, and I love working in an environment where there is a constant exchange of ideas and an undying desire to take it to the next level.

In my spare time I enjoy walks in nature, playing with my son, reading, and rewatching The Office and Parks and Rec.

You can reach me at Lillian.M.Ortiz@gmail.com.

Recommendations via LinkedIn:

“Never before or since our time as colleagues have I worked with someone with as much integrity, passion and thoughtfulness as her. I would not be half the journalist I am today if not for Lillian’s guidance over the years.”

“Lillian was an excellent editor and helped drive me toward aggressive news coverage when reporting on suburban Essex County. She built a close-knit collaborative environment in the newsroom which rewarded creativity.”

“Lillian has phenomenal people skills, a cool head during a crisis, and wonderful strategic planning and management abilities.”

Verona-Cedar Grove Times – news and editorials

writingNews

Editorial writing

Astronomy, health and news writing

Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt

Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/R. Hurt

Science and astronomy 

For more science-related stories, go to Space Oddities: What I didn’t learn in science class.

Health

News