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| NeighborWorks Center
for Homeownership Education Designed to Ensure Standards,
Expand Training
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation plans
to greatly expand its current homeownership education efforts
through the creation of a new NeighborWorks Center for
Homeownership Education and Counseling. The Center, scheduled
to be announced formally in August at a NeighborWorks Training
Institute, will provide a focal point for the Corporation's
homeownership education activities: working with industry
partners to promote quality standards for homeownership education
and counseling; providing expanded training and certification
opportunities for existing counselors; and supporting counselors
with tools, information, and continuing education. A major
White House initiative on minority homeownership calls for
increased homeownership education, and Neighorhood Reinvestment
is taking the lead in expanding the capacity in the field
for high quality education. For more information, visit the
new NeighborWorks resources on Homeownership
Education. New
Report from NHS of Chicago Focuses on Foreclosure Prevention
Initiatives
A report prepared by NeighborWorks member
NHS of Chicago and funded by Neighborhood Reinvestment charts
new ways that community-based organizations - working cooperatively
with private industry and federal, state and local governments
- can develop new national-scale foreclosure prevention initiatives.
View
report. NeighborWorks
Activity Featured Recently in
New York Times, People, and Black Enterprise
NeighborWorks organizations continue to
attract publicity in a variety of national publications: People
magazine featured a family helped by NeighborWorks member
Beyond Housing/NHS. "Until we moved here in 2000, we
lived in a St. Louis boarding house. We lived out of boxes
and shopping bags," Pasha Mitchell, a mother of three,
told the magazine. The Mitchell family lives in one of 215-single
family homes that Beyond Housing rents to families and has
benefitted from jobs/life-skill program and children's programs,
according to executive director Chris Krehmeyer.
(April 12) New
York Times told how CDC of Long Island, working
closely with the NeighborWorks Insurance Alliance, is making
homes safer for residents. "The NeighborWorks system
is the best vehicle to reach into the community," said
Todd Pittman, NIA director. "Homeowners who know how
to maintain their homes are less likely to have a loss."
Commented resident Mary Williams: "My main concern was
the leaking roof. I told them I also needed the walkway repaired
and the driveway blacktopped. It was all dirt, and every time
it rained it became muddy." (March 28) Black
Enterprise reported on a minority homeownership
survey conducted by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in conjunction
with the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation and the NeighborWorks
network was featured in the magazine's April issue. The nationwide
survey revealed that 85 percent of minority homeowners are
eager for their children to own their own homes, in contrast
with 61 percent of non-minority homeowners. Ken Wade, executive
director of Neighborhood Reinvestment, was interviewed for
the article. Wade says the survey underscores a major desire
in most Americans, regardless of race, to own a home. View
article. [PDF]
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| Community
Strategies represents the shared experience of the NeighborWorks
network and Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation in various topics
of community development and affordable housing. |
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| The
NeighborWorks Training
Institute is dedicated to providing the highest quality training
for community development practitioners. Learn about the latest
classes and symposia on leading-edge topics. |
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| Neighborhood
Reinvestment, working closely with members of the NeighborWorks
network and partners, produces a wide-variety of publications. Most
are free and others cost a nominal fee to order. For a complete
listing and order forms, go to NeighborWorks Publications. |
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| Find lists
and charts on Neighborhood Reinvestment and the NeighborWorks
network organizations. |
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| National NeighborWorks
Week Set for June 5-12
Join us in celebrating the accomplishments of
the NeighborWorks network during the 21st annual National NeighborWorks
Week (Saturday, June 5 through Saturday, June 12). During the week,
NeighborWorks organizations mobilize tens of thousands of businesspeople,
neighbors, friends, and local and national political leaders in
a week of neighborhood change and awareness. They rehab and repair
homes, paint and landscape properties, conduct neighborhood tours,
recognize successful partnerships and host a number of events that
educate, train and inform. More than 200 organizations will participate
this year. Contact your local NeighborWorks organization to find
out if there's a National NeighborWorks Week event in your area,
by using the "NW Lookup" on www.nw.org. Congressman
Frank Commends Credit Unions/NeighborWorks Partnerships with Resolution
Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, ranking
member of the House Financial Services Committee, introduced a resolution
from Neighborhood Reinvestment that commends credit unions in New
Hampshire for their partnership with the NeighborWorks network.
View
resolution. NeighborWorks
Web Site Tops Million Hits in 1 Month
The official Web site of the NeighborWorks network
and Neighborhood Reinvestment www.nw.org
topped a million hits in a month, for the first time in February.
In March, site hits rose close to 1.3 million as overall Web activity
identified with NeighborWorks continued to increase. NHS Inc. of
Boise Receives $100,000 Challenge Grant from Wells Fargo
NeighborWorks member NHS/Boise has been selected
as the recipient of the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation's Focus Communities
Initiative Challenge Grant for the Boise MSA. This is a $100,000
challenge grant to provide capital for NHS Lending Inc, the organization's
CDFI. DHIC's
Lennox Chase Apartments Receive National Award
The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition has recognized DHIC's
Lennox Chase Apartments as the best Special-Needs Housing Project
in the nation. Lennox Chase is a 37-unit, supportive housing, rental
community providing studio apartments for very low-income individuals.
DHIC, a Raleigh, NC, NeighborWorks organization, will receive a
$5,000 cash award, which will be presented at the Coalition's annual
conference in Washington on May 19. View award-winning Lennox
Chase. NCC Closes
Multifamily Loans for NeighborWorks Organizations
Neighborhood Capital Corporation recently provided
Neighborhood Development Services of Ravenna, Ohio with a $278,000
interim development loan to build 63 units of affordable multifamily
housing. NCC also gave Housing Resources of Columbia, Hudson, NY
a $75,000 predevelopment loan to build 23 units of multifamily housing.
Both organizations are members of the NeighborWorks Multifamily
Initiative. Citizens Bank
Ramps Up Affordable Housing Development Support in New England
Citizens Bank this month gave NeighborWorks member
Manchester NHS $360,000 under its Home Buyer Assistance Program
to help low-income families with second mortgages and closing costs.
Citizens Bank is making $200 million available to nonprofit developers
of affordable housing in four New England states, reports the Citizen
Union Leader.
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| HUD’s
Homeownership Month
HUD is celebrating homeownership month throughout weekends
in June with expos in four cities: June 5th –
St. Louis, American Center
June 12th – Philadelphia, Convention Center
June 19th – Las Vegas, Cashman Center
June 26th – Miami, Fairgrounds
New HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson will attend all of these
events, and the President is expected to attend at least one.
The expos will involve booths, testimonials from recent homebuyers,
activities for children, question/answer sessions with experts,
town hall meetings with the Secretary, and mini-classes (20-30
minutes) on credit, home-buying process, budget, maintenance,
etc. NeighborWorks organizations in each of these cities will
be involved with booths, and Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
will provide trainers for the mini-classes. RESPA
Rules Withdrawn
HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson withdrew the agency’s
proposed changes to the Real Estate Settlement Procedures
Act, which governs mortgage closings. This withdrawal came
after much criticism by consumer groups, the mortgage industry,
and Congress.
Removing Regulatory Barriers
HUD has published the regulatory barrier removal rule, which
offers incentives to local governments and nonprofit organizations
to work together to change regulations (such as exclusionary
zoning) that impede development of affordable housing. The
incentives are additional points on HUD NOFA applications.
For more information, click
here and search the Federal Register, volume
69, number 55.
Truth in Lending Regulation
The Federal Reserve Board issued revisions to Regulation
Z, which implements the Truth in Lending Act, and to the official
staff commentary that applies and interprets the requirements
of the regulation. Regulation Z is revised to add an interpretative
rule of construction to clarify that where the word "amount"
is used in the regulation to describe disclosure requirements,
it refers to a numerical amount. In addition, revisions to
the staff commentary provide guidance on consumers' exercise
of rescission rights for certain home-secured loans. The revisions
were effective April 1, 2004. The date for mandatory compliance
is October 1, 2004. For the full report, click
here. [PDF]
American Dream Down Payment Interim Rule
Published
On March 30, HUD issued an interim rule describing
implementation of the American Dream Downpayment Initiative
(ADDI). The rule establishes a formula for the allocation
of funds and defines eligible activities and costs. ADDI was
established under the HOME program to make formula grants
to participating jurisdictions for the purpose of assisting
low-income, first-time homebuyers with down- payment costs.
The rule includes a lengthy definition of a first-time homebuyer,
and outlines eligible project costs, both for the home purchase
and for rehab and reduction of lead-based paint hazards. The
amount of assistance per family may not exceed the greater
of 6 percent of the purchase price of a single-family home,
or $10,000. Participating jurisdictions may use their discretion
in providing families less than the maximum in order to assist
as many families as possible.
The interim rule is effective through April 29, but HUD plans
to accept comments until June 1 that will be considered for
the final rule. To submit comments, click
here. [PDF] If you have any
questions about public sector news items, please contact Lynsey
Wood Jeffries ljeffries@nw.org
or (202) 220-2429 in Neighborhood Reinvestment’s Office
of Public Policy and Legislative Affairs.
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| The
Charles Bannerman Memorial Fellowship Program
A $15,000 grant supported by The New World
Foundation. Provides funding for a three-month (or longer)
sabbatical for activists of color. Open to people of color,
living in the US, with a minimum of 10 years experience, who
have been committed to social change. Contact: (410) 327-6220.
The Joel L. Fleishman Fellowship in Civil
Society
The program provides a select group
of outstanding civil society practitioners working internationally
or domestically with a four-week mini-sabbatical. During this
time, participants pursue research or other work of their
choosing related to the development of civil society. The
fellowship covers housing and program expenses and a $6,000
stipend. Full-time academics are not eligible. To learn more,
click
here.
National Endowment for Financial
Education
The National Endowment for Financial
Education offers two-year fellowships for recent college graduates
to gain nonprofit and project management experience. The fellowship
is located in Denver, CO, at NEFE's headquarters. The starting
salary is $26,250 and Fellows also receive an attractive benefits
package. Contact: National Endowment for Financial Education,
c/o Fellows Program, 5299 DTC Blvd., Suite 1300, Greenwood
Village, CO 80111.
BRIDGE Housing Corporation Residency Program
I. Donald Terner Residency Program
is a two-year internship program sponsored by BRIDGE Housing
Corporation. Applicants should have a college degree, and
some previous volunteer work or other job experience that
demonstrates their commitment to community development. Participants
receive $30,000 a year and benefits for their full-time labor.
Contact: (415) 989-1111.
The
National Trust for Historic Preservation
The Trust has a diversity scholarship program that underwrites
participation in the Trust's National Preservation Conference,
which will be held in Louisville, Kentucky, on September 28-October
3, 2004. The deadline for applying is June 1, 2004. Click
here.
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| Rural Chautauqua
Chautauqua 2004, presented by RNA Community Builders Inc.
in partnership with Neighborhood Reinvestment, will be held
June 15-18 in Deadwood, South Dakota, at the Deadwood Gulch
Resort. The theme for the Chautauqua is “Built to Last:
Rural NeighborWorks Organizations in a Global Economy.”
The Chautauqua brings together senior staff and board members
from NeighborWorks organizations serving rural areas to share
ideas and celebrate successes on regional and national approaches
in rural community development. The event will be hosted by
Neighborhood Housing Services of the Black Hills. Register
by May 7, 2004! Download
Brochure and Registration Form
Advanced Practitioner Program The Advanced Practitioner
Program (APP) is Neighborhood Reinvestment’s expanding
curriculum for seasoned community development practitioners
and their board members. APP courses are designed to meet
the needs of busy and successful professionals; all learning
is applied and performance-based. The APP has several upcoming
offerings:
Advanced Issues in Multifamily Bond Transactions, June 2-3,
Chicago Applications due
May 10. Download
Course Brochure [PDF] Download
Course Application [PDF]
Organizational Leadership Succession
June 17-20, University of Maryland, College Park,
MD; Applications due May 17. Download
Course Brochure [PDF] Download
Course Application [PDF]
View
information about the APP program Special
Prize Drawing for Participants in Online Professional Certificates
Program of Study Testing
As a reminder, NeighborWorks Training Institute is now offering
online testing that allows Program of Study (POS) participants
to take required tests in select POS courses over the Internet
rather than on paper. This exciting new program allows POS
participants to see their test scores immediately instead
of waiting for scores to be mailed, as well as review questions
that they did not answer correctly. Several courses already
have their tests online, and, based on positive feedback,
the NeighborWorks Training Institute plans to roll out online
testing to additional Program of Study courses at future Institutes.
A special prize drawing will be held for those who take a
POS test online for courses offered at the Training Institute
in Minneapolis! The Grand Prize winner will receive a Training
Institute scholarship or slot for the future Institute of
their choice, and three First Prize winners will receive NeighborWorks
Training Institute T-shirts! View
more information about online testing.
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| New
NeighborWorks Resource on Manufactured Housing Training Released
"Understanding Your Options: Manufactured
Housing Training Module" is the first national curriculum
on manufactured housing targeted to housing counselors. View
curriculum. NeighborWorks
Bright Ideas: Focus on "Protecting A Community's Greatest
Assets"
A major update on the NeighborWorks Insurance
Alliance is featured in Spring bright ideas. Other
articles include special features on NeighborWorks activity
in Vermont and the city of Houston.
View
issue. Neighborhood
Reinvestment's Annual Report Tells NeighborWorks Performance
Story
View
2003 Annual Report. Neighborhood
Reinvestment Releases Study on Neighborhood Revitalization
Initiatives
Review of Neighborhood Revitalization
Initiatives, prepared by Abt Associates Inc. for Neighborhood
Reinvestment, presents introductory information gathered on
a wide range of neighborhood revitalization initiatives. The
initiatives reviewed are extremely diverse in scale, goals
and approach. These initiatives include HOPE VI, a $5 billion
federal initiative aimed at redeveloping distressed public
housing developments; CCRP, a $10 million effort focused on
community development corporation (CDC) capacity-building
in four neighborhoods of the South Bronx; and Smart Growth
America, a coalition of advocacy organizations promoting smart
growth principles. Read
study. Increasing
Minority Home Ownership: A Report from a NeighborWorks Symposium
This report summarizes issued covered during
Minority Home Ownership symposium as well as other resources
on the topic of increasing minority homeownership. View
report. [PDF] GAO
Report on Predatory Lending
The General Accounting Office released
a report entitled "CONSUMER PROTECTION: Federal and State
Agencies Face Challenges in Combating Predatory Lending."
The report offers additional evidence that senior citizens
lack safeguards against unscrupulous lenders and cited enforcement
actions by regulators. Some of the major findings include:
. Consumer education is unlikely to provide less- sophisticated
consumers with enough information to properly assess whether
a loan contains abusive terms. . The role of mortgage counseling
in preventing predatory lending is likely to be limited. .
Disclosures made during the mortgage loan process may be of
limited usefulness in reducing the incidence of predatory
lending practices. . While the great majority of mortgage
brokers are honest, some play a significant role in perpetrating
predatory lending. View
report. [PDF] Spanish-Language
Brochure Alerts Consumers to Borrowing Pitfalls
The federal Interagency Task Force on Fair
Lending has published a Spanish-language version of a brochure
that alerts consumers to potential borrowing pitfalls, including
high-cost home loans, and provides tips for getting the best
financing deal possible. The brochure, Utilizar su hogar
como garantía para un préstamo es arriesgado
(Putting Your Home on the Loan Line Is Risky Business), warns
that regardless of whether a home equity loan is for a home
repair, bill consolidation, or some other purpose, it's important
to shop around. The brochure notes that many consumers may
have other options for meeting their financial needs, including
housing counseling and social service programs.
View
brochure.
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