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| Quarterly Newsletter |
Oct 2011
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2011 Homebuyer
Workshop Schedule
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Workshops are free to attend Oahu
Kapolei - DHHL Hale Ponoi
8:30a - 5p
- November 12th
- December 10th
Oahu - CNHA Training Room
8:30a - 5p
- November 19th
- December 3rd
Maui
Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center
8:30a - 5p
- November 5th
- December 10th
Big Island
Hilo - Hawaii County Office Building 8:30a - 5p
Kona - Neighborhood Place
8:30a - 5p
Kauai
includes orientation and 2 part workshop series
5p - 9p
- Oct 10, 19/20
- Nov 14, 16/17
- Dec 12, 21/22
For more information or to register for a workshop in your community, contact HCA at (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116.
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Did You Know...
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You have 3 credit scores?
Your credit score can impact your ability to obtain employment, housing, affordable insurance, and loans for college and cars?
You can enroll in HCA's first-time home buyer program and get your credit score for free?!
For more information on how you can enroll in HCA's first-time buyer program call (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116
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Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) is a HUD-approved housing education and counseling agency and Community Development Financial Institution. HCA offers this quarterly newsletter to provide you with updated information on current programs and services. HCA's mission is to build the capacity of low and moderate income communities to achieve and sustain economic self-sufficiency with a particular focus on Native Hawaiians.
HCA programs include:
- Renter Education and Counseling
- Pre-Purchase Homebuyer Education and Counseling
- Post-Purchase Education and Counseling
- Foreclosure Prevention and Loan Modification Services
- Youth and Family Financial Education
- Youth and Renters MATCH Savings
- Tax and FAFSA Preparation Services
- Credit Builder Loans
- Loan Packaging
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"One Step Closer": HCA Receives $130,900 Department of Treasury Grant to Establish Community Lending Institution
 HONOLULU, HI - In August, HCA received a $130,900 grant from the Department of Treasury's Native CDFI Fund (Community Development Financial Institution Fund) to assist in establishing itself as a certified community lending institution. The organization was among seven Hawaii awardees receiving more than $1.5 million in CDFI grant funds that will help expand affordable loan products and services to low- and moderate-income families throughout the state.
"It was the vision of our founders to become a community-based financial institution that serves the needs of low- and moderate-income families statewide," says HCA Executive Director, Jeff Gilbreath. "With this support, we are one step closer to achieving that vision."
According to Gilbreath, the funds will assist HCA in establishing policies, procedures, and loan products to serve the state's most underserved populations - families living in transitional shelters, low-income homebuyers, and youth. Currently, HCA offers a low-interest, fixed-rate Credit Builder Loan product to families living in transitional shelters so they can actively build their credit to obtain employment and affordable, housing, education, and insurance. |
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HCA Kicks Off Family Financial Education Workshops
 | | Above: HCA Community Services Assistant and workshop trainer, Rose Transfiguracion engages families in comparing traditional vs modern economics. |
WAIANAE - On October 3rd, HCA conducted its first family financial education workshop at the Ulu Ke Kukui Transitional Home. Attended by 11 parents and 13 children, the workshop featured hands-on activities from HCA's Kahua Waiwai, Opio Edition(c) delivered by HCA staff.
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Above: Participating youth define the steps it takes to get a job.
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"It's important to engage families so the kids know what the family's goal is and how they can help work towards it," says HCA Community Services Specialist and workshop trainer, Rose Transfiguracion. "The workshops are a way for us to start a positive conversation between parents and children about what it means to be financially self-sufficient and how to ."
During the workshop families were brought together to learn about savings goals and financial decision making, and separated to go over employment, gross vs net pay, budgeting, credit, and qualifying for a loan. Post-workshop evaluations reflected a 27% increase among participants in knowledge of budgeting and spending plans as well as a 72% increase in money management capabilities.
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Above: Participating youth review credit using Kahua Waiwai, Opio Edition(c) curriculum
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HCA plans to deliver its next family financial education workshop for parents and children of Ke Kula o Samuel M. Kamakau Charter School October 26th.
For more information about HCA's family homebuyer and financial education workshops, contact HCA at (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116.
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Youth Corner
HCA Receives $2500 Grant to Increase Financial Literacy and Expand Matched Savings for Kauai Youth
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Above: Youth looks over Kahua Waiwai, Opio Edition(c) curriculum.
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ANAHOLA - HCA received a $2500 grant from the Rapozo Kamaaina Fund in October to increase the financial literacy for Kauai youth. The funds will allow HCA to conduct a 2-day Kahua Waiwai Youth Financial Education Train-the-Trainer session for staff from community-based, education, and financial organizations on the Garden Isle to deliver its Kahua Waiwai, Opio Edition(c) curriculum in their own communities. The session is tentatively scheduled for January 2012.
"Receiving the Rapozo Kamaaina Fund grant was a great surprise and a good indicator of the Kauai peoples' continued support for financial literacy," says HCA Community Services Specialist, Desiree Vea. "With these funds, HCA will increase the self-sufficiency of our families and prepare our next generation of homeowners, college graduates, and business owners for long-term success."
In addition, the award will provide seed funding for HCA to expand its Youth MATCH program which is currently being delivered on Hawaii Island only. Youth MATCH (Managing Assets to Change Hawaii) provides youth participants, ages 13-24, with a 3:1 match on savings up to $100 for purchase of a goal related to housing, education, job/career training, or small business development. To be eligible for enrollment in Youth MATCH, participants are required to complete a Kahua Waiwai workshop series delivered by HCA or one of its trained trainers.
HCA is actively looking for community-based, education, and financial organizations interested in attending and/or supporting its train-the-trainer session and Youth MATCH expansion for Kauai youth.
For more information contact HCA's Anahola office at 632.2070 or via email at desiree@hawaiiancommunity.net.
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Hawaii Island Youth MATCH Participants Save $728 in 4 months!
HAWAII ISLAND - HCA is proud to announce 18 of its Youth MATCH participants have collectively saved $728 in 4 months of enrollment.
"Youth MATCH is a great way for our opio to build hands-on savings habits and give them incentive to reach their long-term goals," says HCA Community Services Specialist, Kelly Lincoln. "We mahalo Hawaii County Department of Research and Development for seed funding to establish this program as well as the commitment of Bank of Hawaii and our delivery partners - Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center - Kona, Ka Hana Noeau, HOPE Hawaii Services, Inc, and Panaewa Hawaiian Home Lands Community Association."
For more information about HCA's Youth MATCH program, contact its Hawaii Island office at 934.0801 or kelly@hawaiiancommunity.net.
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New Team Members Join the HCA Family
HONOLULU - HCA brought on new team members to assist in its statewide delivery of financial education and housing counseling services. Through a comprehensive capacity building strategy, the organization is working to train community members to better equip more families with the skills necessary to achieve and sustain economic self-sufficiency.
 Mahealani Meheula, Community Services Specialist
Mahealani was raised along with seven siblings, in rural East Oahu. Her steadfast, single-mother worked several jobs, determined to provide a better life for her children. It was this disciplined upbringing that established the foundation for Mahealani's drive and commitment to her own children's future and that of her Native Hawaiian community. This ambition was the driving force that led to management of a successful local business and experience in Hawaii's flourishing real estate industry. Currently, through her work as a Community Services Specialist for HCA, she is able to apply this passionate experience to champion the families she works with in rental and pre-purchase housing counseling.
 Lahela Williams, Community Services Assistant
Lahela Williams has joined HCA as a Community Services Assistant responsible for intake services and coordinating the organization's youth financial education program. A fourth-generation community leader, Lahela brings with her over 8 years of community service experience through the volunteer boards of the Kewalo Hawaiian Homestead Community Association, Kula no na Po`e Hawaii and the Honolulu Advisory Council. Her passion for serving native Hawaiians with an emphasis on leadership development and youth mentoring will be an asset to her work with HCA. Lahela is happily married with two children and enjoys spending quality time with her ohana.
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HCA Partners with Laiopua Homestead and County to Serve West Hawaii Families
LAIOPUA - Having provided free housing counseling and financial education services to Hawaii Island families from its Hilo office for the last 6 years, HCA announced a partnership with Laiopua 2020, nonprofit organization serving the native Hawaiian community and surrounding neighborhoods in Kealakehe and Keahuolu ahupua'a.
"HCA will assist and provide housing counseling and education to assist native Hawaiians to qualify for home ownership in the Laiopua Homestead Community," says HCA Community Services Specialist, Kelly Lincoln. "With a philosophy of Kahua Waiwai or "Foundation for Wealth," HCA's comprehensive program includes assessment, pre-purchase education, one-on-one counseling, and access to mortgage credit, all in the context of Native Hawaiian culture."
The partnership, made possible with funding from the Hawaii County Department of Research and Development, will allow HCA to serve families with individualized housing counseling services from the Laiopua 2020 Homestead's office facilities. In addition, Hawaii County will provide venue space for HCA to conduct homebuyer and financial education workshops at their West Hawaii Civic Center.
"This partnership make a lot of sense as we partner to provide financial literacy programs for native Hawaiians toward home ownership," notes Laiopua 2020 Executive Director, Bo Kahui. "We are excited to partner with HCA on increasing financial education services to Laiopua and West Hawaii families", noted Kahui.
For more information about HCA's housing counseling and financial education services on Hawaii Island, contact its Hilo office at 934-0801 or via email at kelly@hawaiiancommunity.net
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Are you or is someone you know
at-risk of experiencing foreclosure?
CALL US ~ WE CAN HELP
PREVENT FORECLOSURE
 (808) 587-7886 or
(toll-free)
1-866-824-0448
Free Help With:
* Loan modifications * Work out plans * Reducing payments
* Lowering interest rates
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