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| Quarterly Newsletter |
Jul 2012
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2012 Homebuyer
Workshop Schedule
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Workshops are free to attendOahu
Kapolei - DHHL Hale Ponoi
8:30a - 5p
Papakolea - Community Center
8:30a - 5p
Maui
Wailuku - Queen Liliuokalani Children's Center
Molokai Kaunakakai - Molokai Affordable Homes & Community Development Corporation 8:30a - 5p LanaiTBA
Big Island
Hilo - Hawaii County Office
Building
8:30a - 5p
Kona - West Hawaii Civic Center
8:30a - 5p
Kauai
includes orientation and 2 part workshop series
5p - 9p
- Aug 13, 21/23
- Sept 10, 18/20
- Oct 8, 16/18
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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Hawaiian Community Assets (HCA) is a HUD approved housing counseling agency and Native 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 and products include:
- Renter Education and Counseling
- Pre-Purchase Homebuyer Education and Counseling
- Post-Purchase Education and Counseling
- Foreclosure Prevention Services
- Youth and Family Financial Education
- Youth and Renters MATCH Savings
- Tax and FAFSA Preparation Services
- Credit Builder Micro-Loans
- Loan Packaging
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High Housing Costs, Low Incomes Keep Homeownership Out of Reach for Hawaii Families
HAWAII - According to the Corporation for Enterprise Development, Hawaii families rank last in the nation in annual average pay rate while having the least affordable homes across the 50 states and the District of Columbia (Assets and Opportunities Scorecard, 2011-12).
In its Homebuyer Education Program Report released July 2012 in commemoration of June as Homeownership Month as designated by our State, HCA compiled data on 987 clients served through its statewide pre-purchase homebuyer education program over the 18-month period between January 2011 through June 2012. Below is an overview of the average Hawaii family enrolled in its services detailing their financial situation based on information collected at intake and individualized counseling sessions.
Calculating the mortgage affordability of 256 households enrolled in its program through the completion of comprehensive financial assessments, HCA also identified the following according to clients served at its statewide offices (see below). 
Information compiled by Zillow, an online real estate marketplace with data on over 100 million homes across the United States, placed the average home sales price in Hawaii at $410,300 as of May 2012. When disaggregated by Counties, average home sales prices in the same month were identified at $219,700 (Hawaii Island), $489,000 (Honolulu), $371,100 (Maui), and $351,800 (Kauai).
"Our hope is that this information will continue to spark discussion at our dinner tables, in our communities, and across the State on how to bridge the gap between our high home sales prices and what our families can comfortably afford," says HCA Executive Director, Jeff Gilbreath.
For more information contact HCA at (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116 or via email at info@hawaiiancommunity.net.
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SAVE THE DATE
Hawaiian Community Assets
Annual Housing Luncheon
"Home for Good"
 Tuesday, October 2nd- 12-1:30pm
- Hawaii Convention Center
Featuring Keynote Speaker
Sherry Salway Black
President's Advisory Council on Financial Capability
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Beneficiary Families Awarded Kanehili Lots; Enrolled in Free Homebuyer Education Program KAPOLEI - On April 21st 45 Beneficiary families gathered for lot selection for the Department of Hawaiian Home Land's (DHHL) upcoming Kanehili Phase 7 development in Kapolei, touted as DHHL's first "green" subdivision. HCA staff were on-site to share the excitement with the families and enroll them in the organization's free homebuyer education program.  "Being there brought me back to when my husband and I selected our lot," says HCA Community Services Specialist and Kaupea Homesteader, Rose Transfiguracion (pictured far right with Beneficiary family) . "It is hard to believe it was 5 years ago for us, but the excitement is the same." HCA provides its Homebuyer Education Program with funding through the Hawaii Family Financial Project (HFFP), a 3-year, $3.1 million pilot project funded by the US Department of Treasury/Office of Hawaiian Affairs and administered by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement to increase the homeownership rates of Hawaii's low- and moderate-income families. Families enrolled in HFFP are eligible to receive free homebuyer education, individual financial counseling, and cash for down payment, closing costs, and debt reduction. All Beneficiaries are encouraged to contact HCA to enroll it its free homebuyer education and counseling services through its statewide offices in Honolulu, Hilo, Paukukalo, and Anahola. For more information or to enroll in HCA's Homebuyer Education Program call (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116 or email info@hawaiiancommunity.net.
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Local Nonprofits Partner to Launch Home for Good CampaignHAWAII - On June 29th, local nonprofits, Faith Action for Community Equity, Hawaiian Community Assets, and Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement announced the launching of a local "Home for Good" Campaign to engage decision makers in presenting solutions to the ongoing housing crisis. The initiative is part of a larger, national Home for Good Campaign coordinated by the National Council of La Raza with partners The Opportunity Agenda, National CAPACD, National Urban League, Kirwan Institute, Center for Responsible Lending, and National Fair Housing Alliance.  The goal of the Campaign is to encourage local and national decision makers to identify plans for addressing the housing crisis with a particular focus on: - Stopping needless foreclosures
- Protecting affordable rental housing
- Reviving a sustainable path to homeownership
For more information about the campaign or to see how you can join the "Home for Good" Campaign visit myhomeforgood.com or contact HCA at (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116.
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HCA Secures Funding to Build Kahua Waiwai Leaders & Develop Keiki Curriculum
HAWAII - HCA recently won a grant from First Nations' Native Youth and Culture Fund to expand its Kahua Waiwai Youth Financial Education Program to build a youth leaders program and develop the organization's latest Kahua Waiwai financial education curriculum for keiki, ages 0 to 5.
 The grant will enable 10 Kahua Waiwai Graduates the ability to become trained Kahua Waiwai Trainers, guide the development of the keiki curriculum, and assist with the delivery of financial education workshops to 200 Native Hawaiian youth residing in two Zones of School Innovation (Zones). The Zones are areas that have been identified by the State Department of Education's Race to the Top program as serving the largest population of Native Hawaiian and economically-disadvantaged students in the state.
The two Zones include the Waianae-Nanakuli Complex on Oahu, encompassing 11 public and charter schools, and the Kau-Keaau-Pahoa Complex on Hawaii Island, encompassing 15 public and charter schools.
"Expanding our new Leadership Project to high-need areas will not only provide our Hawaiian youth with a solid financial foundation through education but also allow them to create a curriculum that will be used to empower and educate our keiki statewide." said HCA Community Services Specialist, Lahela Williams.
Additional funding was announced by the Hawaii County Department of Research and
Development which will match First Nations' funds to enhance the project's collective impact.
"We mahalo First Nations and Hawaii County for supporting the education for our native youth in Hawaii," finished Williams.
HCA's Honolulu and Hilo offices will work together to coordinate and conduct workshops and focus groups around specific objectives and release a final schedule in August.
For more information about HCA's Youth Financial Education Program, please contact Ms. Williams 808.587.7660, (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116, or via
email at lahela@hawaiiancommunity.net.
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If you experienced foreclosure in 2009 or 2010...
You may be eligible for financial compensation.
If you were a homeowner who  experienced foreclosure between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2010, you may be eligible to receive a free Independent Foreclosure Review and compensation for "financial injury".
For more information and to access a review application, call 1.888.952.9105 or visit https://independentforeclosurereview.com.
*Complete applications must be submitted by September 30, 2012*
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Prevent Lease Cancellation: Educate Successors
 HAWAII - In the 4 years between 2006 and 2010 Hawaii families saw foreclosure filings increase 687% as they lost an estimated $15 billion in home equity (Center for Responsible Lending, 2011). Already low annual average pay rates combined with accelerated job losses left many of our Hawaii homeowners struggling to keep up with their monthly mortgage payments.
As the housing crisis continues, the majority of us either know a friend, family member, or co-worker going through the painful process of losing their home, or we are going through it ourselves. While the impacts of the foreclosure have been felt by all Hawaii families, the financial standing of our native Hawaiian homeowners even before the crisis has put them at greater risk of lease cancellation on Hawaiian Home Lands.
According to the Office of Hawaiian Affairs' Native Hawaiian Data Book, Native Hawaiian unemployment in the State of Hawaii increased from an estimated 3.8% in 2008 to 9.7% by 2010 while the Hawaii 2010 statewide unemployment rate was at 7%. Furthermore, the poverty rate of Native Hawaiians over age 18 increased from 10.2% to 14.7% between 2008 and 2010 as Native Hawaiian children under age 18 and living in poverty hit 18.5% in 2010.
In informal discussions with families, community leaders, and decision makers, there seems to be agreement on at least one solution to the housing issues that face our Hawaiian Home Lands Lessees - educate Successors.
Supporting Successors Initiative
In April 2012, HCA established the Supporting Successors Initiative as a way to partner with Homestead Associations with the goal of preparing our next generation of Homesteaders to become homebuyers and begin a community-wide discussion about the process and responsibility of transferring Hawaiian Homes Leases to qualified Successors.
Homestead Associations that come on as partners with HCA through the Initiative are eligible to receive:- $5 for each qualified Beneficiary they refer to HCA once the Beneficiary completes an intake application package and 8-hour homebuyer education workshop
- $100 per homebuyer workshop they co-host that has at least 5 qualified Beneficiaries in attendance
For more information or to sign your Homestead Association up for the Supporting Successors Initiative, contact HCA Community Services Specialist, Lahela Williams at 808.587.7660 or via email at lahela@hawaiiancommunity.net. |
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HCA to Bring Kahua Waiwai Homebuyer Education to Molokai & Lanai
MAUI - Beginning in July HCA will expand its homebuyer education program to serve families on Molokai and Lanai. Services will be delivered on island by the organization's Maui staff in partnership with community-based organizations and made possible with funding through the Hawaii Family Finance Project.
"We are glad that HCA is scheduling additional workshops and counseling sessions for the islands of Molokai and Lanai," said Rosalee Puaoi, Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement Loan Fund Manager. "There are multi-generational households that will be eligible to enroll in the Hawaii Family Finance Project so they can participate in the workshops to learn about managing family resources as well as gain access to other programs and services like CNHA's Homestead Energy Program (HEP) and Hawaii Individual Development Account Program (HIDA) where you can access grants and loans.""
The Hawaii Family Finance Project is a 3-year, $3.1 million pilot funded by the US Department of Treasury/Office of Hawaiian Affairs and administered by CNHA with services delivered by HCA and Hawaii Home Ownership Center. The Project's goal is to increase the homeownership rates of low- and moderate-income Hawaii families through the delivery of free homebuyer education, financial counseling, tax preparation, and cash for down payment, closing costs, and debt reduction.
The first Molokai homebuyer workshop will be held Saturday, July 28th at the office of Molokai Affordable Homes and Community Development Corporation (above American Savings Bank in Kaunakakai). The workshop will feature information on the homebuying process and how Molokai residents can enroll to become eligible for up to $12,500 in match savings for down payment, closing costs, and debt reduction. All participants will receive HCA's locally-developed, place-based Kahua Waiwai: Building a Foundation of Wealth, Homebuyer Edition(c) handbook.
Individuals and organizations interested in helping promote HCA's work on Molokai and Lanai are encouraged to contact its Maui office. Click here for a workshop flyer.
For more information or to enroll in a workshop contact HCA's Maui office at 808.760.5100, (toll-free) 1.866.400.1116 or via email at info@hawaiiancommunity.net.
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Don't Become a Victim to Predatory Loan Scams
Educate Yourself and Your Family
Predatory loan scams are changing every day. Here are some quick tips to protect you and your ohana:
1) Do NOT pay a Fee In Advance for services promised.
2) Stay clear of anyone who says they GUARANTEE they will stop your home from going into foreclosure
3) NEVER STOP PAYING your mortgage, even if someone tries to convince you they can refinance your loan if you pay them.
If you have a been a victim of a predatory loan scam, call the authorities today.
Hawaii State Office of Consumer Protection: 808.587.3222 ext. 2
Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: 1.855.411.2372
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