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Ourstreet Home Buyer Initiatives
 Home ownership in quality, well maintained homes is a key ingredient to strong neighborhoods. Interest rates are low and now is a great time to buy a home. If you are a home owner in the Ourstreet neighborhood, you are a great ambassador to others looking to buy in the area. Please feel free to refer potential neighbors to us for more information. Ourstreet currently offers two programs to promote home ownership in the neighborhood.
They are:
Home Purchase Program The program provides down payment assistance (up to $10,000) and a grant for repairs (up to $20,000) for low to moderate home buyers in the Ourstreet Target Area. To qualify buyers must be mortgageable, participate in home buyer education classes, and contribute at least 1% of the sales price toward down payment and closing costs. After close the program provides funds for repairs and to address lead paint hazards. Click here for details. Neighborhood Stabilization Ourstreet has partnered with local non-profit housing developers to purchase and renovate three formerly vacant and foreclosed homes. The homes have been completely redone with particular attention to increasing energy efficiency, comfort and curb appeal. Incentives can be offered to help with down payment or closing costs. These homes will be sold to home buyers making up to 120% of area median income. Click here for: Neighborhood Stabilization Program Fact Sheet See photos of one of the beautiful homes recently completed here. For information on either of these programs or on purchasing a home in the Ourstreet neighborhood, please contact Sue at (616) 355-3139 or s.harder@cityofholland.com. |
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Neighborhood Leadership Academy 
The mission of the academy is to Educate, Enhance and Empower Neighborhood Leadership. Academy participants meet weekly for eight weeks to develop their leadership skills and to become more knowledgeable about community resources.
Classes are now being organized. Past participants have stated how much they enjoy the program and recommend it to friends. Neighborhood Representatives should attend as a part of their training on neighborhood organizing. If you would like to develop your leadership skills, or know someone who is interested in participating in this year's academy please contact Sue Harder, Ourstreet Coordinator (616) 355-3139 or s.harder@cityofholland.com.
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Ice Dams and Attic Condensation excerpt from www.statefarm.com
"Ice Dams
Ice dams sometimes occur on sloping roofs in climates with freezing temperatures. When the temperature in your attic is above freezing, it causes snow on the roof to melt and run down the sloping roof. When the snowmelt runs down the roof and hits the colder eaves, it refreezes. If this cycle repeats over several days, the freezing snowmelt builds up and forms a dam of ice, behind which water ponds. The ponding water can back up under the roof covering and leak into the attic or along exterior walls.
Attic CondensationCondensation of water vapor on cold surfaces in attics can cause attic wood products to rot, which can lead to costly repairs. Condensation typically occurs when warm, moist air migrates into the attic from living spaces below. Research indicates unusually high humidity levels in the home's living spaces is strongly associated with attic condensation problems.
Prevention- Prevent warm, moist air in living spaces from infiltrating into the attic with a good air barrier and appropriate water vapor control at the base of the attic.
- Provide good attic ventilation to replace warm air in the attic with cold outside air.
- Provide adequate attic insulation to reduce the transmission of heat into the attic from living spaces below.
- Consult a professional for the best way to avoid ice dams and water damage in your home.
- Tips on saving energy and more at home.
What not to Do- Do not routinely remove snow from the roof. It will likely lead to shingle damage.
- Do not attempt to "chip away" the ice of an ice dam. It will likely lead to shingle damage.
- Do not install mechanical equipment or water heaters in attics, especially in cold climates.
- Do not use salt or calcium chloride to melt snow on a roof. These chemicals are very corrosive and can shorten the life of metal gutters, downspouts and flashings. Runoff that contains high concentrations of these chemicals can damage nearby grass and plants.
- Keeping the gutters clean of leaves will not reduce the occurrence of ice dams. However, clean gutters can keep them from overflowing and spilling rainwater next to the house. This can cause moisture problems in the house."
For the entire article from State Farm Insurance, follow this link.
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