Happy Independence Day!

 

Affiliates in Colorado are faced with some critical issues in this economic climate.  Our nationally acclaimed accelerated asset recovery program, which has had a significant impact on affiliates' ability to serve more families, has hit an abrupt end as the bonds upon which they are structured are not selling in today's market.  This hopefully temporary but nonetheless dire situation has left affiliates with a shortfall of nearly $8 million in unrestricted capital with which they had planned to meet current obligations as well as increased production goals related to Habitat for Humanity of Colorado's 1000 Homes campaign.
 
Habitat for Humanity of Colorado will host the Colorado Capital Summit August 31 - September 1 at the Curtis Hotel in Denver, bringing together the best thinkers and practitioners from each of the 31 Colorado affiliates for an intensive 2-day meeting to tackle these issues.  Current and potential partners representing state and federal agencies, banks and financial institutions, community development corporations, and for-profit developers will also be invited for this unique opportunity to hear first-hand of the challenges faced by affiliates, and to share candidly their own challenges of conducting business in this economic climate.  With a combination of plenary sessions, small work groups, and cross-disciplinary teams - all guided by expert facilitators - the Summit will conclude with the following work products:
 
1.    An action plan for HFHC to redesign the state's Mortgage Purchase Program, including sources and terms of capital, guidelines for participation, and a set of minimum criteria that the new program must meet
2.    An engagement plan to empower financial partners to take the steps needed to structure new products to leverage Habitat for Humanity mortgages
3.    A set of recommendations that each affiliate can implement locally regarding house pricing, mortgage creation, and diversification of funding
4.    A plan to measure the impacts of the Summit's work products
 
Please look for an email to learn how your organization can participate, or call Stefka Fanchi at 303-454-8965 x1 for more information.

The need for a housing investment fund in Colorado has not gone away, and neither have we.  Our petition drive last year brought us closer than ever to realizing a housing investment fund in Colorado.  It also drove home the fact that there is much more work to be done.
 
In February, the CHIF Coalition Executive Committee voted to establish a new organizational structure for the Coalition, led by Housing Colorado and an Interim Steering Committee in which Stefka Fanchi is a member.  They are engaging in the Leader to Leader Campaign to engage a broad base of influential leaders - particularly leaders outside the affordable housing community - who have the capacity to move CHIF forward.  Starting this month, CHIF will engage a broad group of 30-50 influential leaders statewide in the Leader-to-Leader Campaign, a series of candid conversations that will help shape our future strategy.  To stay up to date on CHIF news become a part of Housing Colorado's Action Network http://housingcolorado.org/?id=20.

 

Affiliates can apply for funding between $10,000- $20,000 for an existing dedicated Family Services position or to create a new Family Services position - part-time or full-time.  Please note that most awards will be in the $10,000 range.  Awards will be available in two parts through the year.

If you would like a copy of the grant information and have not received it please email karen@habitatcolorado.org.  Please submit the letter of intent with Part 1 attachments by July 30, 2009.  Send letter and attachments via email to Karen Kallenberg at Karen@habitatcolorado.org.

CHAC Receives Extra Funds for Foreclosure Prevention

 

Colorado Housing Assistance Corporation (CHAC) has partnered with Habitat Colorado (HFHC) to allow Habitat homeowners access to their foreclosure prevention loan pool.  CHAC recently received extra funding to extend this program.

 

CHAC's Foreclosure Prevention Loan program helps low to moderate income homeowners keep their home in the face of a hardship via a secured loan that brings the homeowner's mortgage current, allowing the homeowner to resume regular monthly payments.  For more information, visit CHAC's foreclosure website or call Charlotte O'Donnell at 303-572-9445 x23.

Habitat Colorado is please to welcome the following two new volunteers, helping to launch Habitat Home Built Blend coffee and the Coffee Champions program.

 

Rhianon is Habitat Colorado's summer intern, helping with the development and implementation of Habitat Colorado's Coffee Champion program.  She recently graduated from the University of Denver with a B.A. in Electronic Media Arts Design. In the near future, she plans on pursuing her MBA, and working with non-profits with the development of their organizations. As well as interning with Habitat Colorado for the summer, she is also the development intern at Attention Homes, a non-profit based out of Boulder, CO, that works with at-risk youth.

 

Rebecca is the Marketing Manager with the law firm Isaacson Rosenbaum P.C.  She has volunteered to help with the marketing of the Home Built Blend Coffee Program.  Originally from the northeast, Becky moved to Colorado six years ago.  She and her husband are members of Trinity United Methodist Church.  A volunteer for many organizations over the years, she currently volunteers for Metro Care Ring working in their food pantry.  Becky serves on the Board of the Rocky Mountain Legal Marketing Association, is a member of both the Colorado and American Marketing Associations and a Professional Member of Net Impact.

 

HFH of the Roaring Fork Valley is turning the slow real estate market into a long term advantage for their affiliate by looking for land banking opportunities.  So far they have purchased one lot in Rifle that where they can build three units and are looking at another lot in Silt that where they could build four more units.  If the second deal goes through, the land cost for each unit would average about $28,500.

 

For more information contact Scott Gilbert or Kristen Wilmes at 970-945-7733.

 

 

Affiliates, you can raise $5 per bag selling Habitat Home Built Blend coffee at fundraisers or in your ReStore.  Luna Coffee will sell the coffee to your affiliate for $5 and you can sell it at the full retail price of $10, keeping a full 50% of the sale for your affiliate.

 

If you would like to receive Home Built Blend directly to your house, you can subscribe for two or three bags a month, delivered right to your door.  Subscription proceeds go to support Habitat Colorado's 1000 Homes campaign.  Home Built Blend is a gourmet dark roast local manufactured in Denver, Colorado.  For more information, contact Rhianon Schuman at intern@habitatcolorado.org.  To buy a bag, visit the Home Built Blend webpage.

Green Home Design and Construction: The LEED Implementation Process
July 10, 2009
8:30 am - 5 pm
Denver
Presented by the U.S. Green Building Council
http://www.greenbuild365.org/coursedetail.aspx?ID=90000302

 

Grantsmanship Training Program
July 13 -17, 2009
Denver
http://www.tgci.com/index.shtml

 

Keeping Homeowners in their Houses in the Middle of a Recession 
July 14, 2009
1 pm MTN
Conference Call
Hosted by HFHI
RSVP to confcalls@habitat.org

Evaluation 101
July 21, 2009
9am - 12 pm
Denver
Hosted by Colorado Nonprofit Association
https://www.coloradononprofits.org/workshops_reg.cfm?id=7246

 

Skills You Need to Know to Weather the Storm
July 30, 2009
10 am - 3 pm
Summit County
Hosted by Colorado Nonprofit Association
https://www.coloradononprofits.org/workshops_reg.cfm?id=7226