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NHS' core mission is to increase homeownership; to make homes functional, beautiful and affordable; and to help residents take charge of their neighborhoods.
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Dear Friends,
I wanted to welcome all of you personally to the July issue of our online newsletter. It's been about a year since we started sending our newsletters electronically, and I would very much like to learn from you how you like this new presentation. This month we are featuring articles on NeighborWorks® Week 2011, our new Individual Development Account (IDA) program (sponsored by the Connecticut Department of Labor), the Workplace Program Partner of the Year award that is honoring Bridgette Russell from our staff, a virtual tour of 35 Stevens Street (currently offered for sale by NHS), and a schedule of classes that we will be offering to the public.
Because 2011 is just about half over, I thought it would be appropriate for me to take a moment to reflect upon the past six months and describe our outlook and intentions for the final six months of the year. The national economic crisis, high unemployment, and depressed housing values have certainly taken a toll on New Haven's housing market, and the neighborhoods where Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven has been concentrating its activities have been particularly hard hit. As many of you know, most of our activity is currently focused on the Hill and Newhallville neighborhoods where foreclosures have abounded and many existing owners are reluctant to reinvest in their properties. We have completed a number of houses that are available for sale in these neighborhoods, and we intend to continue (and even accelerate the pace of) our work, particularly in Newhallville during the second half of the year. We firmly believe in our holistic approach to neighborhood revitalization that relies heavily on resident engagement and concentrated (highly targeted) reinvestment in the rehabilitation of formerly blighted houses. Our goal is to create a more positive perception of the neighborhoods in which we are working so that individuals and families will find them more desirable places in which to live. This is a collaborative process, but with everyone's support, we can bring about these changes.
Thanks to all of you who have supported NHS of New Haven over the past year. We are sincerely appreciative of both your emotional and financial support during these challenging times.
Jim Paley
Executive Director
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A Virtual Tour of 35 Stevens Street
Click here for the property listing and details.
 
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"Get Home Now!" Launches Program in CT
This past Monday, NHS hosted a press conference to mark the beginning of the "Get Home Now!" program, a $25 million campaign to help Connecticut families buy and renovate homes. The program will help CT residents secure affordable mortgages and rehab their homes through a special partnership with Home Depot! Speakers at the press conference included Rosa DeLauro, Congresswoman from Connecticut's 3rd District; James Paley, Executive Director of NHS of New Haven; Vaughn D. Irons, CEO of APD Solutions; Andrew Peters, Senior VP of First Guaranty Mortgage Corporation; and Rev. Carl McCluster, Senior Managing Director of Homes Saved by Faith.
For more information about the program, visit the "Get Home Now!" website, or call the hotline at (877) 484-6669.
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The Department of Labor and NHS Present:
Individual Development Accounts for Home Purchase
Receive up to $3,000 in downpayment assistance! Our new IDA program will match your savings and double the amount you are able to invest in your home. This is a 2:1 match program. Required: 8-hour Homebuyer Education class, Financial Fitness class, and four counseling sessions. You must be enrolled with an open account for at least six months before getting matching funds, and there is a cap of $1,000 per person, per year in matching funds.
Accepting applications beginning July 1st 2011. For more information contact Michael Haynes, (203) 562 - 0598 ext. 18 or email him at mhaynes@nhsofnewhaven.org.
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West River Water Festival
Join NHS of New Haven and others on July 16 for a wonderful day celebrating "Our City's Water." Free family fun, canoe rides, fishing basics, and other activities. Dress to get wet! The day kicks off with clean-up from 10 AM-12 PM, followed by the festival from 1-4 PM. The festival will be held in West River Memorial Park at the Barnard Nature Center (corner of Ella Grasso Blvd. and Route 34). Contact Kathy Fay for more info. |
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HomeOwnership Classes
All classes are held in the Home Improvement and Energy Lab from 5:30-7:30 PM, unless otherwise noted. Mortgage Intervention Clinics Tuesday, July 12 Tuesday, July 19 Thursday, July 28 (in the Carriage House) Pre-Purchase Orientation Monday, July 11 Monday, July 25 Financial Fitness Saturday, July 16 9:00 AM-12:00 PM Home Buyer Education Saturday, July 9 8:30 AM-4:30 PM Landlord Pre-Purchase Thursday, July 21 5:30 PM-8:30 PM Registration is required. Please call Norma at (203) 562-0598, ext. 26 |
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NHS Awarded $80,640!
On June 7, NeighborWorks America awarded NHS of New Haven $80,640 in the 5th round of National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) appropriations. NHS was one of 84 community-based NeighborWorks organizations to receive funds, which will help provide counseling to those facing foreclosure. The program has already helped more than 1 million families nationwide, and this fifth round of funding will ensure that families in New Haven can continue to access such services. "We're delighted to have received funding so we can further assist homeowners at risk of foreclosure," says NHS Executive Director Jim Paley.
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2011 WorkPlace Program Partner of the Year Award
Congratulations to Bridgette Russell, the managing director of the HomeOwnership center, who was recently awarded the 2011 WorkPlace Program Partner of the Year Award. Bridgette, who has led the HomeOwnership Center at NHS since 2008, has helped dozens of clients purchase homes and reached hundreds more through the HOC's foreclosure mitigation counseling, pre- purchase classes, multicultural outreach, and financial fitness training.
The award was given by the Workplace, Inc: Southwestern Connecticut Regional Workforce Development Board, and Housing Counselor Coordinator Michael Haynes accepted the award on Bridgette's behalf at a special ceremony in Bridgeport last week. We are so proud of her!
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Thanks to You, a Great Week!
We kicked off the week with a clean-up on West Division Street, where we raked leaves and trash, painted a fence, and did some gardening. On Friday, NHS joined with volunteers and residents to begin working on a fence for the Stevens Street community garden. Over the weekend, NHS organized a clean-up on Portsea Street. Back on the NHS campus, the HomeOwnership Center hosted a variety of events: a homebuyer workshop, a pre-purchase orientation, a mortgage intervention/scam awareness clinic, a mortgage counseling session for GMAC borrowers that served over 60 clients, and a financial fitness class. The rehab department also hosted a planning meeting for the West River Water Festival and a workshop on energy efficiency resources.
We hope to see all of you--and some new faces, too--at future NHS events!
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Home Maintenance Classes
Home Maintenance 101
Wed, July 13, 5:30-7:30 PM
Your first step in home repairs.
How to plan your short- and long-term repair, maintenance and improvement strategies.
Energy Efficiency Resources
Wed, July 27, 5:30-7:30 PM
Want to save money on your utility bills?
Learn how to access financial resources for home energy efficiency upgrades.
Sign up for a free home energy assessment. Learn how to make sense of forgivable loans, tax credit and rebate programs and other resources that may be available to you.
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July 20 Open House--Save the Date!
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Thank you for your continued support.
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