May 2014 - In This Issue:
Get Ready: Making Texans Homeowners for Life
 





TSAHC has teamed up with the Texas Association of Realtors to promote the benefits of taking a quality home buyer education course prior to purchasing a home with a public awareness campaign titled "Get Ready: Making Texans Homeowners for Life".

  

Studies have shown that home buyers who receive pre-purchase education are one-third less likely to fall behind on their mortgages, compared to home buyers who didn't take a home buyer education course.

 

Want to help make Texans homeowners for life?

You can help promote this campaign and the importance of home buyer education in the following ways:

  1. Visit www.getreadytx.org and learn about the resources available to you.
  2. Place a link to the Texas Financial Toolbox (www.texasfinancialtoolbox.com) on your website. We'll send you a logo to use!
  3. Invite TSAHC staff to speak at your professional association, home buyer, or other industry events on the importance of home buyer education and programs available to assist home buyers purchase their homes.Please contact Paige Omohundro at (512) 477-3561 or pomohundro@tsahc.org.
  Learn More

Veteran Injured in Iraq Receives Donated Home

On Wednesday, April 16, Eric Horton, a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, and his family received a mortgage-free home in McAllen, Texas. The Horton family is the latest family to benefit from TSAHC's Affordable Communities of Texas- Veterans Housing Initiative (ACT-VET). ACT-VET is part of a nationwide initiative to provide renovated foreclosed properties to disabled veterans, first responders and their families.

 

Bank of America generously donated the home to TSAHC in partnership with the National Community Stabilization Trust (NCST). TSAHC partnered with Affordable Homes of South Texas, Inc. (AHSTI), a local nonprofit developer that performed necessary repairs on the home and connected the Hortons to the program. 

 

 Learn More

Texas Housing and Financial Counselors Receive Continuing Education 

On May 5-6, TSAHC provided a training on financial coaching as part of the Texas Statewide Home buyer Education Program (TSHEP). TSAHC contracted with NeighborWorks America to offer two sessions of the following course: Financial Coaching: Helping Clients Reach their Goals. 

In total, 56 housing and financial counselors representing 42 organizations and 21 communities attended the training.   

 

TSAHC partnered with RAISE Texas, a statewide nonprofit promoting financial capability, to offer these courses in conjunction with RAISE Texas' one day forum on May 7th titled Creating Financial Capability Opportunities for all Texans.

 

TSAHC would like to thank the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas- San Antonio Branch for hosting the training, as well as Frost Bank and the Texas Financial Education Endowment for funding the training sessions.







 

Learn More
Now Accepting 2014 Texas Foundations Fund Applications 

Through the Texas Foundations Fund, TSAHC partners with non-profit organizations and rural government entities across Texas to support programs proven to provide housing stability to very low-income households. TSAHC selects partners through a competitive application process and provides awards from $15,000 to $50,000 to support partners' housing programs.

 

Application and Guidelines 

Organizations interested in submitting an application should complete the following steps:

  1. Read the 2014 Texas Foundations Fund Guidelines, which include a detailed description of eligibility requirements.
  2. Complete the eligibility quiz.
  3. If you pass the eligibility quiz, click here to access the online application.  

Application Deadline 

Applications must be submitted online no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, June 6, 2014.  

  

Questions? Contact Katie Howard Claflin at 512.334.2152 or kclaflin@tsahc.org.  

 

 

Check Presentation for 2013 Texas Foundations Fund Grant Recipient
Buckner Family Place - Lufkin

On April 2, 2014 TSAHC presented the Buckner Children & Family Services, Inc. with a $15,000 award that will support the Lufkin Buckner Family Place, a 40 unit residential facility that serves low-income single parent families at risk of homelessness. The program blends transitional housing with a focus on higher education and offers the families the opportunity to achieve enduring self-sufficiency. Buckner Family Place's award was part of the 2013 Texas Foundations Fund grant cycle.

  
TSAHC Receives Grant from Capital One

 

 

TSAHC has been awarded a $10,000 grant from Capital One to support the 2014 Texas Statewide Homebuyer Education Program (TSHEP). Through TSHEP, TSAHC provides affordable continuing education to Texas nonprofit housing and financial counselors. Capital One's award will help TSAHC provide a week-long training in Austin in August 2014.