April 2013 
Opening Doors Newsletter
From your friends at NeighborWorks Lincoln
In This Issue
Give to Lincoln Day
NeighborWorks Receives Governor's 2013 Award
Shawn Ryba Promoted to Chief Operating Officer
NeighborWorks Week
Homebuyer Education Classes New Look
Quick Links
Find us on
Be A Good Neighor

Improve the quality of life in your neighborhood by adopting the following idea for increased safety and civic interactions.

 

Join your neighborhood association. Find out which neighborhood you live and try to attend local neighborhood association meetings. You will be better informed of the issues that affect you and your neighborhood and how you can get involved.  You will have an opportunity to guide and participate in the future of your neighborhood.

 


Join Our Mailing List
Give to Lincoln Day

 


Join us at one of our newly renovated homes on Give to Lincoln Day!

   
Date: May 16th, 2013

Time: 3-8 PM

Place: 424 N 24th Street 


Learn more and give to Neighborhoods, Inc. online at 

 

NeighborWorks Receives

Governor's 2013 Community Development Week Award

 

 

Governor Dave Heineman presented NeighborWorks Lincoln staff with the 2013 Community Development Week Award of excellence on April 3, 2013 at a ceremony at the State Capitol Building. The project receiving the award was the Antelope Creek Village townhome development located on the 2300 Block of P and Q Streets. This 18-unit project has been a vision of NeighborWorks Lincoln's since 2000. 

 

The townhomes are 2 and 3 bedroom units each with a full unfinished basement and either a one or two car attached garage. Each unit features granite countertops, wood floors, cozy front porches and geo-thermal heating and cooling systems. The development is being built by Brester Construction. Twelve of the 18 units have been sold and the remaining 6 units are available for sale with an early September completion. 

 

About half of the units are owned by low and moderate income wage earners, all of whom have completed our Homebuyer Education Program. These home owners have also been assisted with down payment and closing costs loans from either the City of Lincoln's FIRST HOME program funds, or grant funds from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

 

For additional sales information, please contact our realtor agents John Tidball or Lynne Schroeder, Woods Bros Realty, (402)434-3500.

 

NeighborWorks Lincoln Promotes  
Shawn Ryba to Chief Operating Officer

 

NeighborWorks Lincoln has promoted Shawn Ryba to chief operating officer. The new role gives Ryba strategic and managerial responsibility for ensuring infrastructure is in place for NeighborWorks Lincoln to fulfill its mission. NeighborWorks Lincoln's parent organization, NeighborWorks America, has recognized Ryba with leadership roles on national steering committees related to his specialty, community building.

 

"Shawn works tirelessly with Lincoln residents to improve quality of life in Lincoln neighborhoods, promote community stewardship and preserve the integrity of Lincoln's historic neighborhoods," said Mike Renken, NeighborWorks Lincoln chief executive officer. "Having Shawn in this role is a key part of our plan to take NeighborWorks to long-term financial sustainability and to dramatically increase its impact on Lincoln's neighborhoods."

 

Ryba began his career with NeighborWorks Lincoln six years ago as a Community Builder, then received a promotion to Director of Community Building two years ago. Ryba earned master's degrees in social work and public administration from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

 

NeighborWorks Week

 

During NeighborWorks Week, June 1-8, 2013, NeighborWorks America and its network of local organizations mobilize tens of thousands of volunteers, businesspeople, neighbors, friends, and local and national elected and civic leaders in a week of neighborhood change and awareness.

 

They rehab and repair homes, paint and landscape properties, conduct neighborhood tours, recognize successful partnerships, and host events that educate, train and inform. 

 

As part of this week, NeighborWorks Lincoln has scheduled the following events during the week:

 

June 1st: East Campus Neighborhood Garden Tour

June 6th: NeighborWorks Lincoln Home Tour (424 N. 24th, 2518 S Street, 1201 D Street and Antelope Creek Village Town Homes at 24th & Q Streets)

June 1st-8th: Indian Village Neighborhood Scan 

 

 

More information will soon be available on NeighborWorks Lincoln's website and facebook. 

www.facebook.com/nwlincoln

www.nwlincoln.org

 

 

Homebuyer Education Classes Take on New Look

 

Homebuyer classes now meet the last 2 weeks of each month but the classes have been changed in both duration and information offered. The new agenda includes 3, 3-hour long classes. The first class covers the Program Guidelines, Budgeting and Home Loan Pre-qualifications. Emphasis is placed on affordability and purchasing a home within ones means.

 

The second class is now split into 3 small-group sessions featuring our Rehab Construction Manager detailing his role in the process; a title company representative reviewing the need for title insurance and covering the closing statement; a realtor explaining his/her role in the buying process and one of our Community Builders with examples of "being a good neighbor", the importance of Neighborhood Associations, and maintaining your home and neighborhoods safety and security. 

 

The third class covers, the importance of positive credit, home owner's Insurance and the buying process. All pertinent paperwork is reviewed and clients are encouraged to prioritize the most desirable features of their potential homes. A review of "Renting vs. Owning" in dollars and cents is also featured.

 

"The classes were fun and we were encouraged to ask questions" stated Heather Young, a former NWL client. "The information we discussed was very helpful when I was out looking for my house." 

 

Applications for Homebuyer Education classes are available online at nwlincoln.org or available at the office. Please call Bill Porn for more information at 

(402) 477-7181.