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NeighborWorks® America to Distribute $81 Million in Grants to NeighborWorks Network in 2009
At a time when communities need resources most, thousands across the nation will receive a much-needed affordable housing and community development boost as NeighborWorks America distributes more than
$81 million in flexible grants to its national network of more than 230 local nonprofit NeighborWorks organizations. The $81 million that will be distributed in 2009 is an increase from the previous year, and reflects the increased need for community development since the financial crisis began to make headlines in 2008. Read the announcement.
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| NeighborWorks America Supports Administration Crackdown on Foreclosure "Rescue" Scammers; Works with the FTC to Raise Public Awareness |
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The Obama Administration announced in April a multi-agency crackdown on foreclosure rescue scams. The new effort aligns responses from federal law enforcement agencies, state investigators and prosecutors, civil enforcement authorities, and the private sector to protect homeowners seeking assistance under the Administration’s Making Home Affordable program.
NeighborWorks America has announced its support for this much needed crackdown and stated that it will be working with the FTC to develop a national public education campaign to make borrowers aware of how to avoid foreclosure prevention scam artists.
Read more about the Administration's plans. Read NeighborWorks news release.
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| New Jersey NeighborWorks Organization Makes Bulk Purchase of Defaulted Mortgages in Community Stabilization Effort |
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HANDS, Inc., a member of the NeighborWorks network, acquired the defaulted mortgages on 47 vacant homes in the greater Newark, New Jersey area. The bulk purchase of mortgages expected to foreclose is the first large-scale purchase in the nation by an alliance of nonprofit organizations. All of the homes are vacant and abandoned, and most are deteriorated, contributing to blight in their surrounding communities. Read News Release. View Photos
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| Community Strategies represent the shared experience of NeighborWorks America and its member organizations in various topics of community development and affordable housing. |
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| The
NeighborWorks Training
Institute is dedicated to providing the highest quality training
for community development practitioners. Learn about the latest
classes and symposia on leading-edge topics. |
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| President Obama Expands Foreclosure Fix |
| The Obama administration said on April 28 that it is expanding its foreclosure prevention program to cover second mortgages and to direct more troubled borrowers to the Hope for Homeowners program. Announced in mid-February, the president's $75 billion program calls for adjusting eligible borrowers' loans so monthly payments are no more than 31 percent of pre-tax income.
Servicers covering 75 percent of the nation's mortgages are now participating in the program, which also allows some homeowners with little or no equity to refinance their mortgages, a senior administration official said Tuesday. Together, the plans are expected to help up to 9 million avoid foreclosure. Learn more from CNNMoney.com. |
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| NeighborWorks Tackles Growing Foreclosure Crisis in Louisiana |
| NeighborWorks America’s Southern District office partnered with the Louisiana Foreclosure Prevention and Mitigation Task Force in March to launch a community stabilization road show. These comprehensive meetings were designed to help stabilize communities by ensuring resources are available to homeowners who are behind on their mortgages and in danger of losing their homes.
The task force included staff from FDIC, Louisiana Housing Finance Agency, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Fannie Mae. Between March 17-20, the task force engaged more than 110 community leaders in target cities. Read more about this effort. |
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| Huntington Bank and Columbus Housing Partnership Enter Into $10 Million, Three-Year Partnership to Stabilize Homeownership in Central Ohio |
NeighborWorks member Columbus Housing Partnership (CHP) and Huntington Bank took unprecedented action on April 29 to stabilize home ownership in Central Ohio. The three-year,
$10 million Huntington Homeownership Alliance, a strategic partnership with CHP, will help an estimated 9,000 households through housing counseling, foreclosure avoidance services and affordable mortgages. The mortgage programs will enable at least 100 people to purchase homes in Central Ohio. Learn more about this partnership. |
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| NeighborWorks America Salutes 2009 Resident Leader Volunteers |
| On April 29, NeighborWorks America announced the recipients of the 2009 Dorothy Richardson Resident Leadership Award, an honor that each year recognizes eight community leaders from around the country for their outstanding contributions to their communities. “This year’s honorees have demonstrated a steadfast commitment to improving the communities in which they live,” said Ken Wade, CEO of NeighborWorks America. “The important contributions of these volunteers have helped to transform and enrich their neighborhoods and towns, creating lasting benefits for countless residents. We are proud to honor them for their generous service to others.” Learn more about the award program and this year's winners. |
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| Celebrity Mary J. Blige Headlines NeighborWorks America and HOPE NOW Foreclosure Prevention Event |
| NeighborWorks America joined the HOPE NOW alliance for the "Bringing Hope Home" foreclosure prevention campaign, with Grammy Award winning American R&B singer-songwriter Mary J. Blige, while participating in a bus tour of Atlanta, GA. The goal of the foreclosure prevention campaign is to raise awareness of the foreclosure crisis and the free resources available to homeowners in danger of foreclosure.
The tour kicked off at RRC, Inc., a local NeighborWorks organization in the Reynoldstown community of Atlanta, that provides foreclosure counseling and homeownership education, as well as affordable new homes to first time homebuyers. Learn more |
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| NeighborWorks America Urges Consumers to Get Back to Financial Basics |
| With the recession, job loss, and the foreclosure crisis continuing to make headlines in 2009, NeighborWorks America is offering tips to help consumers strengthen their financial know-how. These tips provide consumers with information and practices they need to take control over their finances and build a financial cushion that is a critical safeguard during tough economic times. See financial fitness tips. |
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NeighborWorks America Joins Forces with IssueLab
Research Seekers Get Even More Ways to Access Great Resources |
| NeighborWorks America and IssueLab entered into a new partnership in April, the result of which is a new IssueLab SubDomain that houses approximately 90 NeighborWorks America publications. The SubDomain makes it very easy for anyone to learn about all that the NeighborWorks America research collection has to offer.
"Joining forces with IssueLab gives NeighborWorks an opportunity to make our research and data more widely available to the nonprofit community and key stakeholders across the nation," said Ken Wade, CEO of NeighborWorks America. "We are eager to see our research integrated into another platform that informs such a large and diverse user audience." Read NeighborWorks America and IssueLab's joint news release. Visit the new SubDomain and search NeighborWorks' database by topic or keyword to access free copies of NeighborWorks reports and studies. |
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| FDIC Chair Sheila Bair Honored by Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago |
| NeighborWorks member organization Neighborhood Housing Services (NHS) of Chicago honored Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Sheila C. Bair, with the 2008 Gale Cincotta Award at a March 26 Annual Awards Dinner. The award was presented by NHS of Chicago Executive Director Bruce Gottschall. This prestigious award was presented to Bair for her national leadership during the foreclosure crisis, creating effective solutions to foreclosure, fighting for a plan to sustain homeownership and making sound credit available. View more details. |
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| U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd Hosts HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan and NeighborWorks CEO Ken Wade in Connecticut |
| U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd (CT) recently hosted Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, NeighborWorks America CEO Ken Wade and Neighborhood Housing Services of New Haven Director James Paley in Connecticut for a series of events focused on the housing and foreclosure crisis. On April 13, the group visited neighborhoods that have been hit hard by the foreclosure crisis and met with families and housing advocates who have benefited from foreclosure prevention counseling. View Senator Dodd's photos of the visit. Read local news coverage |
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| 2009 Good Neighbor Awards, Deadline May 22 |
| The Good Neighbor Award recognizes REALTORS who have made an extraordinary commitment to improving the quality of life in their communities through volunteer work. This year, five winners will receive $10,000 grants for their cause. View more details and an application.
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| Have You Joined LeadersforCommunities.org Yet? |
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LeadersforCommunities.org is a new professional networking site for leaders in the community development field to connect with each other and share knowledge, resources, tools and job opportunities. Funded by a grant from Ford Foundation and operated by NeighborWorks America, LeadersforCommunities.org has been developed to facilitate communication across all types of community development organizations, and among people with diverse backgrounds and skill sets. The site — with easy-to-use functionality similar to Facebook, but featuring a specific focus on community development issues — is designed to be a rich source of innovative ideas, answers to tough community development challenges and career growth resources.
There is no cost to participate, and members can access and post job listings, participate in discussions, join affinity groups and share and view resources, links and events recommended by peers. Join LeadersforCommunities.org today to grow your effectiveness and your career.
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| Foreclosure Intervention and FHA-Insured Homes E-Learning Recently Released |
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Seasoned foreclosure counselors can explore a wide variety of intervention options available to homeowners in distress by taking the latest online learning course, HO346el — Understanding and Applying Foreclosure Intervention and Loss Mitigation Tools. Participants learn to identify the most critical financial factors in foreclosure cases, review and analyze brief case scenarios, and then choose the loss mitigation tool that best addresses a homeowner’s mortgage problems.
HO253el — FHA-Insured Loans: An Affordable Mortgage Option, just recently released as a new e-learning opportunity, is designed for homeownership counselors seeking the nuts and bolts of FHA guidelines and loan requirements for a rapidly changing lending environment. This online course prepares counselors to assist clients in determining if the FHA program is a viable mortgage option based on financial circumstances.
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| Community Building and Organizing Expands into the Enhanced Community Engagement Professional Certificate Track |
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NeighborWorks America has expanded and enhanced the existing Community Building and Organizing content area to become the Community Engagement content area, featuring a new Community Engagement professional certificate program. Several exciting new courses are being launched, and many courses will be updated to address the latest trends and needs in the field. The certificate program consists of a series of courses and a practicum that together provide the conceptual framework, specialized tools and interpersonal and technical skills necessary to accomplish successful community engagement through community organizing, community building and community leadership.
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| Join the Conference You Can't Afford to Miss: Reclaiming Vacant Properties |
| On June 1-3, 2009, the National Vacant Properties Campaign is hosting a national conference focusing on building the knowledge, leadership and momentum to reclaim vacant and abandoned properties for thriving neighborhoods. Participants will be able to choose from 30 breakout sessions, plus mobile workshops featuring some of the most exciting initiatives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the conference is being held, and in-depth training seminars on key strategies. Learn more at reclaimingvacantproperties.org. |
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| Coming Soon: NeighborWorks Guide on Greening Nonprofit Organizations |
| On May 5, NeighborWorks America will announce the availability of a new guide titled Greening Your Nonprofit from the Inside Out: A NeighborWorks Guide for Community Development Organizations. This guide provides tools and strategies to go green, from understanding how to measure an organization’s environmental impacts to choosing quick and easy ways to improve office practices. The guide also includes case studies from current NeighborWorks organizations to how nonprofits are incorporating green elements into their business operations. Look out for the manual at http://www.nw.org/green. |
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| Guides on Accessing Green Funding in the Stimulus Bill |
| The recently passed $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment bill delivered resources across many areas of housing. In particular, it has created great opportunity for energy efficiency improvements in housing. Green For All and Policy Link teamed up to develop a guide to help state and local advocates, nonprofit organizations, public agencies and policymakers in making the best use of recovery dollars. Bringing Home the Green Recovery: A User's Guide, accompanies a Green Recovery For All Toolkit, which suggests some actions that people can take to bring green recovery dollars to their communities. |
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| Report on Community Building and Organizing at NeighborWorks America |
The Community Building and Organizing (CB&O) Initiative supports NeighborWorks organizations to build healthy communities by developing resident leadership, strengthening resident-led associations, and sponsoring community building activities that enhance relationships among neighbors and spur organizing efforts. The 2007-2008 report on activities through this initiative include the following:
- The value of more than 350,000 volunteer hours contributed to CB&O member communities in 2007 and 2008 was $6.7 million, or the equivalent of more than 170 full-time staff.
- CB&O efforts yielded nearly $126 million in total economic impact for communities in 29 states and Puerto Rico, and boasted a rate of return of 39 to 1.
- Incidents of resident engagement among member organizations have dramatically increased in just two years, by over 70 percent.
See the full report.
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