UNHS NeighborWorks HomeOwnershipCenter Mission: Revitalization & Growth of Neighborhoods Lines of Business HomeOwnership Services · Home Buyer Education · Financial Literacy · Pre-purchase Counseling · Section 8 to HomeOwnership · IDA (Individual Development Account) for home purchase · Flexible Loan Products Partnership Mortgages - Local banks Packaged Loan Referral Down Payment/Closing Cost Loans Home Improvement Loans Code Compliance Loans Emergency Repair Loans Purchase/Rehabilitation Loans Rural Development Loan Referral · Property Inspection · Rehabilitation Services/Contract Management · Post-Purchase Counseling Default Counseling Post-Purchase Counseling Educational Seminars Insurance Partnership Community Relations · Association of Block Coalitions - facilitate approximately 175 Block Associations · Community Leadership · Weed & Seed Program - U. S. Justice Department Program Consulting & Grant Management New line of business under development. Fees for service for consulting, grant writing and grant management for another entity.
UNHS NeighborWorks HomeOwnershipCenter
Mission: Revitalization & Growth of Neighborhoods Lines of Business HomeOwnership Services · Home Buyer Education · Financial Literacy · Pre-purchase Counseling · Section 8 to HomeOwnership · IDA (Individual Development Account) for home purchase · Flexible Loan Products Partnership Mortgages - Local banks Packaged Loan Referral Down Payment/Closing Cost Loans Home Improvement Loans Code Compliance Loans Emergency Repair Loans Purchase/Rehabilitation Loans Rural Development Loan Referral · Property Inspection · Rehabilitation Services/Contract Management · Post-Purchase Counseling Default Counseling Post-Purchase Counseling Educational Seminars Insurance Partnership Community Relations · Association of Block Coalitions - facilitate approximately 175 Block Associations · Community Leadership · Weed & Seed Program - U. S. Justice Department Program Consulting & Grant Management New line of business under development. Fees for service for consulting, grant writing and grant management for another entity.
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Catalyst For Change Fact Sheet Presented by the Community Relations Department September 2005
Who We Are The UNHS NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center is a 501c3 not-for-profit corporation, chartered in 1979, as Utica Neighborhood Housing Service, Inc., now known as The HomeOwnership Center. Mission Our mission is the "Revitalization and Growth of Neighborhoods". Where are we located 1611 Genesee Street in Utica, across the street from the Oneida County Historical Society. Brief History The HomeOwnership Center has been the leader in housing initiatives for over 26 years. In 1979 a group of Cornhill residents, local bankers and city officials formed a partnership committed to improving housing as revitalization strategy. As a result, Utica Neighborhood Housing Service, was officially incorporated in October of that year. The Board of Directors, and a staff of three, set up headquarters on the northern edge of the neighborhood. We are a residentially lead Board, primarily from the Cornhill community, with representatives from our service area of Oneida, Herkimer and Madison counties. Over the past quarter of a century, we have completed many milestones.
HomeOwnership Program began in 1994. Since that time approximately:
700 low to moderate income families obtained HomeOwnership 1000 families were provided with Home Buyer Education 2500 families obtained pre-mortgage credit counseling 5000 families obtained post purchase counseling and seminars 1300 Home Inspections 300 families received default and restructuring counseling 900 homes built, rehabilitated or repaired
200 Block Associations providing resident lead initiatives to address quality of life issues
Economic Investment between 1995 - 2005 over $42 million, an additional $25 million will be provided from 2006-2010
Production ranked #5 in the New York/Puerto Rico District - NeighborWorks America
Staff certified in Full Cycle Lending
Funding We maintain capital funds to provide loans through various types of government and foundation programs. Unfortunately, the fee recovery from these programs does not cover all of our operating expenses. Fundraising is necessary to fill in funding gaps and allow us to develop new innovative programs. Money designated for Unrestricted support provides greater flexibility. Affiliations & Certifications
Chartered member of NeighborWorks America. Active in the following initiatives:
Home ownership Center - Full Cycle Lending Certification The Campaign for HomeOwnership Community Building & Organizing Initiative Financial Literacy Program Section 8 to HomeOwnership Program NeighborWorks Rural Alliance NeighborWorks Insurance Alliance
Community Development Financial Institute - U.S. Treasury Department
Officially Recognized Weed & Seed Site - U. S. Department of Justice
Neighborhood Preservation Corp. - NYS Department of Housing & Community Renewal
Community Housing Development Organization
HUD certified counseling agency
Speaking Points
Serve low-moderate income families
7 out of 10 persons taking Home Buyer Education, purchase homes
Ranking #5 in production for the New York/Puerto District of NeighborWorks America
Certified and trained staff in all areas of HomeOwnership and Construction
Service area is Oneida, Herkimer & Madison counties
40% of all services remain dedicated to the Cornhill Community
40% housing built prior to 1940, 70% built prior to 1970 in Oneida & Herkimer counties
80% of housing in the City of Utica built prior to 1940
Nearly 30% of our population is over 62 years old
The delinquency rate on our loans is approximately 3% which is very low
Story of Home Foreclose Prevention - family of four The head of household had employment for many years until it terminated through no fault of his own. He notified the mortgage lender that he would catch up with payments with the tax return. He did so. In the meantime, he found another job, but at a lower income. There are two children ages 3 and 6. They applied for food stamps, HEAP and Medicaid for the first time. They fell behind, again, in the mortgage due to their decreased income. They came to The HomeOwnership Center for counseling. After preparing the family's financial statement, it was determined there was no discretionary income to catch up on the mortgage payment. If they lost their home, subsidized apartment rental would cost more than the mortgage. If they caught up with mortgage payments, they would be able to continue the payments. We contacted social services to discuss a situation that they had never experienced. Arrangements were made for a one-time payment and the family remains in the home saving the family, the home and the tax payer.
