Partnerships Bring Energy Efficiency to Vermont

This blog post comes to us from Erica Bradley, NeighborWorks Rural Initiative VISTA

Blowing insulation in an attic is a great way to keep
energy costs down.

NeighborWorks Western Vermont (NWWVT) is in new territory with their focus on energy efficiency, thanks to a grant by the Department of Energy, and recently, a new partnership with Green Mountain Power.

“We have suddenly become a major player in the energy initiative in Vermont, “said NWWVT executive director Ludy Biddle. 

The new partnership between NWWVT and Green Mountain Power (GMP) comes two years after the Department of Energy granted $4.2 million to NWWVT as part of the Better Buildings program. According to the Department of Energy website, the program targets efficiency improvements such as lighting, better insulation and more efficient heating and cooling. Another program area is educating customers about energy efficiency and how to finance upgrades.

Under the grant, NWWVT’s Home Efficiency Assistance Team (HEAT) Squad schedules audits of homes with a certified contractor who issues recommendations and a cost estimate. An energy advisor from the HEAT Squad can then go over the recommendations with the client, including financing options. Biddle said 1,000 homes have to be done over a three- year period in Rutland County, and so far they have completed over 500. Biddle said they are on track to meet the 1,000 home requirement by 2013.

The HEAT Squad’s work laid the foundation for the partnership to form with Green Mountain Power. “We’ve been helping the utilities not directly, but by providing outreach, customer service, loan products and all of the things a NeighborWorks housing organization does for its clients, we’ve been doing to enhance the participation in the efficiency programs,” Biddle said.

GMP, Biddle said, has an interest in providing good customer service, especially in Southern Vermont. The company was formerly a small energy company with a service area in the northern part of the state, but in August, 2012 bought Central Vermont Public Service and now serves southern Vermont as well.

From L to R: Ludy Biddle, executive director of NWWVT;
Jim Merriam, director of Efficiency Vermont;
Jonathan Dancing, BPI contractor/auditor;
United States Congressman Peter Welch (VT-D),
and Mary Powel, CEO of Green Mountain Power.

“There was concern in our part of the state that high paying jobs and the corporate presence would leave the county and go north, and once again Burlington would get all the good things and we would be left with very little,” she said.

The concerns were unfounded, Biddle said, and GMP made several promises, including investing in Rutland, making it the solar capital of the state, and designing the Energy Innovation Center. “I genuinely see action behind the promises they made,” Biddle said.

One of the promises, the innovation center, is now taking shape. GMP invited NWWVT and Efficiency Vermont in as partners, and the three organizations will share office space in the center. For now, the center is located in the Opera House in downtown Rutland. GMP is renovating the Eastman's Building and has plans to move the innovation center there after renovations are complete. The Eastman’s Building, Biddle said, has long been a sore spot in Rutland.

Biddle said the renovations to the Eastman’s Building represent another investment in Rutland. She expects they will be moved in by fall, 2013. She expects to locate at least two members of the HEAT Squad there.

CVC Showcases What Can Happen to Foreclosed Properties When Government and Private Sector Work Together

Community Ventures Corporation, our affiliate in Kentucky, in partnership with the Governor’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office, Kentucky Department of Local Governments, Kentucky Housing Corporation, and other partners showcased what can happen to foreclosed properties when government and the private sector work together.

Attorney General Conway; Marshall Crawford,
NeighborWorks America; Governor Beshear; Kevin Smith,
Community Ventures Corporation

Today, the Hartford Place Apartments were highlighted as congratulations were made and partnerships were celebrated with all of the partners at CVC’s headquarters in Lexington. Attorney General Conway; Marshall Crawford, director, NeighborWorks America Southern District; Governor Beshear and Kevin Smith, president and CEO of CVC, spoke at the event.

CVC’s purchase of Hartford Place coincides with the Commonwealth’s neighborhood revitalization mission of acquiring and providing safe and decent affordable rental opportunities to low and middle income residents and returning foreclosed properties to a useful community asset.

The project consists of three buildings with a total of 49 units. The property, which was a foreclosed property for sale by lender, had only a 70 percent occupancy rate and needs rehab due to the poor condition of many of the units. Sixteen currently vacant units will be completely rehabbed, more efficient HVAC systems will be installed, one unit will be updated to meet handicap accessible criteria and resident services, such as financial literacy and homebuyer education, will be provided. All units will be rehabbed as they become vacant.

Kevin R. Smith, president and CEO of Community Ventures Corporation praised the public and private partnerships that made it possible for 49 families to have safe and affordable housing in Lexington. "Without all of these partners coming together, it couldn’t have happened," Smith said. "Families on Martha Court now have a place to call their own. Some of these folks have been through foreclosure and had to leave their home. Through this project, they have landed and can be successful as renters."

Rural Leaders Honored: a HAC Tradition Continues

By David R. Dangler, director
NeighborWorks Rural Initiative

Every other year the Housing Assistance Council, or HAC as it is commonly known, presents a series of national awards to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the quality of life in rural communities.

Two awards given this year were the Skip Jason Community Service Award and the Cochran/Collings Award for Distinguished Service in Housing for the Rural Poor. According to HAC’s web site, The Skip Jason Community Service Award acknowledges people who work "in the trenches" and usually go unrecognized outside their communities. The second award, the Cochran/Collings Award for Distinguished Service in Housing for the Rural Poor, honors individuals who have provided outstanding and enduring service, with national impact, for the betterment of housing conditions for the rural poor.

This year, two NeighborWorks network leaders were called to the dais during a packed award ceremony. Al Gold, the long time executive director of affiliate Community Resources and Housing Development Corporation  in Colorado, and Owynne Gardner, T&MA regional manager of affiliate Little Dixie Community Action Agency in Oklahoma, each won Skip Jason awards.

Owynne Gardner of Little Dixie Community Action Agency

This honor is not the first one for our network. In 1983, the first Skip Jason award was presented to Rose Garcia, executive director of Tierra del Sol in Anthony, New Mexico.  In that same year, the Clay Cochran award went to Elizabeth Herring, co-founder of NCALL Research.  Later, both Tierra del Sol and NCALL Research became chartered NeighborWorks organizations.

Over the years, the association between the NeighborWorks network and HAC’s national awards has continued to grow stronger. Winners of the Cochran/Collings Award include NeighborWorks America's current CEO Eileen Fitzgerald (2000), and many people employed at NeighborWorks affiliates, such as Peter Carey of Self Help Enterprises (2002) and Tom Carew of FAHE (2010). Skip Jason award winners include affiliate staff as well: Steve Mainster, formerly of Centro Campesino (1996), Jack Rivel of FAHE (2004), Lorna Bourg of Southern Mutual Help Association (2006) and Steve Kirk of Rural Neighborhoods Inc. (2006).

Al Gold (center) of Community Resources and Housing Development
Corporation  with Moises Losa (left), HAC's executive director,
and Representative Bennie Thompson (right)

NeighborWorks America has reason to be proud of each and every rural leader associated with the network, and we congratulate Al and Owynne for their recent accomplishments. We also tip our hats to our friends at the Housing Assistance Council who, as Eileen Fitzgerald pointed out during the awards ceremony, have been there for our rural communities since 1971. So much of rural community development work is done without fanfare, known mainly to those whose lives have been improved.  Thanks to HAC, every two years we get to honor a few of our peers and glimpse the bigger picture, a strong and diverse family of networks and individuals working to strengthen communities and improve lives.   

Umpqua Local Goods: A Unique Approach to Community Development

This post comes to us from affiliate NeighborWorks Umpqua in Oregon. Leave a comment if your organization is promoting local shopping this holiday season!

By Anna Jen
Microenterprise Development
AmeriCorps VISTA at 
NeighborWorks Umpqua

Umpqua Local Goods in Roseburg, Oregon, is a groundbreaking new project aimed at revitalizing community and small business simultaneously. The project, made possible by a partnership between Phoenix Charter School and NeighborWorks Umpqua, takes a multifaceted approach to community development through its retail learning environment, retail space for vendors and commercial kitchen.

A century ago, Roseburg, Oregon, was a bustling country town in the heart of the beautiful Umpqua Valley. For visitors, the Grand Hotel was the place to stay. The 116 rooms featured hot and cold water, steam heat, and phones, all cutting edge in those days. This building was a focal point of Roseburg’s post World War II economy. Over the years, the hotel went through many renovations to accommodate its changing tenants, including a speak-easy card room in the basement during prohibition. After a fire, however, the building remained unoccupied for decades, until NeighborWorks Umpqua purchased it and began a mass renovation in 2002. Today, the building provides 37 apartment units for low-to-moderate-income individuals and families and four commercial spaces for small businesses.

In September 2012, Umpqua Local Goods opened its doors on the bottom floor of the Grand Hotel. With more space (it was previously housed just down the street), the store has been able to accommodate dozens more vendors. Stop by and you’ll find all sorts of unique items made by talented local artisans – from beautiful earrings and stone pendants to scented soaps made with Oregon rainwater, fresh produce, hand-carved wooden cars and airplanes, mouthwatering toffee and much more.

Students from Phoenix Charter School’s Retail Learning Program spend a few afternoons a week at the store to learn valuable job skills such as resume building, interview preparation, working with vendors, and pricing products. “The program creates lots of potential for students,” says Karry Johnson, store manager. “It helps them develop goals, open their minds, and think for themselves.” The program is not just for Phoenix students, but is open to the public; anyone who is looking to gain new skills and experience.

Attached to the store is a licensed commercial kitchen. Stocked with basic restaurant equipment, it provides the perfect work space for food professionals and entrepreneurs. Dana, a Douglas County resident, currently rents the kitchen four days a week and whips up delicious goodies, such as pies, cookies, granola, and brownies, which she sells in the store.

Even in the early stages of operation, Umpqua Local Goods is becoming well-known in the community. It’s initiatives like this that are investing in the local economy, building strong small businesses, and creating future leaders. For more information, please visit www.umpqualocalgoods.com or drop by 733 Cass Street to shop local!

NeighborWorks America Announces that the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program Has Served 1.5 Million Homeowners

1.5 million homeowners have received foreclosure prevention counseling by local nonprofits, national intermediaries and state housing finance agencies participating in the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) program administered by NeighborWorks America, one of the nation’s largest community development corporations. The latest report on the NFMC program also found the program has helped save local governments, lenders, and homeowners approximately $920 million.

Watch this inspirational video about the compassionate NFMC-backed foreclosure counselors who are making a difference in the lives of individuals and families. 

 

Also notable in the report, NFMC clients who received a mortgage modification lowered their monthly mortgage payment, on average, $176 more per month than non-NFMC clients which represents $372 million in annual savings to NFMC-counseled homeowners. With more fixed-rate mortgages and lower interest rates, mortgage terms are becoming more favorable for homeowners. The percentage of clients that reported having fixed-rate mortgages with interest rates at or below 8 percent increased from 30 percent in October 2008 to 57 percent in August 2012. Nearly 69 percent of NFMC program clients report holding fixed-rate mortgages.

Jane Sokolowski Receives
Counselor of the Year Award
from Chuck Wehrwein,
NeighborWorks America COO

On December 13 NeighborWorks America and the NFMC program sponsored the inaugural NeighborWorks National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program Counselor Awards, which recognize the contributions of counselors whose tireless efforts help homeowners maintain homeownership and transition to suitable housing. The winners are the following: Jane Sokolowski - Catholic Charities (NY) for the Counselor of the Year Award; Betsy Carvajal - CredAbility (GA) for the Excellence in Counseling Award; Ali Tarzi - Community HousingWorks (CA) for the Excellence in Outreach & Professional Development Award; Amanda Diaz and Diego Tapia – Hispanic Association of Contractors and Enterprises (HACE) (PA) for the Excellence in Personal Achievement Award; and Rose Marie Roberts – Utica Neighborhood Housing Services NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center (NY) for the Counselor Perseverance Award. More information about the award winners is available here.

To view photos from the event, visit our Flickr page.