NJARHOF Presents Fall Events

NJARHOF launched a new website as part of its Helping Hands Towards Homeownership program at www.HandsThatHelpNJ.com. The website will contain information about various upcoming events such as:

EAH training encourages and trains REALTORS^® and industry practitioners to work with local employers to discuss and implement employer-assisted housing benefits for their employees. EAH benefits can include one-on-one housing counseling; financial assistance; or workshops for home buyers or owners, including foreclosure prevention workshops.

FREE Financial Literacy Workshops
NJARHOF, along with the Burlington Camden County Association of REALTORS^® and TD Bank, is presenting this two-part seminar on October 5 and October 12, 2010 at the Willingboro Library at 220 Willingboro Parkway, Willingboro, N.J. from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. both evenings. Featured speakers, Stephanie Bittner from Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS) of the Delaware Valley and Mildred Yambo from TD Bank, will discuss the basics of establishing and maintaining credit, loan information and more. The workshops are free to the public and REALTORS^® but you must register to save your space. If you are interested please contact Melissa Decker at (732) 494-4722 or at mdecker@njar.com.

NAR Affordable Housing Toolkit Available

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (NAR) released Making Affordable Housing Work: The Housing Opportunity Toolkit for REALTORS^® and REALTOR^® Associations.

The toolkit includes information on federal resources and homeownership programs, consumer education, affordable housing and NAR classes. Associations can also utilize guidance on organizing housing fairs and events, writing compelling grant applications and more. Download your Making Affordable Housing Work: The Housing Opportunity Toolkit.

Second Helping Hands Towards Homeownership Financial Workshop is a Success

On June 9th and 16th, the NJAR^® Housing Opportunity Foundation, Inc. (NJARHOF), in partnership with TD Bank and Somerset County Coalition on Affordable Housing (SCCOAH), held the second financial workshop at the Hunterdon/Somerset Association of REALTORS^® headquarters in Branchburg. Hosted through the Helping Hands Toward Homeownership program and with the help of Diana Bermudez, TD Bank, Sharon Clark and Laura Wetzel from SCCOAH the class learned about credit sense and budgeting.

Please check back for the upcoming workshops that will be in your area.

Diana Bermudez from TD Bank teaching the class about Budgeting

NJARHOF trustee Judy Lewis introducing the instructors and kicking off the workshops

From Left: Sharon Clark from Somerset County Coalition on Assisted Housing, Diana Bermudez from TD Bank and NJARHOF trustee Judy Lewis.

Make a Difference at the REALTORS^® Volunteer Build Days

Going to celebrate NARdiGras at the 2010 REALTORS^® Conference and Expo in November? Why not go to New Orleans a few days early for the special REALTORS^® Volunteer Build, November 3-4?

Experience the amazing power of giving back by teaming up with New Orleans Habitat for Humanity^® and Rebuilding Together^® New Orleans to rebuild and restore homes for deserving families. Registration begins August 2. For more details, click here.

HUD Announces Improvements to Neighborhood Stabilization Program

On April 1, 2010, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced changes to its Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), which helps communities acquire, rehabilitate and re-sell foreclosed and abandoned properties more quickly and help prevent further decline in hard-hit neighborhoods. Specifically, HUD will change how it defines foreclosed and abandoned to include properties in mortgage default and uninhabitable homes with lingering code violations. These expanded definitions, effective immediately, will increase the reach of NSP by allowing more properties to qualify, remove existing barriers caused by market conditions, and help state and local grantees to meet a Congressional requirement that they obligate all of their NSP1 funding by September of this year. For more details, read the HUD press release.

NJARHOF Helps Address Workforce Housing Issues for New Jersey's Working Families

NJARHOF is partnering with the National Association of REALTORS^® (NAR) and select lenders and nonprofit housing organizations to increase homeownership opportunities for working families throughout New Jersey through NAR's Employer-Assisted Housing (EAH) class.

NJARHOF held a four-hour EAH class on Friday, January 22nd at the Crowne Plaza in Edison, N.J. Twenty-five real estate professionals attended the training, which encourages and trains REALTORS^® and industry practitioners to work with local employers to discuss and implement employer-assisted housing benefits for their employees. EAH benefits can include one-on-one housing counseling; financial assistance; or workshops for home buyers or owners, including foreclosure prevention workshops. Read the press release to view more information about this pilot class. Stay tuned for future workshops in the New Jersey area.

Homes for Our Troops Helps New Jersey Veteran

The NJAR^® Housing Opportunity Foundation (NJARHOF) seeks to create greater homeownership opportunities for New Jersey residents and supports similar initiatives throughout the state and across the nation. On December 22, 2009, the New Jersey Network (NJN) reported on a seriously wounded Iraq war veteran who now has a new place to call home. NJARHOF provided a contribution to the Homes for Our Troops organization - a national non-profit group committed to helping those who have served for the United States military and returned home with serious disabilities - to build a house to meet the special needs of the soldier in Monmouth County just in time for the holidays.  View the news segment here. NJARHOF also recently contributed to build a new home for soldier Visnu Gonzalez of Hillsdale, N.J. More information can be found on www.homesforourtroops.com.

REALTORS^® Raise Walls on Habitat House for San Diego Area Family

The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS^® (NAR) is once again partnering with Habitat for Humanity to help a family achieve its dream of homeownership. On August 26, REALTORS^® raised the walls on the future home of Abdi Farah and Amran Abdi at 1441 Harding Ave., in National City, Calif.

"REALTORS^® build communities and are proud to be partnering with San Diego Habitat for Humanity to help another family build a safe, decent place to call home,” said NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. “I know this house will make a real difference in the lives of the family and look forward to November, when we’ll hand Abdi and Amran the keys to their new home.”   For more details, read the full story here.

NJARHOF Trustee Nears Completion of First Habitat Build

Understanding the importance of affordable housing opportunities, particularly for families, NJAR^® Housing Opportunity Foundation (NJARHOF) Trustee Carolyn Sadlon helped spearhead the creation of the Hudson County Chapter of Habitat for Humanity (HFH HC) six years ago.

Although Sadlon had inquired about starting an affiliate chapter in the past, the real stepping stone came in 2002, when the Liberty Board of REALTORS^® received a phone call from Habitat urging member support. Sadlon quickly joined Habitat's steering committee as the Liberty Board representative. Since becoming involved, the board has raised in excess of $25,000 and assembled more than 100 volunteers for HFH HC. Sadlon asserts that their work with the organization "just makes sense" for the community.

The chapter is currently nearing completion of its first habitat building project - two attached homes in Jersey City, N.J. Many of the supplies for the build have been donated, and the volunteers work using green practices wherever possible. Currently, the Felix Family, including Nelson, his wife Rosa and two children are awaiting the completion of their new home.

HFH HC is holding its 4th annual golf outing on September 10, 2009 at Bam Hollow Country Club in Lincroft to help raise funds for current and future projects. For more information, click here. To view photos from the HFH HC current building project, click here.

Photo caption: Volunteers from the Liberty Board of REALTORS^® and the surrounding neighborhood are pictured at the building site.