Healthy Homes And Communities

Many times when people discuss the benefits of homeownership, those benefits are focused on purely financial benefits like savings and wealth creation.  While it's true that an investment in homeownership has traditionally been one of the primary strategies for long-term wealth building, especially for low- to moderate-income Americans, there are other non-financial benefits to successful homeownership.  

One of the lesser-known benefits is the positive link between owning and improved health  and well-being.  When compared to renters of similar socio-economic levels, homeowners have better physical health levels, lower child injury rates and higher self-esteem and improved mental health and lower blood pressure.  (If you're interested in digging deeper into the research behind these claims, you can start here and here).   

But what about the relationship between healthy homes and healthy families?  

An upcoming assembly of housing and health professionals, policymakers and community leaders seeks to delve deeper into the critical connections between health and the places we live, help break down health and housing silos, and improve cooperation among these disparate professions through improved network connections and cross-sector collaborations.

Known as the Healthy Homes and Communities Statewide Convening 2013, the upcoming event includes a keynote address by eco-entrepreneur and community revitalization strategist Majora Carter and workshop sessions that will highlight successful local healthy housing and communities initiatives and programs.  

Healthy Homes and Communities Statewide Convening 2013

Tuesday, October 01, 2013 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM

The Depot

225 South 3rd Avenue

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55401

For additional information about the Statewide Convening, contact Shawna Lynn Nelsen: shawna@fhfund.org.

If you, or someone you know, would like additional information on the benefits (and costs) of homeownership and how YOU can benefit by becoming a successful homeowner, contact a Homeownership Advisor today.

Midyear Sheriffs Sales Report Released

MIXED MESSAGE FOR HOUSING: YEAR OVER YEAR DOWN 15% BUT VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED FOR THE LAST 3 QUARTERS, RATES STILL EXCEED HISTORIC LEVELS

The Center has released its most recent report on the number of homes sold at Sheriffs’ sales in Minnesota during the first half of 2012... and it sends a mixed message on the overall health of Minnesota’s housing market.   The report indicates that there were 9,565 foreclosures in the first half of 2012, a decline 15% from the same time period in 2011, but also shows that foreclosures have remained virtually unchanged for the last three quarters. 

The report, titled “2012 Semi-Annual Foreclosures in Minnesota:  A Report Based on County Sheriff’s Sale Data”, analyzes sheriff’s sale data, the only accurate means of identifying completed foreclosures, from each of Minnesota’s 87 Counties.  Minnesota is unique among other states in the availability of current, comprehensive foreclosure sale data. 

 “This report does not predict the future, but it sends a discouraging message,” said Julie Gugin, Executive Director of the Minnesota Homeownership Center.  “While the year-over-year declines are positive, we also know that thousands of Minnesota families continue to struggle with payments, and those numbers remain stubbornly high.”  

The Minnesota Homeownership Center, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, Minnesota Housing and Family Housing Fund published the report, with research provided by HousingLink.

A full copy of the report is available at the MN Homeownership Center’s website: here.

HECAT Request For Proposals Available

As many of our readers know, the State of Minnesota is unique in that we are the only state in the country with a dedicated pool of funds that provides financial support to eligible non-profit organizations to deliver a variety of homebuyer/homeowner education, counseling and training services to Minnesotans. This dedicated pool is known as HECAT (The Homeownership Education, Counseling and Training Fund).

Some of the valuable services that are funded through HECAT include:

• Pre-purchase education and counseling (Home Stretch),
• Post-purchase education and counseling,
• Home equity conversion counseling (Reverse Mortgages) and
• Foreclosure prevention counseling

Funds for HECAT come from a public-private partnership of four agencies and organizations that are fully invested in ensuring that Minnesotans have access to the education and counseling tools necessary to achieve successful (sustainable) home ownership:

The Family Housing Fund,

Greater Minnesota Housing Fund,

Minnesota Housing (Finance Agency), and

Minnesota Home Ownership Center

Each of the four funding partners not only contribute financial resources they also actively participate in the grant-making process and provide technical assistance throughout the year.

The Request for Proposal (RFP) for funding for programs in 2011 and 2012 (funding year runs from October 1st through September 30th) is NOW OPEN.  The deadline for applications is 5:00pm on Wednesday, June 1st.  This is a STRICT deadline.

For more information about HECAT, or to view the RFP and even lists of award recipients from previous years, visit the Minnesota Housing website... here.

HECAT Funding Awards Announced

The State of Minnesota is unique in that we are the only state in the country with a dedicated pool of funds that provides financial support to eligible non-profit organizations to deliver a variety of homebuyer/homeowner education, counseling and training services to Minnesotans. This dedicated pool is known as HECAT (The Homeownership Education, Counseling and Training Fund).

Some of the valuable services that are funded through HECAT include:

• Pre-purchase education and counseling (Home Stretch),
• Post-purchase education and counseling,
• Home equity conversion counseling (Reverse Mortgages) and
• Foreclosure counseling

Funds for HECAT come from four funding partners that are fully invested in ensuring that Minnesotans have access to the education and counseling tools necessary to achieve successful home ownership:

• The Family Housing Fund,
• Greater Minnesota Housing Fund,
• Minnesota Home Ownership Center, and
• Minnesota Housing (Finance Agency)

Each of the four funding partners not only contribute financial resources they also actively participate in the grant-making process.

Additional information about HECAT can be found here.

A complete list of organizations that have been granted HECAT funds for the 2010-2011 program year is available here. (PDF Document)

HECAT Funding Awards Announced

Minnesota is unique in that there is a dedicated pool of funds that provides financial support to eligible non-profit organizations to deliver a variety of homebuyer/homeowner education, counseling and training services to Minnesotans. This dedicated pool is known as HECAT (The Homeownership Education, Counseling and Training Fund).

Some of the services that are HECAT funded include:

• pre-purchase education and counseling (Home Stretch),
• post-purchase education and counseling,
• home equity conversion counseling (Reverse Mortgages) and
• foreclosure counseling

Funds for HECAT come from four funding partners:

• The Family Housing Fund,
• Greater Minnesota Housing Fund,
• Minnesota Home Ownership Center, and
• Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (Minnesota Housing)

Each of the four funding partners contributes financial resources and participates in the grant-making process.

Additional information about HECAT can be found here.

A complete list of organizations that have been granted HECAT funds for the 2009-2010 program year is available here. (PDF Document)

Resources for Renters in Foreclosure

Yesterday, MPR ran a story on a number of investor owned properties that have fallen in to foreclosure on the North side of Minneapolis.

These properties that have gone into foreclosure highlight another group of people affected by foreclosure through no fault of their own: renters.

The Minnesota Home Ownership Center's network of foreclosure prevention specialists can ONLY assist homeowners whose primary residence (no investment or second properties) is in foreclosure. But that doesn't mean that renters in a foreclosure situation are left to fend for themselves... There is a network of organizations that can assist!

Here's some important contact information if you are renting a property - and your landlord is unable to make the mortgage payments:

If you live in the city of Minneapolis, Contact:
Legal Aid of Minneapolis . . . . . 612-334-5970

If you live in Ramsey, Washington, Dakota, Scott or Carver Counties, Contact:
Southern MN Regional Legal Services. . . . . 651-222-4731

If you live in Southern Minnesota, Including Albert Lee, Mankato & Rochester, Contact:
Southern MN Regional Legal Services. . . . . 888-575-2954

If you live elsewhere in the State of Minnesota, Contact:
HomeLINE. . . . . 866-866-3546


Here are some additional resources you may find helpful:

The Family Housing Fund has published a brochure to help renters whose landlords are in foreclosure: Tenants and Foreclosure: Know Your Next Move

HousingLink has created a page with information for renters in a foreclosure situation, as well as a number of helpful links to additional services: http://www.housinglink.org/Renter_Foreclosure.htm

Another document, produced by the Legal Aid Society of Minneapolis, gives an overview of renter's rights and responsibilities during a foreclosure: When Your Landlord Loses the Building: Mortgage Foreclosure