UHI + The Welcome Wagon

New Funder Spotlight: Thomas W. Briggs Foundation

In an age before Google, the Welcome Wagon must have been an encouraging sight. For those who have heard of the "Welcome Wagon," the work of the company behind new United Housing funder, the Thomas W. Briggs Foundation, might already be familiar. Started in Memphis in 1928, Welcome Wagon International began simply as The Welcome Wagon Company. By its peak the company provided "more than one million home visits per year welcoming new families to their communities and visiting others during special occasions" and hostesses gave new families baskets containing information about the community to which they had just moved, retail coupons and suggested civic organizations to join (The Thomas W. Briggs Foundation).

Welcome Wagon International was the company of Briggs; it had a national US presence, then later moved to Canada. The Thomas W. Briggs Foundation was founded in 1957 and funded in 1964 using proceeds from Briggs' trust. Today, the organization has a mission to "support[s] Memphis-area arts, civic, education, social service and youth organizations" (The Thomas W. Briggs Foundation). 

UHI is honored to be the foundation's latest grantee in the focus area of Social Services, and we welcome and thank The Thomas W. Briggs Foundation for their generous investment of $5000 in Homebuyer Education and Financial Counseling (HBE). This money will sustain the HBE program, enabling UHI to continue to serve an average of 900 families a year through one-on-one financial counseling and free Homebuyer Education workshops. Stay tuned for more on HBE, or go here to learn more now.

For more on The Thomas W. Briggs Foundation, visit their website here.

Homebuyer Education Coordinator Kendra Love Chosen for THDA Homebuyer Education Advisory Board!

A HUD-certified Homebuyer Education (HBE) counselor, Kendra Love has been working at UHI for seven years. Being the Homebuyer Education Coordinator entails one-on-one counseling and teaching dozens of students each month in two eight-hour HBE workshops. UHI is the leading housing counseling agency in Memphis and fourth in the state of Tennessee for production, according to Tennessee Housing Development Agency’s (THDA) Homebuyer Education Initiative Peer Session.  With UHI and Kendra having so much good experience teaching and working with HBE customers, it is no wonder that Kendra has recently been named to the THDA Homebuyer Education Advisory Board. The THDA  Homebuyer Education Advisory Board was formed as a committee to give housing and financial educators a channel from which to consult THDA in their efforts to support sustainable housing choices, and strong communities and neighborhoods in Tennessee.

In the past, Kendra has been involved with THDA through trainings and her attendance at Homebuyer Education Initiative Peer Review Sessions. Based on her knowledge of the housing education industry, combined with her dedication and commitment to the profession, Kendra was selected to represent UHI and West Tennessee. She will be an asset to the advisory board and help amplify the homebuyers' collective voice for the West Tennessee region. 

Kendra's duties as a board member will include working with other HBE providers and THDA organizations from all over the state of Tennessee. They will meet a minimum of three times per year, with their discussions focusing on housing education. It is the hope of THDA that the Board will "encourage partnerships and the free flow of ideas and recommendations on better ways to serve our THDA stakeholders and the residents of Tennessee," according to a THDA communication. 

We are honored to be at the table, but not surprised that Kendra is recognized for her excellent work, dedication, and commitment to Homebuyer Education! 

United Housing Bringing Resources to Frayser through Community Fair

To cap off NeighborWorks America’s NeighborWorks Week, United Housing is hosting a Neighbor to Neighbor Community Fair in Frayser on Saturday, June 13! The fair is in conjunction with the Frayser Community Development Corporation (Frayser CDC) and the office of Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir. This free event will take place between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. at New Hope Christian Academy, located at 3000 University Street, Memphis, TN 38127. 

The goal of the fair coincides with the purpose of NeighborWorks Week, which is to encourage neighborhood redevelopment, empowerment and civic pride. This free event will feature financial education workshops, opportunities to sign up for credit counseling, homebuyer workshops and access to resources from health to housing to education. Livable Memphis will provide the Mobile Porch on-site.

Additionally, United Housing will showcase its new mortgage products and homebuyer education classes, and the Shelby County Trustee will host the Project H.O.M.E. workshop and the EMPOWER ME Community Resource Fair from noon to 2 p.m. Frayser CDC will also highlight its homebuyer education and available housing stock for sale.

At United Housing, we believe that community development is important. We think this community fair will not only help build community, but also make an impact on the lives of everyone who attends. For more information, call (901) 272-1122 or visit uhinc.org.

 

Financial Literacy for All

Getting Started in Financial Literacy

Did you know that the month of April is National Financial Literacy Month? Priscilla Reed, Special Projects Coordinator at United Housing, Inc., shares her knowledge as a certified financial capability counselor in the following blog post.

Priscilla Reed, MBASpecial Projects Coordinator, United Housing, Inc.

With a background in foreclosure prevention, I help people save their homes using many different tools, but one of the most important tools is building a monthly budget. During my time at United Housing, I have found that the basic rules of budgeting and spending are the same at various levels of financial health. Because of this, I am able to communicate and help people from all walks of life. I encourage you to read on in order to see what I've included in the essentials of financial literacy. President Obama declared April Financial Literacy Month in 2011, saying, “I call upon all Americans to observe this month with programs and activities to improve their understanding of financial principles and practices.” (www.whitehouse.org)

It is very important to achieve and maintain financial solvency.  Being financially literate helps you build savings, improve credit and eliminate debt.  On the contrary, as I have seen with past clients, the absence of financial literacy can cause a consumer to build no savings, increase debt and develop poor credit.  In addition, it can negatively affect health and is a known cause of divorce. Now that we have looked at the pitfalls of lacking financial knowledge, let’s look at how we can better achieve it.

What Is Financial Literacy? 

Financial literacy is the ability to understand money and make sound monetary decisions. According Investopedia, financial literacy also "involves intimate knowledge of financial concepts like compound interest, financial planning, the mechanics of a credit card, advantageous savings methods, consumer rights, time value of money, etc.” (http://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/financial-literacy.asp, 2015.)

Get To Know Your Spending Habits

The first step of being financially sound is tracking your spending, which can also be one of the most challenging tasks.  It is very important to know what is earned and what is spent in order to increase savings and avoid debt.  How do you avoid overspending?  Create a budget.  If you don’t like the word budget then develop a “spending plan.”  A spending plan allows you to track what you spend and save. Yes, savings is an expense. If you treat it as an expense, then you will be sure to pay yourself.  Once you’ve established a budget or spending plan, you must periodically check it to ensure it's functioning properly and make necessary adjustments. 

Identify Needs vs Wants

On your road to becoming more financially literate and healthy, be mindful of the differences between needs and wants. Before making a purchase, ask yourself, “Is this a need or a want?”  You may have to step back from a purchase to think about it.  Although habits are hard to break, it can be done. It may take a few months to get into a good financial pattern and reap the benefits, but the important thing is to stay focused and determined.

Remember, no matter where you are in the process of financial literacy, the ultimate goal is to become financially capable.  National Financial Literacy Month is a great time to start!

Open House at Wolf River Bluffs Development

Join us for our Open House at our Wolf River Bluffs development in Frayser on Sunday, April 26 from 2-4 p.m. Located close to Midtown and just eight minutes from downtown, this development allows access to wooded parkland, providing a rural feeling in an urban setting. Starting at $129,000, these MLGW EcoBUILD certified homes feature an eco-friendly design with solar generated electricity, which can save the homeowner up to $50 per month in utility costs.

 

During the event, Crye-Leike Realtor Jimmie Hopson will be on-site to give tours of the model home, and Sheila Middleton with Magna Bank will also be on-site to pre-qualify buyers interested in these units. Arrive early because the first 10 attendees will receive Kroger gift cards, and all attendees will get a free t-shirt and complimentary refreshments!

This development is currently in Phase One and consists of 10 homes with open floor plans, real hardwood floors and large lot sizes. These units feature three bedrooms, two baths, a two-car garage and a separate formal dining room, great room and eat-in kitchen.

Not sure you're able to own a home due to financial reasons? Let us help you with your credit and provide you with tools to become a homeowner by enrolling in our free Homebuyer Education program. Learn how Tamika Walker, our first homeowner in Wolf River Bluffs, used our free services to purchase her first home.

At United Housing, we believe that Home Matters, and we look forward to meeting you at our open house to begin your path to homeownership. For more information, call (901) 272-1122 or visit uhinc.org.

View images of the home's interior below.

 Each Wolf River Bluffs home features Energy Star appliances

The homes are MLGW EcoBUILD certified 

Living room and dining room feature real hardwood floors

 Universal design throughout the home and high ceilings in the living room

Covered backyard patio

Two-car garage and solar panels by Sharp Manufacturing

GraceBuilders House Blessing Caps Meaningful Project

At the recent house blessing for the GraceBuilders program, Edith Heller shared a very "Memphis" type of story about the week that Jasmine Morris closed on her home in the Northwood Hills neighborhood.

Jasmine is United Housing's 4,000th homeowner and purchaser of the GraceBuilders home, and Edith said she was "meant to be part of this project." Edith explained how her dog had been sick that week and a patient at the Animal Emergency Center, where Jasmine is a veterinary technician. She watched and cared for the dog all week, and Jasmine and Edith developed a special bond through the process. In a city where so many people share overlapping connections, this was just one more meaningful coincidence that makes this project so special.

The house blessing was a time for Jasmine, Edith, Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church Associate Rector Gayle McCarty and many others to reunite and celebrate a project that was particularly engaging and special for so many. Jasmine had a chance to show off her newly decorated house, including her framed 4,000th United Housing homebuyer certificate hanging proudly in her living room, while about 25 GraceBuilders volunteers were thrilled to see the finished product. Many volunteers have expressed the satisfaction of contributing to a long-term project that has a big impact.

This is the kind of project United Housing would like to do again, and we are currently exploring groups with which to collaborate. Congratulations to Jasmine's family on their new home and to GSL on a job well done!

United Housing Receives Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis Grant

Families across the Mid-South will be able to receive the services they need thanks to a new round of grants totaling more than $500,000 from The Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis (WFGM).

The foundation has awarded $6 million in grants over the past 18 years to more than 100 non-profit and educational organizations, providing support to nearly 16,000 women and children through education, training, empowerment and hope.

This is the second year in a row that United Housing has been selected as one of the local organizations to receive a portion of the total grant pool. A grant of $10,000 will go directly toward our Homebuyer Education program, the heart of our organization. To learn more about the foundation and see the list of all 2014-2015 grantees, click here.

The Gift of Owning a Home

We believe that home matters every day of the year, but nothing beats spending time with family and friends in your own home during the holidays. More than any other time, this season brings people together and reminds us of the important things in life. Opening gifts around the Christmas tree and sitting around the dining room table for hours and hours are just some of the many holiday memories that last for a lifetime.

Jasmine Morris, a 27-year-old Memphis native and veterinary technician, always wondered what it would feel like to celebrate a holiday in her own home. Now, she no longer has to wonder. She officially closed on the Grace-St. Luke’s Episcopal Church GraceBuildersHome and moved in with her two daughters, just in time for Christmas.

“That makes me really happy, satisfied,” said Jasmine. “I feel like I’m providing my children with something that’s theirs, and as a parent, that’s something I felt like I needed to do. We can start new Christmas traditions in our home, and that’s special to me.

Jasmine’s dream has always been to buy her own house, and we made sure this dream became a reality. Unsure if she could qualify for homeownership, Jasmine enrolled in United Housing’s Homebuyer Education program and realized it was possible.

“When I took the course, it really became real to me,” said Jasmine. “I was actually going to be able to buy a house, and it was going to be mine. I have to pinch myself because it’s been such a blessing.”

Do you want to spend the holidays in your own home? There are stories like Jasmine’s all over the region, and we want to help you and your family fulfill these dreams. Visit our website, or call us at (901) 272-1122.

For more information on Jasmine Morris, read this article from the Memphis Daily News: http://bit.ly/14SCfk5.

United Housing Selects Winning Designs for NeighborScape Demo Garden

During the Fall 2014 semester, nine students from the University of Memphis Architecture program prepared designs for our NeighborScape Demonstration Garden. On Friday, November 21, the students and their professor, Jenna Thompson, met at United Housing for the final voting on the design boards. 

The following five students were given the Participation Award, along with $25.00: Michelle Goulet, Jonathan Patterson, Catherine Pera, Sonia Raheel and Antonio Tirado. 

Four out of the nine participants received special recognition and awards for outstanding work. The winners are pictured below, and their names and awards from left to right are: Zach Gaines (Honorable Mention - $100.00), Ashley Espinoza (Award of Merit - Second Place - $500.00), Yasmine Jafari (Design of Excellence - First Place - $750.00) and Taylor Bond (Citation Award - Third Place - $250.00). 

Next spring, professor Thompson and her graduate assistant will use the elements of the students' designs to create a composite design for the final demonstration garden at United Housing for its Homebuyer Education clients. Once completed, the building and implementation phases will take place during the 2015 summer gardening season.