Family takes advantage of United Housing's Home RePAIR program

After hearing about United Housing's Home RePAIR program on The Bev Johnson Show on 1070 WDIA, Preston and Barbara Gilliam knew right away it was exactly what they needed. The couple quickly contacted United Housing for an application, and within days they were notified of approval of the 1.5% loan to help repair damages to their home's roof and ceiling.

"We could not be happier about the work performed on our home," said Preston. "Mr. William Hampton and his Network Construction organization went above and beyond; the workers were courteous, respectful and did a wonderful job."

Preston and Barbara Gilliam - guests on The Bev Johnson Show on 1070 WDIA.

Many people need home repairs, but don't know who to call, which is why the Gilliams took the opportunity to be guests on The Bev Johnson Show's "Ask the Expert" segment. They wanted to share with others how smooth and organized the process was for them, so that others, who may not necessarily have cash on hand, can still upgrade their homes. In addition to visiting the studio to show gratitude to Bev Johnson for airing this helpful information, the Gilliams also wrote a thank you letter to United Housing. 

"We want to thank United Housing for having this loan program and taking us through the process," they wrote. "From start to finish, every step of the process was handled in a professional manner, and we are very pleased with the outcome."

United Housing's program and services ensure quality repair work and good inspections in order to keep people's homes maintained and in good condition. 

"Receiving the thank you letter was a treat for our staff," said Tim Bolding, Executive Director of United Housing. "Through our work, we can help provide real solutions to housing problems and help customers live in safe and healthy homes. If we can get more people's homes repaired, then neighborhoods will continue to be positively impacted."

For more information on how we can help fix your housing needs, call (901) 272-1122 or visit our website.

 

September is National Mortgage Professional Month

When The Community of St. Therese of Lisieux reached out to United Housing in need of a space for women to rebuild their lives after being on the streets, Landmark Community Bank helped make this happen and three women are now living in a safe home in Memphis. We'd like to highlight one mortgage professional in particular who played an important role in this project. 

Landmark Community Bank Senior Vice President Bryan Jones says the bank selects opportunities to support local nonprofits each year. With this project specifically, Jones provided a low-cost loan through a state-level community reinvestment program, titled the Community Investment Tax Credit Program. 

"This initiative has such a direct impact on Memphians who desperately need the help and want to get back into society," Jones said. "We're blessed to have organizations like United Housing and the Lisieux Community in our midst, and Landmark Bank was honored to play a small role in connecting the dots and offering the financing that provided a stable home."

The house has a capacity for five women to participate in a two-year program. Everyone involved has felt the impact, and two of the community participants are starting at Southwest Community College. Thank you to Landmark Community Bank, and to Bryan Jones for positively influencing the lives of others through your work as a mortgage professional. 

United Guaranty, a mortgage insurance company headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., has designated September as National Mortgage Professional Month. Submitted in July 2015, The Registrar at National Day Calendar officially declared it soon after. The goal of this month is to honor all of the mortgage professionals who play a role in helping people finance the dream of homeownership.

TEDxMemphis: What's Next?

By Amy Schaftlein, Director of Development + Communications

There was a buzz of anticipation in the morning air as audience members arrived at the sold-out conference that was the first of its kind in Memphis. As people walked in, they encountered a wall of cheerfully hued red sticky notes clustered around the question, “What’s Next for you?” Participants busied themselves by putting their ideas up on the board; the ideas ranged from earnest to zany, including “M.D.,” “Graduate,” “Artist” and even “Pizza.” On Saturday, August 29, passionate individuals from all over Memphis (including one from UHI), the Mid-South and beyond came together to explore fresh ideas that may have potential to shape Memphis and the world at the TEDxMemphis event at the University of Memphis’ Rose Theatre. 

The theme for this event? What’s Next for Memphis. But what is next for Memphis? Seventeen speakers from the arts, health, community development and business sectors presented topics on issues that are important to our city. Music, sports, and dance intersected with civic issues, city obstacles and education. Dr. Sarah Petschonek with Volunteer Odyssey spoke of volunteerism rooted in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. She posited one way you can reach self-actualization may be through finding your passion in volunteerism in a Memphis nonprofit organization, maybe even finding a job doing what you love at the same time! Ephie Balllard-Johnson with Neighborhood Christian Centers is working in early childhood development with Operation Smart Child in partnership with the Urban Child institute to ensure babies start off on the right foot before entering kindergarten. She has assisted more than 50,000 neighbors in need annually. Marco Pave spoke about how arts and following his dream kept him alive in harsh North Memphis streets. Pave advocates for more investment in the arts because it’s a good investment – Memphis art nonprofits leverage the city’s investment 10 times over. Art keeps kids motivated in school, helps them to think critically and often saves them from a life of crime in ways it saved Pave himself. 

What were my favorite talks, you might ask? The talks I enjoyed most were about health care as well as the new Crosstown development in North midtown. 

Dr. Scott Morris spoke eloquently on the subject of holistic health. Our bodies are not machines, and the problem is partially our obsession with technology he says. Doctors must get to know the patients’ “whole health” to answer the question “why am I sick?” - the one question many doctors cannot answer. Why? The patients’ whole health can tell you who they are, where they are from, where they live, what they eat, and who they love. These questions bear some semblance to why they may have become sick – because many of the people that come to see Dr. Morris at the Church Health Center cannot be diagnosed with anything. Stress and anxiety are often from a broken heart – and it is hard to cure and find treatment for a broken heart, a broken neighborhood, or a broken spirit with an Rx pen. The Church Health Center averages 30,000 patient visits per year – the majority low income and uninsured. Dr. Morris and the Church Health Center are a major part of the Crosstown Concourse vision to create an urban village anchored in the arts, education and healthcare. 

 

Which brings me to my next favorite talk - Dr. Todd Richardson, the co-leader of the Crosstown Concourse and co-founder of Crosstown Arts. He compared the transformation of the 1.5 million square foot Sears Crosstown building with the dome of the Florence Cathedral. The Italian Renaissance, like all renaissances, was not about looking at the future but about resurrecting the past, looking within, and transforming and reusing the spaces that have been abandoned or forgotten. 

Finally, the New Ballet Ensemble and School’s founder and CEO Katie Smythe is working to bring ballet to all Memphis and Mid-South children. She aligns with educators and human service organizations to reach children on the margins. She listens to their thoughts and ideas about dance, often rooted in family and history. This creates a unique mix of ballet, Memphis jookin, breakdancing and so much more to the art form of ballet – making it rooted in place and time. However, Smythe knows that access does not equal equity. She understands that the kids have to go home at night to a situation that may not always help the child lead a healthy lifestyle. Smythe began adult education programs, especially in financial literacy, which may help some parents aid their children and themselves in creating a better environment for everyone.

From the United Housing perspective, financial literacy and healthy housing is essential to all of the arts, education and healthcare aspects of the work our fellow innovators are doing. Like access to a home, access to the arts does not always equal equity, as the subprime fallout has showed. Creating tools to empower our neighbors and to educate one another in cultural competency will allow for equity to grow in our neighborhoods. Financial literacy will create a much more sustainable homeowner and neighbor by decreasing foreclosure 30 percent.

Health and housing have never been talked about more than right now. Healthy homes are at the crux of a positive whole health experience. If you cannot keep your lights on or your roof from leaking or mold from getting into your walls and cabinets, then health outcomes cannot be enhanced no matter how many prescriptions you fill. Healthy housing must be a component in the Crosstown Concourse’s urban village. How will this village permeate the surrounding, existing neighborhoods? What jobs, housing and financial literacy resources will be available in the urban village? 

What is Next Memphis? With so many innovative speakers and so much work to do in our community, connecting and building on one another’s assets should make sure that whatever we are doing now can inform and positively impact what comes next.

TED is a nonprofit devoted to spreading ideas, usually in the form of short, powerful talks. TED began in 1984 as a conference where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged, and today covers almost all topics — from science to business to global issues — in more than 100 languages.

TEDx events are independently run and help share ideas in communities around the world. TEDx events are local and self-organized. They bring people together from that particular city, town or community to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks from live speakers and video combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local events are branded TEDx, where x=independently organized TED event.

Local Veteran Transitions into Homeownership

Veteran Tommy Green at his August 4 closing with Executive Director Tim Bolding.

Tommy Green, a U.S. veteran who served in the Marine Corps and graduated from the academy as Company Honorman, is a new homeowner through a UHI pilot program to connect veterans to homeownership. However, the road from serving his country to owning a home was a rocky one. After his service, Green experienced homelessness and struggled with addiction, but he was eventually able to complete Barron Heights CDC’s two-year addiction counseling program.

“I am a homeless veteran living in a transitional center at Barron Heights,” said Green. “We as veterans were notified about this deal United Housing had and how they were going to draw names to receive a home.”

Completing the Barron Heights program made Green eligible for the new, unique initiative of United Housing in which five veterans, who meet eligibility guidelines around homeownership preparedness, will get houses transferred to them with 100% forgivable mortgages after 15 years.

Green also completed our Homebuyer Education class, giving him an opportunity to learn more in-depth about insurance, home maintenance and more. “I thought class was very informative for a person like me who is unfamiliar with homeownership,” said Green. After turning his life around from the streets to a new home, he is looking forward to enjoying his new backyard and having his grandchildren over. Green is the first of five veterans to complete this program.

United Housing & St. Therese team to provide home for women

Landmark Community Bank Offers Low Interest Loan To Facilitate Purchase

 

When St. Therese of Lisieux – the “Saint of the Little Way” – said more than a century ago that people in distress could be saved by small acts of kindness, she may not have been thinking about food and shelter for women who are survivors of trauma and homelessness. But a Memphis non-profit has used the teachings of the Little Flower, as St. Therese is known, as an inspiration to build community with and for women who are looking to rebuild their lives after being on the streets.

And when the Memphis-based Community of St. Therese of Lisieux approached United Housing, Inc. (UHI) in need of space for three women in transition, the message resonated. Thanks to a partnership with the Lisieux Community, UHI, the Presbyterian Women (PCUSA) and Landmark Community Bank, those women now have a safe place to live as they work to get back on their feet.

“We participated in the national Community Stabilization Trust program that resulted from the settlement with the major national banks affected by the financial crisis. The banks provided foreclosed properties to non-profits like UHI for use as affordable housing,” said Amy Schaftlein, director of development and communications for UHI, a non-profit affordable housing agency that serves families in the city of Memphis, Shelby County and West Tennessee. “When organizations like St. Therese have a need, those properties could be fixed up and rented for a dollar a year for two years with an option to purchase, and meanwhile address a critical social challenge.”

Lisieux Community President Sandra Ferrell says a grant from the Presbyterian Women (PCUSA) allowed her organization to take the next step, not only purchasing the house but also making needed renovations. Landmark Community Bank in Memphis provided the low-cost loan through a state-level community reinvestment program.

“A foreclosed house had been sitting vacant for years, and now these three women have a home. It’s such a wonderful partnership of local and national organizations working together to make a difference on several levels,” Ferrell said. “Many times, people who find themselves on the street never learned to live as part of a family, and we help provide them with education, life skills, employment assistance and other programs. As St. Therese taught, we can do small things that add up to mean a lot to these women’s futures.”

Now two of the participants are starting at Southwest Community College, and everyone involved has felt the impact. Landmark Community Bank Senior Vice President Bryan Jones says the bank selects opportunities to support local non-profits each year.

“This initiative has such a direct impact on Memphians who desperately need the help and want to get back into society,” Jones said. “We’re blessed to have organizations like United Housing and the Lisieux Community in our midst, and Landmark Bank was honored to play a small role in connecting the dots and offering the financing that provided a stable home.” 

The home has a capacity for five women to participate in the two-year program. The Lisieux Community has made tremendous strides in helping women transition back into the workforce and community. For more information, visit www.lisieuxcommunity.org.

United Housing for Youth Video

With students heading back to class and Shelby County Schools' year kicking off next week, our UHI Intern, Teach for America Corps Member Lukas Alfen also returns to the classroom. He developed United Housing for Youth, a curriculum that features a set of exercises that instructors can access on youth financial literacy. 

Readers can learn more about the project here and watch the video for details.

Teachers and volunteer instructors, there are two ways to keep informed on using UHY. 

1. Check back on this blog for more details about how you can download the content, and use this material to share financial literacy with your pupils. 
2. Email aschaftlein@uhinc.org to join our newsletter mailing list, which will keep you up to date with instructions for accessing and use of the materials.

UHI Intern Paves Path for Youth Financial Literacy Program

Through Teach for America, Lukas Alfen has worked as a geometry and science teacher at Woodstock Middle School in Millington, Tenn., for the past year. In January, Lukas reached out to UHI Executive Director Tim Bolding about financial literacy for youth programming. The meeting resulted in Tim Bolding speaking to Lukas' class on financial literacy for youth. Following the presentation, both Lukas and Tim were surprised by the lack of knowledge these students had on money management.

"After discussing, Lukas and I came to the conclusion that the best way to create and nurture the homeowners of tomorrow is to develop the money management and financial literacy skills in children today," said Tim. "Knowing that Lukas would be a great asset to our team, I offered him a summer internship to exclusively focus on developing a UHI youth financial literacy program. We were thrilled when he accepted."

For the past two months, Lukas has been developing the foundation of this program, titled United Housing for Youth (UHY), through research and networking with community partners. He has strengthened and developed relationships between UHI and several organizations that are enthusiastic about the initiative.

"The dialogue surrounding financial education is gaining momentum, and I hope this program is a step in the right direction," said Lukas. "More awareness will lead to more action and a brighter future for the next generation."

UHY consists of different financial literacy lessons that are meant to be easily facilitated by a teacher or professional visiting a classroom. Additionally, UHY will give facilitators access to relevant and quality extension activities, including programs developed by EverFi, which is the leading education technology company focused on teaching, assessing, badging and certifying students in critical skills.

"My hope is that UHY helps bring more attention to the lack of and need for financial literacy skills in our community's children," said Lukas. "Often times, financial issues that adults face could be prevented had they learned the proper skills as children. I'm confident this program can help correct some of these trends."

Interested in ways you can support this new initiative? Email us through our website using subject line UHY at http://www.uhinc.org/home-19/home-25, or call Amy Schaftlein at (901) 728-6937.