United Housing Transfers Wolf River Bluffs Home to Meritan

United Housing Inc. officially transferred a home in its Wolf River Bluffs development to longtime partner Meritan during a recent ceremony. Located in Memphis, Meritan is a private, not-for-profit agency that provides home health, personal care, and intellectual and developmental disability services. 

“This is the first home completed for Meritan by United Housing,” said Tim Bolding, Executive Director of United Housing, Inc. “It’s rewarding for our team to partner with such a tremendous organization and we’re excited to start building more homes for the individuals served by Meritan.”

During the special event, Deborah Cotney cut the ribbon to signify the completion of the home, which is named Deborah Cotney Cottage. Cotney is the former Executive Director of Meritan and the home was named to honor her thirty years of service to the agency. Afterward, guests were able to tour the home’s interior, which was built to accommodate three individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.

United Housing has worked with Meritan for several years on the common goal to increase livability among the most vulnerable populations in Memphis. Both organizations are United Way of the Mid-South agencies and members of the Alliance for Nonprofit Excellence and the Nonprofit Leadership Collaborative.

“Meritan is proud of our partnership with United Housing,” said Melanie Keller Meritan’s Executive Director. “Our combined efforts are resulting in community housing and support for individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. We feel our relationship exemplifies how two nonprofits with seemingly different missions can join together to serve our community. We look forward to continuing to work with United Housing on future projects.”

After the event, Bolding announced that United Housing was awarded a three million dollar grant from The Tennessee Department of Economic Development’s 2008 Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds. The money will be used to build 16 homes for individuals served by Meritan and SRVS, which provides services to people with disabilities.

About Meritan

Established in 1961, Meritan is a private, not-for-profit agency accredited by the Council on Accreditation and holds licenses in Tennessee to provide home health, personal care, and intellectual and developmental disability services.  The agency also provides senior employment services in Tennessee and holds child placement licenses in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Georgia. For more information, please visit www.meritan.org.

United Housing and Binghampton Development Corporation Recognized with THDA Founders Award

United Housing, Inc. was recently recognized by the Tennessee Housing Development Agency (THDA) during a recent industry peer session. Tim Bolding, Executive Director of United Housing and Sharon Walker, United Housing’s Homebuyer Education Manager, joined Ruth Gibson of the Binghampton Development Corporation to accept THDA’s Founders Award. The award recognized the two organizations for their efforts in creating the foundation for homebuyer education in Tennessee.

“Tim, Sharon and Ruth were all instrumental in providing insight, opinion and participation in THDA’s early efforts to establish the homebuyer education counseling program,” said Lindsay Hall, Senior Director of Single Family Programs at Tennessee Housing Development Agency.

New research on the effectiveness of pre-purchase housing counseling and education shows that homebuyers who received such advice were one-third less likely to fall behind on their mortgages 90 days or more, two years after taking out the loan, compared to homebuyers who didn’t receive similar counseling and education. The research was done for NeighborWorks America, a national nonprofit affiliated with United Housing, by Neil Mayer and Associates and Experian, and is based on approximately 75,000 mortgage loans originated in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

“The latest research clearly tells us that we need to help families with their housing issues ahead of time, staving off family stress, financial difficulties and costs that are borne by neighbors and the city,” said Bolding. “The proven effectiveness of homebuyer education, as well as the recent recognition from THDA, is encouraging to our team, who has worked diligently to ensure our counseling program is meeting the needs of our customers. Our experience in education and counseling is complemented by our partner in this award, who is using a holistic approach to communicate to and serve the residents of Binghampton.”

During the last fiscal year, United Housing counseled more than 1,000 individuals and families through its Homebuyer Education and Foreclosure Prevention programs. The organization also assisted 541 families during the year, helping 284 purchase a home while helping save 257 from foreclosure. Last year, Binghampton Development Corporation assisted 291 clients, including 76 homebuyer clients and 131 foreclosure interventions.

“We’re very proud to share this recognition with United Housing, who like Binghampton, is doing significant work to help struggling families in our community,” said Robert Montague, Executive Director of Binghampton Development Corporation.

In addition to the THDA recognition, United Housing recently received a counseling grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The grant, awarded in two installments by NeighborWorks America, will fund a portion of United Housing’s housing counseling and education expenses.

About Binghampton Development Corporation

The Binghampton Development Corporation was founded in 2003 and is an independent, nonprofit community development corporation. For more information, visit bdcmemphis.org.

UHI Attends Peer Session in Nashville

United Housing counseling staff attended the 2013 Homebuyer Education (HBE) Peer Session in Nashville this week. They took away two awards for being in the top ten producers in the state in loan production and foreclosure mitigation. Way to go team!

Pictured (L to R): Kendra Richardson, HBE Coordinator, Ralph Perrey, THDA Executive Director, Sharon Walker, HBE Manager at UHI,Tim Bolding, UHI Executive Director, Deanna Zell, Foreclosure Intervention Specialist, Priscilla Reed, Foreclosure Intervention Counselor.

Want to learn more about United Housing, visit our website!

United Housing Helps 3,000th Homebuyer

After living for seven years in her townhome, Lisa Brice’s world was turned upside down when the water was turned off in the community earlier this year. Brice, who lived in the home with her two teenage daughters, was forced to look for a new place to live. While they stayed in the townhome during the transition, Brice and her two daughters made daily visits to the home of Brice’s mother, where they showered and had access to running water.

After looking for several months, Brice found a house that she loved and discovered it was one of United Housing, Inc.’s homes. Soon after, she contacted the organization in order to identify the steps she needed to take to purchase the home. 

Sharon Walker, Homebuyer Education Manager, worked with Brice and her realtor to help identify financial assistance programs that she qualified for based on her situation. After hearing her story, United Housing immediately helped Brice by allowing her to temporarily rent the home until she was able to file all of the necessary paperwork to purchase it.

Brice took part in United Housing’s Homebuyer Education class, which provides free homeownership education for first-time or repeat homebuyers. The class helped Brice prepare for the purchasing process from beginning to end, as well as understand the paperwork she had to sign. Tammy Coleman, Lending Manager with United Housing, also worked with Brice through the processing of her first mortgage and down payment assistance loan to ensure a smooth transition for her family. 

In total, United Housing helped Brice receive $27,000 in grants through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program and the Memphis-Shelby County Helping Homebuyers Program. With this assistance, Brice was able to purchase the home and became United Housing’s 3,000^th customer in its nearly twenty-year history.

“Thanks to United Housing, I feel very blessed and happy to be in my new home,” said Brice.

UHI Begins 5th Home at Wolf River Bluffs

United Housing begins the second round of construction in the North Memphis development, Wolf River Bluffs for case management agency, Meritan, Incorporated. 

The home will feature full wheelchair accessibility, MLGW EcoBuild specifications, and solar photo voltaic panels to continue the energy saving and energy producing amenities at Wolf River Bluffs development. 

This home will house three individuals receiving services from Meritan, Inc. Meritan delivers health, social and support services for individuals and families living with the effects of aging, vision loss and blindness, and other disabilities. This home will allow Meritan customers to stay independent while still receiving the care they need. The Assisi Foundation assisted with the funding of this home that will be a model for the future partnership between Meritan, Inc. and United Housing, as we move into renovations of 8 more existing homes for Meritan customers using CHDO Home Funds from the state of Tennessee.

This home is constructed by NBC Contractors - Picture courtesy of Michael Brunk, Practical Contracting

United Housing Hosts Second Annual Scenic Hills Picnic

Event coincides with NeighborWorks Week and celebrates the area's parks and dams

 

United Housing, Inc. recently partnered with the Scenic Hills Neighborhood Association and the University of Memphis to host its second annual Scenic Hills Picnic. The event was held as part of NeighborWorks America’s NeighborWorks Week, which encourages neighborhood change and civic pride. United Housing also used the picnic to promote the Home Matters movement, which helps build awareness around home being a place where families thrive.

Since 2010, United Housing has acquired and renovated more than a dozen homes in the Scenic Hills area following a flood that breached the region’s dam and damaged homes in the neighborhood. During the picnic, attendees enjoyed lunch at Lochnevin Park and celebrated the recovery of the area’s parks and dams with their neighbors.

“We have really enjoyed getting to know each of the residents during the last couple of years,” said Tim Bolding, Executive Director of United Housing, Inc. “Our team had a great time during the picnic and we’re even more energized to continue our work in the area, which strives to showcase the significance of strong neighborhoods through our involvement with NeighborWorks America and the Home Matters movement."

The event also included a neighborhood bake and plant sale to raise funds for local civic groups, including the Scenic Hills Gardening Club and Women’s Association, who help initiate and execute revitalization projects in the area.

After lunch, Bolding thanked residents for coming to the event and discussed United Housing's mission and goals for Scenic Hills, as well as Shelby County and West Tennessee. He then introduced Shelby Country Public Affairs Officer Steve Shular, who spoke on behalf of Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell about the importance of neighborhoods and civic investment. 

 

Professor David Arrellano from the University of Memphis Chapter ofEngineers Without Borders was also on hand to discuss and answer questions related to maintaining neighborhood lakes and dams. 

About Home Matters 
Home Matters is a movement that United Housing helped launch earlier this year with the National NeighborWorks Association. Its goals are to help build awareness around home being a place where lives and families thrive, as well as serving as the basis for a stronger economy. 

About NeighborWorks America 

For 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals. United Housing is the West Tennessee representative for the organization.

UHI's Trip to Portland Highlights Green Building!

Green Building Tour in Portland, OR

United Housing is excited to share some photos from our Green Building tour of Portland. A local, Portland Community Development Corporation (CDC), REACH CDC, has a Leed Certified multi-family housing project featuring a "green roof," solar panels, and 100% on-site storm water management called Gray's Landing.

The six-story building has underground parking, 5,000 sf of commercial space (including REACH office space), 209 affordable units - units available to households earning 60% of their median income and 42 of the apartments are targeted to low income veterans. Green features include: solar hot water panels, well insulated exterior envelope, including high efficiency windows, fresh air ventilation directly to all apartments, low-use plumbing and electric fixtures and Energy Star appliances.

REACH CDC partnered with HUD, NeighborWorks America, Portland Housing Bureau soft TIF laon, Oregon Housing and Community Services weatherization grant, used the Enterprise 4% tax credit equity, the Energy Trusts Hot Water Incentitive, an ecoroof grant from Portland Bureau of Environmental services and bond financing.

This is the first affordable rental housing development in the emerging South Waterfront neighborhood. The location is close to many transit options. This project will provide the economic stimulus for the city with living-wage jobs and economic opportunities for minority and women-owned contractors.

United Housing admires this project and hopes to create a similar opportunity in our single-family, homeowership units in Memphis at Wolf River Bluffs!

Pictured: The green roof features drought tolerant plants and solar panels that provide 50% of the building's hot water.

Check out more info on Gray's Landing by clicking here!