Community Housing Innovations

22-Unit development in Ardsley clears key hurdle

CHI’s mixed income condominium development in Ardsley has received a “negative declaration” from the Ardsley Village Board, eliminating the need for an extensive environmental impact statement. The decision by the Board reflects widespread community support for the project, which will include 17 affordable for-sale units, along with five below-market “workforce” homes for Ardsley volunteers and municipal workers. The 17 affordable condos will qualify under the 2009 federal Consent Decree, requiring the County to build and market 750 units of affordable housing under the supervision of a HUD Monitor.

According to Alexander Roberts, “Ardsley, with its top schools and excellent services, is a shining example of how people of good will can together extend opportunity to all.”

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Jamie Rapfogel makes a difference for homeless children

Last year, we told you about Jamie Rapfogel, who spearheaded a new program to celebrate the birthdays of homeless children in shelters on Long Island called “Birthday Wishes.” Her work at shelters operated by Community Housing Innovations was noted in two news articles:

http://syosset.patch.com
http://www.longislandpress.com

Since the articles appeared, Jamie now holds birthday parties at all 14 of CHI’s family shelters. She provided Christmas gifts to all 14 SFRs.

She has been phenomenal in coordinating her own army of volunteers with Birthday Wishes and Holiday gifting. She was able to collect and distribute gifts for over 150 children in our shelters.

Thank you, Jamie Rapfogel, for really making a difference.

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CHI Homebuyer Assistance Program announces $25,000 down-payment assistance grants for first-time homebuyers in Westchester County

Community Housing Innovations (CHI) Homebuyer Assistance Program announces $25,000 down-payment assistance grants available to eligible, first-time homeowners making up to 80% of the area median income. The grants, from New York State Homes and Community Renewal, are designed to increase workforce housing opportunities. Each grant includes a mortgage with a recapture obligation balance that will decline to zero after 10 years. To qualify, the property must be within Westchester County and may be a house, co-op or condo. In the past 13 years, Community Housing Innovations (CHI) has provided $9 million in down payment assistance grants to 425 first time homebuyers.

In order to be eligible for the grants, prospective homebuyers must attend a first-time homebuyer training seminar and complete an application documenting that their overall gross household income does not exceed the maximum income guidelines. The 2010 maximum income (80% AMI) for Westchester County is $58,600 for an individual; $67,000 for a two-person family; $75,400 for three-person family; and $83,800 for a four person family, etc. The homebuyer must be able to contribute at least 3% of the purchase price into the transaction. Applications are available at the CHI website, www.chigrants.org.

“Westchester has a critical need for workforce housing,” stated Alexander Roberts, Executive Director of Community Housing Innovations. “These grants will enable hardworking individuals and families to purchase homes.”

Darrah Clay, who works in advertising sales, is a recent recipient of CHI’s Homebuyer Assistance Grant. Clay, who grew up in Westchester County, was living with her parents and saving a good portion of her salary. However, with housing costs so high, she still needed help to afford a home. She was determined to find opportunities, and called Community Housing Innovations repeatedly, checking if grants had become available. Once they were, she worked hard to gather all of the paperwork and authorizations necessary to apply for a grant to buy her home in Fleetwood.

“I’m proud to be a homeowner at age 27 and investing in myself,” Clay stated. “One thing I didn’t know about home-buying is that it is a huge puzzle, and it really takes a responsible and diligent person to put together all of the pieces. CHI helped me to understand how the pieces fit together and the roles of the players involved -- from real estate agent, the home inspector, the seller’s agent, the seller, the lenders and the administration offering a grant. CHI answered all of my questions throughout the process.”

CHI supports compulsory classes for first-time homebuyers

As a founding member of the New York State Coalition for Excellence in Homebuyer Education, CHI has advocated compulsory classes with a standardized curriculum, as an alternative to curtailing the freedoms of homebuyers to make mortgage choices. Deborah Post, CHI’s Housing Finance Director, was quoted in a recent article in Newsday.

Click here for the article
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Community Housing Innovations, a HUD approved housing counseling agency, has opened a Long Island Foreclosure Prevention Division. The organization, which currently offers emergency housing, affordable permanent housing and additional human services on Long Island, has brought Jeffrey Margolis, an established expert in the mortgage industry, on board as Manager, LI Foreclosure Prevention Counseling. He will serve as the liaison between homeowners and banks. CHI’s foreclosure prevention services are free, confidential and available to the public. Services include workshops, seminars and individual counseling.

“Many Long Island residents are at risk of losing their homes if they don’t reach out for help,” stated Alexander Roberts, Executive Director of Community Housing Innovations. “We can help homeowners work effectively with their banks to obtain relief.”

CHI’s Long Island foreclosure prevention services are designed to help owners who are currently experiencing difficulty making timely mortgage payments, who expect to have difficulty in the future or who are already in the foreclosure process. CHI’s counselors recognize that each situation is unique and work with homeowners individually to discuss options, review budgets and manage debt. Among the options: loan modifications, principal reduction, forgiveness and short sales.

CHI has already been operating a successful Westchester division of its foreclosure prevention services for the past three years, and in that time has represented nearly 800 homeowners, resulting in over 125 loan modifications and forebearances. CHI’s Fast Track™ Loan Modification events have brought close to 200 prepared homeowners together with bankers in face to face private appointments designed to resolve loan issues in a fast and effective manner, while keeping homeowners in their homes.

For more information on CHI’s Long Island Foreclosure Prevention Division or for with help with foreclosure prevention, call Community Housing Innovations, Inc. at 1-877-HUD-COUNSELING (1-877-483-2686). More information is available at www.chigrants.org.