October 2017 News & Notes
Whew... 
Block Blitz 2017 is in the books! 

More than 270 volunteers, some coming from as far away as Long Island and Washington D.C., joined Home HeadQuarters staff and board members, local contractors, neighborhood residents and more for the (only slightly rainy) one-day Annual Block Blitz. Teens from CNS and ESM High Schools, students from Syracuse University and others representing church groups, financial institutions, as well as countless local restaurants and businesses all pitched in to help improve more than 40 properties on Syracuse's Southside. 

Thank you to Southside TNT, the City of Syracuse, M&T Bank, the New York State Land Title Association and to everyone who supported the event, our community and Home HeadQuarters' programs and services. See you next year!

See some 2017 Block Blitz photos and videos HERE!
Quick Links - Click for Info. & Applications
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Meet Sherry Jones, Math Lover and Budget Worrier

Home HeadQuarters' new controller, Sherry Jones, has always had her eye on the numbers. From her first job out of school as a KeyBank branch manager to her most recent position as a financial manager at Abundant Life Christian Center, she likes to make sense of all the financial details.

"There are so many of those details here--Home HeadQuarters does so much. I'm just trying to connect all the dots!" Says Sherry after almost a month working at HHQ.

When not overseeing HHQ's Accounting Department and all the day-to-day financial operations, Sherry tries to stay a few steps ahead of her three godsons, teaches at a local church, volunteers with Hospice of CNY and works on planning her next international trip.
Breaking Ground | Resilient Corners

Breaking Ground | Resilient Corners
Breaking Ground | Resilient Corners

Home HeadQ uarters recently broke ground on a new project that looks to make long-lasting reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through the redevelopment of 10 underutilized and vacant properties in the SALT District at the intersection of Otisco and Ontario Streets on Syracuse's Near Westside.   

Home HeadQuarters, with the support of NYSERDA, New York State Empire Development Corp., the NYS Affordable Housing Corporation and the City of Syracuse, will develop six new single family LEED-certified, energy-efficient homes; a laundromat and community meeting space; and additional market-rate commercial and rental space. The Resilient Corners project looks to rebuild after decades of disinvestment and environmental injustice by incorporating a geothermal heating district, solar energy and other high performance energy additions. For more information about Resilient Corners, visit our website HERE.
"Never-Ending Joy" for New Homeowner Denise Welch

Nearing 50 with two grown boys, Denise Welch was perfectly content renting an apartment. The boys were "mostly" out of the house and she was comfortable with never owning her own home. That all changed when the apartments where Denise had lived for nine years informed her that they going market rate and not renewing existing leases. She quickly moved into another apartment where she was paying with utilities more than $1000 per month.

"Rents everywhere were high and I just thought, this isn't going to work for me," said Denise. Once month after she moved into her new apartment, she  secured a realtor who told her to contact Home HeadQuarters. She enrolled in the HomeBuyer Education Course , signed up for a First Home Club at a local credit union and figured she was ready to go.

"Well, the first thing I learned was to slow down," Denise says with a laugh. "Then I learned so much about things like radon. I turned down one house after another because of radon."

Now, even Denise can't believe that in less than a year she is in a fully-rehabilitated four bedroom (or 3 bedrooms and one giant walk-in closet) home with a giant yard, a great front porch that her Mom likes to supervise and neighboring new houses also built by Home HeadQuarters on the city's Southside. Her impeccably decorated house has won the approval of her sisters and all who visit. Denise has even secured a home improvement loan through Home HeadQuarters to add a new white fence, new driveway and replace her sidewalks.

"The mortgage and the home improvement loan together are less than I would be paying in rent," she says. "With this home, I am just in a place right now of never-ending joy."

For more information on finding a fully-rehabbed Home HeadQuarters' home, contact MaryJo by calling (315) 671-6008 or email at  [email protected].

PS: Denise would like it known that she and her Mom (pictured right) did NOT coordinate their outfits for the photo.
Attention Auburn Landlords!

Home HeadQuarters' affiliate, Homsite,  in cooperation with the City of Auburn, is offering a Rental Rehab Assistance Program for Auburn landlords. City of Auburn rental property owners can take advantage of up to  $25,000 per unit in rehab funds to correct health and safety concerns.  Landlord must provide at least 20% in matching funds and agree to rent the unit to low- income tenants for a compliance period.

For more information or to download an application visit www.homsite.org.

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Home HeadQuarters, Inc. | 538 Erie Blvd. W., Suite 100, | Syracuse, NY 13204  
p. 315.474.1939 |  www.homehq.org  | email: [email protected]
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