PATHWorks Newsletter: JULY 2019
Office Hours - PATHWorks - Employment - Asset Building - Finances - Community Events - Housing Works Updates - Resources
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HOUSING WORKS NEW OFFICE HOURS
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Starting July 1st, 2019
Housing Works will have new office hours:
Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Housing Works’ exterior doors will be locked outside of these hours.
We added a Drop Box on the front of our building with easy access, should you need to turn in paperwork after hours.
Staff may be available by phone and email outside of these hours, but schedules will vary. Please contact staff to obtain their individual hours.
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The HUD Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, or what Housing Works calls the PATHWorks program, supports families in increasing their earned income, building financial capability and growing assets. If you are a current Housing Choice Voucher Holder, you may be eligible to participate in the PATHWorks program. PATHWorks provides one-on-one coaching to help you work towards your financial goals and move towards financial self-sufficiency. The program provides support, resources, tools, and referrals. Whatever your goals are - career development, education, homeownership, credit building, etc.- we are here to help you along the way. There are limited slots available for new participants, so contact us today if you are interested! Check out the video below for more information about the FSS Program.
Family Self-Sufficiency Program Manager: Andrew Hall
Phone: (541) 323-7413
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WorkSource Hot Jobs Website
Hot Jobs is a great website that has been created by the WorkSource Central Oregon Business Services Team. The site will allow you to view enhanced listings easily and is categorized into Information Technology, Healthcare, Construction/Manufacturing and more. New hot jobs will be posted weekly to this site. Save the website to your favorites list to make it easily accessible to visit weekly! If you have any questions, know an employer that wants to list a job or have a candidate that needs a job developed for them, please contact the business services team at 541-548-HIRE!
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Exploring and Exposing Yourself to Ideas and Information
We are living in an amazing time right now. Never before have we had so much instant access to information and ideas. With just a few clicks on a computer or your phone, you can access ideas and information on almost any subject you can imagine. This provides a world of unlimited opportunities to gather knowledge and ideas that can enhance your personal and/or professional growth.
It is widely agreed upon that information overload can sometimes have negative consequences. It is also generally accepted that what you focus your attention on will shape your beliefs and perceptions of the world. It is interesting to note that media platforms target the information they send to you based on your searches and analyzing (reading) your emails. They then send you similar content in their feeds to you over and over. In many cases, they sell your personal information to other companies who then feed you even more similar information in an effort to sell you products or support their cause. In some cases this is good--they deliver what you are interested in. On the other hand, are you sure you are getting exposed to information that can expand your horizons? Chances are, most of us could enhance our perspective on what's possible by being open to hearing other points of view.
By researching new sources of information and opinions, you may build new tools and skills that can lead to new ways of acting and reacting life's challenges. We all have our own set of values and those guide us in our decisions. Exposing yourself to new information does not change that. The goal is to gather other points of view, possibly make new connections, and expose yourself to information and knowledge that helps you grow. Just take what you like and leave the rest. Remember, you don’t know what you don’t know until you are exposed to new information and experiences.
As an example of how this works, take a look at the next article in our newsletter, Red Flags. Do any of the red flags apply to your finances? If so, would any of the solutions listed in the article help you strengthen your financial management skills?
The bottom line is, you have the power to control the information you choose to interact with, so choose wisely!
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Look out for these
Financial Red Flags
Living within your means can easily slide into living beyond your means. Many of us fall into this trap without realizing it. Getting out of this trap can be easier said than done.
Even if you feel like your excessive-spending lifestyle has become part of who you are, there are ways to reverse the trend. Check out these
red flags
and
corresponding tips
to help steer you away from the “living paycheck to paycheck” path which might be a sign that you are l
iving BEYOND your means
.
RED FLAG: YOU ARE ALWAYS CARRYING A CREDIT CARD BALANCE
THE FIX
:
Try to pay more than the minimum amount due. Stop using the cards—or at least slow your roll—until the debt is paid off. Or consolidate your debt.
RED FLAG: YOU STRESS ABOUT PAYING YOUR BILLS
THE FIX
: Create a
budget
. Check out the finances article in our
newsletter
from last month for more information about budgeting. A written budget will allow you to have more control over your money. You will be able to make the decision of where your money is going and make any changes as you see fit. Cut expenses such as cable if needed.
RED FLAG: YOU CAN’T SAVE 5% OF YOUR PAY
THE FIX:
Again, look for opportunities to trim your expenses and restructure your budget to have a cushion, a savings account, an emergency fund, and retirement savings.
RED FLAG: YOUR MORTGAGE/RENT PAYMENT IS MORE THAN 30% OF YOUR GROSS MONTHLY INCOME
THE FIX:
If you own, try refinancing your mortgage. If you rent or own, you may need to downsize, move to a cheaper home, or get a roommate to help lighten the load.
RED FLAG: YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO BUY OR FINANCE YOUR VEHICLE
THE FIX:
Create a written
budget
before you buy a car to know if you can afford the monthly payments AND added costs such as insurance, gas, and maintenance. If you have already purchased the car and feel you can't afford it, consider looking for an older model that you can more easily afford. You could sell the vehicle and find alternative means of transportation until your budget allows for regular monthly payments.
RED FLAG: YOU ARE TRYING TO MATCH YOUR FRIENDS’ SPENDING HABITS AND YOUR FINANCIAL DECISIONS ARE INFLUENCED BY THEM
THE FIX
: Get to know your budget AND STAY WITHIN
YOUR
BUDGET.
Living within your means starts with you. Identify how and why your spending habits have spun out of control and begin to make changes today.
Read the full article
here
.
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Summer Fun
Each year, you can find a variety of fun and often free activities to enjoy around Central Oregon. July and August are busy months and there are a number of opportunities for the whole family to enjoy. Listed below are a few of the fun events happening in the summer.
Don't forget about the Fourth of July parades and firework shows in all three counties. Review the community calendars to find out more information. These are great activities that you can enjoy, and best of all, they're free. Get out and enjoy an activity today!
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Summer Meal Programs
This summer, free lunches will be offered at various locations throughout Central Oregon.
- For all kids 18 years and younger
- No registration or fee
- All meals must be eaten on site
- Please do not bring pets
- Regulations and funding by the US Dept. of Agriculture
- Parents are encouraged to attend with their children but cannot eat their children's meals
For more information, times and locations of the free summer meals, click on the logo. Families can also look up meal locations in their area by calling 211, or texting "Food" or "Comida" to 877-877, or visiting the
Summer Food Oregon
website.
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Central Oregon Great Giveaway
Mark your calendars for the 2019 Central Oregon Great Giveaway. This event is a community service effort to collect usable items of clothing, housewares, bedding and other goods to give to those in need.
Everyone is welcome! Items are collected from the community and given away to anyone who needs them for FREE! For more information, click
here.
When:
Saturday, August 10th: 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Where:
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: 2555 NW Shevlin Park Road, Bend, OR
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Liberty Lodge
We are excited to be nearing the start of construction for the Liberty Lodge development in Redmond. We have been completing the final designs and are awaiting permits from the city to begin what is estimated to be a 6-month build. The expectation is that we start in early July and be done by the end of the year. This attractive development has been designed by Pinnacle Architecture and includes a craftsman flair that fits well into the surrounding area.
Liberty Lodge will be a two story 8-plex with nicely equipped, 601 square foot, one-bedroom units located in an existing SW Redmond neighborhood. Features of the property include: energy efficient LED lighting, energy-star rated appliances and low-flow fixtures with additional accessible and adaptable features included as the property is designed for people with disabilities. The property will include a community room which will have a full kitchen, bathroom and coin-operated laundry. There will be a large covered patio to allow for outdoor activities and the site has ample green space for residents to enjoy. The Liberty Lodge site is located within walking distance to a major grocery store, restaurants, job opportunities, medical facilities, banks, multiple city parks and other recreation and entertainment opportunities.
EPIC Property Management will manage the leasing process and will begin taking applications approximately 60 days prior to completion. More information will be made available as the construction progresses and timelines become more certain.
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Welcome Emylia Breckel, Housing Specialist
Please join us in welcoming our newest member to our Housing Specialist team at Housing Works, Emylia Breckel! Emylia has already been meeting with new clients pulled from this years' waiting list. Her caseload of clients will continue to grow as the other Housing Specialists redistribute their caseloads. If you are a Housing Choice Voucher Holder and your case is assigned to a new Housing Specialist, you will be notified by mail.
Emylia is a proud Central Oregon native who graduated from Mountain View High School and Baker Charter School. Residing in Bend with her two horses and beloved blue heeler Remi, Emylia enjoys traveling the rodeo circuit as Miss Northwest Professional Rodeo Association for 2019 and furthering the bond and training with her equine partners.
Emylia has a strong background in customer service having previously been a manufacturing manager at a camera stabilization company and through her rodeo representation ventures. She was drawn to the cultural values of Housing Works and the opportunity of contributing to our mission of “Fostering dignity through housing."
Emylia is looking forward to working with Housing Choice Voucher clients and landlords as part of Housing Works' family.
To contact Emylia:
or call her at: (
541) 323-7408
Welcome to the team Emylia!
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Rent a Home in Redmond for Only $1,050 per Month
Our “homeowner in training” program, the Tutor Home program, provides residents the opportunity to lease a home for up to two years while they take steps to prepare for the purchase of their own home.
How It Works:
- You receive one-on-one coaching about the home buying process.
- We review your credit report and suggest steps to improve your credit score, if needed.
- We help you develop a spending plan and make deliberate decisions about where you want your money to go.
- You have access to a matched savings account (VIDA).
- A portion of your rent is set aside and applied toward the purchase of your own home, upon successful program completion.
- We support you through the home loan and closing processes.
Are You Eligible?
- Preference given to current Housing Choice Voucher holder and FSS graduate applicants.
- Available to those earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI).
- Must reside or work in Deschutes, Crook or Jefferson County.
- Tenants must demonstrate that by the end of the lease that, a) their income will be sufficient to support a mortgage, and b) they will be in a position to obtain mortgage financing.
- Participants must comply with a Tutor Home Lease Agreement, pass home inspections, and complete program requirements.
Applicants should be able to qualify for a mortgage loan within TWO years. If you are unsure of what that means, call for more information.
For more information, please contact Housing Works' Family Self-Sufficiency Program Manager, Andy Hall, at (541) 323-7413 or email him at
ahall@housing-works.org.
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National Night Out
Housing Works is getting ready to host our annual National Night Out event on Tuesday, August 6th, from 5:30 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. We will be holding this event at 6 locations around Central Oregon - Ariel Glen/South, Healy Heights and Summit Parks in Bend; Aspen Villas in Redmond; Tamarack Village in Sisters; and Ochoco School Crossing in Prineville for the residents of these communities. This national event promotes police and community relationship building to increase crime prevention awareness and make neighborhoods a safer and better place to live.
Housing Works is partnering with the Bend, Redmond and Prineville Police Departments and the Bend, Redmond, Sisters and Prineville Fire Departments to put on this event.
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Partners include:
- Bend Park and Recreation District
- Boys and Girls Club of Bend
- Environmental Center of Bend
- Fun Jumps LLC
- Deschutes Public Library – Bend/Redmond
- NeighborImpact's Head Start
- Mosaic Medical
- Oregon State University Extension Service
- Plus many more!
There will be food, a bounce house, music, and activities for the kids and families all geared towards having a family fun night. If you live in one of the properties listed above, make sure you clear your schedules on the night of August 6th so you can participate in the National Night Out event and have some fun.
Thank you to those who are partnering with us to help build good will and safer communities in Central Oregon!
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EMPLOYMENT
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
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