January 2020
Your Intermittent News & Updates
Former DeJulio's Building Gets New Life
When long-time Northside stalwart DeJulio's announced their closing three years ago, neighbors and community representatives were concerned. The corners of Burnet Avenue and Lodi Street were already struggling with vacant buildings for sale and other buildings in need of serious TLC. Home HeadQuarters purchased the former DeJulio's building at 664 Burnet Avenue along with the derelict building across the busy intersection at Oak Street and Lodi, as part of the Community Prosperity Initiative, in the hopes of redeveloping both highly visible properties. After testing the market for a year on a commercial kitchen concept for 664 Burnet, HHQ and its partners decided to keep the building focused on local retail (see who's moving into the building in the story below). The former DeJulio's location is almost complete inside with the first floor tenant moving in now, the second floor being readied for another potential tenant and the outside of the building expected to be completed in the spring. The Oak Street property was razed for new development which is expected within the year. Thank you to those community partners who have made our work possible including New York State, City of Syracuse, and the Allyn Family Foundation.
Look Who's Moving In!
Tai Shaw must be one of the busiest people in Syracuse. The owner and operator of CNY Uniforms Plus serves on numerous boards, is the President of the Vietnamese Americans Association, President of CNY Blessing Box, Vice President of the New Americans Forum and just finished hosting a yearly Vietnamese New Year event which welcomes more than 1000 people in a day-long celebration. et Link
Tai can't wait to open his new store at a location that he feels is the gateway to the city's vibrant and diverse Northside. Besides his usual offering of medical and restaurant industry uniforms, logo embriodery and screen printing services, Tai is planning on adding a community corner highlighting local products, traditional dress and gifts from the many and varied Northside residents.

Born in South Vietnam, Tai came by boat to Thailand when he was only 10. There he spent a year in a refugee camp until he was matched with an American family in New York State. Tai learned English and ultimately became an American citizen, graduated from college and moved to Central New York.

"The U.S. and New York have given me so many opportunities, I want to give back," says Tai. "I hope by investing in this neighborhood, I can help turn this corner around while creating something that celebrates all Syracuse has to offer."

Look for an official ribbon-cutting this spring! Interested in checking out the 2nd floor? Email us at info@homehq.org.
Geddes Federal Makes $500K Local Investment
Geddes Federal Savings & Loan invested $500,000 in Home HeadQuarters Enterprise Fund.
Geddes Federal Savings and Loan President & CEO Brian DuMond presents a $500,000 check to Home HeadQuarters' CEO Kerry Quaglia for the organization's Enterprise Fund. Also pictured: Home HeadQuarters' Chief Operations Officer Shannon Fiumano and far right, Chief Financial Officer Tricia Bauer.
Geddes Federal Savings & Loan recently presented Home HeadQuarters with a $500,000 check as the inaugural investment partner in the non-profit organization's Enterprise Fund. This unique fund, created by Home HeadQuarters, provides Geddes Federal (and others who want to participate) with an investment credit under federal CRA rules and offers HHQ the chance to direct those much needed dollars into its affordable housing development initiatives. The Enterprise Fund is considered an "EQ2" Investment, or equity-like investment as a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). HHQ retains the investment for 10 years and pay a quarterly dividend to the investor.

Home HeadQuarters is accepting investments in its Enterprise Fund. If interested in learning more, please email info@homehq.org .
picture of home at 711 Tully Street in Syracuse for sale.
FOR SALE!!!
Syracuse's Near Westside, fully rehabbed 2 bedrooom, 2 bath, huge lot, new roof,
new baths and more.
$ 65,900
For complete listing, visit HERE!
2020 HomeBuyer Education Courses are scheduled! Sign up for an orientation as your first step. Don't forget, the 8-hour class is a pre-requisite for many homebuyer incentives including the HomeBuyer Dream Program. You can sign up for classes HERE!
Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative
Did you hear about the Mayor's plan for new homes in city neighborhoods? If you missed it, catch the story HERE! HHQ is excited to be a part of this ambitious plan. Want to buy a house? Email us HERE!
Thank You From the Salley Family!
The Salley kids (and Mom and Dad) received a little more Christmas than what they were expecting thanks to many of you who made a donation last month.

The family added some festive holiday decorations to their new home and were able to take advantage of a gift certificate to a warehouse store for the Christmas dinner.


Most excitedly though for Mom was the opportunity to seat her family and guests at one, large table for the Christmas dinner.

The Salley Family wanted to pass on their thanks to everyone and wish everyone a happy and blessed New Year!

If you would like to make a difference for other first-time homeowners, please donate today!

Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)
Y ou may not have ever heard of the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), but it is one of the most important tools Home HeadQuarters has in its arsenal for achieving its mission of filling gaps in the housing market--most importantly the capital gap. CRA, enacted in 1977, requires the Federal Reserve and other federal banking regulators to encourage financial institutions to help meet the credit needs of the communities in which they do business, including low- and moderate-income (LMI) neighborhoods. This can be difficult to do when many LMI families may not meet bank underwriting standards or do not have established credit.

The great banks that we work with every day invest in Home HeadQuarters because we are a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). The banks receive CRA credit for the investment and in turn, we are able to get those dollars into the hands of families who need them most. We simply could not do the work we do without these investments. With the help of CRA and our lending partners, Home HeadQuarters has helped us finance more than $20 million in home improvements for LMI Central New York families.

There is currently an effort to modernize the CRA. Home HeadQuarters wholeheartedly agrees that the act is in need of updating, but hopes that the loosening of rules doesn't go so far as to dilute the true impact of this important investment in our neighborhoods.

Stay tuned for more information in the months ahead or reach out to our staff and we'd be happy to answer any questions you might have about CRA. To see the public record of comments on the CRA's proposed updates including Home HeadQuarters' comments, visit HERE!
Welcome to HHQ!
Home HeadQuarters welcomes Twaijia Bailey (left) and India McLaurin to its ranks. Twaijia joined HHQ in November as a Housing and Foreclosure Counselor at our HomeOwnership Center. The Syracuse native has worked in the financial and insurance industries for most of her professional life, but says she is most excited now to build new relationships and help people achieve their dreams.

India joins the organization as a Contract Specialist responsible for ensuring that HHQ adhears to state and other funding requirements. The mom of two also joins us from the financial and accounting fields, most recently as the Team Lead for Foreign Relations at NY Bank of Mellon. India says she has always been looking for a way to give back to the community and HHQ perfectly fits the bill.
Northside Before & After
This Northside home is part of HHQ's Lease Purchase Program which is made possible through Onondaga County and the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The new buyer will rent the home for a period of time while he gets his credit and new job in order. While he's working on those items, he'll attend our 8-hour HomeBuyer Education Course so he can take advantage of first-time homebuyer incentives like closing cost assistance and more.
Home HeadQuarters and its affiliates