PATHWorks Newsletter: January 2018
Success Stories - Employment - Finances - Asset Building - Community Events - Housing Works Updates - Resources
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Achieving Success Through a Great New Year's Resolution
If you want your New Year’s resolution goal to be one of the estimated 12% that succeed, you need to create a great goal that is right for you. The short exercise below might help you define, or refine, your New Year’s resolution for 2018.
Asking a few simple questions can help determine if your goal is really important to you. For example, let’s use the New Year’s resolution,
"I want to increase my income." Read the questions below and write down your answers. We have added a few sample answers in italics. Once you have completed this exercise, then repeat it with your own New Year’s resolution.
- What do I value? Write down your values (honesty, wealth, health, happiness, etc.). Does your goal align your values? Honesty, financial self-sufficiency, family, integrity, my spirituality, physical health. Yes, increasing my income fits with my values.
- What do I want to change or accomplish? What specifically do I want to do? I want to earn a promotion at work. I will ask my supervisor what I need to do to advance in my career. I will complete the necessary training required to advance in my career.
- Why do I want to accomplish this goal? I want to increase my income so I can relieve the stress of struggling financially. It supports my values by providing financial stability for my family and my future. I would like to use the increased income to start saving for retirement.
- Short-term or Long-term. Is this a short-term goal, like organizing your closet, or a long-term goal, like making a lifestyle change? Increasing my income is both a short- and long-term goal. My immediate need is to stabilize my finances and pay my bills. My long-term goal is to be financially self-sufficient.
- What kind of support do I need? When things get tough and you want to quit, or see yourself sliding back, what will you do? I will need to increase my job skills. I will research career paths, education and training in my field to increase my income. I will find a mentor that I respect to help me through the tough times.
- What are the consequences of not achieving this goal? My life will continue to be a struggle financially. I will be stressed out and I could have difficulty supporting myself when I am of retirement age. The increased stress decreases my enjoyment of life and health. I may have to move out of the area because I might not be able to afford to live here.
Write down your goal using the SMART goals model. Check out the links and templates for information on setting SMART goals.
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Trade Schools and Apprenticeship Opportunities
Have you been thinking about making more money but are not sure how? Are you stuck in a dead-end, low-paying job that has no opportunities for advancement? Many people want to make more money and know that there is a link between higher education and better paying careers. Going to college and working towards a degree isn't for everyone though. Many people prefer to start working and getting into a career field a lot sooner.
If that sounds like you, attending a trade school or apprenticeship program might be a better choice. A trade school, also known as a vocational school or technical school, is an educational institution that teaches specific skills related to a specific career.
You can find academic or vocational programs to help you get started in the career you've been dreaming about, or you can locate one that helps you advance in your existing career.
Check out the links to learn more.
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Trade schools and Apprenticeships in Central Oregon:
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Paying Down Holiday Debt
The holidays may be over, but if you accrued debt during the holidays you need to make a plan to pay off that debt. If you charged your credit cards or took out a loan, here are a few tips to pay down that debt.
Action steps:
2. Fill out the bill calendar to keep track of your monthly bills and expenses. Be sure to write down what the bill is for, the amount, and the due date.
3. Once you fill it out, stay accountable by putting the calendar in a place where you’ll see it every day.
Now that you know what your debts are, you can make a plan to pay them off.
Powerpay.org
can help with this!
PowerPay will give you the tools to develop a personalized, self-directed debt elimination plan. Discover how quickly you can become debt free, and how much you can save in interest costs by following your debt reduction plan.
With a bill calendar and a plan of action, you can start gaining control of your financial future today!
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Tax Refund
Tax Season is here and you may be expecting a refund this year. You might be tempted to go on a shopping spree, but there are a lot of ways to put that money to good use. Take into consideration your personal financial situation and determine your needs vs. your wants. Listed below are a few financial priorities you might consider using your tax refund on in order to take control of your finances.
- Catch up on all your bills
- Start or increase your emergency savings account funds
- Pay off current debt
- Pay off collection debt
- Purchase something you need
- Contribute to retirement account
- Invest
Being responsible with your money now can improve your finances in the short-term and provide you with more financial security in the future.
Read more about planning out your refund from CFPB
here.
If you are tempted to take out a refund advance or a refund anticipation loan by getting your refund sooner, be very careful. The fees associated with those tax products can cost you hundreds of dollars. That is your money -- don't give it away. File your taxes as early as you can and ALL of your return will be in your hands before you know it.
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Pop-Up Museum: Making Things Go
The Children's Museum of Central Oregon is hosting this free event for children ages 3-11 years old. Children will get to enjoy hands-on arts and crafts, science exhibits and demonstrations. Community partner, Cascades Academy, will be in attendance as well as other local community organizations.
When: 1/6/2018 10:00 AM- 3:00 PM
Where: Riverhouse Convention Center
3075 N Hwy 97, Bend, OR 97701
Cost: FREE
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Discover Nature Day: Winter Tracking
Discover Nature Days are free family programs offered by Children’s Forest partners. Each event features a different theme and location with a mix of science, art, and exploration.
January's program is Winter Tracking with Sunriver Nature Center and Discover Your Forest. Strap on your snowshoes and explore the amazing area around Sunriver Nature Center. Snowshoes are provided. You will search for wildlife tracks and learn about fascinating winter adaptations.
When: 1/13/2018 10:00 AM- 12:00 PM
57245 River Road
Sunriver, OR 97707
Cost: FREE
(541) 383-5592
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Development Updates
In December's newsletter, we shared with you about Housing Works' new townhome community that will be built in La Pine in 2018. Housing Works is currently in the planning stages of another affordable community located in Sisters called Village Meadows Apartments.
Village Meadows Apartments in west Sisters will offer 48 affordable apartments including 32 one-bedroom flats, 8 two-bedroom townhomes and 8 three-bedroom townhomes on approximately 2.12 acres for households at or below 60% of area median income. This is Housing Works’ second affordable community in Sisters. Tamarack Village, built in 2003, provides affordable homes to 33 households.
The Village Meadows apartment community will be built next to Ray’s Food Place grocery store, a bank, medical clinic, bus stop and other commercial businesses. It is 1.3 miles from the Sisters Elementary School and 0.6 miles from Sisters Middle and High Schools. Additionally, it is 1 mile from the Highway 20 Downtown Commercial District which includes stores, restaurants, gas stations, banks and hotels.
Housing Works expects to break ground on Village Meadows Apartments in early 2018. Build time is estimated at 11 months.
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Waiting List Opening
It's that time of year again! The waiting list for the Housing Choice Voucher Program will open:
Monday, January 8th, 2018 (8 am) through
Friday, January 12th, 2018 (5 pm)
This program is open to low-income qualified residents of Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. Click
here to view income limits for the HCV program. Applicants must apply online at
www.oregonhousingworks.org.
The time you apply during the week does not impact your position on the waiting list. All applications taken during the open period will be randomized by a computer and placed on the waiting list to give all applicants an equal chance. All current applications are purged from the waiting list on December 31st. Anyone who is currently on the waiting list needs to reapply to the 2018 list.
If you need assistance filling out the application, Housing Works will have staff and computers available at our office located at
405 SW 6th St., Redmond, OR 97756 between 8 am and 5 pm during the application week.
You may call Housing Works for more information at: (541) 923-1018.
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Tutor Home Available- Rent a home in Prineville for only $850/Month.
Housing Works' Tutor Home Program, our "homeowner in training" 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 counseling about the home buying process.
- We review your credit report and suggest steps to improve your credit.
- We help you develop a spending plan and make deliberate decisions about where you want your money to go.
- You open a matched savings account (VIDA).
- You are eligible to apply for a grant when you are ready to buy your own home to help with closing costs.
- We support you through the home loan and closing processes.
Are You Eligible?
- HCV Holders only
- 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 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
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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EMPLOYMENT
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
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