February 2023

Your Sometimes Monthly News & Updates

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Anna Falicov Joins HHQ as Deputy Director

Anna Falicov joins Home HeadQuarters as Deputy Executive Director, helping to lead the organization's equitable lending efforts in Buffalo and Erie County while building an accessible presence and network in Western New York. Anna, an attorney with a background in labor and municipal law and public health, previously worked for the City of Buffalo and at the New York State Attorney General's Office where she focused primarily on issues revolving around housing quality and home ownership. The daughter of immigrants, Anna has put her fluent Spanish to work while living in Mexico and California. She currently lives in the city of Buffalo with her husband and two children.

HHQ in Buffalo and Erie County

HHQ's very new Buffalo office is located in the historic Larkin at Exchange Building and has already hosted its first Buffalo Advisory Board meeting, a NYS Resilient Retrofits 1% Loan meeting and an outreach gathering for the 50/50 Homeowner Loan/Grant Fund. Look for more Buffalo-specific program info like the Buffalo & Erie County Landlord Loan/Grant program, up-to-the minute announcements and upcoming special events at: www.homehq.org/buffalo.

Back to Eastwood, this Time as a Homeowner

Crystal Downes remembers running to James Street to catch a bus on her way to and from Huntington School in Syracuse's Eastwood neighborhood when she was a child. And while she always knew she wanted to be a homeowner, she didn't think that one day, she would be a first-time homebuyer in that very neighborhood. After enrolling in Home HeadQuarters HomeBuyer Education Course and working with HHQ's HUD-certified housing counseling staff, Crystal spent some time sprucing up her credit and looking for a house with a porch. When Crystal and her family experienced a violent crime involving a neighboring family practically on their own doorstep, Crystal decided it was time to make the leap. Next month, Crystal moves into a HHQ-rehabbed home, along with her two daughters. She is thankful to Mary Jo, HHQ's Realtor with nonprofit Real Estate affiliate, CNY Affordable Realty. She's thankful for taking the time to do things right and thankful her two daughters are so supportive. Most of all, Crystal is thankful that she now has her own porch to sit on and it will soon be spring.

Stuff We Don't Know Where to Fit Anywhere Else

The Town of Salina 1% Home Improvement Loan Program has reopened! Homeowners that live within the Town of Salina can again, take advantage of a 1% home improvement loan for exterior or health and safety improvements. Download an application at the link above or email info@homehq.org to have one mailed to you. This is a revolving loan funds, so availability is limited. For all of HHQ's home improvement financing options, visit www.homehq.org/homeowner-loans-grants.

Syracuse University and Home HeadQuarters' HomeOwnership Center staff are holding a joint homeownership workshop, "From Renting to Owning Your Own Home," on Saturday, February 25, 9am-12pm, at the Nancy Cantor Warehouse. The Workshop is free, but seating is limited. Sign up for the February or March session here.

HHQ is holding a free, online workshop & clinic that explains how the judicial foreclosure process works in New York State on Tuesday, February 21, 5:30-7:30pm. Learn what your options are to avoid foreclosure; and what to expect once the bank files a foreclosure action against you. Must pre-register at www.homehq.org/foreclosure-prevention.

Did you know that Home HeadQuarters is a U.S. Treasury-certified Community Development Financial Institution, or CDFI? That means our organization works to get loan funds out the door and into the hands of families, small businesses and even other nonprofits that need them the most. Last year, HHQ got more than $3.5 million out to small landlords, local NYS-certified MWBE contractors and commercial firms. HHQ even offers a contractor revolving loan fund for needed construction financing or material and supply needs. For more info, visit www.homehq.org/small-business or email Meghan at info@homehq.org.

NYS Resilient Retrofits 1% Loan Program Home HeadQuarters is administering the New York State Resilient Retrofits 1% Loan Program, a loan program created to help homeowners who live in Broome, Erie, Kings, Queens and Suffolk Counties make their homes more resilient to flood damage and improve energy efficiency. The loan program, made possible through New York State's Homes and Community Renewal, provides up to $50,000 to income-eligible homeowners whose homes are located in the 500-year flood plain. Climate-ready and flood-proof eligible improvements include adding flood vents, raising electrical panels and using flood-damage resistant construction materials. For more information on this program, call 1-833-DRY-WARM or email us at info@homehq.org.

Syracuse FEC Counselor Makes Connections

China Hosea (pictured left) came to the Syracuse Financial Empowerment Center for guidance in late November. She had recently started a new job and wanted to start planning out her future. China explained to Christian, her FEC counselor, that her dream was to attend college in Manhattan, but she needed to come up with roughly $30,000 in order to do so. Like all FEC counselors, Christian is trained in financial and credit counseling that includes helping clients increase their savings, decrease their debt, build credit and more. In their one-on-one sessions, Christian offered tips to help China save more of her earned income in her new role. She also connected China with a close contact at OnPoint for College, an organization that helps young people get into college, stay there and succeed afterwards. With guidance from staff at OnPoint and the financial know-how she learned from Christian, China was able to save more, while also finding a student loan to make her dream a reality. If you would like to see how a Syracuse FEC counselor can help you, visit www.syracusefec.org or call (315) 474-1939 ext. 5 to make an appointment today.

Take a Little Tour of some HHQ New Construction

If you have a moment, take a quick peek at HHQ's latest new construction as part of Syracuse Mayor Walsh's Resurgent Neighborhoods Initiative. All of our recent affordable new homes are energy-smart with all electric appliances, heat pumps and high efficiency everything.

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