United Housing

H OM E OW N E R SH I P STARTS HERE
United Housing, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) that works to support the revitalization of Memphis neighborhoods through the provision of homebuyer education, affordable lending products and construction services. www.uhinc.org
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Letter from the 2 Director Spring Plan New Technology Sponsor Spotlight UHI Helps Scenic Hills On Tour With THDA Employee Spotlight Maintenance Checklist 2

Bricks and Mortgages

A newsletter of hot topics and helpful tips for West TNs new homeowners
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FOR SALE
This newly renovated Raleigh home is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath with covered carport, outside storage has everything youve dreamed of. Start the spring off right by enjoying this homes spacious sunroom and an oversized backyard. Not to mention, it has new appliances, fireplace and hardwood floors! For more information, call 901-272-1122.

3048 E. Glengarry

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Spreading the Word

Recap of our segment at WREGs News Channel 3 Live at 9:00 broadcast
On Valentines Day, we spread the Hardest Hit Fund (HHF) love to

Homebuyer Ed. 5 Schedule UHI on Air Upcoming Events Ehome America

UHIs Tim Bolding during the Live at 9:00 segment on News Channel 3.

struggling homeowners who were excluded from the recent AG settlement. We broadcasted vital information and contacts needed to apply for the government funding on the News Channel 3s Live and 9:00 segment. Tim Bolding, UHI executive director, informed Memphis about the details of the recent AG settlement, an agreement that excludes a large number of homeowners who are serviced by mega-financers Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Even though help is being distributed, unfortunately the process of receiving the help is taking longer than expected for some homeown-

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ers and confusing for others. We are thrilled that the broadcast allowed us to reach a larger audience needing immediate assistance in preventing foreclosure. We are even more thrilled to spread the HHF word! To view the segment on the HHF, visit our website at www.uhinc.org.
For more information on the Hardest Hit Fund, visit www.keepmytnhome.org or call 1-855-890-8073. Contact information for the banks involved in the AG Settlement are listed on our website at www.uhinc.org.

UHI Testimony 8

For the latest updates, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

http://www.facebook.com/homeownership @UnitedHousing

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Letter from the Director

Spring is on its way! This time of year, United Housing is gearing up for our Spring 2012 events! Our Crawfish Boil Realtor Appreciation event is March 16th and we will be awarding our lender and realtor partners for helping more families purchase homes! UHIs annual Evening at the Theatre event will highlight our partner sponsors, such as ERA Legacy Realty and NeighborWorks America! We will also feature a story of one of our successful clients on how he was able to keep his home thanks to our Hardest Hit Fund Program. Speaking of our Hardest Hit Fund Program, UHI has helped over 90 families stay in their homes! With our Strengthening Communities grant from the University of Memphis, United Housing has helped the Scenic Hills neighborhood association repair damage done by the May 2010 floods. We hope to continue our work with them with an educational awareness campaign and event this summer! Such successes are not possible without the support of the community. We look forward to making Memphis neighborhoods better this summer with our great community of donors, customers and industry partners.

Tim Bolding

upcoming SPRING PLAN

New Technology makes Homebuyer Education Classes a Hit

With funds from the City of Memphis Strategic Community Investment Fund (SCIF) grant, United Housing, Inc. recently transformed their teaching facility into a smart classroom. ronment. In addition to all the remarkable equipment upgrades, the homebuyer education course curriculum has been updated. Previously, course materials were on VHS. Now, DVDs with updated and more current information are illuminated on the big This classroom features a projector, a huge screen. The projectors ability to display digital screen, a document camera scanner, websites from the new computer helps new speakers, a DVD and Blue-ray player, students find the websites, forms, and inand a new computer. This classroom ena- formation they need to continue in the bles students to clearly and comfortably home buying process. By showing students learn all they need to successfully and rewhat they need online, the amount of pasponsibly buy and own a home. per handouts has been greatly reduced, making United Housings classes more Our new equipment is awesome, said environmentally conscious. Walker. We have created a better learning environment for our students. Overall, students are still enjoying the same high-quality homebuyer education Now, when students walk into the new that was previously offered. They still get classroom they will enter into an amazing packets and a free lunch. However, now, learning envi- students are experiencing homebuyer education with the ease and streamlined approach that United Housings new technology has provided. Come checkout what our new high-tech classes can offer you today!

Top: K. Richardson teaching homebuyer Ed with the new smart classroom equipment. Bottom: Students in the Homebuyer Ed class

United Housings Evening at the Theatre at Circuit Playhouse

Our annual event is April 19th, reception at 5:30pm and curtain call at 7:00pm featuring Present Laughter!

Present Laughter is a comedy about an aging, popular, and pampered actor, which The New York Times calls, "sharp, withering, and funny." For many Mid-Southerners, the key to homeownership is a helping hand. Show your support for United Housing while entertaining clients, friends and family at this unique event. Our annual Evening at the Theatre is always a fun-filled night with delicious food, delightful drinks and Broadway-worthy productions! A raffle and silent auction will give you a chance to win gift certificates to local businesses such as Busters Wine and Liquor, and Boscos, and bid on a Redbirds Box provided by Morgan Keegan! Dont miss this event! To purchase your tickets call 901.272.1122 or go online to www.uhinc.org and click on Purchase Event Tickets!

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT!
United Housing is thankful for all the support we get from our community partners! We have exceeded our fundraising goal of $10,000! Our Annual Evening at the Theatre could not have happened without our amazing and generous sponsors! ___________________

Our Gold Sponsors: ERA Legacy Realty, NeighborWorks America, Jimmie Hopson Jr.-Crye-Leike and Mr. Henry Varnell!

Our Silver Sponsors: Wells Fargo, Lawrence Johnson Realty, Fouts & Morgan, Practical Contracting, Memphis Daily News, Paragon Bank, Memphis Bar Association, Magna Bank, Fearnley and Califf, Bancorp South and ETI Corporation!

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UHI Helps Scenic Hills Produce Neighborhood Brochures

UHI was able to provide the Scenic Hills community with an educational brochure with a $2500 grant from Strengthening Communities Initiatives, a nonprofit organization through the U of Ms School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy. The brochures showcased the area lake, three parks and recreational center while also highlighting initiatives necessary to sustain these neighborhood assets. With the new printed materials, residents hope to urge community involvement in maintaining the community resources.
Left: Photo of the brochure Bottom: Residents mailing the brochures

The UHI team are now the proud owners of 59 N. Cooper!

A portion of the grant will also sponsor flooding repairs to the Scenic Hills lake.

We love new friends! Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

ON TOUR WITH THDA

This quarter, our partners at THDA toured our homes in the Scenic Hills subdivision. With THDAs support, we were able to transform foreclosure disasters into beautiful homes for families! Thanks again THDA!

Left to right: Amy, Christina Top: Anne

UHI FEATURE EMPLOYEE

Name: Anne Meadors, Housing Coordinator Hometown: Tunica, MS Favorite Color: Blue Dream Childhood Occupation: News Anchor Why UHI?: Even though it sounds cheesy, I just truly love being able to help someone accomplish the American dream (which is) purchasing a home, said Meadors.

UHI would like to welcome Christina Owenga, our new Public Relations Manager! Welcome aboard!

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INTO HOME MAINTENANCE

The warmer temperatures of spring provide the perfect environment to get outside and tackle those home maintenance tasks youve been putting off this winter.

Heres a short checklist of items you may want to tackle first:

Air Conditioning If your house has central air conditioning then the outside condensing unit should be serviced early in spring before you need to use it. Use a garden hose with a nozzle to direct spray pattern from the top down to clean off the heat dissipation fins all around the outside. Hire an HVAC company to service your other equipment. Exterior Surfaces Heavy buildup of mildew and algae (black or green in color) frequently occurs toward the bottom of brick cladding. Its easily removable with a pressure washer or garden hose. However, if using a garden hose, spray a 50/50 bleach to water mixture on it first. Then, cover plants with a tarp before spraying on or off.

Windows and Doors Inspect all for soundness (i.e. broken glass and damaged or deteriorated weather seals and caulking). Dont forget to check the seal between the foundation and the doors threshold it needs to be sealed too in order to keep pests and outside air from penetrating your home. Garage Door Are your garage door and opener loud? Use a spray lubricant (WD-40 works fine.) and spray a small amount of lubricant into the joint of each moving part (There are a lot of them!) including the drive chain. Operate the door a couple of times and enjoy how much quieter it is as well as the joy of knowing you just bought yourself several more years of your garage systems life.

Mike Brunk is the contracted construction manager for UHI.

Homebuyer Education 2011 Schedule! FREE CLASSES!

Call to register: 901-272-1122

http://www.facebook.com/homeownership

@UnitedHousing

UU H I O N A i r HI on IR
United Housing is thrilled to invite you to listen to us on WDIA AM 1070 for Bev Johnsons Ask the Expert from 11 a.m.12 a.m. on the indicated days below. Join us we offer answers to tough housing questions with various guest speakers!

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Upcoming Events
CRAWFISH BOIL 2012
Evening at the Theatre
Presenting Present Laugher Date:March16th Time:2p.m. Where:UnitedHousingoce Contact:cowenga@uhinc.org Date:April19th Time:7:00p.m.

aschaftlein@uhinc.org

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UHI helped him close on his first home!
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EXCITED homeowner and realtor!

Our new friend!

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Our construction staff!

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the Beauty in aking! rem

Fighting blight!

Smile!

Rehabbing!

Mailing brochures!

Way to go United Way!!!

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For more information visit us at www.ehomeamerica.org/uhinc

A UHI TESTIMONY
Hardest Hit Funds Joe Mitchell tells his story
UHI is a component of the Neighapproval call, Mitchell felt the urge to find alternative methods to borWorks Tennessee Alliance which is also comprised of the keep his home. Nashville, Chattanooga and KnoxI just assumed they looked at my ville nonprofit agency efforts. credit and didnt bother in calling me back, said Mitchell. I had to Together, the NeighborWorks Mitchell, a new homeowner, had Alliance of Tennessee helped 272 decided to move back to Memphis do something. unemployed or underemployed when Detroits economy tanked. Filing bankruptcy was the answer. families stay in their homes and He was grateful to be earning avoid foreclosure, keeping $32.9 more annual income at a large Memphis corporation. However, he was most proud of taking part of the American dream and purWithout this blessing, I chasing his own home. A bleak Joe Mitchell sulked in a chair facing an associate attorney at the law of offices of Jimmy McElroy, one signature away from filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy. After failing at convincing the rushed lawyer to stay, Mitchell left the office promising to return when the doors open the next day. Just minutes after leaving the office, Sharon Walker, UHIs homebuyer education manager called Mitchell to let him know his loan had been accepted. By filing bankruptcy, he would have forfeited his eligibility to receive the HHF. I praised (the Lord) harder than ever, said Mitchell. Jesus, that was a biggest test yet.

Mitchell qualified for a $20,000 financial assistance through United Housing. Mitchell said he put said Mitchell. all his faith in God and it came right on-time. million worth of mortgages out of A fellow church member told him By filing chapter 13, foreclosure foreclosure. about UHI and our newest foreclo- proceedings are halted and debts Without this blessing, I would be are consolidated into lower monthsure intervention assistance on the streets, said Mitchell. Ironically, Mitchell said somehow Lord, I never want to feel that ly payments. With a recovering through the Hardest Hit Fund economy yet declining work force he felt relieved to be signing the (HHF), government funding to again. bankruptcy paperwork. At least, and rising foreclosure rates, assist under or unemployed individuals having difficulty in paying Mitchell is just one of several who he would be able to keep his Mitchell is still in his home and home. faced difficulty in maintaining their mortgage. has found another job since his mortgage payments. HHF loan approval. He is working However, he then remembers the Fortunately, Mitchell didnt delay in coming into the office and com- If you look on the news, you can attorney declining to sign the last on catching up his payments on all see it (foreclosure) for yourself, signature proclaiming that he was his debts and of course, not forgetpleting the paperwork needed to incredibly pressed to time to make ting to mention his United Houssaid Tim Bolding, United Houssave his home. ing testimony. another imperative meeting. ings executive director. It is all After not receiving an immediate over the TV. Three years later he was right back where he started. Mitchell was laid off and four days from the auction of his dream home.

would be on the streets,

United Housing, Inc. 51 N. Cooper St. Memphis, TN 38104 901.272.1122 www.uhinc.org

Tim Bolding, Executive Director Sharon Walker, Homebuyer Ed. Manager Frances Burns, Finance Director Amy Schaftlein, Grants and Communications Manager Anne Meadors, Housing Production Manager Christina Owenga, Public Relations Manager Kendra Richardson, Homebuyer Ed. Counselor Juan Romo, Bilingual Homebuyer Ed. Counselor Deanna Zell, Foreclosure Intervention Specialist Linda Davis, Program Assistant Jo Gross, Receptionist/Loan Servicing Assistant Genevie Aaker, University of Memphis Intern

UHI Board of Directors

Venita Walker, Chair Aubrie Kobernus, Co-Chair Laura Harris, Secretary Mike Fearnley, Treasurer Robert Coleman Maggie Conway Martha L. Perine-Beard Rev. Leonard Dawson Alex Matlock Carol McConkey Jerome Rubin Jimmie Tucker Keith Turbett Gilda Williams

Special thanks to Mary Sharp for a job well done while serving on our board of directors! We wish you all the luck in your future endeavors!

http://www.facebook.com/homeownership

@UnitedHousing