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| NAR Grants Promote Local Affordable Housing Efforts | |||||
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Posted: 01/05/2009 12:00 AM | |||||
WASHINGTON, DC -- The National Association of Realtors(R) has awarded $54,500 to 14 local and state Realtor(R) associations through the Housing Opportunity Fund grants program. The grants help local and state Realtor(R) associations promote and expand affordable housing and homeownership opportunities in their communities. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080923/NARLOGO ) "Realtors(R) build communities and know that affordable housing benefits our citizens, cities and towns," said NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. "Through innovative partnerships and activities that are funded by NAR's Housing Opportunity Fund grants, Realtors(R) are helping to support and promote increased affordable housing opportunities and better meet the housing needs of the nation's low- to moderate-income families." NAR established the Housing Opportunity Fund in 2006. Individual grants of up to $5,000 are awarded twice per year. Grants can be used to fund a variety of activities, including housing symposia; home buyer education, resources or housing fairs; counseling and financial literacy efforts; down payment or closing cost financial assistance programs; public opinion surveys; or Realtor(R) affordable housing education. During 2008, $94,000 has been awarded to 27 state and local associations. Since the program's inception, more than 90 grants totaling over a quarter of a million dollars have been awarded to support a wide range of housing opportunity activities. The following Realtor(R) associations have received Housing Opportunity Fund grants: Arizona Association of Realtors(R) (Phoenix, Ariz.): $2,500 to host a Housing Needs Summit that would bring state and local Realtor(R) association leadership together with their Housing Opportunity committee chairs to evaluate and help solve the state's affordable housing issues. Bay East Association of Realtors(R) (Pleasanton, Calif.): $5,000 to form a partnership with a nonprofit housing organization and provide customized support and counseling to low- and moderate-income first-time home buyers. Charlotte Regional Realtor(R) Association (Charlotte, N.C.): $5,000 to support a Realtors(R) Care Day; an event where Realtors(R) would volunteer their time to help deserving homeowners make home improvement repairs. Clarksdale Board of Realtors(R) (Clarksdale, Miss.): $3,000 to sponsor a home buying workshop for renters living in the community's multifamily housing complexes. Columbia Board of Realtors(R) (Columbia, Mo.): $5,000 toward a partnership with a local housing nonprofit to build between eight and 10 rental housing units for low-income, physically challenged residents. Eastern Connecticut Association of Realtors(R) (Norwich, Conn.): $2,500 to develop a public outreach and media campaign and educate homeowners and developers about the tools available through the Community development Financial Institutions Fund, a program of the U.S. Treasury Department, whose mission is to expand the capacity of financial institutions to provide credit, capital and financial services to underserved populations and communities. Kauai Board of Realtors(R) (Lihue, Hawaii): $3,000 to plan and host a housing fair for area renters and homeowners that would focus on financing, remodeling and landlord and tenant issues. Lexington-Bluegrass Association of Realtors(R) (Lexington, Ky.): $2,500 to support the Realtor(R) Community Housing Foundation's Remodeling for Access and Mobility Program, which helps needy families by installing ramps or wheelchair lifts in their homes. Memphis Area Association of Realtors(R) (Memphis, Tenn.): $5,000 to increase consumer awareness of the Welcome Home Memphis program, which provides information assistance to first-time and low-income home buyers. Monroe County Association of Realtors(R) (Monroe, Mich.): $5,000 to provide an educational forum for real estate agents to learn about a variety of affordable housing programs available to consumers. Northeastern Indiana Association of Realtors(R) (Kendallville, Ind.): $2,500 to develop a multicounty public awareness campaign about affordable housing opportunities. Sussex County Association of Realtors(R) (Georgetown, Del.): $5,000 to support workforce housing and foreclosure recovery programs. Utah County Association of Realtors(R) (Orem, Utah): $3,500 to convene a summit on affordable housing where speakers, panelists and participants will discuss issues and the role of government, lending institutions, and the public in creating affordable housing opportunities. Washington Association of Realtors(R) (Olympia, Wash.): $5,000 to support the efforts of a 260-member coalition whose goal is to support the local government in enacting and implementing regulatory tools and incentives to promote and preserve affordable workforce housing. For additional information on NAR's Housing Opportunity Fund or to download an application, visit www.realtor.org/housingopportunity. Applications for the next round of grants are due April 3, 2009. The National Association of Realtors(R), "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries. Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org. This and other news releases are posted in the Web site's "News Media" section in the NAR Media Center. REALTOR(R) is a registered collective membership mark which may be used only by real estate professionals who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS(R) and subscribe to its strict Code of Ethics. Not all real estate agents are REALTORS(R). All REALTORS(R) are members of NAR. Photo: Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080923/NARLOGO AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com | Notes: Source: National Association of Realtors CONTACT: Sara Weis of NAR, +1-202-383-1013, sweis@realtors.org Web Site: http://www.realtor.org/ About This Release If you have any questions regarding information in this press release, please contact the organization listed in the press release. Issuers of press releases and not PropBot.com are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.
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