United Housing

H OM E OW N E R SH I P STARTS HERE

Holiday Special Edition

a newsletter of hot topics and helpful tips for West TNs new homeowners
V O L U M E 3 , I S S U E 2 W I N T E R 2 0 1 1

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.

A Home for the Holidays!

Make yourself at home! This home is for you! 3048 Glengarry in Scenic Hills in Raleigh is a 3 Bedroom, 2 bath with covered carport and outside storage. This house has a sunroom, and a large backyard! All new appliances, and hardwood floors!
For more information on how to buy United Housing houses please call at (901) 272-1122, visit our website at www.uhinc.org
Visit us on facebook at : www.facebook.com/ homeownership

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

Letter from the Director UHI in the Community How Can You Help?

Jingle All the United Way!

United Way Campaign Update
On September 16th United Housing worked with Buckeye Technologies volunteers to clean up the 34 lots in the first phase of our Wolf River Bluffs development in Frayser as a part of United Ways Annual Day of Caring. UHI sold 32 homes last year, giving us the ability to use some of the sales proceeds for the new housing, which we believe is in demand in the Frayser Community. As a part of the Annual United Way campaign, UHI hosted a golf tournament called Birdies for Bucks to raise money for United Way! 100% of our staff gives to United Way! Thanks everyone for your contribution because United Way supports us in so many ways! In addition to year-round giving UHI staff and board donated to play golf. The money we raised will go to United Way as an internal corporate gift!

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Donor Spotlight 3 Housing Fair a Success! Holiday Tips Homebuyer Ed. Class Schedule

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Above: Buckeye Technologies volunteers at United Way Day of Caring!

Ehome America 5 Customer Spot- 5 light

Thanks to Buckeye Technologies for working hard and cleaning up the lots as a first step towards new The weather was perfect! construction at Wolf River Thanks everyone for a fun Bluffs! day of golf and giving!

Above: Tim Bolding and Mike Fearnley showing off our goal! Right: Vickie Terry with United Way

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Letter from the Director

Happy Holidays! I first want to wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season. This time of year, we look at the challenges and successes of the past year and make plans to continue our work in Memphis neighborhoods. This holiday season, more families are enjoying time together in homes purchased thanks to the cooperation of our customers and supporters. At United Housing, we have a lot to be thankful for, and we have supporters like you to thank for it. Recently, our Hardest Hit Fund Program has helped over 51 families stay in their home this holiday season. United Housing facilitated the sale of over 200 homes to 200 more families and individuals that have a place to call home during the holidays. Such successes are not possible without the support of the community. We look forward to making Memphis neighborhoods better in the coming year by working with our great community of donors, customers and industry partners. Happy Holidays to you and yours, Tim Bolding

United Housing in the Community: Scenic Hills

United Housing continued our efforts in the Scenic Hills neighborhood of Raleigh with the help of local church volunteers on October 1st! United Housing, Inc. has been working for the past two years to help the Scenic Hills neighborhood through the purchase and rehab of vacant properties. This project allowed for St. Elisabeth volunteers to work on one of those houses. Volunteers from St. Elisabeths Episcopal Church spent the day with United Housing to help with landscaping and demo on one of our properties in Frayser! This was United Housings third event with St. Elisabeth volunteers! This partnership is expanding. St. Elisabeth helped us with Outreach for our 10th Annual Housing Fair by passing out flyers at their church functions! We enjoy working with St. Elisabeth and they do a great job helping us ready homes for renovation.
Pictured: St. Elisabeth volunteers in action!

Over 20 people joined us as we trimmed the bushes, cleaned out the This was a great opportuni- gutters, raked, tore ty to create a new partner- out cabinets, ripped ship with a local church up carpet, and whose congregation lives in cleaned-up the and around the Scenic Hills property. We look neighborhood where Unit- forward to future ed Housing has acquired projects with St. and renovated over 10 Elisabeths! homes and is looking to continue working in this neighborhood.

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How Can You Help?

Join the Cornerstone Campaign Today!
As part of its ongoing efforts to help Memphis neighborhoods, United Housing is inviting you to make a commitment this Holiday season to working with us to make a better Memphis. United Housing prides itself on being a good steward of donated funds. For every $1 that is donated, United Housing creates a $10 impact in the community. How can you help? Call today to make a donation! 901-272-1122 Consider becoming one of the many supporters of United Housings programs by giving to the Cornerstone Campaign. Giving levels are:
$1 - $499 Friend $500 - $2,499 Family $2,500 - $4,999 Neighbor $5,000 - $9,999 Painter $10,000 - $24,999 Bricklayer $25,000 - $49,000 Builder $50,000 - $99,999 Architect $100,000 and Up Developer

Tim Bolding won the Outstanding Advocate Award at the Governors Summit in Nashville. Keep fighting the good fight!

Go to www.uhinc.org and donate now!

Donor Spotlight
The Staff and Board of United Housing want to thank MAAR for their contribution to a better community. MAARs Fair and Affordable Housing Committee gave $1,000 towards our Housing Fair! In August 2011, Aubrie Kobernus, United Housings Vice Chair inspired the Memphis Area Association of Realtors (MAAR) Fair and Affordable Housing Committee to sponsor and co-plan our 10th Annual Housing Fair. Brenda Hampton, the committees president, brought her Crye-Leike co-workers to connect customers to a home of their own! MAARs support allowed us to expand our vendor and customer participation. Thank you so much for helping us reach out to our community!
Brenda Hampton, (L) President of the Fair and Affordable Housing Committee at MAAR and her coworkers at Crye-Leike Hickory Ridge.

Thanks to our sponsors MAAR, THDA, Fearnley & Califf , ERA Realty and Hobson Realtors

10th Annual Housing Fair a Success!

On October 22nd United Housing had our 10th Annual Housing Fair in our own backyard. Many potential clients, board members, and the WDIA radio station showed up to give support and learn more about UHI programs! Our homebuyer education staff helped people sign up for counseling. Jimmie Hopson and Dianne Tate took interested people on a tour of our houses for sale in Raleigh and Whitehaven! We had a good turnout and got a lot of applications from interested potential homebuyers. MLGW, Crye-Leike, Arkwings Foundation and others helped connect customers to services. Thanks to everyone for working hard on a beautiful Saturday!

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Holiday $ense: Tips for Seasonal Spending

UHIs Financial Fitness program offers a Holiday $ense special session on helpful hints for the holiday shopping season. The best way to achieve a more relaxed budget conscious holiday is to prioritize! Make a list of everything you would like to accomplish during the holidays, like gift-giving, travel, decorating, holiday cards, etc. Then, rank them in order of importance. Focusing your time, energy and money on the things that mean the most to you will decrease stress and create a jolly holiday! Here are a few Cost-Cutting Gift Ideas: Keep your eyes open for free samples that make good stocking stuffers! Shrink the gift list by drawing names among family members, or give to children only. Make homemade dishes, breads and desserts and include the recipe as a gift!
Look for ways to create realistic expectations for you and your family through prioritizing holiday wants and needs.

Make sure you create a spending plan and budget based on last years expenses, and spend wisely. For a happier, stressfree holiday take a few minutes and plan ahead! Contact our counselors for more holiday tips at: 901-272-1122

Homebuyer Education 2011 Schedule FREE CLASSES!

Call to register: 901-272-1122

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

Staying Home for the Holidays

Hardest Hit Funds Chris Rose tells her story
Chris Rose and her family wanted to what it takes to beat the odds. Rose was keep their Tennessee home. They determined to keep her home, and she were denied the first time they apwould not stop until she did so. plied for the Hardest Hit Fund, but she, along with Deanna Zell, our Sometimes patience and perseverance Hardest Hit Fund pays off, after Coordinator, nev- I cant say enough for UHI, waiting months to er gave up. Deanna, and the programs be approved for the Hardest Hit [UHI] provides. I cant say With teamwork Fund, Rose and and an exhaustive enough. We would be homeless her family were submission of pa- if it werent for this program. stunned when perwork, Deanna they actually reand Rose pushed to receive funding. ceived funding. We cried and were in It was the determination of the cus- disbelief when it happened, said Rose, tomer that drove me forward, we were so elated. Deanna said. Deanna and Rose talked weekly, sometimes daily, to Rose and her family have been through closely monitor the process. trying emotional times. Though Rose is a Roses hard work truly exemplifies highly qualified, experienced accountant, she cannot find employment. Rose and her husband thought carefully about buying a home. We did everything right, the smart way, said Rose as she reflected on the purchase of her home. Rose is an intelligent budgeter and financial planner and she is doing everything possible to find a job, but in this economy cannot. Buying a home was her American dream and she and her family want to live there the rest of [their] lives. Thanks to UHI, the Roses now have the time they need to stay in their home long term. They will be home for the holidays. It was the most wonderful gift I had ever gotten, said Rose, I thank you.

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 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

At the close of the year, we pause to wish you a warm holiday season filled with cheer!

Venita Walker, Chair Aubrie Kobernus, Co-Chair Laura Harris, Secretary Mike Fearnley, Treasurer UHI Board of Directors

Robert Coleman Maggie Conway Martha L. Perine-Beard Rev. Leonard Dawson Alex Matlock Carol McConkey Jerome Rubin Mary Sharp Jimmie Tucker Keith Turbett Gilda Williams