HUD Lines

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E-Briefs from the Richmond Office of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

REACHING OUT
At the unveiling of Governor Kaine’s proposed bill to give “extra time” to Virginia families facing “difficulty keeping their homes,” Secretary of Commerce & Trade Gottschalk said that, by mid-March, “housing counselors across Virginia” will get extensive training on foreclosure prevention. The effort, led by VHDA, is supported by a $274,702 grant to VHDA by NeighborWorks. In October, HUD awarded $771,000 to 14 Virginia counseling agencies, including VHDA. For more on training, call (877) VHDA-123.

PRE-VENSE DEFENSE
Northern Virginia families at risk of foreclosure or, even, who want to buy a house should attend a free March 5th FHA workshop from 2 to 8 p.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Woodbridge. And if you’re a real estate agent or lender who wants to know more about how FHA helps folks buy or hold onto their homes, attend a special FHA industry update from 10 to Noon on the same day and same place.

HAND OFF
On April 1st, Anne Davis becomes editor of Virginia HUD Lines, succeeding Lee Jones who's heading west to handle public affairs for HUD in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Ship news and events for HUD Lines' 25,000 readers to anne.davis@hud.gov.

BRIEF BRIEFS
President Bush proposes $38.5 billion HUD budget, up 9 percent from his 2008 proposal. . .Learn all you need to know about USDA/Rural Development at March 13th Outreach Conference at Virginia State in Petersburg. . . Daily News Record says Hunters for the Hungry donated record 363,000 pounds of venison to food banks in 2007. . .Smithfield Council okays new 55-unit rental complex for elderly. . .Rebuilding Together Richmond picks Swansboro as focus of April 26th National Rebuilding Day. . .Money Follows the Person “goes cyber” at www.olmsteadva.com to help individuals transition from institutions to community living.. Lynchburg News & Advance says Altavista on Track – a new Main Street community – is on “the verge of big things”. . .Governor announces $4.25 million in first-ever matching funds to help 14 localities preserve farmland. . .DHCD hosts how-to-apply workshops for SEED capacity-building grants in Roanoke March 19th, and Richmond March 20th . . .Virginia Office of Volunteerism sets March 20th deadline for 2008 AmeriCorps funds. . .Former Hurricane Center director Max Mayfield keynotes Virginia Emergency Management Conference March 11th to 14th in Hampton. . . Daily Press says Newport News City Council to consider 12 new mini-community centers in city's “most blighted communities”. . .Lynchburg Habitat says first “green” home on pace for May move-in. . .,SBA Richmond is first in nation in Patriot Express loans to veterans. . .February 11th Federal Register extends deadline for HUD Neighborhood Networks grants to March 14th . . .For 3rd straight year, Virginia ranks 1st among 50 states for new historic districts added to National Register. . .Register now for annual conference of Virginia Housing Counselors May 3rd to 7th in Virginia Beach. . .Board for People with Disabilities seeks high school students with disabilities to serve as delegates to July Youth Leadership Forum, in Newport News. . .Claremont breaks ground on USDA Rural Development water treatment project that will hook up 50 new households and businesses. . .Virginia Community Capital's Jane Henderson named to Affordable Housing Advisory Board of Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta. . .Health Resources & Services Administration accepting applications, until April 4th, for community-based dental partnerships. . .Roanoke City Council okays $880,000 to transform Grand Piano building into apartments, with 17 for low-income residents. . . Selena Cuffee-Glenn named Suffolk city manager. . .Finding Common Ground regional housing conference set for March 13th in Charlottesville . . .Easy Living Virginia to celebrate certification of Virginia's first Easy Living House in Glen Allen March 6th.

WORTH A LOOK
That’s certainly what the Judeo Christian Outreach Center in Virginia Beach would tell you. Last year it won a capital grant from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to build transitional housing for veterans. Now it might be your group’s turn. VA is now seeking applications for $25 million in grants to expand existing or build new transitional housing for veterans. For more, visit www.grants.gov.

FOUR-FER
First it was a 2007 Energy Star Award. Next, a 2007 Governors Housing Award. Then a National Association of Home Builders award. And, now, the Roanoke-Lee Street project by Blacksburg and Community Housing Partners has won a HUD 2007 Best in American Living Award as “a model for other builders across the country.” Applications already are being accepted for the 2008 BALA Award.

BRIEF BRIEFS TOO
FHA Commissioner Montgomery sends letters to 280,000 homeowners – 4,138 in Virginia - who've faced or are experiencing their first A.R.M. reset urging them to consider refinancing into a fixed-rate, FHASecur e mortgage. . . Virginia Municipal League hosts forums on how localities can cut energy costs April 15th in Virginia Beach, April 17th in Fairfax, April 22nd in Abingdon and April 29th in Lynchburg. . . HUD Richmond okays Section 202 elderly housing in Dublin and Vinton. . .Better Housing Coalition celebrates re-opening of 50-unit Randolph Place senior housing in Richmond after, $2.5 million “green-ovation”. . .VSBN hosts Carbon Trading/Green Building workshop March 6th in Fairfax. . .Bank of Essex's George Longest elected chair of Virginia Association of Community Banks. . .DHCD okays CDBG grant to bring Osage Bio Energy to Mecklenburg County. . .USDA Rural Development seeks applications for Community Connect broadband and Revolving Fund water & wastewater pre-development grants, both due March 28th, and Household Water Well grants, due May 31st . . . Federal Home Loan Bank Atlanta awards $2.4 million in Affordable Housing grants for 461 units to be built by Southwest Virginia Housing, Piedmont Housing Alliance, People Inc. of S.W. Virginia, ElderHomes, Hope Community Builders, Peninsula Habitat, Project FAITH, Blue Ridge Housing Development and Community Housing Partners. . .Virginia Veterans Affairs hosts regional Virginia is for Heroes conference March 26th at Ft. Monroe on needs of retiring combat veterans. . .DHCD and Northampton County okay CDBG funds to rehab or replace 12 houses in West Fairview. . .Read about changes in VHDA homebuyer programs at www.vhda.com. . .Bernardine Franciscan Sisters award $530,000 to housing, other groups on Peninsula.

DON’T FORGET
The daffodils are up the tulips not far behind and, before long, HUD will publish its 2008 SuperNOFA. Whether a first-time or frequent applicant for one of HUD grants, now's the time to make sure you're “e-ready to e-pete” for HUD funds at www.grants.gov.

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