Margert in the News

State DHCR Completes First Phase of Unprecedented Housing Needs Study
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Governor Paterson Cites “New Level of Outreach” to Local Governments

ALBANY, NY (05/14/2008; 12:30)....The State Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) has completed and released the first of a series of regional reports on New York’s housing needs. The unprecedented study involved meetings and interviews with dozens of local officials, advocates, developers and other members of the housing community in the
North Country region.

Governor David A. Paterson said the report represents “a new level of outreach to and coordination with local officials who best understand the needs of their communities. These reports will provide us with a powerful tool to help determine how New York State’s housing and community development programs can best be targeted to meet the needs of our
residents.”

DHCR Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen said “This study is an effort to truly understand the housing needs of communities across the State. Our goal is to reach out and gather first hand information from local leaders and housing professionals about their priorities and their needs as they see them. That kind of outreach has never been attempted before.”

Priscilla Almodovar, president and chief executive officer of SONYMA/HFA, said "These housing needs studies are the first step in recognizing that each community has different housing needs and a different housing stock. Only by being sensitive to these differences can the state's housing finance agencies be better able to target its scarce resources and be more
responsive in addressing this need. I applaud DHCR's efforts in undertaking this important assessment of our housing needs across New York State."

Alan S. Hipps, executive director of the Housing Assistance Program of Essex County and of the Adirondack Community Housing Trust, said “DHCR has diligently canvassed the local, practicing professionals of the North Country in order to assess our regional affordable housing needs. Such an undertaking should be applauded. This regional analysis will be a helpful development tool for sound project planning.”

Pat Lucia, executive director of the Plattsburgh Housing Authority, said “I am very pleased to have been able to participate in the North Country Regional Report on Statewide Affordable Housing Needs. The report provides concise, factual information of the status of housing in the North Country. As in any housing report that covers such a vast area there are a variety of needs and barriers to be reviewed. This document accurately identifies the issues in an unbiased and thorough report.”

VanAmerongen created the Office of Policy Research and Development at DHCR in part to develop a Statewide housing needs study. The office is taking a regional approach and began its efforts by examining housing and community development needs in the North Country, which consists of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence Counties. A total of nine regional studies will be conducted, with individual reports for each region of the state. Once all nine reports are completed, a Statewide Housing Needs Study will be issued.

To prepare the North Country report, DHCR staff traveled throughout the region meeting with local officials and housing professionals from pertinent county and city departments (planning, community development, economic development and housing).

DHCR also met with representatives from Neighborhood and Rural Preservation Companies and other not-for-profit organizations, social service organizations which have affordable housing as a stated mission of their organization and affordable housing developers from the private sector with regional experience. DHCR staff also gathered information by making site visits and tours throughout the region with local officials.

The housing needs report also includes U.S. Census and American Community Survey data intended to identify demographic and housing related trends.  DHCR staff also analyzed information from current local planning documents, including several studies on the unique housing needs in the Fort Drum area.

VanAmerongen will release and discuss DHCR’s second regional study -- on the Finger Lakes area – on Friday at the Rural Opportunities Inc., Housing Summit in Geneva, NY. That will be followed by reports on the Capital Region, Long Island, Mid-Hudson Valley, Western New York, the Southern Tier, Central New York and the Mohawk Valley. Due to the extensive amount of existing information about housing needs in New York City, DHCR will not prepare a regional report but will include information on New York City housing needs in its final statewide report.

The North Country report and all future regional studies will be available on the DHCR website -- www.nysdhcr.gov -- under “key documents.”

Margert Community Corporation is a NYS DHCR Neighborhood Preservation Company.

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NYRL Calls on Governor and Legislature to Address Foreclosure Crisis Before End of Legislative Session
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PRNewswire-USNewswire

ALBANY, N.Y., May 22, 2008....New Yorkers for Responsible Lending (NYRL) pressed the Governor and State Legislature today to pass strong and comprehensive foreclosure prevention legislation before the legislative session ends in June. With only 5 weeks remaining in the legislative calendar, the Governor and the Legislature have yet to sit down together to develop a much needed legislative solution for New York's foreclosure crisis.

The coalition, comprised of 141 civic and community groups from across New York State, called for decisive action to address widespread subprime lending abuses and escalating foreclosures in New York State and prevent more New Yorkers from losing their homes. The coalition expressed support for the framework of Governor Paterson's proposal which has been introduced in both houses of the legislature, and encouraged strengthening of the bill
to provide more meaningful protections for New York homeowners.

"There are 157 new foreclosures filings every day in New York State.  The Governor and Legislature must act now to stem this crisis," said Sarah Ludwig, co-executive director of the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project in New York City. "Inaction by our elected officials will cause great harm to New York homeowners and communities."

"With the end of legislative session fast approaching, the Governor and Legislative leaders of New York State need to put politics aside to negotiate and pass a final foreclosure prevention bill," said Lois Aronstein, AARP NY State Director. "When a person of any age loses his or her home, it is a devastating event. For an older person, foreclosure can mean losing a retirement nest egg as well as a lifetime of family memories - without the ability to ever recover."

"New York homeowners have been hurt by abusive mortgage lending practices - from rampant broker fraud to lenders making unaffordable subprime mortgages," said Kirsten Keefe, staff attorney with Empire Justice Center, which has offices in Albany, Rochester, White Plains and on Long Island. "The government seems to be waiting for lenders to solve the problem voluntarily, but that just isn't happening. It is critical that the Governor and Legislature show leadership on this issue."

Gloria Collery, a single mother from Long Island who moved to upstate New York to raise her four children, ended up in a loan that became unaffordable after two years, when the interest rate adjusted and her payments shot up. "I had great credit and was told that if I made my
payments on time, which I did, my interest rate wouldn't increase. I never thought I'd be scammed. Now I'm at risk of losing my home," stated Collery.

"For years, lenders have run a foreclosure mill in the New York courts, with lenders typically proceeding to foreclosure unopposed," said Kathleen Lynch, Senior Litigation Attorney at the Western New York Law Center, in Buffalo. "The Governor's bill would give homeowners a chance, by creating a mechanism that would encourage lenders and borrowers to try to work things out, early in the foreclosure process. These changes could save many homes in Buffalo and throughout the state."

New Yorkers for Responsible Lending is a coalition of 141 New York community financial institutions, community-based organizations, affordable housing and first time homebuyer groups, advocates for seniors, legal services organizations, and community reinvestment, fair lending, and consumer advocacy groups.

Margert Community Corporation is a member of New Yorkers for Responsible Lending.

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AS SUMMER APPROACHES GOVERNOR PATERSON ANNOUNCES COOLING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE MOST IN NEED
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New Yorkers Facing Serious Heat-Related Health Problems May Be Eligible to Receive Air Conditioners from State

Governor David A. Paterson today announced New York State residents who are susceptible to heat-related illnesses can apply for home air conditioners. Some of the state’s most vulnerable low-income residents, whose health problems can be exacerbated by heat emergencies, may be eligible for assistance this summer through a multi-agency cooling initiative that will make the air conditioners available.

The Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA), together with the Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) and the State Office for the Aging (SOFA) are sponsoring the program, which will allocate $2.4 million in federal Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) funds for the purchase and installation of energy-efficient air conditioners to eligible individuals.

“In a typical year, about 400 Americans die from heat-related illness, and by simply providing an air conditioner, we can protect some of our most vulnerable residents,” said Governor Paterson. “Typically, it is the elderly who are disproportionately affected by heat-waves, and New York needs to do what it can to protect them. The last HEAP cooling initiative in New York that was targeted to medically-needy households occurred nine years ago, so there is a real need for this program.”

To be eligible for the program, clients must meet existing HEAP income guidelines and have at least one member of the household that suffers from an acute medical condition that is exacerbated by extreme heat. Written documentation from a physician clearly indicating the need for an air conditioner is required and must be dated within the previous six months.

OTDA Commissioner David Hansell said: “Exposure to extreme heat can be deadly for those who suffer from certain medical conditions. This program is designed specifically as a health intervention, targeted for those who are at high risk in heat emergencies, but do not have an air conditioner or the resources to purchase one.”

DHCR Commissioner Deborah VanAmerongen, said: “Senior citizens with health issues face grave danger in the summer heat, even in their own homes. This program will provide safety and comfort for those facing the greatest risk. In addition, the DHCR administered portion of the program includes measures designed to assist households in reducing electrical consumption, such as installing compact fluorescent lamps, cleaning the refrigerator coil and insulating the hot water heater.”

OFA Director Michael Burgess said: “Each year in the United States, more people die from excessive heat events than from hurricanes, tornados, floods and earthquakes combined, and older people are particularly vulnerable. This program will help this vulnerable population remain safely in their homes through heat emergencies as well alleviate the dangers of extreme heat-related health problems that are commonly aggravated by those hot, humid summer days.”

Installations will begin during the month of June. Local social services districts will target outreach to medically-needy households that would receive the greatest benefit from cooling services. New York City agencies are working collaboratively to target outreach to those households that are the most in need. New York City clients over the age of 60 should apply at the New York City Department for the Aging. All other New York State and New York City residents can apply through their local Department of Social Services.

Households will not be eligible if they currently have a working air conditioner, or received one through a DHCR or New York State Energy Research and Development Authority funded initiative in the last 10 years.

Only one air conditioner will be provided per household or dwelling unit. Installation, labor and other measures designed to conserve energy, such as insulating the hot water heater and cleaning the refrigerator coil, will also be provided. Grants do not include an additional HEAP cash benefit to fund operation of the air conditioner.

For more information about the HEAP program, please visit: http://www.otda.state.ny.us/main/

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Job Posting - Margert Seeks Foreclosure Counselor !!!
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Margert Community Corporation seeks an experienced Mortgage Foreclosure/Loss Mitigation Counselor.

Posted at 5:00 PM on June 16, 2008.

The successful candidate will be responsible for implementing Margert’s Mortgage Foreclosure/Loss mitigation programs.  The Foreclosure counselor will assist homeowners to avoid foreclosure through counseling and education to guide them in the direction that will minimize the negative impact of foreclosure and preserve home ownership.  This position requires both individual (one-on-one) and group counseling (workshop setting) skills, and a background in mortgage lending (banking) and/or real estate (home sales) is a MUST.  The foreclosure counselor will also be responsible for the marketing and outreach efforts to potential program families for Margert’s local collaborative efforts with the NYC Housing Partnership Development Corporation.  Excellent verbal and written skills required; bilingual skills in English/Spanish a plus.

Qualified individuals are required to submit resumes by fax (718-471-5342) or email (stephanielawes@nyct.net).

Margert Community Corporation is a HUD approved housing counseling agency.

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