Mississippi Housing Partnership

Programs: The mississippi housing partnership (mhp) continued its work of strengthening affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income families (those at or below 80% of ami). Mhp's work included homebuyer education, down payment assistance for income-eligible homebuyers, housing rehabilitation efforts, foreclosure mitigation counseling, providing or facilitating rental housing, collaborating to combat homelessness and general affordable housing advocacy. As it pertains to the statistical outline of our various accomplishments, mhp provided grants for down payment assistance (dpa) to almost seventeen (17) families, thus aiding their dreams of owning a home for the very first time. In addition to an income-eligibility requirement, those wishing to access dpa funds are asked to participate in a homebuyer education class, which mhp staff spearheads, but also invites the knowledge and expertise of outside professionals. During the referenced year, there were a total of ten (10) classes held, resulting in participation from eighty-four (84) families and/or individuals who were/are aspiring to become homeowners. All ofthese sessions took place at mhp's office facility. As evidence of our pedigree of collaboration, mhp worked as project manager for a city of jackson effort to revitalize a section of the capitol street corridor. As part of this campaign, mhp managed the rehabilitation of four (4) owner-occupied, single-family, housing structures. This project has continued into the current year a hopefully can proceed beyond this timeframe with a mixture of public and private investment. Given that a mainstay of mhp's historical efforts has been the furtherance of homeownership, we also continued to focus on assisting existing homeowners who were facing possible foreclosure. Our staff counseled 260 clients and closed 30 loans as a means of helping families remain in their homes and avoid the kind of housing uncertainty that can come from foreclosure. Since homelessness is yet another huge challenge for the world, our country, state and local communities, mhp has been aggressively engaged with the local continuum of care, as we jointly explore and implement program to reduce the number of persons who are homeless of face the potential of becoming homeless. In fact, via our work with the continuum within the past year, mhp operates a supportive housing program for formerly homeless females and their children. Via this program, we provide case management, housing, transportation and access to other services for up to 36 months as a means of helping participants reach self-sufficiency. Lastly mhp, as in previous years, was involved in providing rental housing for many of its clients and took part in numerous other affordable housing conferences, campaigns and collaborative initiatives.