Neighborhood Housing Services Of The Black Hills

Programs: Campaign for homeownership: under the umbrella of the campaign for homeownership, neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Has implemented programs to remove barriers that prevent potential homebuyers from achieving homeownership, to maintain their home, and to stay in their home. Neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Is certified as a hud counseling agency, certified as a community housing development organization with the state of south dakota and has adopted the national industry standards for homeownership education and counseling. Homebuyer education: potential homebuyers are introduced to the home buying process and their part in it. Local professionals volunteer their time to offer training on budgeting, credit, types of loans, predatory lending, home inspections and roles of various housing partners. The class provides eight hours of intensive, interactive housing education. Homebuyer counseling: potential homebuyers receive one-on-one counseling regarding their specific financial situations. Counselors discuss the financing options, review credit, answer questions and determine a plan of action. Post-purchase education: post-purchase classes are hands on classes to assist new and existing homeowners in the maintenance of their home. Annual routine maintenance is discussed at each class, how to be a good neighbor and predatory lending is revisited. Foreclosure prevention counseling: homeowners receive one-on-one counseling to prevent foreclosure, assisting with budgeting and working with creditors. Clients receive complete foreclosure intervention and default counseling with mortgage mitigation assistance. Financial fitness education: potential and existing homeowners obtain financial literacy knowledge and skills in this credit counseling class. The class includes 12 hours of study on subjects including when to borrow, using credit cards, delinquencies, bankruptcies and maintaining good credit. The homeowners will leave with a personalized working budget for their household. Lending: in 2002, the organization formed a subsidiary, neighborhood lending services, llc to manage the growing loan fund portfolio. Neighborhood lending services, llc is certified as a community development financial institution (cdfi) by the u. S. Department of the treasury. Neighborhood lending services, llc maintains a revolving loan fund. The main focus of the revolving loan fund is to provide "down payment and closing costs" assistance for low- to moderate-income families and first time homebuyers. Other loan products include rehabilitation loans and participation loans with usda rural development. The organization is able to offer flexible lending products for low to moderate income families. Property management: neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Owns two apartment buildings and seven condominiums totaling 47 rental units.

construction and rehabilitation management services: construction neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Has provided construction management expertise for the last ten years. The primary construction opportunity is with governor's house program. The state of south dakota initiated the governor's house program in 1996 to provide elderly, disabled and low-income families with affordable housing. Neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Will also provide the construction management to build a stick-built home. Rehab: through strong partnerships with usda rural development and south dakota housing development authority, neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Administers home funds and housing preservation grants for low-to moderate-income families in need of housing rehab. Neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Primarily assists families with life safety issues such as updating electrical, foundation repair, udpating plumbing, weatherization and roof repair. The organization assists about 45 families per year.

community engagement: neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Also provides resident leadership opportunities through neighborhood block clubs, neighborhood councils, developing community leaders academy and business sense education. Community outreach also encourages community volunteerism through a variety of projects. Neighborhood block clubs: within a target neighborhood we will organize a block club. The block club elects officers, holds meetings, and plans activities to revitalize their neighborhood. Neighborhood council: the neighborhood block club officers in each community make up the neighborhood council. Each council addresses the community needs and assists in providing direction. Each council is entitled to and has representation on the neighborhood housing services of the black hills, inc. Board of directors to assist with development of programs or projects implemented by the organization. Volunteer events: volunteer opportunities include painting homes for low- income and disabled families, neighborhood beautification, neighborhood and community clean up, and weatherization of low-income homes.