Executive Director Insight - Finding Hope
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Dear Friends,
In the current market, we’re seeing continued acceleration of price increases for multi-family properties, including those that are considered affordable. The gap between market-rate and affordable rents has likewise increased quickly and significantly since 2020, causing challenges for Montanans to find rentals or keep the ones they can currently afford.
Despite these concerning trends, there are bright spots on the horizon. We’re eager for the opening of Trinity’s 202 apartment homes this winter. We’re also actively pursuing funding to rehabilitate Creekside Apartments, which we preserved from going to market rate when we purchased it in 2017. Both properties are in Missoula, and we also have projects under construction and development in Lewistown and Great Falls, respectively.
We’re celebrating success through the work of our HomeOwnership Center like Aubrey Godbey’s. Since taking our homebuyer class and participating in our one-on-one counseling, Aubrey has tripled her savings and applied to be on the waiting list for a community land trust home. Although she says she’s not ready to buy a house just yet, Aubrey has made significant steps toward achieving her goal.
It’s not easy to see past the dire headlines about Montana’s housing crisis, but as Julie Pavlish counsels in her HomeBlog post below, we can appreciate a positive outcome event if it isn't our original goal. With support from people like you, we are still making a real difference in many people’s lives. Helping us in our mission are our amazing volunteers and donors and passionate Homeword team. There are two new faces on our board of directors helping us strengthen communities throughout Montana. Please take a moment to read about them in this newsletter.
Thank you for helping to make this important work possible. - Andrea Davis, Executive Director |
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Thank You, Volunteers and Donors!
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Thank you from the bottom of our heart for all the ways you've supported us over the last year.
Along with our own certified educators, professionals in the community volunteer their time, providing instruction in their fields of expertise with our class participants. Over 100 volunteers donate nearly 270 hours of their time every year as guest presenters in our classes.
Your generosity helps us empower Montanans like Aubrey Godbey. Aubrey is a recent college graduate who has lived in Missoula for five years and is working toward her goal of one day purchasing a home.
"I have over tripled my savings account," said Aubrey. "Although I may not be able to afford a home yet, I can see the possibility in the future and feel more financially secure in the meantime."
We are grateful to you for partnering with us and changing the lives of Montana workers, seniors and families! |
Self-Compassion is Key to Financial Resiliency
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August is Happiness Happens Month, and that has me thinking about all the ways our financial world impacts our overall happiness.
Imagine this scenario: you have been saving for months, sacrificing luxuries big and small to reach your financial goal. You know your landlord is raising rent with your lease renewal and you only have a few more months to try to save this little extra before you will need it to pay rent, then BOOM! Out of the blue you have something happen. It might be a medical emergency, a car accident or something else that uses your hard-earned savings. A hit like that is bound to hurt anyone’s morale when it comes to reaching a big financial goal.
In times like these, one of the very best tools you can use to regain happiness in your financial world is self-compassion. Psychologist Kristen Neff defines self-compassion as “extending grace to yourself using three elements: self-kindness, common humanity and mindfulness.” |
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We're looking for an asset manager to join our team.
This position is responsible for ensuring the asset and property management of Homeword’s affordable rental properties. The asset manager oversees a portfolio of properties; will conduct review and financial analysis; schedule and execute site visits directly or coordinate with appropriate entities and work closely with respective partners and third-party property managers to ensure long-term viability of the assets. This position is also responsible for asset management goals, from development through the sale or disposition of the asset, to ensure all compliance requirements are met, properties adequately cash flow while also preserving the asset and resident satisfaction is achieved.
The position is open until filled. If you are interested, we strongly encourage you to apply past the priority deadline of August 1. |
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Welcome to New Board Members
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Homeword is governed by a statewide volunteer board of directors whose time and expertise changes the lives of thousands of Montana’s children, veterans, seniors and workers. Our board members lend their lived experience and areas of expertise in architecture, construction, law, accounting, commercial lending and banking, nonprofit communication and social services to ensure Homeword’s success in strengthening Montana communities. We have two new members on our Board of Directors. Welcome, Gretchen Hooker and Ryan Sears!
Gretchen works for the Biomimicry Institute, where for 10 years she has developed programs and educational content to support a global community of innovators in the field of sustainable, biologically-inspired design.
Gretchen’s relationship with Homeword began when she and her partner, Derek, participated in a homebuyer course and succeeded in purchasing their home on Missoula’s Westside in 2019. In addition to supporting Homeword, she also advocates for neighbors’ needs and liaises with the City as a leadership team member of the Northside/Westside Neighborhood Council.
Ryan is a lifelong Montanan and graduate from the University of Montana. Upon graduating with a degree in economics in 2014, he began his career as a lender with TrailWest Bank. Shortly after beginning his career in banking, Ryan began volunteering with Homeword to present a portion of the Financial Skill Building courses. These courses along with the wonderful team at Homeword helped spur a desire for Ryan to reach out in the community to provide solutions to those in difficult financial situations.
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| Do you have a great experience as a Homeword resident or client that you'd like to share? We want to hear from you! Share your story and be entered to win a $100 coupon for Home ReSource in Missoula. |
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Special Thanks to our Generous Program Sponsors |
View our events calendar for more information. |
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Homeword uses sustainable methods to strengthen Montana communities by teaching homebuyer education and financial skill building and creating safe, healthy homes people can afford. |
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18,000+ Montanans empowered through our Regional HomeOwnership Center |
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1,319
Safe, healthy homes Montanans can afford |
| 1,441 Program participants empowered last year |
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Our Contact Information
Homeword
1535 Liberty Lane, Suite 116A
Missoula, MT 59808
(406) 532-4663
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