| Homeword Newsletter May 9, 2024 |
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Executive Director Insight - Updates on Our Critical Work
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Executive Director Karissa Trujillo shares a preview of the work we've been accomplishing this spring. Watch for a cameo from Kit Trujillo, our executive office dog, at the end! |
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Our Newsletter is Changing!
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Our Homeword Newsletter—like this one—will now be in your inbox every other month instead of quarterly! In order to streamline our communications to you, we will discontinue our monthly HomeOwnership Center emails. The bimonthly Homeword Newsletter, however, will contain all the information you need about our upcoming HomeOwnership Center classes, announcements about our programs and tips from our homebuyer and financial educators.
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Meet and Greet With Homeword's New Executive Director
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Wednesday, June 12
4-5:30 p.m.
Stockman Bank, 6th Floor, 321 W. Broadway, Missoula, MT
Join us for a meet and greet with our new executive director, Karissa Trujillo! She will share her vision for the organization, provide a few updates and answer any questions you may have. We will provide light refreshments and ask that you RSVP by May 31. This event is open to the public and is the perfect opportunity for our development partners, corporate sponsors, volunteers and class graduates to bring a friend or colleague to learn more about Homeword.
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Leasing Continues at Junegrass Place
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Two of of the seven residential buildings at our Junegrass Place property in Kalispell are completed and fully leased. Residents began moving into a third building, which was fully leased, early this month.
According to a recent news story regarding the need for homes in the Flathead Valley, the City of Kalispell reported a housing vacancy rate of 0% in 2023. The City also shared the median home price had increased 231% in the last decade. The news story also referenced a 2022 study conducted by the University of Montana that found Flathead County had a shortage of 3,161 homes. To keep up with demand, the study estimated 1,500 new homes would need to be built each year over the next 10 years. Not only that, but many current renters in the Kalispell area are rent-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
So far at Junegrass Place, we have provided 72 new rent-restricted apartment homes in Kalispell, and there are 325 names on the leasing interest list for the remaining 58 homes that are still under construction. |
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"Facts and Snacks" at Missoula Public Library May 13
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Our HUD-certified housing counselors invite homeowners and partners to join us for Facts and Snacks, an informational presentation on Monday, May 13, from noon to 1 p.m. This event will take place at the Missoula Public Library Cooper B fourth-floor meeting space and will provide an opportunity to get to know our staff and the services we offer, learn about the state of funding to help owners with rising costs of living and ask us questions.
We will discuss our upcoming Get Ready for Homeownership class and free Financial Skill Building class as well as our free follow-up one-on-one, personalized coaching. We will also talk about the Homeowner Assistance Fund, which provides monetary support to help people: -
Get current on their mortgage if behind
- Pay past-due property taxes
- Help with HOA fees and utilities
- Complete potential home repairs
Light refreshments will be provided. We encourage professionals in housing, nonprofits, City or County public service, banking and real estate to attend! Please share the Facts and Snacks Facebook event.
Are you unable to attend the event because you live in a Montana community outside of Missoula or it doesn't fit with your schedule? Feel free to reach out directly to Katie or Julie or call us at 406-532-4663 to learn more.
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Lenox Flats Undergoes Improvements
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Big changes are happening at our Lenox Flats property in Missoula!
Located in the heart of downtown Missoula, Lenox Flats is a beautiful historic building providing both 2,754 square feet of commercial office space on the ground floor as well as 10 income-restricted rental homes. With a chiller reaching the end of its life and other improvements needed, we recently applied for two grants to fund capital improvements at Lenox Flats. Our staff submitted an application for the City of Missoula Unified Grant and received $26,250 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. We also applied for the Montana Historic Preservation Grant, receiving $100,000 for a combined total or $126,250.
Our asset management team is working with Comfort Systems USA - Temp Right Service to replace the building's chiller, a refrigerated system located on the roof that is used to control the climate within the building and cool it in the warmer months. Freedom Solutions is restoring and repainting the exterior stairs, porches and roof. Additionally, we will use some of the remaining funds to apply a sealant to the roof to extend its life another five to 10 years.
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There's Still Time to Give Through May 10
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There is still time to give! We have raised more than half of the funds toward our $40K goal to build a new ADA-accessible playground at Orchard Gardens this Missoula Gives. Don’t miss the chance to have your donation double thanks to the generosity of our partners at First Security Bank, Glacier Bank, Stockman Bank and TrailWest Bank. You can give now through May 10 through our Missoula Gives webpage.
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Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Member Impact Fund Provides Massive Match
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We are thrilled to share that we recently received $280,000 through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines Member Impact Fund. With an incredible three-to-one match, the impact of eight generous partners was tripled. We extend our deepest appreciation to Stockman Bank, First Security Bank, Glacier Bank, Clearwater Credit Union, Wells Fargo, TrailWest Bank, First Interstate Bank and Opportunity Bank. Together, we are strengthening Montana communities through homebuyer and financial education and safe homes that Montanans can afford.
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Another Record Year for Sustainable Communities Benefit
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It was another record year for our Sustainable Communities Benefit. We had over 200 guests, 23 volunteer table hosts and five speakers, and we raised over $120,000 of crucial unrestricted funds. Kerry’s success story, which we premiered at the event, demonstrates the impact these funds can have. In the video, he shares how living at one of our properties and participating in our Financial Skill Building class has positively impacted his life.
We truly can’t thank our partners, sponsors and volunteers enough. Their commitment to our communities drives our mission forward and provides long-term housing solutions and accessible homebuyer and financial education for all. We are honored to have their support.
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Do you have a great experience as a Homeword resident or class participant that you'd like to share? We want to hear from you! Share your story and be entered to win a $100 gift certificate for Home ReSource.
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Special Thanks to Our Generous Partners |
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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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20,000+ Montanans empowered through our Regional HomeOwnership Center |
| 1,542 Safe, healthy homes Montanans can afford |
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1,000+ Program participants empowered last year |
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Our Contact Information
Homeword
1535 Liberty Lane, Suite 116A
Missoula, MT 59808
406-532-4663
http://homeword.org
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