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 Your Stimulus Dollars at Work!
Thanks, in part, to federal government stimulus funds, the thirty-unit Cutler Heights project in Holliston has closed on its construction loan and permanent financing. Construction will start in February, with 50 new jobs to be created during this phase of the initiative. NOAH is partnering with JNJUHL Associates and the Holliston Housing Development Corp. to produce Smart Growth housing for low- and moderate-income families on 5.4 acres near the center of Holliston, a welcoming town with 15,000 residents located thirty miles from Boston. We will be planning a ribbon-cutting very soon, and everyone is invited - details forthcoming!
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 NOAH Annual Meeting Features
Keynote Speaker Senator Susan Tucker
NOAH's 22nd Annual Meeting & Holiday Celebration was enjoyed by over 150 attendees. The Keynote Speaker was State Senator Susan C. Tucker, Co-Chair of the Joint Committee on Housing. The Senator was introduced by City of Boston Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) Director, Evelyn Friedman. The speakers addressed the many difficult financing and regulatory issues related to housing on state-wide and city-wide levels, and the continued need for affordable housing for individuals and working families.
Two client families, both with two children, spoke to the audience about their positive counseling experiences at NOAH. Each of the families had been able to save their homes through significant mortgage payment reductions secured through NOAH's counseling work. One of the families, from Everett, received a modification that reduced its mortgage payments from $2,188 to $815 per month for five years, with a low fixed rate after that. The other, a family from Medford, received a loan modification that reduced their payments from $1,953 to $947 per month for four years, with a low rate after that which is capped at a fixed rate of 5.25%.
Board elections were held for three NOAH Board of Directors slots; and Kathy Burlinson, Kempton Flemming and Christian Rivera were voted in for additional three-year terms. Also, special appreciation awards were given to several attendees, including: Foreclosure Prevention Volunteers Adriana Rojas, John Arpe and Chihiro Yamada; E3C Volunteer Luis Moreno; Long-time CCAG (Chelsea Creek Action Group) Volunteer Lucy DelMuto; Long-time NOAH Volunteer José Alvarez; Resident Artist Gretchen Schneider; and the members of the CCAG Executive Committee: Nancei Radicchi, Leigh Hall, Matthew Neave, Pam Neave, & Patricia J. D'Amore.
Pictured (left to right) are Dharmena Downey, NOAH President; Philip Giffee, Executive Director; and Senator Susan Tucker.
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 NOAH Awarded Two Grants
For Foreclosure Prevention Work
NOAH has helped over 1,000 families in more than 50 communities since starting its free Foreclosure Prevention and Mitigation programming. We hold weekly foreclosure clinics in both English and Spanish every Monday evening. For additional information on NOAH's foreclosure prevention education and counseling work, please contact Marie Constance Theodossiou at 617-418-8263.
NOAH is grateful to Attorney General Martha Coakley's Office, which awarded more than $1.1 million in grants to community programs and legal services organizations within Massachusetts. Of this, $71,080 has been awarded to NOAH. Using funds from the settlement of a legal action, these grants will fund consumer outreach, financial education and related services addressing avoiding mortgage foreclosure; home financing education, and recognizing and avoiding predatory lending practices; understanding the details of mortgage loans (such as rates, payments, term and penalties), and identifying risky terms and features; household budgeting, including estimating how much mortgage debt one can afford; and other related financial literacy and borrower protection initiatives.
NOAH is also very grateful to East Boston Savings Banks' Meridian Charitable Foundation, which awarded us $5,000 again for our foreclosure prevention work. Altogether, Meridian Charitable donated grants totaling $105,940 to 21 community organizations this year; the checks were awarded at a special breakfast event at the Bank. The Foundation was established in 1997 by the Bank to support charitable causes and community development activities.
Other funders of this program include United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, NeighborWorks America, NFMC (National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling Program), the Mass. Division of Banks, the City of Boston DND and individual funders. If you would like to make a donation to this or any of our programs, we would be most grateful! To help us help others, please click here. Our thanks to all! |
Middlesex Savings Donates $10,000 for
Real Estate Development
NOAH is thankful to have received $10,000 from the Middlesex Savings Charitable Foundation in support of its affordable real estate development activities in the communities of Holliston, Carlisle, and Sudbury. In Holliston, at Cutler Heights (as noted above), NOAH is partnering to create 30 new affordable rental homes in the Town Center, in part with TCAP funds and Holliston Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds. In Carlisle and Sudbury, NOAH is working towards obtaining all necessary permits; these projects have received CPA funding, as well. In Carlisle, NOAH was selected by the Carlisle Housing Authority to develop 26 affordable senior housing units on 4.5 acres. In Sudbury, we were selected by the Sudbury Housing Trust to develop six units of single family home-ownership workforce housing.
In other development news, NOAH will be submitting a 'One Stop' application to the State for a 62-unit senior project in the center of Webster. For additional information on any of NOAH's real estate development program activities, please contact Toby Kramer, NOAH's Director of Real Estate, at 617-418-8259.
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 'Green' Dollars for CBE/CCAG!
NOAH is extremely grateful for a number of recent funding awards for its community building and environmental initiatives. For its ongoing Chelsea Creek Action Group work, NOAH has received $35,000 from the Hyams Foundation, which will be shared with its CCAG partner organization, the Chelsea Greenspace and Recreation Committee. NOAH is also to receive funds up to $22,000 from the Culture for Change in support of its Out of School Time Resident Artist program; one of the projects involves working on public art in the form of mosaic benches at the "Our Garden" community garden site.
From an anonymous foundation, NOAH is the fiscal agent for two grants, one in the amount of $175,000 and one for $110,000. The former grant is in support of the activities of a collaboration of non-profit partners, including NOAH, which are working on advocacy, education and other activities related to water quality and environmental conditions in the lower Mystic River watershed areas. The latter grant is in support of NOAH's and CCAG's various activities including community engagement work towards the revitalizing of the Mill Creek area, the sustainable redevelopment of the old Hess Site, the redesigning and redevelopment of the American Legion Field, and the beginning the process of creating a Chelsea Creek Municipal Harbor Plan and Designated Port Area Master Plan. Again, we want to say "thank you very much" to these and all our generous funders! Truly, we couldn't do our work without you. For more information about any of these projects, please contact Dr. Brenda Cotto-Escalera, NOAH's Director of Community Building & Environment at 617-418-8241.
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NOAH Holds Community Dance Party
NOAH's 'Know What's Up Crew' and 'E3C' (Environ-mental Chelsea Creek Crew) youth staff, along with Zumix, held a community dance party for 170 attendees at the Madonna Queen Shrine/Don Orione facility last month. The free event featured salsa lessons for beginners by MetaMovements, as well as live bands playing salsa, merengue, and bachata music. Special dance performances were also featured. If you would like information about any of the 'E3C' or 'Know What's Up' initiatives, please contact Diana Baldelomar, Youth Program Coordinator, at 617-418-8243.
Staff pictured (from left to right): Cesar Sosa, Javier Madrigal, Program Coordinator Diana Baldelomar, Junior Organizer Erica Downey, and Rigoberto Reyes.
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 Searching for New Board 'Stars'
Our Board of Directors are looking for a few new members! Do you have an area of special knowledge that you would be willing to share with NOAH? We are searching for one or two new Board members that can help us with fundraising, finance, lending, the Latino perspective, asset management and/or real estate! Board members are asked to attend monthly Board meetings and to be an active participant on at least one committee. If you are considering volunteering as a non-profit Board member, or would like to recommend someone to us, please contact Executive Director Phil Giffee at 617-418-8240.
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Upcoming Events
All events are held at NOAH at 143 Border Street in East Boston, unless indicated otherwise.
Bilingual Foreclosure Clinics
Monday evenings, February 1, 8, and 22 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at NOAH. This is the initial counseling and education session for NOAH's foreclosure prevention and mitigation counseling. Attendees should bring recent mortgage-related correspondence and paperwork. These sessions are held in Spanish and in English. All of NOAH's foreclosure avoidance education and counseling sessions are free of charge to distressed homeowners. For additional information, please contact Marie Constance Theodossiou at 617-418-8263.
First-Time Homebuyer Classes
This two-day class meets on two Saturdays. February's class will be in English, and will be held on the 6th and the 20th. To receive a City of Boston certificate, attendees must be present at both sessions. Students learn from industry guest speakers, including Home Inspectors, as well as from NOAH staff, on how best to purchase a home and about appropriate loan products. For more information, please contact BHA Program Assistant Zaragoza Guerra at 617-418-8261.
Chelsea Creek Action Group (CCAG) Meetings
The next CCAG meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 9, at 6:30 PM at 80 Border Street, room 130. CCAG meetings are now held on the second Tuesday of each month. Newcomers are welcome. For more information, please call Director of Community Building & Organizing Brenda Cotto-Escalera at 617-418-8241.
English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
Another session of ESOL coursework has begun. Level I classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday evening. Level II classes are held each Wednesday and Friday. The ongoing English Conversation Group meets each Saturday morning from 10:00 AM to noon; newcomers are welcome! Please contact Community Organizer Manlio Mendez at 617-418-8242 for additional information.
Teen Environmental Job Fair
On Tuesday, February 16, from Noon to 4:00 PM, the 3rd Annual Teen Environmental Job Fair will be held at the Maverick Landing Meeting House at 31 Liverpool Street in East Boston. Table set-up begins at 11:00 AM. This free event will feature a variety of employers seeking young people who are interested in environmental technology, conservation, environmental and biological sciences and other related fields; as well as schools and training programs focused on the environment. It is being organized by Maverick Landing Community Services. NOAH is helping with the workshops; and our E3C youth will be giving a workshop that afternoon.
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Make a BIG impact with a SMALL donation!
Please consider making a $25 tax deductible donation to NOAH today. To donate through PayPal, click here. |
Thank you for your interest in NOAH! You can find out further information about NOAH events at our web site calendar at www.noahcdc.org.
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