Ground breaking ceremony at the Mira Vista Subdivision on Mira Vista between Culebra and Callaghan Roads as part of their National NeighborWorks� Week and National Homeownership Month celebration.

San Antonio, Texas�Neighborhood Housing Services of San Antonio (NHS) hosted a ground breaking ceremony at the Mira Vista Subdivision on Mira Vista between Culebra and Callaghan Roads as part of their National NeighborWorks� Week and National Homeownership Month celebration.

Executive Director Robert W. Jodon of NHS said, "NHS is developing new house plans specifically for this subdivision that provide quality affordable energy efficient housing opportunities for families of modest means." Jodon said that all houses are expected tol meet Energy Star Ratings and one of San Antonio's new Green Level Building standards. For a home to receive an Energy Star Rating, qualified homes are independently verified to be at least 30% more energy efficient than homes built to the 1993 national Model Energy Code or 15% more efficient than state energy code, whichever is more rigorous. In addition, NHS is currently pursuing building plans that will also meet one of the four levels of Green Level Building Standards. "This is an innovative and important step for our organization and for the families who will occupy these homes. The idea is to build a home that will be more affordable to operate as well as buy," said Jodon.

The City of San Antonio's Department of Housing and Community Development provided $500,000 to help fund infrastructure improvements. The non-profit American Sunrise, led by former San Antonio Mayor and Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Henry Cisneros, served as the land developer of this project. "Providing high quality affordable housing in all parts of San Antonio is a vital piece of community development," said Henry Cisneros. "The location of this neighborhood will attract new homeowners and allow families to live near some of San Antonio's major employment centers."

NHS celebrated National NeighborWorks� Week June 4�11, 2005 by hosting these events:

Mira Vista Ground Breaking, Mira Vista Street, June 6th, 2006 at 10:00 a.m.
NHS's Annual Breakfast Event, Don Pedros Restaurant, 1526 S.W. Military Drive, 7:30 a.m.

During National NeighborWorks� Week, NHS and other NeighborWorks� organizations across the country mobilized tens of thousands of businesspeople, residents and government officials in a week of neighborhood change and awareness. Homes were rehabbed and repaired, painted and landscaped, tours were conducted in the neighborhoods, successful partnerships were recognized and a number of events were hosted to educate, train and inform. In 2004, more than 28,000 families benefited from the week's activities nationwide.

NHS is part of the national NeighborWorks� network, an affiliation of more than 235 nonprofit organizations increasing homeownership, producing affordable housing and revitalizing neighborhoods in more than 2,700 communities across the nation. In 2004, the NeighborWorks� network generated more than $2.2 billion in total direct investment and helped more than 90,000 low- to moderate-income families purchase, improve and maintain their homes. The NeighborWorks� network was founded and is supported by NeighborWorks� America, which strengthens the network through training, technical assistance and funding.

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Media are welcome to attend any of our National NeighborWorks� Week activities. Please contact Robert Jodon (cell: 385-0433) or Lori Hall(cell: 385-0430) for more information by calling NHS's main telephone number 533-6673.