2000 Best Practice Awards

Best Practice: Comprehensive Direct Endorsement Underwriter Training

Recruiting and Training FHA Lenders Increases Homeownership Opportunities

Boston. Comprehensive Direct Endorsement Underwriter Training, held at Northeastern University Dedham campus, was an effort by Massachusetts Mortgage Bankers, Norwest Mortgage and Grasso Appraisers to increase homeownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income homebuyers. The program was designed to train existing FHA-approved lenders and attract new ones in an effort to increase FHA loan production and create additional homeownership opportunities. It expanded the typical FHA Direct Endorsement Seminar for lenders beyond basic 203b underwriting guidelines to include training, materials and guidelines on use of the FHA Connection; HOC structure and contacts; how to navigate the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Web site; using HUDCLIPS; program information on 203b, 203k, HECM, EEM and streamline refinancing; new appraisal guidelines and the Homebuyer Protection Plan; acquisition and disposition of HUD-owned properties; new construction; and condominium processing.

Contact: Christopher B. Cline, Phone: (617) 565-5404
Tracking Number: 1952
Winning Category: Program (Housing - Single Family)

Best Practice: Don’t Borrow Trouble

Program Prevents Foreclosures Through Financial Education

Boston. The Don’t Borrow Trouble program educates homeowners about their financial options and how to avoid mortgage pitfalls. Homeowners are constantly overwhelmed with aggressive marketing campaigns for various refinancing and home equity products but are not sufficiently informed to make the choice that is best for them. As a result, predatory lending builds the path for a new set of foreclosures. The city of Boston joined with the Massachusetts Community and Banking Council and the marketing firm of Devine & Pearson to create Don’t Borrow Trouble. The program has a multimedia consumer awareness campaign designed to alert homeowners to the risks associated with predatory mortgage lending. Homeowner education counseling and a referral system help homeowners evaluate mortgage offers and how to avoid foreclosures. The exact impact of the program is unknown; however, the cost to renovate a single housing unit is estimated to be in excess of $100,000.

Contact: William Cotter, Phone: (617) 635-0458
Tracking Number: 2556
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Initiative on Boston Housing Authority Infill Properties

Hand-In-Hand Partnership Renovates Affordable Housing Units

Boston. Four community development corporations have teamed with the Boston Housing Authority to become involved in an effort to renovate various infill properties throughout Boston and eventually offer them for sale to low-to-moderate-income families. The Boston Housing Authority owned 44 scattered-site units in the Roxbury and Dorchester localities. In 1999 half of these units were vacant. The Boston Housing Authority realized the need to rehabilitate these homes; however, it lacked the resources to do so. With the help of the community development corporations and Boston’s Local Initiatives Support Corporation, the units have been renovated and utilized by those who need it most. To assist in the success of this program, HUD has waived Boston Housing Authority’s repayment of underlying property debts, thus allowing the transfer of ownership to the development and local initiative. Instead of entering in a joint venture, all involved have chosen to work hand-in-hand and meet biweekly to achieve their goals. The city has delegated $1.56 million in Home Investment Partnership funds to help subsidize the rehabilitation costs and retain property ownership.

Contact: Mr. Mathew Thall, Phone: (617) 338-0411
Tracking Number: 1471
Winning Category: Geographical

Best Practice: Microenterprise Tracking and Reporting Software

Database Encourages Microenterprise Development While Saving Time and Money

Fitchburg. Fitchburg State College, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Community Outreach Partnership Center and the Massachusetts Micro-Enterprise Coalition, developed a Microsoft Access database to improve system-wide reporting tools that measure the impact of community organizations on microenterprise development. The initiative resulted in better communication among community organizations, a major change from manual to computer-based reporting and a significant increase in the amount of information collected. The system saves an average of four to eight hours a week in report preparation time. In addition, the system facilitates an imaginative partnership between a coalition of community organizations and local colleges and universities. This project also represents the effective use of technical expertise available at colleges and universities, and gives students involved in the project rewarding workplace experience. This project can also be easily replicated at locations around the country as software application can be delivered on CD-ROM and users have e-mail access to technical assistance.

Contact: David Newton, Phone: (978) 665-3282
Tracking Number: 3230
Winning Category: Program (Policy Development and Research)

Best Practice: Massachusetts High Risk Consortium for Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control

Consortium Focuses Efforts to Protect Children from Lead Poisoning

Lawrence. The City of Lawrence is the lead agency for the Massachusetts High Risk Consortium for Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control, which includes Lawrence, Brockton, Chelsea and New Bedford. Three of these communities rank among the highest lead poisoning risk in the state, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health. The consortium has addressed this problem, including the innovative leveraging of funds. Because of the consortium’s aggressive pursuit of lead-safe housing, the number of children poisoned in participating cities has dropped by nearly 70 percent. In addition, the program has benefited low-income individuals: between 50 to 70 percent of all families assisted by this program have household incomes less than half the region’s median income. As a result of the consortium’s efforts, more than 350 homes have been lead abated.

Contact: Anne D’Errico, Phone: (978) 794-5891 Ext. 174
Tracking Number: 2915
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)

Best Practice: Lead Paint Abatement Program

City Takes Steps to Prevent Childhood Lead Poisoning

Malden. The City of Malden understood that childhood lead poisoning is the most common and entirely preventable environmental disease of young children and thus took a proactive approach to abating lead paint in their community. Deleading was encouraged through a variety of low-interest loan programs. In 1994, Malden Redevelopment Authority applied to HUD for a grant under the Lead Paint Hazard Control Program. The goal of the program was to delead a minimum of 350 dwelling units in targeted areas and support a comprehensive public education and outreach program under a cooperative alliance with Malden Public Schools and Malden Hospital. The redevelopment authority exceeded its goal, deleading 355 units. The authority leveraged $1.1 million in private funds for this program. It made sure staff was properly trained and there were sufficient lead paint contractors to successfully implement the program.

Contact: Stephen Wishoski, Phone: (781) 324-5720
Tracking Number: 1013
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)

Best Practice: New Bedford Housing Authority Crime Mapping and Tracking System

Crime Mapping and Tracking System Helps Focus Crime-Fighting Resources

New Bedford. The New Bedford Housing Authority partnered with the New Bedford Police Department to use an innovative mapping and tracking system in the fight against crime. Despite past efforts by the New Bedford Housing Authority to address drug and other criminal activities at its properties, drug arrests increased 33 percent between 1997 and 1998. As a result, the housing authority developed a crime mapping program. Using MapInfo software and data provided by the New Bedford Police Department, graphic display of crime data can be used for program evaluation. The maps identify problem locations or dwelling units where there are repeat incidents of crime so that housing managers and security staff can respond appropriately. Use of the crime mapping program has also resulted in increased communication between the housing authority, police department and the community and assisted in the focusing of crime prevention efforts.

Contact: Wendy Valle, Phone: (301) 656-6600
Tracking Number: 2707
Winning Category: Program (Public and Indian Housing)

Best Practice: Madison Park IV

Madison Park IV Provides Housing, Education, and Social Services for Residents

Roxbury. Madison Park is a HUD-funded housing development of more than 1,400 units serving low- to moderate-income families and senior citizens in lower Roxbury. Madison Park Community Development Corporation also provides educational and social services for area residents. For three years, it has operated a Neighborhood Networks center which serves residents of all ages at several sites. Forty-eight participants have completed its 12-week basic computer course; 35 of them have found full-time employment. The program is in the first year of a collaboration with other community development corporations to provide computer and workforce development skills training. The CDC is developing 45 new units of owner-occupied housing and a 600-student dormitory in a joint project with Northeastern University; and 15 owner-occupied housing units. The CDC administers a $31 million HUD Hope VI grant that is transforming the 50-year-old Orchard Park public housing into a modern, mixed-income community with scattered housing in the community. Madison Park acquired the Woolworth building and will relocate CDC offices; and Hibernia Hall, two commercial buildings which will be headquarters for the Roxbury Arts, Culture and Trade consortium, an ongoing initiative promoting economic development through the arts, computer training courses, a property maintenance training program and homebuyer education courses. Madison Park has 30 years of experience. It developed and maintained Madison Park Village, a 546-unit townhouse development; Smith House, an elderly high rise and Haynes House, another high-rise development. It is purchasing a school to house its computer centers.

Contact: Mari E. Adams, Phone: (617) 565-5416 Ext. 5416
Tracking Number: 2791
Winning Category: Program (Housing - Multifamily)

Best Practice: Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency (MHFA)

Courses Educate Housing Providers and Consumers on Accommodating the Disabled

Massachusetts (statewide). Working with U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) FHEO FHIP funding, the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency has developed a successful training program for housing providers and consumers that focus on accommodation for persons with disabilities. The program features an interactive, small-group discussion format that allows participants, such as providers, consumers and advocates, to learn from each other under direction from a trained facilitator. It also provides up-to-date resource materials, including information on federal and state fair housing disability laws, for housing providers and consumers. Materials are presented in layman’s terms with practical solutions and a handbook provides practical reference. The program, which has increased operating efficiency of programs and helped prevent costly future litigation, is easily replicable. The agency developed the training methodology and conducted many training sessions in Massachusetts. It also conducted train-the-trainer sessions in at least 17 other states and provided handbooks covering both federal law and the laws of each state.

Contact: Ann Anderson, Phone: (617) 854-1077
Tracking Number: 1465
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)

Best Practice: GrandFamilies House

Unique Program Assists Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

Boston. Boston Aging Concerns, Young and Old United and other nonprofits have formed the GrandFamilies House. The GrandFamilies House is one of the first housing developments in the country to serve the physical and economical needs of grandparents raising their grandchildren without any assistance from the parents. In Boston a growing number of elderly citizens who were thought to be living by themselves, were actually supporting children full-time. To assist the needs of these households, the GrandFamilies House offers 26 units of two, three and four bedroom apartments. The YWCA, a program partner, offers an on-site Generations Learning Together program. This program provides seniors and their families with a pre-school, after-school and computer learning center. All facilities are equipped with innovations that involve grandparents in their grandchildren’s learning experience. The GrandFamilies House has provided improved living conditions for seniors and their loved ones.

Contact: Janet Zandt, Phone: (617) 266-2257
Tracking Number: 2656
Winning Category: Geographical and Program (Community Builder)

Best Practice: Lead-Safe Cambridge Program

Lead Hazard Control Program Provides a Variety of Services to At-Risk Families

Cambridge. Lead-Safe Cambridge, a lead hazard control program serving low- and very low-income residents of Cambridge, Massachusetts, targets the most at-risk neighborhoods in Cambridge to prevent childhood lead poisoning and create affordable lead-safe housing. By providing services, such as financial and technical assistance, lead inspections, blood lead testing, patient education, soil lead testing and mitigation, and community outreach and education, Lead-Safe Cambridge has deleaded more than 300 affordable housing units. Another positive impact of the program is its replicability. The program has become a leader in the field and provided many hours of technical assistance. Other programs have replicated Lead-Safe Cambridge’s relocation model and materials, translated documents, job specifications, contracts, financing model, and outreach and education methods and materials. Lead-Safe Cambridge program forms are posted on the HUD Web site.

Contact: Peggy Hegarty-Steck, Phone: (617) 349-6010
Tracking Number: 298
Winning Category: Program (Office of Lead Hazard Control)

Content Archived: April 20, 2011