2000 Best Practice Awards
Program and Geographical Winners: Nevada
Best Practice: Certified Loan Officer Designation
Certification for Loan Officers Improves
Consistency
Henderson.
The need for standardization and consistency in lending practices resulted
in this new certification offered to Nevada's mortgage loan officers for
the first time through a partnership headed by the Nevada Mortgage Bankers
Association and the Nevada Association of Mortgage Brokers. The mortgage
group is developing the Certified Nevada Mortgage Professional designation
to advance technical expertise and curb lending abuses in the mortgage lending
industry. The credential allows industry leaders to develop academic criteria
with governmental organizations that address community needs and ensure
equality.
Contact: Debbie Hedderly, Phone: (702) 524-8991
Tracking Number: 269
Winning Category: Geographical
Best Practice: Aid for AIDS of Nevada
AIDS Assistance Organization Provides Comprehensive
Services To Las Vegas Community
Las Vegas.
Aid for AIDS of Nevada coordinates a one-stop location to address both
social service and emotional needs of individuals and families living with
and affected by HIV and AIDS. The organization works to mitigate the fear,
stigma and ignorance associated with the disease. Twelve staff and 120 volunteers
provide comprehensive services, including housing assistance, education,
meal distribution, buddy/companion programs, transportation, financial assistance,
medical services, and legal and counseling referrals. Private foundations
and public-sector partners provide funds and resources.
Contact: Randy Reinoso, Phone: (702) 382-2326
Tracking Number: 767
Winning Category: Program (Community Planning and Development)
Best Practice: Caminar Group Home
Change in Service Population Orientation
Saves Group Home
Las Vegas.
A working partnership between the HUD Las Vegas Field Office and the owner
and management agent of the Caminar Group Home in Las Vegas saved the former
mental health facility from a $114,000 delinquency and opened the door for
persons with AIDS to obtain housing. When Nevada stopped funding mental
health facilities in 1995, the 12-unit Caminar Group Home lost its revenue
source and occupancy declined. Facing foreclosure on a HUD-held mortgage
and lacking operating funds, the owner applied to HUD to change the occupancy
status to meet another severe community needhousing for physically
handicapped persons with AIDS. No debt service claims or special claims
had been prepared or submitted since 1997, resulting in the property delinquency.
The field office encouraged the owner to hire a consultant to computerize
the historical records in order to process the delinquent claims. HUDs
Funding Center then processed all claims and offset more than $112,000 to
debt service. State agencies were contacted to provide operating funds.
Contact: Sharon Bardill, Phone: (605) 578-8691
Tracking Number: 510
Winning Category: Program (Housing - Multifamily)
Best Practice: Truckee Meadows Fair Housing
- Building Permit Tracking Process
Outreach Letter Ensures New Construction
Complies with Fair Housing Act
Reno.
Truckee Meadows Fair Housing, a nonprofit, uses an easily replicable cost-efficient
process to notify builders and owners of their responsibilities under the
Fair Housing Act. By sending a certified letter to builders and owners who
are planning to build multifamily dwellings, Truckee Meadows ensures that
owners and builders learn about the accessibility requirements of the Fair
Housing Act before construction begins. The letter includes a brief summary
of the seven design elements included in the Accessibility Guidelines, a
list of available resources (including HUD's Fair Housing Act Design Manual),
and an offer to assist with any fair housing issues. This simple outreach
activity educates owners and builders and reminds them that violations of
the law could result in enforcement actions.
Contact: Katherine Copland, Phone: (775) 324-0990
Tracking Number: 1202
Winning Category: Program (Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity)
Best Practice: Lockwood Resident Empowerment
and Housing Preservation Project
Residents Organize to Purchase Ownership
of Property, Maintain Affordable Housing
Lockwood.
Residents of the Lockwood Mobile Home Park formed a nonprofit organization
to purchase their park from the Internal Revenue Service. HUD and numerous
nonprofits, including the Rural Community Assistance Corporation, Washoe
Senior Law Project and the Affordable Housing Resource Council, helped park
residents complete the complicated transaction by providing training, technical
assistance, pro bono legal assistance, financing and support. Individual
households will continue to own their mobile homes, while a cooperative
will own the land, infrastructure, apartments and managers unit. To
preserve affordability, the park will reserve a percentage of housing for
low- and moderate-income households. The majority of residents are senior
citizens, disabled, or female heads of households. Low- and moderate-income
residents occupy more than 60 percent of the park, which has 94 spaces for
manufactured housing and 12 manufactured housing apartments.
Contact: Eileen Piekarz, Phone: (775) 324-1870
Tracking Number: 524
Winning Category: Geographical
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