June 2011 Region III HUDLine News

Dear Friends,

HUD has designated June as Homeownership Month. This month, our goal is to build awareness about programs to
help people stay in their homes. I heard firsthand the pain of families facing foreclosure when I attended a Delaware foreclosure prevention event sponsored by the State Attorney General. People - many of whose incomes were reduced by job, family or health issues - attend such events to seek relief from their lender and help from a housing counselor or State official. One Delaware couple described how a lender and family friend coaxed them to refinance a fixed rate loan to fix up their home. The "friend" promised an affordable new loan, which ended up as a high-cost adjusting loan with a higher rate second mortgage. Now, the family is facing foreclosure. A Rehoboth real estate professional whose business slump put him behind in his mortgage says that he can now make his payments but his lender has denied him an affordable repayment plan on the arrears and started foreclosure.

The Obama Administration has been helping families avoid foreclosure. Initiatives began with the Making Home Affordable program and have generated more than 4.2 million modification arrangements started between April 2009 and the end of January 2011. This includes nearly 1.5 million Making Home Affordable trial modification starts, more than 730,000 FHA loss mitigation and early delinquency interventions, and more than 2 million proprietary
modifications under HOPE Now. The number of agreements offered was more than double the number of foreclosure completions for the same period. Also, since April 2009, low interest rates have helped more than 9.5 million homeowners to refinance, resulting in $18.1 billion in total borrower savings. Some of the key programs for this national foreclosure prevention effort are:

• "Making Home Affordable" (http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/pages/default.aspx) modifies or refinances what we call "conventional" or non-governmental loans to keep borrowers in their homes.
• FHA Loss Mitigation Programs. Lenders of loans guaranteed by federal agencies, particularly HUD's Federal Housing Administration (FHA), are required to offer borrowers "loss mitigation," a range of programs targeted to preventing foreclosures.
• FHA Refinance Programs. Many borrowers have lowered their mortgage payments through refinancing high cost conventional loans with affordable FHA loans at current interest rates, including the newest program, "Short Refinance."
• Emergency Homeowner Loan Program and Hardest Hit Fund. Recently, HUD activated the Emergency Home Loan Program (EHLP) in five states. It's designed to help borrowers whose ability to repay their mortgage were reduced by lost income in areas hard hit by job losses. Applications are already being accepted in Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

None of these programs is one-size-fits-all. Each is tailored to address different circumstances. You may be working with customers, or even know someone personally, who is having difficulty paying a mortgage. How do you find the best solution for a given situation?

First, encourage the person to face the problem, open and read notices, then call the lender or servicer. If the homeowner is not in trouble yet, but thinks there will be a problem in the future, the lender should also be called. Most lenders of non-governmental loans participate in Making Home Affordable and also offer their own programs.
FHA lenders are required to review each case and offer borrowers assistance for which they qualify.

I urge to encourage anyone with mortgage difficulties or concerns to contact a housing counselor. A list of HUD approved housing counseling agencies is available at www.hud.gov. You can also contact 1-888-995-HOPE to escalate concerns about how your lender is handling your non-governmental loan (ask for the MHA Escalation Team) or to find a housing counselor in your area. For concerns about how a lender is handling your FHA loan, you may contact the HUD Oklahoma City Servicing Center at 888-297-8685. HUD is committed to helping people stay in their homes. Call our Homeownership Center at 1-800-CALL-FHA or my office at (215) 656-0500 for more information.

June is also the month during which we celebrate fathers. HUD is encouraging housing authorities to host Father's
Day 2011 on Saturday, June 18th. More than 200 housing authorities across the nation are heeding the call. Now I'm personally calling on all the housing authorities in our Region to join in the celebration and the fun. You'll find more details under the Father's Day section below. Happy Father's Day to all the dads in Region III.

STAFF NOTES...SOMETHING TO SING ABOUT...

Please join me in recognizing two Philadelphia HUD employees for being named winners in this year's Federal Executive Board (FEB) awards! Craig Stroman of FHEO (Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity) was awarded the GOLD medal for "Outstanding Community Services" and Michele Caramenico of OGC (Office of the General Counsel) was awarded the SILVER medal for "Improved Federal Image"!

HUD.gov RECOGNIZED AS MODEL FOR OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES...

During this year's FedScoop's Open Government and Citizen Engagement Conference, GSA (General Services Administration) gave a presentation on effective website design and highlighted HUD.gov as a best practice for customer service oriented federal agency websites. Over the past year and a half, HUD's web team in the Office of Public Affairs, in collaboration with the program office and Regional Web Managers and the Office of the Chief Information Officer, has been focused and dedicated to making HUD.gov more user-friendly. Because of their commitment and efforts, HUD.gov is being recognized and used as a model for other federal government agencies. Take
a moment and visit HUD.gov.

HUD IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE ACROSS REGION III...

(Left) HUD's Chief Operating Officer Estelle Richman and Regional Administrator Jane Vincent delivered the big check for $3,066,885 dollars in homeless grant funding to three Philadelphia homeless providers as part of the kickoff of the 100,000 Homes Philly campaign on May 20. More than 250 community volunteers searched the
streets and shelters to prioritize the homeless.

(Right) The Allegheny County (Pennsylvania) Consortium receives HUD's prestigious "Door Knocker Award" for Producing Sustainable Housing through the Woodside Retirement Residences - a 59-unit Gold LEED Certified development. See more about the Door Knocker Awards here.

(Left) The Equal Rights Center in Washington picked up a HUD check to help its effort to further fair housing. Read all about it here.

(Right) As summer weather approaches, many families will be enjoying picnics in the park and the sights and sounds of nature that were dormant during the winter. HUD had a hand in building a sensory garden in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania for those who are sight impaired or have other disabilities. Here's the story

FATHER'S DAY 2011...

With the help of public housing authorities across the nation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is taking Father's Day to a whole new level. HUD appealed to the nation's 3,200 public housing authorities to host Father's Day 2011 on Saturday, June 18th - a day to celebrate fatherhood, family and to support fathers in staying connected with their children. To date nearly 200 housing authorities in 33 states will participate in Fathers Day 2011 and are partnering with the NFL, NBA, Boys &
Girls Club of America, Legal Services Corp. and the National Fatherhood Initiative (http://www.fatherhood.org/Page.aspx?pid=192) (NFI), among others. Together, these groups are sending a clear message - America needs dads! See HUD's Father's Day page for more Father's Day 2011 ideas.

DON'T BE SORRY - BE READY ...

Since the last issue of Region III HUDLine News, there have been numerous deadly storms and destructive floods throughout the country, even here in Region III. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Region III
office is making preparations for an above-normal hurricane season, which officially begins on June 1 and runs
through November 30.

Being prepared is everyone's responsibility, so everyone, especially people in coastal areas, is urged to pay close attention to weather forecasts. While federal, state and local emergency officials are fully engaged in preparation for storms and flooding, FEMA strongly recommends that individuals take ownership of their safety by preparing now. All people should know their local evacuation routes, and if available, the location of nearby safe shelters. Individuals
and families need to have a communication plan in place in order to contact or find each other. As a storm approaches, residents should listen to and closely follow instructions from local and state authorities. For more information on preparing for disaster emergencies, please visit www.ready.gov/hurricanes and www.floodsmart.gov. Business owners and managers can learn how to prepare their businesses by visiting www.ready.gov/business.

HUD has a number of programs and resources to add to those offered by FEMA and the SBA to assist individuals and communities to recover from Presidentially declared disasters. You may find out more about HUD's programs at HUD's Disaster Resources.

HUD'S NEWEST NEWS...

National Healthy Homes Conference to address housing health risks from asthma to bedbugs. HUD is hosting the National Healthy Homes Conference in Denver June 20-23, to explore the latest research and interventions from
public health, housing, and environmental experts representing more than 200 organizations. These experts will present findings on producing healthier housing for everyone - especially for people living with disabilities (including a growing number of adults with autism who have few supportive housing options.) For more information or to register, see the Healthy Homes Conference website or contact Shantae Goodloe at (202) 402-6607.

HUD releases report on Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Green Building Design in Section 202 and Section 811 Programs. For a free download of the report, see Enhancing Energy Efficiency in 202 and 811 Housing.

HUD has now completed updating the multifamily rental project closing documents.See Updated MF Closing
Documents for the final and redlined versions of the updated documents.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK...

HUD invites the public's input as it seeks to implement the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Investment Act of 2010, which amends the Section 811 Program for Persons with Disabilities.Implementation of these bills is part of HUD's broader efforts to modernize and reform the Section 202 and Section 811 program. For more information, please see Melville Act implementation for HUD's plan, and email Benjamin T. Metcalf (Benjamin.T.Metcalf@HUD.gov) with your comments or questions.

HUD requests partner input on Consolidated Plan improvements. Visit HUD Ideas in Action or email the Consolidated Plan mailbox (conplan.mailbox@hud.gov) to provide ideas and feedback about making Consolidated Plans more useful to grantees, and about data and mapping to help prepare Consolidated Plans. PowerPoint slides about new data and mapping tools are on the HOME TA Media document. You can also take a look at the new Mapping Prototype.

CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER...

HUD awarded more than $23 million in grants for Technical Assistance to help state and local communities and non-profit organizations use their federal funds more effectively to revitalize neighborhoods, help the homeless and produce more affordable housing. OneCPD Integrated Practitioner Assistance System and HUD Core Curricula for
Skills-Based Training awards were received by 9 organizations in Region III to provide critical technical assistance to HUD's partners. See OneCPD and HUD Core Curricula Release.

Norfolk State University receives $800,000 funding under FY 2010 Second Round for the Historically Black Colleges
and Universities Program Competition. More information about the awardees may be found at the Office of University Programs (http://www.oup.org/).

Emergency Capital Repair Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2010 - 5 awards in Region III totaling $1,510.553 will help make 454 homes for seniors healthier and more secure. See the May 5 Federal Register for the award announcement.

Housing Choice Voucher programs in Region III awarded Family Self-Sufficiency Service Coordinator grants totaling $604,612. This funding will support 22 Service Coordinator positions at 16 programs in Maryland, Pennsylvania,
Virginia and West Virginia. See FSS Service Coordinator awards.

SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERS AT WORK...

The Center for Neighborhood Technologies offers a guide to measuring the benefits of green infrastructure. "The
Value of Green Infrastructure: A Guide to Recognizing Its Economic, Environmental and Social Benefits" discusses a number of green infrastructure practices, including green roofs, tree planting, bioretention & infiltration, permeable pavement, and water harvesting. It then discusses the multiple benefits green infrastructure delivers to communities, and provides a guide to communities in valuing the benefits of potential green infrastructure investments. Brief community case studies are also included, with descriptions of several useful calculators and an extensive bibliography.

FHA LEADS THE WAY...

HUD Guidance to Mortgagees Working With FHA Borrowers who are Disaster Victims: Mortgagees are
reminded that pursuant to Mortgagee Letter 2001-07, a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures is automatically
imposed on FHA-insured properties in Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas, effective on the declaration date. Find information about declared jurisdictions at FEMA's Disaster News page (http://www.fema.gov/news/disasters.fema)
or by calling a local FEMA office.

Additional information on Presidentially Declared Disaster Areas is found in Chapter 14 of HUD Handbook 4330.1,
Rev-5, Administration of Insured Home Mortgages, restated most recently in Mortgagee Letter 05-33.

Mortgagees must also offer the FHA Type 1 Special Forbearanceto eligible borrowers. FHA Type 1 Special
Forbearance provides relief to borrowers by suspending or reducing their mortgage payments for a period sufficient
to allow them to recover from the cause of default. Late fees are not to be assessed while the borrower is making timely payments. Mortgagee Letter 2002-17 details the criteria for using FHA's Type1 Special Forbearance. If a borrower does not qualify for a special forbearance, the mortgagee should review the borrower's loan for the most appropriate loss mitigation tool, including but not limited to, a loan modification, partial claim, or FHA's Making Home Affordable (http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/pages/default.aspx) Modification Program (FHA-HAMP). Any questions or clarifications regarding this guidance should be directed to HUD's National Servicing Center at: (877)
622-8525.

Reminder for FHA Lenders on Claim Remittances: As announced in Mortgagee Letter 2011-08 "FHA Single Family Insurance Claims Accounts Receivable Subsystem (ARS) Remittances: Pay.gov Implementation," and effective immediately, FHA single family claim-related remittances must be sent using the "Claim Remittance" feature in FHA Connection. The Guidance and instructions for the new claim remittance process can be found at: FHA Claims.

HUD releases a Market Analysis Brief discussing reversion of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan limits to loan limits determined under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) for loans
insured by FHA on or after October 1, 2011.

Revised FAQs for Lenders on FHA Mortgagee Letter 2011-11: Revised ML 2011-11 FAQs provide clarification on topics in the ML. All items in the ML are effective no later than April 18, 2011.

Notice for FHA Mortgage Servicers: Reporting Loss Mitigation - Mortgage Modifications that fail to have incentive claim payments: FHA announces a new mechanism through which servicers may report non-incentivized loan modifications using FHA Connection. A Mortgagee Letter is currently in process to make this reporting a requirement
in the future; until then lenders can use this new feature at their discretion. FHA emphasizes the importance of accurate and timely reporting of loan modifications, including timely incentive claim filing. Further information on reporting the details of the modification after a lender has missed the claim filing deadline can be found at the
National Servicing Center website.

New Mortgagee Letters:

• Mortgagee Letter 2011-18 discusses elimination of FHA's origination fee cap for the 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program and amends guidance provided in Mortgagee Letter (ML) 2009-53, to comply
  with 24 CFR § 203.27.
  
  
• Mortgagee Letter 2011-19 provides Federal Housing Administration (FHA) guidance regarding the financing
  of homebuyer transaction costs for homebuyers who acquire HUD Real Estate Owned (REO) single-family properties under a specially-authorized sales incentive that requires only a $100 minimum cash investment.

For all Mortgagee letters, see Mortgagee Letters on HUD's website.

Upcoming Training Opportunities:

• NeighborWorks® America Training for Housing Counselors: July 11-15, 2011, Regional Training, Philadelphia, PA. A full menu of courses, registration and more info can be found online at: NeighborWorks Training (http://www.nw.org/training).
  
  
• FHA approves some NeighborWorks® America Training classes as continuing education for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Counselors. Visit NeighborWorks training information (http://www.nw.org/network/training/training.asp).
  • HO102el Mortgage Lending Fundamentals for Homeownership Professionals
  • HO109el Foreclosure Basics E-Learning
  • HO130el Understanding Credit Reports and Credit Scoring
  • HO265el Counseling Clients Seeking Rental Housing (for counselors involved in HECM T&I Default counseling)
    
    
• *HUD will conduct a training broadcast covering the Mortgage Modification and Mortgage Scam Assistance (MMMSA) Housing Counseling Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFA) on June 3rd, 1:00 pm -3:00 pm EDT. The training will review the NOFA, highlight major changes, and discuss key issues. Potential applicants will have an opportunity to ask questions. To view the live broadcast via computer, visit HUD's website: HUD Webcasts. Send questions or comments to your HUD point of contact or email: Housing.Counseling@hud.gov (*SEE NOFA BELOW).
  
  
• HOPE LoanPort® Webinar Training for Housing Counselors: HOPE LoanPort® announces special training session for all housing counselors on June 14 from 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EDT. The session will be held via Go To Meeting. Questions? Contact HOPE LoanPort® at: information@hopeloanportal.org or see HOPE LoanPort (https://www.hopeloanportal.org/).

HUD FUNDING NEWS ...

All the latest in HUD funding news may be found at HUD.Gov Funds Available or Grants.Gov

The following HUD NOFAs are open for application. All applicants are reminded to register or update information at Grants.Gov before submitting applications:

• Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program due June 8. For more information, see Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency NOFA
  
  
• Healthy Homes Production Program due June 9. For more information, see Healthy Homes Production NOFA
  
  
• Lead-Based Paint Hazard Control Grant Program and Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program due June 10. For more information, see Lead Based Paint Hazard Control NOFA
  
  
• Asthma Interventions in Public and Assisted Multifamily Housing due June 14. For more information, see Asthma Intervention - PH and Assisted MF Housing NOFA
  
  
• *Mortgage Modification and Mortgage Scams Assistance Housing Counseling program due June 18 - see Mortgage Mod & Scams Assistance. *ALSO SEE TRAINING MESSAGE IN FHA NEWS ABOVE
  
  
• Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly due June 21. Section 202 NOFA.
  
  
• Capital Fund Education and Training Community Facility Grant due June 21. Capital Fund Education & Training Facility NOFA.
  
  
• Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities due June 23. For more information, see Section 811 Funds Available.
  
  
• Public and Indian Housing Family Self-Sufficiency Program under Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) due June 29. For more information, see Family Self-Sufficiency - ROSS NOFA
  
  
• Lead Technical Studies and Healthy Homes Technical Studies Programs due June 30. Lead & healthy Homes Technical Studies NOFA.
  
  
• Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency (ROSS) - Service Coordinators Program due July 13. For more information, see Service Coordinators - ROSS NOFA
  
  
• Section 4 Capacity Building for Community Development and Affordable Housing Grants due July 11 Section 4 Capacity Building NOFA.
  
  
• Doctoral Dissertation applications due July 14. Dissertation NOFA.
  
  
• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) due August 2. HOPWA NOFA.

OTHER FEDERAL FUNDING RESOURCES...

THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION is offering grants to provide vocational rehabilitation services to American
Indians with disabilities who reside on or near Federal or State reservations. Deadline June 7. For an application and more information, go to Department of Education Grants (http://rurallisc.cmail2.com/t/r/l/jjujthy/tiyuduild/h/).

THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE is offering funds to Indian Tribes to enhance American Indian and Alaska Native communities' capacity to provide high-quality multidisciplinary victim-center services and support for adult and child victims of sexual assault. Deadline June 14. To apply, go to DOJ Grant Program (http://rurallisc.cmail2.com/t/r/l/jjujthy/tiyuduild/p/).

USDA announces the availability of funds for the Rural Energy for America Program that will provide loans and grants for energy projects that benefit rural areas. Maximum grant size is $20,000. Deadline June 15. For more information, see Rural Energy for America (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/Energy.html).

USDA has announced the availability of funds for the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program projects that promote rural economic development and job creation. Deadline June 30. For more information, eligibility criteria, and an application, go to the Federal Register Announcement (http://rurallisc.cmail2.com/t/r/l/jjujthy/tiyuduild/a/).

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Administration for Children and Families announces funding for Community Development Corporations (CDC) for well-planned, financially viable, and innovative projects to enhance job creation and business development for low-income individuals. Application deadline: Jul 11, 2011 - see the funding announcement (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/foa/view/HHS-2011-ACF-OCS-EE-0178).

NEWS YOU CAN USE...

• The Food Desert Locator provides a spatial overview of low-income neighborhoods with high concentrations of people who are far from a supermarket or large grocery store. This mapping tool will allow users to map food "deserts" - and view census tract-level statistics on population groups with low access to healthy and affordable food. See: USDA Food Desert Locator (http://www.ers.usda.gov/eMail/?l=RuralEconomy-at-ERS&d=5/6/2011&p=2&t=/Data/FoodDesert/).
  
  
• Census Bureau has released 2010 state demographic profiles, providing homeownership and vacancy rates, type of household, race and ethnicity, and population distribution by age. They are available at Census 2010 FactFinder (http://factfinder2.census.gov/) under "News and Notes."
  
  
• Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program will release a report that shows how transit systems link workers to jobs in metropolitan America. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood participated in a forum at Brookings on May 19th, to react to the study and discuss how its findings provide further support to ongoing efforts to revitalize America's cities. Brookings - State of Metro America (http://www.brookings.edu/metro/StateOfMetroAmerica.aspx).

AROUND REGION III...

Charleston - (304) 347-7000***Peter C. Minter, Field Office Director***

Funding Announcements for West Virginia Communities:
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh (FHLBank) announces funding available for the 2011 Affordable Housing Program (AHP) through 5 p.m., July 21st. For more information about the AHP and the process to use the online system, please visit FHLBank's website, or contact Laura Rye at (304) 291-5485.

Training and Conferences:

• The 22nd Annual Addiction Training Institute to be held in Morgantown, June 6th - 10th. For more information, go to the Institute's Website (http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/bmed/PDFs/WVATI11.pdf).
  
  
• "Building Workforce Success Together" Conference, June 7th - 8th - University of Charleston, Contact: Rachel Moles at 1-800-252-5627. See the Workforce development conference website (http://www.wvcommerce.org/business/workforcewv/public_notices/conference/default.aspx) for more information.
  
  
• Leadership Institute on Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect, June 7th - 8th. Program and registration information is available at the Leadership Institute website (http://www.preventchildabusewv.org/leadershipinstitute.php), or call (866) 4KIDSWV.
  
  
• West Virginia Coalition to End Homelessness Annual Conference at Stonewall Resort, Roanoke, WV, June 8th - 9th. To register contact Amanda Sisson at WV Coalition to End Homelessness (amandasisson@wvendhomelessness.org).
  
  
• OSHA Lead and Respiratory Training - 4 Hour Course, June 10th in Morgantown. Contact: Jane Della-Giustina - (304) 293-3096.
  
  
• West Virginia Children's Justice Task Force and the WV Prosecuting Attorneys Institute are offering "Crimes Against Children" Training - June 29th in Parkersburg. For more information, contact: Andrea Darr, (304) 558-3348 or Andrea.L.Darr@wv.gov
  
  
• The Court Improvement Program of the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia offering Annual Child Abuse and Neglect Cross-Training Conferences in July. Pre-registration is required, contact Nikki Tennis at (304) 558-0145 or Court Improvement Program (Nikki.Tennis@courtswv.go).
  
  
• Mid Atlantic Affordable Housing Management Association and the Charleston HUD Field Office Multifamily offering "Basic Property Management - HUD Multifamily, Public Housing and USDA Properties" Conference July 20th-21st in Charleston. Contact Terry Doherty at midatlantic.ahma@verizon.net for more information.
  
  
• West Virginia Statewide Afterschool Education Training, "Tools of the Trade" - several opportunities to learn: Martinsburg - July 23rd, Morgantown - August 6th, Charleston - September 17th, Princeton - October 15th, Parkersburg - October 22nd. For information contact Peggy Stamper at WVU Extension (peggy.stamper@mail.wvu.edu).

Pittsburgh - (412) 644-6428***Cheryle E. Campbell, Field Office Director***

News from the Pittsburgh Office and Partners:
In honor of President Obama's Proclamation of June as LGBT Pride Month, the Pittsburgh Federal Executive Board's EEO/Diversity Committee welcomed John Berry, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, and Western Pennsylvania District Court Chief Magistrate Judge Lisa P. Lenihanon Tuesday, May 24th to celebrate and recognize "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride in Government: The Road to Equality Through Evolving
Policies."

Training and Conferences:

• The Pittsburgh Neighborhood and Community Information System (PNCIS)Conference is scheduled for June 3rd at the University of Pittsburgh. See the Conference page (http://www.ucsur.pitt.edu/pncis.php) for more information.
  
  
• On Friday June 10th, a Healthy Homes Specialist exam, preceded by a review session, will be offered to people who have already completed the 2-day Essentials for Healthy Homes Practitioners training. All National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) requirements for the exam must be met, including a completed application and full fees, payable to NEHA, on the day of the exam. See NEHA's Healthy Homes Specialist (http://www.neha.org/credential/HHS/index.htm) page for info on requirements, fees and the application.
  
  
• Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of Pittsburgh hosts their annual "Western Pennsylvania Public Policy Network Briefing" on June 20th. Topics Will Include: Affordable Housing, Banking and FHLBanks - Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. Please RSVP by Wednesday, June 15th. For more information, contact Bill Miller at (412) 848-9269 or miller@thebravogroup.com
  
  
• Pittsburgh HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) and Dennison Associates are offering a Section 3 Equal Employment & Economic Opportunities Implementation Workshop on June 22nd.

Richmond - (804) 822-4802***Charles C. Famuliner, Acting Field Office Director***

Funding Announcements for Virginia Communities:
Virginia Enterprise Initiative (VEI) Emerging Regions Growth & Opportunity (ERGO) Grants - Micro-enterprise development organizations (MDOs) are eligible for funding to increase service to hard-to-reach entrepreneurs within Virginia's underserved regions. Applications due June 7th. More information on eligibility is available in the full announcement and map of eligible service areas on DHCD's VEI & ERGO pages (http://www.dhcd.virginia.gov/CommunityDevelopmentRevitalization/PDFs/VEI%20ERGO
%20Grant%20Announcement%20and%20Application.pdf)

Virginia Main Street (VMS) New Community Designationapplications due June 16th. Up to four additional communities to be designated in FY 2012. This expansion round focuses on distressed communities that serve as a focal point for regional economic recovery. The application and more information is available at .

News from the Richmond Office and Partners:
Newport News Redevelopment and Housing Authority (NNRHA) celebrated the grand opening of Orcutt Townhomes
III, the final redevelopment phase for the Orcutt public housing complex, on April 20th. The redevelopment provides
a mix of 10 two-bedroom and 20 three-bedroom townhomes and apartments with half built to universal design standards and two that meet section 504 accessibility requirements. Orcutt Townhomes III is also built to exceed EarthCraft energy efficiency and environmental requirements. To find out more, contact NNRHA (http://www.nnrha.com/index.html).

Governor Bob McDonnell presented the 2011 Volunteerism and Community Services Awards to recognize the
significant contributions of these 8 Virginia citizens or groups to the life and welfare of the Commonwealth and its people.

• SUPERVALU Eastern Region received the Outstanding Business Award.
• The Joe 15 Team, Inc., a 501(c) 3 from Manassas, received the Outstanding Community Organization Award.
• Virginia Tech Center for Student Engagement and Community Partnerships Coalition for Refugee Resettlement received the Outstanding Educational Institution Award.
• Hanover Interfaith Free Clinics, a network of five locations, received the Outstanding Faith-Based Volunteer Service Award.
• Jessica and Raymond Burmester received the Outstanding Family Award.
• Stephen Michalski, M.D., received the Outstanding Adult Volunteer Award.
• Maria Santos received the Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award.
• Emily Claire Lodgereceived theOutstanding Youth Volunteer Award.

More information about the awards program and this year's recipients can be found at Governor's Volunteer Service Awards (http://www.vaservice.org/go/volunteer/gov_award).

The Virginia Association of Housing Counselors named the 2011 Empowerment Awards winners at their annual Conference May 1st - 5th in Norfolk. Recognized for outstanding contributions to Housing Counseling were Robert Anthony Jackson, Richmond RHA (Central VA), Brenda Drew, County of Sussex Department of Housing (Eastern VA), Sara Hall, Skyline Community Action Partnership (Northern VA) and Earlene Powell, Southside Outreach Group (Southwest VA.) You will find the awards posted soon at the VAHC Website (http://www.virginiahousingcounselors.org/news.asp).

EarthCraft Virginia names Lincoln Mews (by the Better Housing Coalition) as the Multifamily Renovation Project of the Year at the second annual EarthCraft Virginia Builder Awards. Lincoln Mews is the complete revitalization of the apartment complex formerly known as Lincoln Manor. Read more about it at the Better Housing Coalition website (http://www.betterhousingcoalition.org/2011/04/earthcraft/).

Virginia was recognized in a national study, Measuring Transportation Investments: The Road to Results, by the Pew Center on the States and the Rockefeller Foundation, as one of the nation's leaders in developing the goals, performance measures and data needed to help decision makers ensure their transportation systems are advancing economic growth, mobility and other key policy outcomes. Virginia was given the study's highest ranking, "Leading
the Way", for all six performance measures including safety, jobs and commerce, mobility, access, environmental stewardship and infrastructure preservation. To read the report, visit Pew Center Study (http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/transportation).

The 2011 Governor's Housing Conference "Navigating a Changing Environment"will be held at the Hampton Roads Convention Center November 16th - 18th. The Program Committee is requesting proposals for conference sessions
by June 3rd.

Housing Virginia publishes George Mason University study measuring the positive impact of affordable housing in the Greater Richmond Metro area. See Housing Virginia - Start Here (http://www.housingvirginia.org/T1.aspx?PID=489)
to read the study.

Training and Conferences:

• Regional Best Practices Conference to Prevent and End Homelessness in the Richmond Region. June 2nd in Richmond. Guest speaker Mike Miller from Unity Greater New Orleans Abandoned Home Outreach Team - the 2010 Nonprofit Sector Achievement Award by the National Alliance to End Homelessness. To register please visit Homeward's Conference page (http://www.homewardva.org/bestpracticesconference).
  
  
• Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) offering 2011 Emergency Management Procurement Forum & Workshop, June 5th - 7th in Richmond, to help procurement professionals and emergency managers maximize response and minimize cost during disasters. More information is available at VDEM website (http://m1e.net/c?78644819-lnx098CbK4SPE%406465031-GZDL9//rpC2NU).
  
  
• Registration for the Virginia Conference on Volunteerism and Service closes on June 6th. The Conference is nearing capacity.
  
  
• U.S. Small Business Administration & New Visions New Ventures Women's Business Center offering Affordable Health Insurance Option Workshop, June 14th in Richmond.
  
  
• Virginia Department of Business Assistance offering Entrepreneurship Express Workshop June 14th in Petersburg (Dinwiddie County). For more information or to register contact Greg Reid ((804) 469-4500 x2104 or greid@dinwiddieva.us) or Tammie Collins ((804) 469-4500 x2210 or tcollins@dinwiddieva.us).
  
  
• Partners in Progress: Making HUD Programs Work for You - Richmond Field Office CPD Grantee Meeting/Training, June 15th - 16th in Richmond.
  
  
• Richmond Federal Reserve hosting "BoardLink: Connecting Richmond's Banking Talent to our Nonprofit Sector" workshop June 16th - for more information or to register, contact Amanda Gibson (Amanda.Gibson@rich.frb.org).
  
  
• Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Chesapeake Redevelopment and Housing Authority, Norfolk Public Schools and the City of Norfolk, in partnership with the HUD Richmond Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, offer Regional Section 3 Compliance Summit, June 30th in Norfolk. To register, email ldavenport@nrha.us ((757) 314-2026).
  
  
• Capacity Building: Organizational Development and Grantwriting Workshops: July 12th and 13th in Fredericksburg; July 28th and 29th in Portsmouth. You need to attend only one workshop. Contact anne.davis@hud.gov to register.

Wilmington - (302) 573-6300***Diane Lello, Field Office Director***

A Reminder - Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) has been awarded $6 million from HUD for the Emergency Homeowners Loan Program (EHLP) that will assist homeowners who are behind in their mortgage due to unemployment, underemployment, injury or illness. DSHA was chosen due to its successful track record of administering foreclosure prevention resources and is one of only six "substantially similar" state foreclosure
prevention programs in the country. To apply, homeowners should contact one of the Delaware HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agencies, which will guide them through the application process. For more information, please contact Cynthia Karnai at (302) 577-5001 or via email at Cynthia Karnai (Cynthia@destatehousing.com), or see DSHA's website (http://www.destatehousing.com/).

News from the Wilmington Office and Partners:
Delaware Housing Counseling Agencies, NCALL and Interfaith Community Housing Delaware, receive recognition for excellence among NeighborWorks partners. NCALL's rankings were #1 out of 22 affiliates in the Mid-Atlantic District
of NeighborWorks® America. See NCALL's website (http://www.ncall.org/) for more information.

Delaware State Housing Authority (DSHA) hosting Housing Development Fund (HDF) Focus Group sessions June 7th
in Dover. Partners are invited to discuss how the HDF may benefit their programs and/or projects, and provide feedback and offer suggestions on how to improve the process. See DSHA's website for more information (http://www.destatehousing.com/Home/default.php) or contact Lisa M. McCloskey at (302) 739-4263, ext. 208,
e-mail Lisam@destatehousing.com.

National Homeownership Month Events:
Foreclosure Prevention Workshops scheduled for June 6th in Dover and June 11th in Georgetown. For more information, contact Lisa Spellman at (302) 678-9400 or go to Delaware foreclosure help.

In celebration of Homeownership Month and NeighborWorks® Week, NCALL Research hosts their annual Homeownership Expo Saturday, June 11th in Dover.

Baltimore - (410) 962-2520***Carol B. Payne, Field Office Director***

A Reminder - Maryland Emergency Home Loan Offers HOPE. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development in Crownsville, Maryland is taking applications for the Maryland Emergency Mortgage Assistance
Program. Funded by HUD at $40 million and designed to assist unemployed homeowners, those interested should visit the HOPE website at Maryland HOPE (http://www.mdhope.org/EMA.aspx) or call the HOPE hotline (877) 462-7555 to find a housing counselor in their area for free counseling and assistance.

News from the Baltimore Office and Partners:
Maryland Department of Housing Launches ‘Be SMART' Energy Efficiency Loan Program to finance energy efficiency improvements to homes, businesses and multifamily housing in more than a dozen targeted communities around the state. A $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy funds the initiative. The fifteen targeted communities include: Berlin, Cambridge, Chestertown, Cumberland, Denton, Easton, Elkton, Frostburg, Oakland, Princess Anne, Dundalk, Westminster, Havre de Grace, Salisbury and Takoma Park. To learn more, go to: Maryland "Be Smart" Program (http://www.mdhousing.org/).

Our Lady of Fatima Supportive Housing for Seniors Ribbon Cutting and Dedication Ceremony June 2nd. Carol Payne, Baltimore Field Office Director, will be on the agenda of presenters at the event to officially open the 51-unit development. Click here to see more about this new housing sponsored by Catholic Charities (http://www.catholiccharities-md.org/senior-housing/stories-senior-housing/catholic-charities-senior-housing-at-
our-lady-of-fatima-ii.html).

Baltimore County Housing celebrated the value of partnership development in their Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program at a recent brunch. Ms. Charla Melvin, former FSS participant, was the featured speaker. Ms. Melvin completed her Family Self Sufficiency goals in only three years instead of the five allowed by the program, and has become a proud homeowner. Her speech at the event, also attended by the Honorable Kevin Kamenetz, Baltimore County Executive, evoked an enthusiastic response. Learn more about Baltimore County's Family Self-Sufficiency program (http://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/Agencies/socserv/financialassistance/selfsufficiency.html).

Philadelphia - (215) 656-0500***Jane C.W. Vincent, Regional Administrator***

A Reminder -The Emergency Homeowner Loan Program (EHLP), which began accepting applications in early April, is open for business and ready to help Pennsylvanians who are out of work through no fault of their own keep their homes. U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) and Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA) held a press conference with Philadelphia Unemployment Project Director John Dodds to highlight the importance of EHLP. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the program has the funds to help thousands of homeowners, though only 600 applications are being reviewed at the moment. The Philadelphia Tribune also covered the press conference, emphasizing the need for more troubled homeowners to apply. The $106 million of Federal funding for EHLP will expire on September 30th if it is not spent, so be sure to recommend this program to anyone who may benefit from the assistance!

National Homeownership Month Events:
June 1st: Public Meeting on Mortgage Rescue Scams - The Fair Housing Council of Suburban Philadelphia, in conjunction with The Reinvestment Fund and Consumer Credit Counseling Services of Delaware Valley are looking for people that have paid for help with their mortgages that they did not receive.

News from the Philadelphia Office and Partners:
The Housing Alliance of Pennsylvania hosting Brown Bag Webinars to include: June 3rd, 12-1pm: Housing First Model to Address Homelessness, featuring Christine Simiriglia, Executive Director, Pathways to Housing PA and June 17th, 12-1pm: Youth Aging Out of Foster Care, featuring Justin Lee, Practice Improvement Specialist at the Pennsylvania Child Welfare Training Program.

Join Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency at a June 8th webinar to learn more about how to use www.PAHousingSearch.com, the new, free housing listing and locator service being launched across Pennsylvania. PAHousingSearch.com lets property providers advertise units free of charge and in great detail. Listings can include pictures, maps, and even information about nearby amenities like parks, schools, and hospitals. Space is limited.

District of Columbia-(202) 275-9200***Marvin W. Turner, Field Office Director***

National Homeownership Month Events:
Homeownership Explained at the 3rd Annual DC Housing Expo and Foreclosure Clinic June 4th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Get free credit reports and credit counseling; attend workshops on homeownership, home repair and financial literacy; and meet with government agencies, nonprofit community developers, lenders,
and realtors. For more information, visit dhcd.dc.gov or call (202) 442-7000.

Help for Homeowners Community Event June 6th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center - homeowners in need of help can meet one-on-one with a mortgage lender or a HUD-approved housing counselor. For more information: Call the Homeowner's HOPETM Hotline at 1-888-995-HOPE (4673), Visit Making Home Affordable (http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/pages/default.aspx) or Hope Now (http://hopenow.com/). To get tips to avoid scams, visit Loan Scam Alert (http://hopenow.com/loan-modification-scam-alert.php).

Northern Virginia "Housing Opportunities for All" Expo 2011, June 25th, T.C. Williams High School, 3330 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302 will offer information for both first-time homebuyers and renters and will include many of Northern Virginia's affordable housing partners. For more information, visit NoVA Expo 2011.

Training and Conferences:
The National Housing Conference hosting a Policy Summit on Mortgage Finance Reform on June 24th, 8:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in Washington, D.C. Diverse perspectives offered, with panels discussing both single and multi-family housing. Jeffrey Goldstein, Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance, will speak on the Administration's proposal for GSE reform. Registration is free, but space is limited. For more details and to register, visit NHC Policy Summit Registration.

NON-GOVERNMENTAL FUNDING RESOURCES...

The Urban Land Institute announces new awards competition, the Robert C. Larson Workforce Housing Public Policy Awards program, to recognize innovative public policies and practices for the production, rehabilitation, or preservation of workforce housing. Application, directions for submitting, and contact information for questions are available from the Urban Land Institute. Applications are due by June 15th.

The Home Depot Foundation, announces an open application cycle for its Community Impact Grants Program. Proposals for grants will be accepted April 4th through October 31st. Applications must be submitted using the foundation's online application system. Home Depot Foundation (http://www.homedepotfoundation.org/how-we-help/grants.html).

Presbyterian Hunger Program (http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/hunger/grants/) application deadline Jun 30th. The Presbyterian Hunger Program provides grants in five areas (public policy advocacy; development assistance; lifestyle integrity; direct food relief; and education and interpretation) to combat hunger in the United States.

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