| OHCS E-News: 2004 Editions |
 |
|
|
 |
| About the 2004 Editions |
|
Below are previous editions of the OHCS electronic newsletter. Please be aware that some links may have changed over time or the information linked to may have expired.
Back to Current Editions
|
|
|
| October 8, 2004 |
|
Join Us at the Reentry Conference October 21 & 22 in Bend, Oregon
Registration deadline EXTENDED! OHCS invites you to attend the first annual
Reentry Conference, Building Strong Communities for Successful Reintegration
of Offenders.
650,000 inmates are released each year into American communities. The Home
for Good in Oregon Reentry Conference is an opportunity for everyone working
in the field of reentry to meet and learn from each other. The goal is to
provide participants with practical, applicable skills and actions that can
be replicated in their local communities to build support and participate
from the religious, business, neighborhood and ex-offender population.
For more information, visit http://www.voicessetfree.org/HFG/.
OHCS to Present Community Service Awards at Poverty Conference
Many thanks to all those who submitted award nominations to OHCS. We are now
reviewing the great nominations and selecting the winners.
If you haven´t signed up for the Poverty Conference in Seaside, visit the
Community Action Director´s of Oregon Web site at http://www.cado-oregon.org/events.htm today.
See you there!
Let Your Voice Be Heard
If you have ever wished for the opportunity to shape state government
programs, we've just made it easier for you to participate. Our Web site now
has a Public Involvement link under the "For Our Partners" feature on the
home page.
Click here to see what's new!
|
|
|
| September 1, 2004 |
|
OHCS: @Home on the Web
Oregon Housing and Community Services invites you to visit our new home on the Web. If you haven’t been to our Web site in a while, we’ve moved. Whether you visit us at our new address, www.ohcs.oregon.gov, our old address at www.hcs.state.or.us, or the Residential Loan Program’s www.oregonbond.us, you’ll still arrive at the new site!
If you don’t find what you need or would like to see something on the site that isn’t currently available, please let us know. You can send an e-mail to info@hcs.state.or.us. We look forward to hearing from you!
Time is Running Out to Submit Your Award Nominations
Oregon Housing and Community Services is soliciting nominations for the 2004 Excellence in Community Service Awards. Awards will be presented in three categories: Providing Special Services for Families; Serving Special Needs; and Integration of Services into Housing.
All nomination forms must be postmarked by Wednesday, September 15, 2004. More...(this link has expired)
ClearingHouse Newsletter is Out!
The ClearingHouse newsletter is full of timely information for housing and community service partners, including the recently unveiled Certified Industrial Sites initiative, an extreme makeover, and the challenge in redefining poverty.
Read the latest in the summer edition of the ClearingHouse newsletter.
Careers@OHCS
Employment with OHCS offers many benefits including paid vacation, sick and personal leave, and paid holidays. We also offer an excellent health, dental and optional life and disability insurance package, as well as participation in the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan or Public Employees Retirement System. Current Job Openings
|
|
|
| August 2, 2004 |
|
Consolidated Funding Cycle Application Deadline
A reminder to those assembling a Consolidated Funding Cycle (CFC) application for the Fall 2004 round: Applications must be postmarked before midnight on August 6, 2004 or, if hand delivered, they must be received at OHCS no later than 5:00 p.m. on August 6, 2004. Applications or supplemental documents will not be accepted after these deadlines.
Contact a Regional Advisor to the Director now if you’re interested in applying for CFC funding during the spring 2005 cycle.
Nominations for Excellence Awards in Community Service Solicited
Oregon Housing and Community Services is soliciting nominations for the 2004 Excellence in Community Service Awards.
The awards will be presented in three categories: Providing Special Services for Families; Serving Special Needs; and Integration of Services into Housing.
All nomination forms must be postmarked by Wednesday, September 15, 2004.
(this information has expired)
Careers@OHCS
Employment with OHCS offers many benefits including paid vacation, sick and personal leave, and paid holidays. We also offer an excellent health, dental and optional life and disability insurance package, as well as participation in the Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan or Public Employees Retirement System.
For current job listings, click on Employment at the top of the left column.
|
|
|
| June 1, 2004 |
|
Happy Home Ownership Month!
Governor Kulongoski proclaims June is Home Ownership Month, acknowledging the important role home ownership plays in building strong communities and improving the quality of life in Oregon. (This information has expired. Please visit the OHCS Residential Loan Program for more information.)
Rising National Rates Make Our Great Low Rates Even More Attractive
Even though the national average for mortgage rates recently rose to 6.32%, the OHCS Residential Loan Program (often referred to as the Oregon State Bond Loan) rates are still very low. If you think you are ready for a home of your own, act now to purchase a home while rates are still low.
Free Lender and Realtor® Training June 10
If you are a mortgage lender or a Realtor® and want to know how you can help increase your clients’ purchasing power by using the “Oregon State Bond Loan,” sign up for our free training on Thursday, June 10 in Salem. Lunch will be provided compliments of NW Natural. (This information has expired. Please visit the OHCS Residential Loan Program for more information.)
|
|
|
| May 14, 2004 |
|
Consolidated Funding Cycle Application and Training Schedule Available
The Fall Consolidated Funding Cycle application is now available on our Web site. Full Details and Forms
Be sure to check the training schedule for dates and locations in June.
ClearingHouse Newsletter is Out!
The ClearingHouse newsletter is full of timely information for housing and community service partners, including the recently released five-year plan to end hunger, development highlights, Excellence in Housing award winners, and a number of changes to the “State Bond” or Residential Loan Program. Read the latest in the spring edition of the ClearingHouse newsletter.
|
|
|
| April 09, 2004 |
|
Join Us for Excellence in Housing Awards Dinner!
The Grand Hotel Ballroom in Salem has been selected as the locale for an evening of awards hosted by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) and the Oregon Downtown Development Association. The event, scheduled for April 23, 2004, will begin at 7:30 p.m. OHCS will announce the 2004 Excellence in Housing Awards recipients, and ODDA will honor the recipients of the 2004 Downtown Achievement Awards. For more information on the Excellence in Housing awards, e-mail Sandy McDonnell or call 503.986.2012.
OHCS Presents at Conference
OHCS staff will be presenting at the 11th Annual Affordable Housing Conference on May 3, 2004, hosted by Miller-Nash. Commonly known as "the Miller-Nash Conference," this one-day conference covers the latest trends and issues related to developing low-income housing. The registration deadline is April 26, so visit the Miller-Nash Web site today.
Launch of Lender Locator Service
The Single-Family Finance Section launched a new tool which will help interested homebuyers locate loan officers who are experienced with the OHCS Residential Loan Program. To search for a loan officer, an interested homebuyer can visit the OHCS Residential Loan Program page and click on the Locate a Friendly Lender, then select the county in which they wish to buy a home. The database provides a list of all the loan officers who have experience with the first-time homebuyer programs within the last year. The list is ranked in order of current activity with the most experienced loan officers appearing at the top the list for each county. The new feature is expected to be as valuable a service for low- and moderate-income households seeking to buy a home of their own as it is for the dedicated loan officers who make the program a success. (Updated June 2004 with current links.)
|
|
|
| March 05, 2004 |
|
Nomination Deadline Extended for Excellence in Housing Awards
The deadline for submission of the nomination forms for the 2004 Awards of Excellence in Housing has been extended until Monday, March 22, 2004. For more information on the awards, guidelines, the nomination process, or to obtain a form, contact Sandy McDonnell at 503.986.2012.
Limit Changes Broaden Services to Qualified Homebuyers
February 13 brought news of simplified, higher purchase price limits for Oregon’s eligible homebuyers. The simpler limits make it easier for eligible borrowers and participating lenders to benefit from the program. Just two weeks later, the Residential Loan Program announced an increase to the income eligibility limits as well. The program also added cash assistance for downpayments or closing costs as a choice in January. These changes are expected to increase the number of borrowers eligible to participate in the Residential Loan Program statewide. Full Details
|
|
|
| January 23, 2004 |
|
New Option Provides Cash Assistance to First-Time Homebuyers
The OHCS Residential Loan Program, commonly known as the "State Bond Loan, now offers cash assistance to help eligible first-time homebuyers purchase a home." The new home loan option is called the "CashAdvantage Home Loan" and provides eligible homebuyers cash assistance equal to 3 percent of their first mortgage note amount along with a low, fixed-interest rate on their home loan. This new rate option helps eligible low- and moderate-income homebuyers come up with the cash they need to close their first home loan and turn their homeownership dreams into reality. OHCS is able to fund this much needed cash assistance through bond sales—without using scarce state and federal resources. Full Details
Help Low to Moderate Income Families Get Money Back!
Did you know working families and individuals with low or moderate income may qualify for money back on their taxes even if they owe no tax because the Earned Income Credit (EIC) is refundable? You can help by distributing a pre-formatted flyer. (This information has expired.)
OregonHelps.org Receives Second National Award
Out of 130 nominees, a panel of experts in the area of government technology innovation has awarded OregonHelps.org one of only a dozen 2003 Grace Hopper Government Technology Leadership Awards. "Most past winners were federal programs," said Van Le, policy analyst for Multnomah County's Budget and Quality Office, "so it is thrilling that our small state and county program has competed and emerged a winner."
On why it won and what difference it has made, the panel said OregonHelps.org "showed there was a better way to deliver financial assistance to the citizens who qualify for it" and "gave Oregonians access to aid they previously didn't know they qualified for." To read the full feature article, please visit Government Exec's Web site at http://www.govexec.com/features/1203/1203gtlas4.htm (external site).
This is the second national award OregonHelps.org has received and the resource is also a finalist among over 900 entries for the international Stockholm Challenge Award, one of the premier international awards for municipal information technology. Of course, you'll want to see the award-winning website for yourself at http://www.oregonhelps.org (external site).
|
|
| |
|
|
