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Utah self-help housing grantees unite for success
HOUSING/HEALHTH NEWS
By Sharon Wills, RCAC PR communications coordinator
Self-help grantees from throughout Utah gathered recently to share and learn from each other’s successes and struggles in administering the self-help program, at the sixth annual Mutual Self-Help Housing Network meeting in Provo, Utah. Rural Community Assistance Corporation (RCAC) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development sponsored the event.
The organizations face similar challenges, including high land costs, low appraisal values, and an extremely competitive marketplace where market rate homes are less than or equal to the costs of self-help housing. All of the organizations have a common interest and desire to provide affordable homes for low- and very-low income families, and by working together, they can continue to build and grow the self-help affordable housing program.
Because the agencies generally market to very-low income families, recruiting new families has grown increasingly more difficult. Approximately 20 applications are processed to obtain one qualified family for the program. Many applicants have bad credit, which can take one to two years to clean up before they can participate in the self-help program.
Utah self-help network meeting participants
Photo taken by Photo taken by Connie Baker Wolfe
This year’s network meeting sessions were designed to provide light instruction and more participant interaction and networking. Participants asked for a platform to share best practices, case studies and discuss what is, and what is not, working. Several of the organizations’ construction supervisors shared construction best practices, tips on energy conservation and greener construction materials use.
The Utah Department of Community and Culture Housing Division Director Mike Glenn was supportive of the green building sessions and was pleased to announce that newer, stricter standards were being developed in conjunction with RCAC field staff to improve energy efficiency and livability of all future affordable housing units in the state of Utah.
Conference participants toured a school,
which was turned into homes
Photo taken by Connie Baker Wolfe
One of the highlights from the network meeting was a site visit to the Maeser School Apartments, a Rural Housing Development Corporation (RHDC) self-help project. The site includes 12 self-help single-family homes and 31 affordable senior units. Maeser Elementary School, built in 1898, was purchased by the Provo City Housing Authority (PCHA) and later sold to RHDC, which developed the affordable housing model. The school was restored using many of its original architectural features. Decorative archways inside the building give it the same style as outside and its 12-foot ceilings were preserved, including bricked-over windows on the second floor.
“This is a classic example of an infill project that works for a variety of reasons,” said Connie Baker Wolfe, RCAC regional housing manager. “The numerous delays and hurdles RHDC’s Brad Bishop and his staff overcame to develop this project were significant. The many layers of financing needed to complete the project would make most affordable developers look elsewhere. The units themselves are light-filled and seem more spacious than the square footage implies. Low-income seniors blend in nicely with the young families on the block,” she added.
Finnly Sutton, RCAC housing programs director
accepts award at Utah self-help conference
Photo taken by Connie Baker Wolfe
Another highlight came during a dinner celebration when Janice Kocher, USDA Rural Development state housing programs director (include picture) presented awards to several participants for strong organizations, outstanding leadership and excellent customer service to name a few. RCAC’s Housing Director Finnly Sutton accepted an award on the organization’s behalf for outstanding technical assistance to the state of Utah and the organizations served by RCAC’s staff in the housing, environmental and loan fund divisions.
Training sessions included best practices for self-help executive directors, bookkeepers, construction supervisors, loan packagersand program coordinators; communication between self-help partners; working positively to resolve conflict with self-help families; how to market, recruit and reach very-low income families; 502 loan packaging and alternative affordable housing options. Participants were given hands-on SHARES training to learn the benefits of using the USDA software program and to increase their ability to access reports and input information. Financial courses were offered to assist the self-help agencies with internal accounting practices and risk management.
Conference partners agreed the two days of workshops were a success. “My staff says this was the best self-help conference in Utah to date. It will be difficult to improve upon next year,” Kocher said.
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