• Main
• About Us
  Our Program News & Announcements NSP Overview
• Homes
  Features Locations View our Green Homes
• Apply
  Eligibility Forms
• Resources
  For Partners QBS & RFPs Other Forms FAQ
• Education
  Green Principles Learn about Credit HomeBuyer Classes Glossary Video Library
• Calendar

NEWS ARCHIVE 2009

A chronological archive of all news and announcements for the year.

December 15, 2009
Greenvine - December 2009 Newsletter - "Sustain your future," it's not just a saying, it's away of life. Homes to Owners (H20) realizes that homebuyers want the highest quality and value for their investment when purchasing a home.
The H20 family would like to wish your family a happy and prosperous holiday season...
Each H20 home is upgraded to such a high level of quality, it exceeds the value of other homes of equal or greater price. You will feel as if you are in a new, modern home and will experience the peace of mind that comes with the responsible choice of "living green." ENERGY-STAR rated appliances, fixtures, flooring, landscaping, and a two-year warranty are only a few features that make H20 homes unbeatable. Families can save hundreds of their hard-earned money in utility bills alone by simply choosing a H20 home over a conventional home. On average, the H20 home conserves enough water and energy to yield a yearly savings equal to THREE utility-free months!
The H20 family would like to wish your family a happy and prosperous holiday season. We express our gratitude to many West Valley religious groups for their goodwill and support in helping us reach out to the communities they serve.


December 12, 2009
Outreach continues - Among several events this week, H2O reached out to the faith-based community in the 4000+ member Radiant Church in Surprise. Hundreds of people participated in the Holiday festival featuring song, shows, food, videos and dozens of booths. It seems that Santa's raindeer have been replaced by motorcycles. 
H2O staff handed out over 100 brochures with information about energy efficient, affordable H2O homes nearby. The festival was a huge success with many activities for the whole family. One of the favorite attractions was Santa and his ultra-modern sleigh pulled by six very nice Harleys and Hondas. I guess the raindeer were put out to pasture. If you would like H2O to come to your event, contact us and we will be happy to come and tell you how H2O can help people become homeowners and save money.


December 1, 2009
Rehab Begins.... Contractors have commenced work on upgrading a dozen H2O homes. This work includes some general repair, new appliances and energy conservation features. The latest appliance selected for H2O homes is the Ruud Electric Heat Pump Water Heater, a fantastic piece of equipment. 
This is an awesome piece of equipment. It is a 50 gal, multiple mode, state of the art system that cuts heating bills dramatically. At $1200 each, it is an investment that will save big bucks for the homebuyer. Heating water for showers, loads of laundry and dishes, and other household needs can account for up to 25 percent of the average home’s total energy cost, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Heat-pump water heaters are common in Japan, but rare in the US. In heat-pump technology, heat is transferred from the air to water stored in an insulated tank. In simple terms, heat pump water heaters work much like a refrigerator in reverse. The heat pump extracts the heat from warm air, intensifies the heat with a compressor, delivers the heat to the water, and exhausts the cooler air. Because it uses the warm ambient air temperature to do most of the work, it is a very efficient way to heat water. Heat pump water heaters typically offer twice the efficiency of standard electric water heaters. It is estimated that this new appliance will use 2,300 kilowatt hours annually, about half that of a standard electric water heater. Once again H2O is taking the lead in bringing the latest green technology to Valley homes.


November 16, 2009
High-efficiency Washers and Dryers in H2O homes. Thanks to the H2O team, high-efficiency washer and dryer sets have been "officially" allowed by HUD nationwide, using the guidelines/specs provided by HAMC. With support from the local HUD office, H2O petitioned the federal agency to change existing regulation so as to allow these appliances in HUD-sponsored homes. The washers and dryers are to be supplied by Lowes.

November 16, 2009
H2O has 23 houses, beginning rehab work, extending outreach
Here is a quick update on H2O actitivies first the first half of the month...
     By the end of this month, work will begin on 8-10 homes. The five qualified contractors are being assigned groups of houses by estimated rehab cost. This will happen in “round robin” order. Rehab schedules are being assigned at 21-30 days based on the home.
     Six buyers are finalizing re-approval and will be shown houses starting next week. Currently we have 113 interested buyers and 33 applications returned. Budget is being adjusted to increase outreach allocation. Round Table discussions with all area NSP determined that our program is ahead of others, but all programs are struggling to get interested Buyers. A large majority of our interest list have been as a result of direct contact efforts.
November 9, 2009
"The Nexus between Sustainability and Housing Affordability" H2O attended a conference featuring Ron Sims, a HUD official nationally recognized for his work on homelessness, urban development and affordable housing.
This meeting, sponsored by the US Green Building Council, the ASU Stardust Center, the City of Phoenix and others, focused on the very important topics of how to connect and meet two import challenges: making houses affordable and, at the same time, making them enviromentally friendly and resource-efficient.


November 2, 2009
H2O visits College and Resource Fair
As part of our continuing outreach effort, Homes to Owners participated in the 4th Annual College and Resource Fair promoted by the Wilson School district. This event povided information to students and their parents about opportunities in education and careers. On another note, H2O is please to announce that we now have more than 20 houses and rehab work is about to begin.

October 2, 2009
H2O now has 8 homes
We are excited to announce that eight houses have been acquired in El Mirage & Buckeye. Expected final closings are scheduled for the end of October and rehab work will start immediately thereafter.
Our Realtor teams are working hard to identify more opportunities where H2O can impact neighborhoods.

September 30, 2009
H2O Promotes Weatherization and Energy Efficiency
Ken Pancost, from Arizona Energy Mangement & Remodel, gave a comprehensive presentation on 'Energy Efficient Housing" to H2O contractors and guests. The 3-hour lecture provided extensive information on the basic concepts of energy (how the laws of physics relate to home energy management), building science, thermal performance, pressure diagnosis, duct design, insulation efficiency, materials selection, and many other important technical issues that go into effective energy management in the typical house (which doesn't exist because every home is different). There were 318 slides in the presentation, including a very interesting video showing a time-lapse sequence of energy loss around a door. Excellent work.

September 28, 2009
"Shapening the axe" and Our First Home
It has been a good week and we have a lot of news. Here are the highlights: We bought our first home. On 9/24 we received notification of bid acceptance for a property in El Mirage. Currently we are bidding on over 30 homes and have allocated over $1.5m to real estate partners for home acquisition. They are required to obtain a minimum of 15 homes each within approved guidelines. The first group of ten buyers have completed income verification requirements. So far, we have received over 100 applications.

September 12-13, 2009
H20 at Fiestas Patrias
Together with our partner Lowes ("Improving Home Improvement"), Homes to Owners partcipated in the “Fiestas Patrias” event organized by Food City grocery stores at the Barrios Unidos park in Phoenix. This was a two-day cultural event which showcasing the rich traditions and history of Mexico. Musical entertainment, dancing, food and fun for the kids made this event an entertaining and educational experience for the entire family to enjoy.
H2O was exposed to thousands of people for the first time. Hundreds of Greenvine newsletters and English and Spanish informational brochures were distributed during the event. In addition, 17 interest forms were filled out by potential homebuyers. H2O staff, Lowes employees and Arvizu representatives were there to answer questions and distribute candy, t-shirts, hats and other prizes. A special word of thanks to Lowes for donating an energy-efficient Energy Star washer that was raffled among applicants at the Fiestas Patrias event. Click on any thumbnail image for a larger picture.

September 10, 2009
H2O Conducts Davis-Bacon Training
The second of two informational workshops regarding compliance with Davis-Bacon wage legislation and requirements for partners working with H2O was held in our conference room. Jaime Moen was kind enough to explain in detail what is required of all contrctors working on projects subject to Davis-Bacon rules. Jaime is the Labor Compliance Coordinator at the Foundation for Senior Living and has many years of experience in this area.H2O takes Bavis-Bacon laws seriously and requires that all contractors follow appropriate payroll and reporting rules and regulations.

August 22, 2009
We have a Newsletter - almost...
The final draft of the H2O program monthly newsletter, called the Greenvine, is almost ready. Prepared in cooperation with Arvizu, the newsletter will be an important tool for outreach to communities. It contants basic information about H2O activities, objectives and how to apply for a green home. The Greenvine explains how H2O is working to provide sustainable, energy-efficient homes at affordable prices. This newsletter will be published bi-monthly and will include updates and announcements on our program, as well as tips about green living.

August 20, 2009
Formal Outreach begins...
Ben Chao, Director of H20 giving out information on NSP1 program for homes in El Mirage. This event, with the support and cooperation of the City of El Mirage staff, provided information to 20 potential homesbuyers for the H2O program. The City of El Mirage Homebuying Information Seminar was held at 6:00pm, August 20, 2009, at the Front City Hall Lobby of the City of El Mirage.

August 13, 2009
H20 Program described as "Best Practices"
In a meeting with Arizona NSP participants, HUD officials at the 2009 AZNAHRO conference classified the H2O Program as 'best practices.' Program Director Ben Chao: "Interest in our dynamic approach was extremely high! We are the only program in Arizona taking steps to purchase, increase energy efficiency, fully rehab, and sell our homes."

July 27, 2009
NSP Update and Press Release
"In 60 days, we have formed a team that will oversee acquisition, sale, rehabilitation, monitoring, and customer service for the program....The team has carefully solicited and identified key partners needed to make this program successful over its duration. As the details are being finalized over the next few weeks, each targeted city has been personally contacted with the purpose of sharing program goals, identifying specific target neighborhoods that will maximize impact, and building a resourceful communication base for HAMC to collaborate. The "Homes to Owners" image brand was created to differentiate it from other programs while actively building public response and positioning it as an important focal point for buyers." See more here...


July 16, 2009
NSP2 Application submitted.
HAMC as the lead member of the Home Place Team consortium, along with the ASU Stardust Center for Affordable Homes and the Family, Arvizu Advertising and Promotions, Michael Huscroft and Associates, Cherokee Development, SKR Construction, Mutual of Omaha Bank and the Ellman Companies, has submitted a request for funding under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA) to redevelopment the property known as Holiday Park in South Scottsdale, adversely affected by massive foreclosures in consequence of the current economic crisis. A copy of the complete application is available here .

July 14, 2009
The Brain Trust Neets...
"Getting the word out is serious business." H2O has invested time and money to plan an effective and comprehensive outreach program that will target those who both need a house and are able to afford one. Many hours of serious discussion in several meeting over the course of a month were held by staff and associated companies to define a clear, effective plan on how to get our message to potential homebuyers.

June 29, 2009
Notice to Public
HAMC and partners will submit an application to HUD for funding of redeveloment projects under amended portions of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA), known as Neighborhood Stabilization Program 2 (NSP2). The document may be viewed here.

June 8, 2009 and June 22, 2009
Additional QBS / RFPs posted
HAMC has posted Tier#2 and Tier#3 Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) documents for parties interested in providing housing rehabilitation, IT, appraisal, architectual design, pre-purchase inspection and feasibility evaluation, real estate advisory and property selection, and title and escrow services (tier#2) and security, home insurance, loan administration, loan servicing, lead hazard assessment, landscape design, landscape maintenance, HVAC assessment and replacement, appliances, flooring, electrical lighting, plumbing, roofing, insulation installation, painting, plastic laminates, cleaning and concrete work (tier#3) for HAMC rehabilitated properties and prospective buyers. (Note: These are expired).

May 22, 2009
NSP Requests for Proposals posted
HAMC has posted Qualifications Based Selection (QBS) documents for parties interested in providing marketing, outreach and counseling services for HAMC rehabilitated properties and prospective buyers. Please download, review and fill out all required documents and attachments (Note: This posting is expired).

News Update!
Leaky Buildings raise utility bills!
Energy Specialists estimate that the average home has the equivalent of a 2 ft square hole in the ceilings and walls! Small gaps and cracks around lights, switches, and vents contribute to about 1/3 of the average monthly HVAC bill. Sealing the building envelope is the single greatest way to save money on utility bills.

---

Updated: 11/04/2009