After a great lunch, the guests played an exciting game of   “Minute to Win It”.  Each individual table played against each other in “Hanky Panky”, “Johnnie Applestack”, “Dizzy Mummy”,”Keep it Up” and “Penny Pantyhose”. The Trust Fund then honored the 2009 “Borrowers and Burners”

 In 2009, the Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund lent $862,000; leveraging $871,848 to help borrowers create 63 units of affordable housing and nine jobs throughout the state of Michigan. 

The 2009 Borrowers

Avalon Nonprofit Housing Corporation
Central Detroit Christian Community Development Corporation
Liberty Hill Housing Corporation
Maurice and Jane Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice
Michigan Suburbs Alliance
Eugene and Alicia Schlueter
Springwells Partners L.D.H.A.L.P
Warm Training Center

 In 2009, the Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund Mortgage Burners repaid six loans in full.  The original amount financed for these organizations totaled $1,451,585.

2009 Mortgage Burners

C.A.P. Nonprofit Housing, Inc.
Homestretch Nonprofit Housing Corporation
Maurice and Jane Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice
Springhill Housing Corporation
Venture, Inc.
Washtenaw Affordable Housing Corporation

Click here for pictures and more information regarding our  2009 “Borrowers”. 

•          Heating and air conditioning, plumbing, and electrical
•          Roof, doors and windows, siding, and insulation
•          Kitchen and/or bath remodeling
•          Garages, carports, driveways, walkways, and ramps
•          Additions and attic or basement finishing
•          Painting and lead-based paint remediation
•          Water heater (including solar)
•          Septic and sewer (including connection to system)
•          Flooring (including wall to wall carpet)
•          Deck installation (excluding hot tub and pool)

Homeowners can borrow up to $50,000 for a site-built home, less for manufactured homes.  The interest rate for homeowners is 4%, 6%, or 8%, depending upon income.  There is a minimum credit score of 620 (for homeowner loans over $25,000, the minimum credit score is 660)

Landlords can borrow up to $25,000 per unit, with a maximum outstanding limit of $100,000 per borrower.  Eligible properties cannot have more than 11 units.  The interest rate is fixed at 8%.  The rental units must meet MSHDA rental limit guidelines.  There is a minimum credit score of 620.  For loans over $25,000 on single-family rentals or over $12,000 per unit on multi-family rentals, the minimum credit score is 660.

The loan terms are flexible – up to 20 years to repay the loan.  There are no annual fees, no penalty for early payoff, and automatic payment is available.  There is an origination fee of 2% ($100 minimum), and an underwriting / loan processing fee of $100 for loans under $7,500 and $200 on loans $7,500 and above.  There is also a $100 inspection fee that can be paid out of pocket.

Loan applications are submitted to approved Participating Lenders or Community Agents.

If you are interested in more details, you can visit web site at www.michigan.gov/mshda, then click on the Home Improvement link.

Housing fund is investment in communities…

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100408/OPINION02/4080320/1087/OPINION02

You can drive money straight into your local communities this tax season by donating to the Michigan Housing and Community Development Fund on your state income tax form. So check the box today – for jobs and the future of Michigan’s communities.

What box?
Michigan income taxpayers can now voluntarily contribute $5 or more to this fund on their Individual Income Tax Return (Form MI-1040) and the voluntary contributions form (4642) by simply checking the box when filing taxes!

Investing in Michigan’s Housing and Community Development Fund means:

*creating much needed jobs and economic stimulation for Michigan’s cities, towns and villages.
*protecting our communities. If we don’t invest in Michigan, who will?
*investing in Michigan’s economic future. Strong communities provide opportunities for families to succeed and businesses to grow and create new jobs.
*empowering local communities to become more self-reliant, vibrant and healthier through direct support.

To view projects that MHCDF funded, visit livinginmichigan.org

Sugar Law Assists Unemployed Workers

 People who lose their jobs should receive unemployment benefits while they look for work. This common-sense principle, which most people assume drives U.S. states’ unemployment systems, far too often does not hold. The most recent data for Michigan, the Sugar Law Center’s home state, shows that in 2008 over 189,000 workers who applied for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits had their claims denied. A grant from the Michigan State Bar Foundation has now enabled Sugar Law to work with the state UI Agency’s Advocacy Program. This innovative public-private partnership is helping workers denied assistance at their most vulnerable moment. Michigan’s job losses are at historic highs and families living paycheck to paycheck are devastated by unemployment. Workers who may have little education and who are in emotional and financial crisis are ill-equipped to meet procedural requirements of a complex, overloaded government system. The state’s Advocacy Program, created in 1989, provides advocates free of charge to help workers when employers contest their UI claims. But just when the number of workers needing advocacy has mushroomed, available assistance has been cut. Budget constraints have forced the program to eliminate services to workers in certain situations.  To read the complete article…click here.

 When we all answer the Census, our needs are heard.  The U.S. Census counts every resident in the United States, and is required by the Constitution to take place every 10 years.

The 2010 Census will help communities receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for things like:

• Hospitals
• Job training centers
• Schools
• Senior centers
• Bridges, tunnels and other-public works projects
• Emergency services

 The data collected by the census also help determine the number of seats your state has in the U.S. House of Representatives.

2010 Census – Nonprofits Count!
The numbers published by the U.S. Census have a significant impact on states and communities. The finalized data will affect the dispersion of federal funds, political representation, public infrastructure and private investment. For every 100 people not counted, a community risks losing at estimated $1.2 million over the next decade for federally funded programs alone. Nonprofits Count! is a campaign to mobilize nonprofits to get involved in making sure that every person is counted, with a special emphasis on hard-to-count communities.

Why is the 2010 Census important for Michigan?
The results of the 2010 Census will affect the dispersion of federal funds, political representation, public infrastructure and private investment. For every 100 people not counted, a community risks losing at estimated $1.2 million over the next decade for federally funded programs alone, including such programs as Medicaid, public housing assistance, community development block grants and Title I funding. States also use census numbers to redraw political boundaries, and Congress uses census data to determine which states gain or lose representation. In this time of economic hardship, Michigan needs to ensure as complete a count as possible so that we do not unnecessarily lose political representation or funding for important federal programs.

Why are nonprofits getting involved?
Nonprofits driven by social missions want to see their communities have access to the funds, services, representation and physical and social infrastructure impacted by the census count. Nonprofits are densely located in hard-to-count communities, and they have relationships with the very people who are typically underrepresented in census data. Given these factors, nonprofits across the country are getting involved with the Census in order to help make the process as understandable and accessible as possible and to ensure the most accurate population count.

Please click here to sign up and receive your copy of our electronic newsletter.

If there is a specific topic you would like to see covered in the newsletter, or if you would like more information, please send an e-mail to Melodie Balzer Sanford, Executive Assistant at mbalzersanford@interfaithtrust.org, or  call her at 517-372-6001 ext. 1821       

New salon, Model Behavior, opens up shop on W. Vernor

Helen Shaw has opened Model Behavior, a newly renovated space on W. Vernor in Southwest Detroit. The salon is a new venture for Shaw, who attended cosmetology school after being laid off from her factory job in 2005. She decided to open her own business after determining that the rent on her new space would be less than leasing a bay at the salon in which she currently works. Although Shaw initially had her heart set on a different storefront, she says Southwest Solutions “made it really easy for me to get into the space.” The location is near her home and the building is newly renovated. “I like the area, it’s really nice over there,” she says.

Shaw specializes in women’s hair of all types. Cutting, styling, coloring and weaving is available. Hours are Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Please call (313) 551-6033 for an appointment.

Source: Helen Shaw, Model Behavior and Steve Palackdharry, Southwest Solutions

 We hope that you will mark your calendar and plan to attend and help us celebrate.

Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund~Annual Luncheon
Kellogg Center
June 2, 2010

Please check back for more information or feel free to contact Melodie at our Lansing office for further details.

Michigan‘s Housing and Community Development Fund (MHCDF) is a statewide source of money for housing and community development activities. In 2008, the fund received a $2.2 million allocation from the state legislature. This money was distributed as grants to 18 organizations. The grants leveraged an amazing $11 in public and private funds for every MHCDF dollar spent.

MHCDF serves two purposes. On its face, the Fund provides needed money to organizations working to improve our communities with affordable housing, supportive housing, and economic development. More subtly, the fund’s existence is a symbol of Michigan’s commitment to healthy, vibrant communities and housing for all.

Due to the state budget crisis, MHCDF did not receive any state money in 2009. However, a check-off box on the state income tax return (line 24) brought in $50,000 for the 2008 tax year, and we hope to double that amount for the 2009 tax year. One reason is so the check-off will remain on the tax forms. More importantly, though, the check-off campaign is an opportunity to raise awareness about MHCDF and community development in general.

We need your help!
Please check the box and spread the word!

By spreading the word about the Fund, you’re not just helping to raise money for yourself and your partners – you’re also raising awareness and hope. Please see below to find out what you can do to help this cause.

 What You Can Do ?

First of all, please visit www.livinginmichigan.org. This is the website and blog for the Living in Michigan Coalition, the group that exists to promote MHCDF. This site has a How Can I Help? page, which offers the following suggestions for spreading the word about the checkoff and Michigan’s Housing and Community Development Fund.

• Mention MHCDF on your website or blog. For inspiring statistics on the last round of projects, visit the “Past Projects” page.
• Put a link to www.livinginmichigan.org in your e-mail signature, reminding your contacts to “check the box.”
• Become a fan of the MHCDF page on Facebook (and/or add it to your page’s favorites), and RSVP “attending” to the Facebook event for the 2009 tax year check-off.
• Tweet about the fund or the checkoff. Mention @LivingInMich
• Ask your tax preparer to explain the check-off to his or her clients. Better yet, leave literature!
• Hang a “check the box” poster in your workplace (contact Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund to get one).
• Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper, encouraging your community residents to contribute to the fund.
• Ask your local or state government officials to tell constituents about the fund and the check-off.