Northwest Bronx
Homeowner Resource Fair
Sponsored by
University Neighborhood Housing Program &
the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy CoalitionAttend a FREE workshop to learn more about programs and options available to homeowners. Plus, speak with on-site, local housing counselors.
Who Should Attend? Those who…
Want to find out how to lower their energy bills through weatherization.
Want to learn more about what to do in the event of a financial hardship.
Want a better understanding of available options to resolve a mortgage delinquency.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
6:00 - 8:00 PMConcourse House
2751 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10468
(entrance on E. 196th St)For more information call Greg at 718-933-2539
Click here to download the flyer (PDF).
Click here to download our Homeownership Guide (PDF)
Stabilizing homeownership and preventing foreclosure for low income families is the main goal of UNHP’s work in one to four family homes. While 90% of all units in the Northwest Bronx are in multifamily buildings, the status of private homes also impacts the quality and stability of our communities. 73% of the 11,000 buildings in the Northwest Bronx are homes and just one deteriorated or boarded up home on a block can create a blighted appearance and a haven for criminal activities. Foreclosure rates remain significantly higher in the Northwest Bronx than in the City overall (see chart below).
UNHP has developed a comprehensive strategy to identify and assist at-risk homeowners, prevent foreclosures and reclaim vacant homes for low income families. UNHP has created a database to track local homeowners who have borrowed more than the value of their home or owe back taxes in order to perform targeted outreach. In October 2005, UNHP held a Homeowner Resource Fair to provide assistance to local homeowners. Ten groups showcased programs that ranged from home repair and weatherization to foreclosure prevention and senior aid. UNHP continues to work with other Bronx and citywide nonprofits to monitor a Homeowners Protection Program phone hotline.
Foreclosure actions have risen dramatically in our neighborhoods since 1996. Lis pendens, a legal action filed by the mortgage holder after the mortgage has not been paid for three consecutive months, is the most reliable data that can be obtained on the foreclosure process and is the data used in this graph. Between 1996 and 2003, the rate of 1-4 family foreclosures in the Northwest Bronx had nearly doubled (a 97% rise), and the rate remains higher than the citywide average despite a drop in 2004. The need to assist local homeowners remain in their homes is serious and growing; during the five month period ending November 2005, 276 Bronx homeowners were served lis pendens.
Northwest Bronx Homeowners’ Fairs
University Neighborhood Housing Program (UNHP) has hosted a number of Northwest Bronx Homeowners’ Resource Fairs over the past five years. Held at the Concourse House Chapel (E. 196th St & the Grand Concourse), the fairs offer the opportunity for homeowners to learn about programs that are offered to them through different organizations and the City.
There are in fact numerous programs available to homeowners, but it can be a daunting task to find what is out there and understand which program best suits each individual situation. The fair will conveniently bring together many groups who will be able to answer homeowners’ questions about programs that include foreclosure prevention, heating assistance, home weatherization and repair, mortgage/financial counseling, and additional senior focused assistance.
According to census data, homeowners in a large section of the Northwest Bronx have a poverty rate double the citywide average. This, coupled with an increasing trend of predatory lenders targeting poor and minority neighborhoods, has led UNHP to increase our work with homeowners in the Northwest Bronx. Resource fairs are just one of the initiatives we are taking to assist homeowners.
For further information, contact Eric Fergen at 718-933-2539. Announcements of future homeowner fairs will be posted here.
The following is a list of service providers who have attended our fairs, and a brief description of the services they provide:
If you are having problems keeping up with your mortgage payments, please call UNHP's homeowner's hotline at 1-718-933-2539.
If you have not registered for the STAR program or to be exempt from the absentee landlord property tax surcharge, you must do so. Every homeowner will be charged this tax until they fill out the application that shows they live in their home. The applications are available on the NYC Department of Finance website. You can also check there if you are registered. If you have further questions, contact Lee Fiorino at 212-361-7014.
Senior citizens that need assistance with renovations on their home should contact the Parodneck Foundation at 212-431-9700.
If you are interested in applying for the weatherization assistance program through the Northwest Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition, contact Maria at 718-584-0515.
For social services and other homeowner information, contact West Bronx Housing and Neighborhood Resource Center at 718-798-0929.
If you are interested in general homebuying counseling, please contact Neighborhood Housing Services of the North Bronx at 718-881-1180 or NHS of the South Bronx at 718-992-5979.
For information on avoiding predatory lenders, contact the Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project at 212-680-5100.
Often, homeowners have problems with their Water and Sewer bills. If you have a large back bill, or are interested in finding about programs to cap bills, check out DEP's website. If that doesn't help, you can call Jim or Greg at UNHP at 718-933-3101.
If you are interested in starting an Individual Development Account (matched savings program), contact Mount Hope Housing Company at 718-299-7175.
A reliable contractor can be hard to find. If you are looking for one, you may like to consult the Department of Consumer Affairs Hire a Licensed Contractor guidebook or go to the Home Improvement Contractor License Check on the DCA website.
