Funding for Housing Program Assistant in Dubuque

Situation:
In 1997 Iowa State University Extension in Dubuque County started the first-time home buyer workshops at the request of local lenders. For the first two years, the Family Resource Management Field Specialist organized and taught four 6-hour workshops per year. In 1999 the Dubuque Housing Trust Fund Committee applied for funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank in Des Moines to help low-income families with the down-payment and rehab costs. All applicants were required to attend the home buyer workshops. Because of the increased demand for the workshops and the fact that the FRM was working in seven other counties, ISUE approached the local lenders and requested financial support to hire a part-time educator (an average of 5 hours per week) to teach the home buying workshops.

Response:

• ISUE and the Dubuque Housing Services Director arranged a meeting with all the major mortgage lenders in Dubuque to request funding to hire a part-time Housing Educator.
• In response to our first request, seven lenders each contributed $250 during the grant year.
• In FY 2004 seven lenders each paid $400 to support the program.
• This past month, eight lenders and the Dubuque Board of Realtors voted to each contribute $400 for a total of $3600 for FY 2005.
• In addition to organizing and teaching the first session of the home buyer workshop, the Housing Program Assistant also represents ISU Extension on the Dubuque Housing Commission, The Housing Board of Review and Dubuque Housing Trust Fund Committee. Having ISU Extension represented on these influential boards has proved invaluable.

Results:
The positive working relationship developed over the past eight years between ISUE and the Dubuque lenders has led to a strong mutually beneficial relationship that has helped hundreds of low-income families become successful homeowners. This year as a thank you for supporting the home buyer education program, ISUE is providing each of the contributing lenders copies of the Home Works Newsletter written by Wisconsin Extension Service Specialists. They will distribute the quarterly newsletter to their first-time home buyers.

Contact:
Ellen Spurlock
Family Resource Management Specialist
PO Box 336
Manchester, IA 52057
Phone 563-927-4201; FAX: 563-927-3744
Email ejspurlo@iastate.edu

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