AAR gives 2008 CARHOF grants to four Aurora organizations
The Aurora Association of REALTORS® is proud to provide significant financial assistance to four organizations helping needy families in the Aurora area.
The grants, which AAR distributed in September, come from the Colorado Association of REALTORS® Housing Opportunity Foundation (CARHOF). Money for CARHOF comes from financial contributions by REALTORS® and those in real estate-related industries.
CARHOF continues to be one of Colorado’s most reliable affordable housing resources. Since 1990, this nonprofit foundation has helped thousands of Colorado residents with their housing needs. To date, CARHOF has given more than $6.5 million in grants to nonprofit housing.
AAR asked CARHOF for funds to assist four local entities that offer a variety of services to needy families and individuals in our community.
City of Aurora Home Ownership Assistance Program (HOAP)
Award: $3,572
Established in 1985, HOAP is a HUD-approved housing counseling agency that provides down payment and closing cost assistance; comprehensive no cost counseling in foreclosure prevention, reverse equity mortgages (for the elderly) and pre-foreclosure sales; and tenant/landlord information. It is also an extensive referral resource.
HOAP counseled 1,390 pre-purchase clients from 2003 through May 2008. The program not only directly affects the lives of countless families but also has affected the financial well being of many local and metro businesses. For example, as a result of HOAP programs, 1,002 commissions were earned by REALTORS®, 501 loans were made by lenders, 501 appraisals were made, 501 inspections were done, 501 title transactions were involved and 501 insurance policies were sold by insurance agencies.
The Aurora Interchurch Task Force, Inc.
Award: $2,382
AITF is a volunteer agency whose sole aim is to provide substantive emergency assistance. In 2007, AITF helped 10,675 Aurora residents. The Task Force provided emergency housing, rental and utility assistance; it helped families with transportation; and it provided prescriptions and other needed medications to Aurora residents.
Last year, AITF provided over $41,600 to 716 people for emergency housing and rental assistance. The group helped 721 people with a total of $112,000 to pay utility bills (the group was able to give such a large sum for utilities through a grant from Energy Outreach Colorado). AITF also gave a total of $1,700 to 511 people for transportation assistance.
Also through AITF, more than 5,665 people got food and 2,455 received clothing and household items. AITF gives families enough food for about seven days along with toiletry items including hand and dish soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Approximately 32 percent of AITF’s clients receive some government assistance. Many are looking for work or are disabled and unable to work. Another 43 percent are working part or full time, but still cannot make ends meet. Approximately half of AITF’s client families are led by female heads of households.
Gateway Battered Women’s Services
Award: $2,183
Gateway Battered Women’s Services serves women and children fleeing from domestic violence. This issue remains in the forefront as one of the most pressing problems in our community. In 2007, the City of Aurora and Arapahoe County reported over 3,000 cases of domestic violence in Gateway’s direct service area.
Gateway provides a comprehensive array of programs and services to women and children who are victims of domestic violence. The organizaiton’s programs include a 24-hour crisis line that offers crisis intervention, information and referrals; an emergency shelter and an extended stay program for up to 38 women and children; individual, group and family counseling for resident and non-resident women and children; community development programs with education and training; and a Court Advocacy Program that coordinates with the police, prosecutors, courts, probation and service providers to increase the effectiveness of intervention and treatment of domestic violence incidents.
Rocky Mountain Housing Development Corporation (Rocky Mountain HDC)
Award: $1,786
The mission of Rocky Mountain HDC is to change lives by providing housing and related supportive services that engender a safe environment and teach community skills for families with very low to moderate incomes.
One of Rocky Mountain HDC’s properties, the Arapahoe Green Townhomes, is in unincorporated Arapahoe County near Aurora. It’s a rental property which consists of 60 affordable units, eighteen of which are used for transitional housing for homeless families at 30 percent of the area median income. The remaining 42 units house families with incomes between 40 percent and 60 percent of the area median income.
Because providing families with decent affordable housing is only the first step in building the foundation for stronger families and healthier communities, Rocky Mountain HDC gives all residents at Arapahoe Green access to a Family Services Program which focuses on youth development, family support, and community building. By integrating housing and supportive services, Rocky Mountain HDC is helping families to improve their economic and social well being.
The Aurora Association of REALTORS® CARHOF Committee, chaired by Ralph Papineau, Papineau Team & Associates, thanks all AAR members who contributed to CARHOF through donations and earnest money escrow accounts and through participation in the AAR Golf Tournament. It is through these contributions that the Assoiciation was able to give a total of $9,923 to four organizations helping families in Aurora.
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