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Novato Housing CoaliTion |
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Homes to match our people |
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@ HOME IN NOVATO Novato Housing Coalition Newsletter September 2008 |
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Happily Ever After (a Resident Profile) by Larry Bryson Things were approaching desperation after the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Vicki had been fortunate enough to have her employer, the National Park Service, let her use an apartment at Fort Baker until power was restored at her home. The bad part was that in her absence, while the power was off for several weeks, the sewer had flooded all her living space, and that was undetected for weeks. That was bad. Time and resources were running out when she asked for assistance for food at the Novato Human Needs Center. There the good news was not only that there was food, but that the senior housing at Mackey Terrace was opening in days. The Novato Human Needs Center had an application, helped her fill it out and get it in. Almost homeless, she became one of the first residents at EAH Housing’s new senior living center, Mackey Terrace, and is there today. You may see her around town, as one of her joys is to ‘walk’ her powered wheelchair the few blocks over to the Humane Society and visit with the dogs.
Habitat for Humanity by Charley Wynn The following was reported to me by Jim Murray, of The San Francisco office of Habitat for Humanity which now includes Marin and the West Bay Peninsula: The Marin Eagle Rock project is not yet finally approved. The Strawberry Design Review Commission seems likely to approve the four Habitat homes. However, they may require a reduction in size for the three market rate homes. Murray indicated another public design hearing will be conducted in September, which should be the end of design review. Volunteers will be needed for building the Eagle Rock homes in the Strawberry area.
WAY TO GO !!! by Evelyn Swenson He has a pleasant smile and a wealth of knowledge to help prospective buyers along the path to home ownership. A California native and graduate of UC Santa Barbara, Tim Wong majored in Urban Planning and Environment. When the ad for a Novato Housing Coordinator appeared in 2006, Tim wasted no time He sent his application immediately. He was familiar with Marin County - appreciated its open space and ambience. He had also reached the conclusion that he wanted to work in the field of affordable housing. Tim feels strongly that safe, decent housing is the key to creating stable and caring individuals, families, neighborhoods. Tim now has personal experience in the home purchasing process and will help you find your way. Call him for an appointment at 899-8257. The happy ending for this story is that Tim’s home purchase is close to work and he commutes daily on his bicycle. WAY TO GO TIM
FROM the Chair: by Katie Crecelius The City of Novato is poised to begin its General Plan Update. Novato Housing Coalition (NHC) will be actively involved in the update process. The Council has engaged a General Plan Consultant-DC&E (Design Community and Environment) to take the city through the update process, and the Council is still working on a process for appointing General Plan Steering Committee members. A least one NHC member will apply for a Council appointment to the Steering Committee. Since early 2008 NHC has been on the edge of its chair waiting for planning to begin. The General Plan Update now includes two important additional components of special interest to NHC. Both were discussed at our January Celebration Event. 1. Revision to the Housing Element of the General Plan to be completed by August 2009. 2. A Plan for North Redwood Redevelopment to be one of the first components of the General Plan Update. NHC is also starting to work within a coalition of community groups interested in maximizing affordable housing opportunities in the proposed Commons at Mt. Burdell development at the Fireman’s Fund property. It’s exciting to be collaborating with representatives from Sustainable Novato, the Novato Chamber of Commerce, Greenbelt Alliance, Sierra Club, the Marin Environmental Housing Collaborative, and other groups. We would love to add your energy and enthusiasm to our work with the General Plan Update and/or the Commons at Mt. Burdell. Please call Larry Bryson at 898-7730, if you would like to participate!
Go West? by Marin County Supervisor Judy Arnold Marin County Supervisor I’m sure we all saw the front page story of the July 17 I.J. whose headlines screamed: Novato the mortgage meltdown epicenter of Marin. The article told the story of Novato native Yvonne West, as she packed up her belongings on Novato Boulevard. The 37-year-old teacher said she had no choice but to default on her two-bedroom, two-story Cypress Creek townhouse just two years after she purchased the home and one year after it went back on the market following the breakup of a relationship because she couldn’t make the monthly payments of $3400. Yvonne was ‘scared’ by her realty agent and loan broker into taking interest-only loans with 100% financing. She believes she shouldn’t have been given that loan, but was told it was the only way she could get into Marin. Rents in Marin are still high with 2bd/1bath apartments going for $1500 - $1800. HUD maintains housing costs shouldn’t exceed 30% of gross income. Jobs currently listed in Novato are: Home Health Nurse $1050; Administrative Assistant $1590 Assistant manager Retail $800. You do the math!
Novato Housing Coalition PO Box 1297 Novato, CA 94948 415 898-7730 www.novatohousingcpalition.org info@novatohousingcoalition.org
Novato Housing Coalition is most grateful for its $5,000 grant from the Marin Community Foundation. However, our annual operating expenses are $8-10,000. We depend on our individual donors to help us close the funding gap. Please use the enclosed envelope for your tax-deductible contribution and make your check payable to EAH. Thanks so much! |
