tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80833892561283812982024-03-21T18:25:28.613-07:00The Window On MannaRebuilding Communities and Preserving Diversity Through Affordable HousingManna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-2251060567435831942013-05-22T08:19:00.002-07:002013-05-22T08:19:38.210-07:00
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodarEYLPsgLILozrKQWCbbyoq7j81NMXxRLztix6FvS8WmGwA2Le-2e0zA2ztoxK-5O2NOhXJsGx1FXRR2evZsEqicb2vPq_aUk0yZW1VzBRp-xkGNUnvv7CoGEWG6Pl76FpAASYgIqs/s1600/Blog+Pic+5-22-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodarEYLPsgLILozrKQWCbbyoq7j81NMXxRLztix6FvS8WmGwA2Le-2e0zA2ztoxK-5O2NOhXJsGx1FXRR2evZsEqicb2vPq_aUk0yZW1VzBRp-xkGNUnvv7CoGEWG6Pl76FpAASYgIqs/s1600/Blog+Pic+5-22-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodarEYLPsgLILozrKQWCbbyoq7j81NMXxRLztix6FvS8WmGwA2Le-2e0zA2ztoxK-5O2NOhXJsGx1FXRR2evZsEqicb2vPq_aUk0yZW1VzBRp-xkGNUnvv7CoGEWG6Pl76FpAASYgIqs/s1600/Blog+Pic+5-22-13.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">WAMU commonly known as The American University Radio
recently published an article written by Julie Patel detailing some of the
overarching issues with government subsidies in the District of Columbia. The
article touches on a number of different reoccurring problems in Washington, DC
highlighting some of the glaring affordable housing issues. Manna is one of the
top affordable housing organizations aiming to rebuild neighborhoods and
preserve diversity. A link to the article is posted below. Enjoy!</span><br />
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<a href="http://wamu.org/news/13/05/22/empty_promises_developers_often_dont_deliver">http://wamu.org/news/13/05/22/empty_promises_developers_often_dont_deliver</a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-21129461973700222902013-05-08T07:18:00.001-07:002013-05-08T07:18:48.274-07:00Wealth Divide Update: 20% Downpayment Requirement?<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/S5BvZllI9-U" width="560"></iframe>
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<a href="http://www.urban.org/changing-wealth-americans/video/">The Urban Institute</a> recently published this video creatively depicting the current wealth divide.</div>
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The question at hand among financial
analysts, mortgage industry experts, congress persons, federal banking
advisers and housing non-profits is as follows: <b>Should banks require a
20 percent downpayment for all housing purchasers in order to ensure
the safety of the financial institutions and prevent future financial
crisis? </b><br />
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<a href="http://hatdc.org/?p=1033">Click here to read the complete "Wealth Divide Update: 20% Downpayment Requirement?" article on the HAT DC blog!</a></div>
Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-5956635857915653272013-02-20T14:00:00.001-08:002013-02-20T14:00:26.555-08:00Affordable Housing Revitalization through Home Ownership
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contributions by: Frank Demarais, Sarah Scruggs & Diane Richardson Spaite <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For three decades Manna, Inc. has
effectively, “</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">…helped low and
moderate income persons acquire quality housing, building assets for families
through homeownership, revitalized distressed neighborhoods and in effort to
preserve the racial and ethnic diversity” of the District of Columbia. Mission
success occurs when Manna develops and builds affordable housing, with an
emphasis on homeownership. The non-profit provides free high-quality financial
literacy training/ homebuyer education services and fosters continued,
multi-faceted post-settlement support for owners. Without partnership with
government agencies, sister nonprofits and for-profit companies all of Manna’s
efforts to advocate for public policies and affordable housing resources would
be in vain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJd-1eD7f1Z3olwYeVqdluFwLhktLult7mPt-nhGqDlJBbVGOXD9ZaORylx8ubv7h8LJqtQTEB5voifr5g8IIm4LIqgyYb5W0N5PeHM4efm-2ReIt0Qcvfs3agp-jXJoDtCawi8CiFNk/s1600/Willamena+With+Client.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJd-1eD7f1Z3olwYeVqdluFwLhktLult7mPt-nhGqDlJBbVGOXD9ZaORylx8ubv7h8LJqtQTEB5voifr5g8IIm4LIqgyYb5W0N5PeHM4efm-2ReIt0Qcvfs3agp-jXJoDtCawi8CiFNk/s1600/Willamena+With+Client.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Manna,
Inc. assists each potential home owner with a counseling assessment followed
appropriate home buyer education. Counseling and education </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">are structured to inform home buyers of the
fundamentals of qualifying for mortgage lending; choosing appropriate loans;
property purchase options; and successful long-term ownership obligations.
Potential owners are served based on their needs upon the point of contact. The
Home Buyers Club program is recommended for those who need basic information
and longer-term support on credit, income or other elements home purchasing.
Individual assessments are offered for potential owners close to mortgage ready
and interested in property. Manna provides resources for those Manna buyers and
connects other potential owners to appropriate mortgage lenders. In the
last 30 years, the non-profit has developed over 1,000 homes ensuring every
purchaser participated in the home buyer education process. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">When potential owners move from the Home
Buyer’s Club to becoming home owners, Manna offers ongoing advice upon
owner’s request. The Home Buyer Club has an open door policy for all its
meetings. Existing home buyers who have financial difficulty are always
welcome. All Manna Home Buyer Club owners were contacted twice in the last 5
years with reminder list of items to review and a health checkup for the home
owner for money savings options regarding loan, insurance and tax issues. Manna
specifically mailed five year reminders to owners to prepare them for HPAP
payments, beginning 5-years post purchase and DC real estate taxes, abated for
lower income buyers for the 5-year period. Other affordable housing nonprofit
organizations also performs similar outreach, including mailings by the Greater
Washington Urban League affiliated HPAP community-based organizations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">At
the end of 2011, Manna reviewed all home buyers from its 30 year history and
documented a less than 2% foreclosure rate, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the purchasers from 2002 – 2011 had zero foreclosures, in the worst
real estate/ economic recession where even the standard Fannie Mae programs had
foreclosures on over 5% of their originations from 2005-2007.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>This achievement is attributed to Manna,
Inc. requiring all home buyers receive home buyer education; fixed rate, fully
disclosed mortgages and confirming their documented income. </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Manna’s professional services supporting 30
to 50 home owners annually is a part of significant baseline contributing to
the overall health of the market. Through two recent campaigns: 2012 Own
Now and the CityLIFT program, Manna has significantly increased its support of
homebuyer hopefuls. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Over 90% of the Manna home buyers received DC
Government down payment loans as part of their purchase. The predominant
program is the Home Purchasing Assistance Program (known as HPAP) for DC
residents, but also included Employer-Assisted Housing program loans for DC
Government Employees, and the Homestead Preservation Program. Each of
these loan programs <u><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">requires 8 to 10
hours of face to face</span></u> home buyer education, with additional support
in the form of property inspections.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">HPAP supports 250 to 400 new home owners, and
other DC government homeownership programs support others. This is in a
real estate market that totals about 6,200 transactions last year, with about
2,000 under $400,000. These programs provide about 10% of the buyers to
the overall market and about 25% of the buyers to the under $400,000 market
(market data from GCAAR Housing Reports posted on their website).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">HPAP has partnered with over 13,000 DC
residents as they move out of systems of dependency and ongoing subsidy, and
currently generates $2 million in repayment every year. Even through the
housing crisis, HPAP recipients have only a 2% foreclosure rate. HPAP is not
money the District spends, but rather an investment the City makes in homes all
across DC, an investment with infinite return. Homeownership offers a way for
prepared families to build wealth through the equity in their home, helps
reduce crime in neighborhoods, and improves children’s educational performance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The impact is very specific to the
neighborhoods where ownership happens, creating opportunities for longtime
residents to stay in higher cost neighborhoods. Investment in new home owners statistically
gives way to changing the citizen involvement pertaining to safety, school and overall
quality of life in the neighborhood. More significant is the impact on
individual families, providing the only tangible wealth creation and a
financial stabilizing tool for many. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PU7_yX6i37qjYbIpYWbGq53MGR_V89hE7ZGYUxVeDaAobIqYDQv4MU8zmAxjXcnvguCPzG-8RRTIOBifc9tllSEC5F3rigaKKhrvGAIIAQ9adz0ODX6sP_8nuUZ3AkqWcEh96Z16F7k/s1600/IMGP1507-2139688486-O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4PU7_yX6i37qjYbIpYWbGq53MGR_V89hE7ZGYUxVeDaAobIqYDQv4MU8zmAxjXcnvguCPzG-8RRTIOBifc9tllSEC5F3rigaKKhrvGAIIAQ9adz0ODX6sP_8nuUZ3AkqWcEh96Z16F7k/s1600/IMGP1507-2139688486-O.jpg" height="131" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As
part of the one-time CityLIFT program, Manna was granted $7 million by Wells
Fargo to lend as downpayment assistance. Over 1300 people came to the kickoff
event in early October 2012 and 527 of those prequalified for a mortgage and
left with downpayment reservations, while the others were scheduled for
counseling appointments at Manna. Of the 527 with reservations, 198 were DC
residents who made fewer than 80% of the Area Median Income, which, again, is
the income group that HPAP serves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each
week 20 new persons make contact about the LIFT program, which has allocated
all of its funds, and all DC residents are directed to the HPAP program. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Inc. believes firmly access to homeownership provides stable housing expenses
to populations who have most impacted by steadily increased rent costs.
Although home ownership involves costs such as ongoing maintenance and real
estate taxes, the overall cost over time is still well below unpredictable rent
increases. Therefore, families are empowered to plan for their housing expenses
and contribute substantially to the overall health of their neighborhoods and
the District. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-61890152925217188962012-08-01T08:33:00.001-07:002012-08-01T08:33:23.994-07:00Manna Raises Important Questions about Long-term Resale Restrictions<div class="FreeForm" style="margin: 0in 0in 13pt;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Manna gave testimony at a public hearing on July 25 for the DC Department of Housing and Community Development. The hearing was to provide the public an opportunity to respond to the proposed </span><a href="http://dhcd.dc.gov/release/dhcd-releases-drafts-2013-consolidated-annual-action-plan-and-2013-citizen-participation" target="_blank"><span style="color: #000099;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">FY2013 Consolidated Action Plan</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">. This plan will guide the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through most of 2013.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">This post covers the testimonies of homeowners and Manna regarding long-term resale restrictions administered by DHCD. Long-term resale restrictions require buyers to sell to someone else in their income category for 15-30 years and restrict equity access and build-up during that period of time. </span><a href="http://hatdc.org/?page_id=9"><span style="color: #000099;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Click here for more information.</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Manna began by explaining why the entire Manna Board of Directors and staff believe that the long-term resale restrictions implemented by DHCD are unfair and make it difficult to sell units:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Family circumstances—death, marriage, divorce, kids, health problems, job transfers—change over time. Long term and resale requirements by their very nature severely limit equity buildup. The fact is that most affordable units are 1 and 2 bedroom types. If you cannot build equity, you cannot trade up when a life-changing circumstance occurs and you need more space. You are really a glorified renter, and can easily end up losing money. You may have to become a renter again if you need a larger home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Since these life-changing circumstances often cost a lot of money, very restricted asset buildup effectively prevents low-income owners from obtaining home equity lines of credit to handle emergencies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Our experience indicates that low-income prospects are educated about this issue and many refuse to buy units with restrictions. They will accept having a subsidy recaptured, but want to be treated fairly like others. They do have options, e.g. buying from for-profit developers with no restrictions or simply staying where they are currently living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">With little potential for asset building, there is no incentive to maintain the condition of their properties. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande','serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7pt 'Times New Roman';"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Neither DHCD nor any of the advocates on the other side of the issue have been able to produce data that justifies their positions on this issue.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The proponents of the current DHCD-imposed resale restrictions would have you believe that losing an affordable unit is sacrosanct and that making long term restrictions fairer would lead to the decimation of the affordable housing stock. They would have you believe that low-income owners will make quick resales and flip units for a quick profit. They would have you believe that there are ways for low-income families to build <u>substantial</u> equity under the current system. Yet they haven’t produce data supporting these assertions, and Manna’s experience indicates the opposite.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Manna also touched specifically on <a href="http://hatdc.org/?page_id=444"><span style="color: #000099;">the situation of Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) owners who were integrated into market-rate condo buildings</span></a>:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“Many ADU owners are now facing unexpected hurdles. Often unaware of the actual impact that these restrictions would have on them, these homeowners certainly didn’t know that they would become social pariahs in their buildings or that their condo fees would increase by around 75% in just three years of ownership (as opposed to the standard 3-5% annual increase that normally occurs with market rate units). They didn’t realize that when an emergency came up that warranted relocation, they would face an extraordinarily tedious resale process that would require them to do the work of a realtor, a lender, a home inspector, an appraiser, and a housing counselor, as well as vet each potential buyer with DHCD, draft a real estate contract, and ultimately assume the District’s role of preserving affordable units for other low and moderate income families. These homeowners spent months working to purchase their units and after years of making mortgage payments and managing escalating condo fees, real estate taxes, and other expenses, they thought they would be entitled to some reward for their hard work and assumed risk. This hasn’t been the case, and with long-term restrictions in place, will never be.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">ADU owners dealing with long-term resale restrictions and rising condo fees also testified:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sarita - ADU owner in Ward 3<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“My condo fee was originally set at $324 [in 2008]. This spiked to over $500 11 months later. Since that time, the condo fees I am required to pay have only risen further...I am now burdened with a monthly condo fee of $700. Not only does this represent a 116% increase from the original amount but it is also higher than my monthly mortgage payment. While I do recall some discussion regarding potential projects within the building that might require greater condo fees, I was never informed that such drastic increases would be in the works. Why did the City not plan for this? Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the possibility of paying a higher amount for condo fees than for my mortgage payment. I stand assured that if this were to be conveyed to me before settlement, I would never have agreed to [purchase in my building].<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Tanya - ADU owner in Ward 1<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">“I’ve always wanted the opportunity to become a home owner in this area and that opportunity presented itself in 2007 when I purchased my condo... At that time I couldn’t have imagined how much my life would change: taking in an elderly friend, getting married and having a baby... As most at DHCD know, I was not given a free home. I had to qualify with credit and finances in order to even be eligible to purchase this unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I pay the escalating condo fees associated with living here as well as utilities.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Currently I rent a parking space because we were not allowed to purchase parking with the ADUs...What bothers me is that when we face economic difficulty as others do, our homes that we worked hard to pay for can’t work for us as they do for every other homeowner...I’m not asking DHCD to dismiss all requirements, but to instead reconsider the amount of time the restriction is tied to our property and work with owners, the City Council and others to address this situation. Life happens!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not easy to remain the same for 20 years and if you do, something is wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buying your first home should be a stepping stone, not a road block.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-71279537733841438882012-07-30T12:10:00.002-07:002012-07-30T12:10:58.195-07:00Manna Staff address Director Michael Kelly<div class="FreeFormA" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Manna gave testimony at a public hearing on July 25 for the DC Department of Housing and Community Development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hearing was to provide the public an opportunity to respond to the proposed </span><a href="http://dhcd.dc.gov/release/dhcd-releases-drafts-2013-consolidated-annual-action-plan-and-2013-citizen-participation" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica;">FY2013 Consolidated Action Plan</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This plan will guide the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through most of 2013.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is Part 2 in a series of articles on the public hearing and Manna’s involvement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This article covers the testimony of Willamena Samuels, the director of Manna’s Homebuyers Club (HBC) for the past 15 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This year, Manna's Homebuyers Club, which</span> provides homebuyer education and financial literacy training, celebrated its 25th anniversary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Samuels thanked Director Michael Kelly (head of DHCD) for the partial funding for the Homebuyers Club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She noted what the program had accomplished:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“The Homebuyers Club has helped to break the cycle of poverty and allowed families to live the American dream of homeownership through housing counseling and financial literacy education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, it has helped to build confidence in potential owners through peer support, which has enabled them to achieve common and individual goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Often this support has carried them through difficult times as they have become homeowners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a result, the stability and quality of life improves neighborhoods through the hard work of committed, knowledgeable and financially stable new homeowners.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">HBC is a monthly, ongoing, peer support program which consists of single adults, couples and senior citizens with incomes ranging from $10,000 to $70,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The curriculum covers topics such as: working with a budget, establishing good credit and maintaining it, building savings for a down payment, applying for down payment assistance, understanding the home purchase process, and being an asset to your community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Each HBC member participates in a one-on-one counseling session, as well as group counseling workshops which are held in the evening in an interactive seminar setting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Clients who primarily attend group sessions typically receive between upwards of 10 hours of counseling services, depending on the type of service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This includes group sessions and individual counseling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">HBC currently has 253 people enrolled in the Homebuyers Club, 90 of whom joined since the beginning of the year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ms. Samuels noted, “The interest in affordable homeownership and people who are putting in the hard work to get their finances in order is huge and continuing to grow - and homebuyers education works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No matter your income, with the right education, first-time homebuyer resources such as the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), and good fixed-rate mortgages, you can be a successful homeowner.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manna has sold over 1,000 homes in the last 30 years, with only a 2% foreclosure rate and zero foreclosures in the last 8 years. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">To learn more about Manna’s programs for homebuyers, contact 202-832-1845 extension 222.</span></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-57501266198219866992012-07-27T07:57:00.000-07:002012-07-27T07:57:04.655-07:00Improving a Lifeline for Successful First-Time Homebuyers<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Manna and homeowners gave testimony at a public hearing on July 25 for the DC Department of Housing and Community Development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hearing was to provide the public an opportunity to respond to the proposed </span><a href="http://dhcd.dc.gov/release/dhcd-releases-drafts-2013-consolidated-annual-action-plan-and-2013-citizen-participation"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Helvetica;">FY2013 Consolidated Action Plan</span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This plan will guide the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through most of 2013.</span> <div class="FreeFormA" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Manna gave testimonies concerning the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HPAP is DC’s homegrown down-payment assistance program.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has helped 13,500 DC residents purchase their first home. Manna and HPAP recipient’s trumpeted the program’s success, addressed issues, and offered steps for improvement. DHCD is accepting comments until close of business on Monday, July 30, 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can email your comments to </span><a href="mailto:DHCD.EVENTS@DC.GOV"><span style="color: #000099;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">DHCD.EVENTS@DC.GOV</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> with a subject line “Consolidated Plan comments.”</span></div>
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<u><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Manna Testimony</span></u></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">“Though the numbers are lower for fiscal year 2013 [due to federal cuts], we are delighted that 275 first-time homebuyers will be able to access down-payment assistance through the Home Purchase Assistance Program...[HPAP] continues to be one of the most important ingredients in helping low and moderate income DC residents become successful home owners and lifting up neighborhoods. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">As you know, the Washington Post expose by Debbie Cenziper on the use of federal funding through DHCD unjustly disparaged many of the tools used to fund affordable housing in the District. I would like to speak specifically about the article on HPAP, which cited a 1.8% foreclosure rate amongst HPAP recipients as evidence of a ‘Million Dollar Wasteland’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If it is true that fewer than 2 % of the HPAP loans have been lost to foreclosure, the District should be extremely proud of such a low foreclosure rate, especially through the worst years of the housing crisis. FHA and Fannie Mae foreclosures on loans originated in the last 10 years are many times greater than that, and reflect home buyers with higher incomes and greater household assets than the typical HPAP borrower.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We believe this very low loss rate reflects the benefits of the education required to receive HPAP, along with the full documentation underwriting by the Greater Washington Urban League, the low fully disclosed fixed rate payments and the property inspections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HPAP home buyers often have payments lower than comparable rent, and have reasonable payments to income.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">The article and other reports have cited high delinquency rates, which are troubling statistics though consistent with the FHA and Fannie Mae data on increased delinquencies in this recession. We would like to share some suggestions on how to assist these home owners and help the District reduce the delinquencies which affect HPAP cash flow. HPAP only truly loses the District’s money when a foreclosure wipes out the HPAP principal, though the loss of principal cash flow diminishes the pool of funds for current period HPAP lending.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Before we offer suggestions, [let’s hear from] HPAP recipients.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Testimony by Pablo, Ward 1 Homeowner and HPAP recipient</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">“The month before our fifth year anniversary of our HPAP loan, when we were scheduled to begin payments toward the loan, we received notification by e-mail from Amerinational Community Services. We made our first payment on time and immediately scheduled monthly automatic deductions. At the same time, we decided to begin the process to refinance. It wasn't until our agent pulled our credit report that we discovered that Amerinational Community Services had notified the credit agencies six months prior to when we were supposed to begin payments and indicated to them that we were delinquent in our payments, thus negatively affecting our credit score...By then, we were already part of the statistics mentioned in the [Washington Post] article and now I question the accuracy of the HPAP repayment process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the servicer who had it wrong, not me and with a 1.8% foreclosure rate in the HPAP history, I think not the overwhelming majority of those recipients as well.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Testimony by DeLisa, Ward 5 Homeowner and HPAP recipient</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">“I recently started paying back my HPAP loan; I wouldn’t have been able to purchase my home without it. Before I received repayment documentation, I happened to speak with Frank Demarais at Manna. He told me to be on the lookout for a letter from Amerinational Community Services, which is the HPAP loan repayment servicer. When I received the letter, the envelope didn’t mention anything about HPAP, and neither did the enclosed letter or payment coupons. If I hadn’t spoken with Frank, I would have thought it was junk mail. I possibly would have thrown the letter out. I’m lucky; not every HPAP recipient has a Frank.”</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Manna Testimony</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">“In short, Manna believes there are basic things that DHCD can do with the servicer and with current HPAP counseling agencies to lower the default rate:</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">1.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Change the initial letter and payment coupons to clearly demonstrate that these documents are for HPAP repayment. HPAP recipients do not start repayment until year six of being in their home, so it is essential that the documentation is clear.</span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">2.</span><span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">Once an HPAP recipient is marked as delinquent or in default by Amerinational, DHCD should contact the homeowner to alert them to the missed payments and contact the HPAP counseling agency the recipient received counseling from and have the agency follow-up. This procedure offers a way to catch reporting mistakes by Amerinational or to provide needed counseling and budgeting assistance to HPAP recipients.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">HPAP has been and continues to be an extremely successful program and a vital tool for low and moderate income DC residents to build wealth and independence through homeownership. DHCD has the opportunity to make the program even stronger and more efficient.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica;">DHCD is accepting comments until close of business on Monday, July 30, 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can email your comments to </span><a href="mailto:DHCD.EVENTS@DC.GOV"><span style="color: #000099;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">DHCD.EVENTS@DC.GOV</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"> with a subject line “Consolidated Plan comments.”</span></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-68361001396812194322012-07-17T11:49:00.000-07:002012-07-18T07:36:28.531-07:00Taking Away the “Straw” That Builds Lives and Neighborhoods!<br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">On Monday, July 8<sup>th</sup>, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Washington Post</u></b> published a story by Ylan Q. Mui entitled, “</span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/for-black-americans-financial-damage-from-subprime-implosion-is-likely-to-last/2012/07/08/gJQAwNmzWW_story.html"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For Black
Americans, Financial Damage from Subprime Implosion is Likely to Last</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">.” What
the article did not say explicitly, but implied was that a crime was committed
against Mrs. Ida Mae Whitley and her family and that of many thousands of other
minority and lower/modest income borrowers like her by unscrupulous, predatory
lenders, brokers and others on Wall Street who, evidently legally, swindled Ms.
Whitley out of the equity in her home and good credit—her one ticket out
of low income/wealth status. They also are responsible for targeting and wiping
out 50% of black home equity and wealth in this country. All these lending and
real estate predator/crooks need to do is file for bankruptcy, as Ms.
Whitley’s lender did, walk away and start a new company to find new ways
to legally beat more vulnerable people and groups like Ms. Whitley and future
generations out of their money. These crooks names were not even published in
the article! We publish sexual predators’ names, why not financial, real estate
and lending predator’s names living in our midst and preying on the vulnerable?</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Rather, what we do is blame the victims, which is occurring now by
policymakers, pundits, lenders and many in the public. How convenient. And what
is the solution? To punish this income group even more, by making it even
harder, almost impossible, for them to get loans, repair credit and by severely
limiting the equity they can build up on their new homes with very
discriminatory, unjust and predatory resale restrictions that trap them in low
income/low wealth status such as is the case now in DC and promoted by “enlightened” Government
and private policy groups. It’s reminiscent of what Pharaoh did to the
Hebrew slaves in Egypt when he forced them to, “Make bricks without straw,
because they are lazy.” (Exodus 5: 7-8) </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">As of last week, another major mortgage lending bank officially
ended their programs that support community and mortgage lending business for
lower income people and the communities they live in, leaving no major mortgage
lending bank operating any programs for third party originations in low and
moderate income neighborhoods. The banks themselves have not opened mortgage
operations or dedicated staff to these neighborhoods, and shutting down broker
originations shuts down lending. Now what we have are lawsuits that force banks
to pay paltry sums of money in comparison to their earnings and amounts in
reserve, rather than forcing long term, institutional commitment to making good
long term, low interest loans to very qualified, counseled and credit worthy
buyers over years to come as the Community Reinvestment Act was designed to do,
but is being ignored now. The vacuum of lending in lower income areas
asks these markets to recover and build back up without any straw for the
building. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">We and other successful producers of affordable for sale homes
know what works. In 30 years Manna has sold over 1,000 homes to lower income,
very low down payment 1<sup>st</sup> time home buyers in the District of
Columbia with less than a 2% foreclosure rate among them. In the last 8 years,
through the worst recession and foreclosure melt down since the depression,
Manna has a 0% foreclosure rate among our buyers! What works is: 1) Good
Homebuyer training and counseling, 2) Down payment Assistance such as DC’s
highly successful H-PAP program. 3) Good 30 year fixed rate Mortgages and 4)
Accessibility to good ongoing counseling when problems arise. It’s not rocket
science. Now is the best time for lower and modest income people to purchase a
home. Prices and interest rates are at their lowest in many years. In the
District, one can own a home cheaper that renting in most neighborhoods. There
are many qualified, excellently counseled and trained, credit worthy lower
income people eager to move up the economic ladder, improve their
neighborhoods, reverse falling home prices due to foreclosures. They are our
ticket to a better more equitable society. Now is not the time to make it impossible
for them to do so. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Segoe Print"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-<span style="font: 7pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Reverend
Jim Dickerson</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Founder & Chair, Manna
Inc.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-46470924429607913772012-07-02T13:28:00.001-07:002012-07-03T08:00:43.736-07:0014th Annual Manna 5K Fun Run<div class="MsoNormal">
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This year’s Manna 5K Fun Run took place in Anacostia Park on Saturday, April 21st. Over 150 runners and walkers
participated in this year’s event with Kwame Brown, former DC City Council Chairman, serving as the
honorary chair of the event. </div>
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A new element for this year’s event was the Manna 5K
Team Challenge for the participants. Eight teams competed in the areas of Best
Team Time and Most Team competitors. The Bank of America <br />
Team won the Best Team
Time with a cumulative time of 2:41.004 and the BJ’s Wholesale Club Team won<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8083389256128381298" name="_GoBack"></a> the Most Competitors category with 11 team members.</div>
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Congratulations to the top three male runners: John Tracey, Michael McVictor, and
Ibrahim Kamara; and the top three female runners: Martha Katz, Lisa Gold, and Priya
Jayachandran. They received prizes from local organizations. The top
runner in each age category also received prizes. Thank you to all the in kind
donors including: BJ’s Wholesale Club, Costco, St. Mark’s yoga
Center, Unity
Woods Yoga
Center, Safeway, Giant, and Panera
Bread, Capital City Golf School. </div>
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The Manna 5K Fun
Run serves to raise funds for healthy, vibrant and inclusive communities as
well as celebrate springtime in our fair city. All proceeds benefit Manna’s work of
revitalizing neighborhoods and preserving diversity through affordable housing.</div>
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View photos of the 14<sup>th</sup> Annual Manna 5K Fun Run
on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150760843839911.428526.103730084910&type=3" target="_blank">Manna’s Facebook</a>!</div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-64447801144194287532012-07-02T13:00:00.000-07:002012-07-03T08:00:55.408-07:00National NeighborWorks Week 2012<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
<span style="font-size: small;">On June 2nd, Manna partnered with NeighborWorks America for a neighborhood cleanup day in the Ivy City community, a long neglected DC neighborhood. This was part of the National NeighborWorks Week activities where NeighborWorks America partners with </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66SkA6HLB4TVLKKk2nw2-17rCna2Ug1N3L2HX7Qj9nhcqVQUrkuSnlmMOOnO7XE5RSrFSFRyuSeCMJEIdVCAZI3WewNjDOV-0GB8dGel7_m7ZR1gNGLdZ9GeTRyhnz7wAwdrtBJbd6P0/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi66SkA6HLB4TVLKKk2nw2-17rCna2Ug1N3L2HX7Qj9nhcqVQUrkuSnlmMOOnO7XE5RSrFSFRyuSeCMJEIdVCAZI3WewNjDOV-0GB8dGel7_m7ZR1gNGLdZ9GeTRyhnz7wAwdrtBJbd6P0/s320/image.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Volunteers at National NeighborWorks Week </span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">with their member organizations to promote efforts of beautifying the local communities.</span> Representatives from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, and the National Credit Union Administration volunteered their time to pick up trash on the streets, clean up yards and parks, and dig a pipe trench for one of the future locations of the Bexhill Condominium, a new Manna 20-unit condominium project in Ivy City.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">A special thanks to the
Manna and NeighborWorks America staff who coordinated this event<span style="color: red;"> </span>and the volunteers who worked hard to make this day successful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Click here to view more photos of National NeighborWorks Week 2012 on </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150932618749911.440227.103730084910&type=3" target="_blank">Manna's Facebook page</a>!</div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-49172331132790111672012-07-02T01:00:00.000-07:002012-07-03T08:52:00.824-07:00East of the River Homebuyer Education Fair<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The DC Department of Housing and Community Development and
Manna Inc hosted the 1<sup>st</sup> Annual East of the River Homebuyer
Education Fair on Saturday, May 19<sup>th</sup>. The event brought homebuyer
education and resources to residents in Washington
DC especially in Wards 7 and 8.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> Over 100 people attended the East of the River Homebuyer Education Fair at Thurgood Marshall Academy to interact with developers,
lenders, and homebuyer counseling service organizations.<br /> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Exhibitors at the East of the River Homebuyer Education Fair</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><br />A special thanks to all of the exhibitors! In case you
missed the Homebuyer Education Fair, you can get more information on the
exhibitors by clicking on links below:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.bbt.com/bbtdotcom/lending/mortgage/default.page" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">BB&T Mortgage</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.citimortgage.com/Mortgage/Home.do" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Citi Mortgage</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.dchabitat.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">DC Habitat for Humanity</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.gwul.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Greater Washington Urban League</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://housingetc.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Housing Counseling Services</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mannadc.org/template/index.cfm" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Manna</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mannamortgage.org/mortgage/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Manna Mortgage</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.mhcdo.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Marshall Heights Community Development Organization</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://mcwilliamsballard.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">McWilliams Ballard</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.operationhope.org/city-location/lid/3" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Operation Hope</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.pncmortgage.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">PNC Mortgage</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.remn.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Real Estate Mortgage Network</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://uls-dc.org/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">University Legal Services</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.wellsfargo.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">Wells Fargo</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.williamcsmith.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small; text-decoration: none;">William C. Smith & Co</span></a></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-51586945243296236932012-07-02T00:30:00.001-07:002012-07-03T08:58:50.948-07:00Manna's 2012 Volunteers- Thank You!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXGQxg7_cNinHw3zAvCThc-Lm8zKvHRHWPymrOmI8eQcwEgVyd7nh1HDByjcmxUH_zU8W8sm8xo-C5EEc25STaitu3tJbxsez-bruCCUKypbgXa2t0u8NUw7glTrQ8ZH9z2FknHMKB8o/s1600/resized+Lasalle+photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrXGQxg7_cNinHw3zAvCThc-Lm8zKvHRHWPymrOmI8eQcwEgVyd7nh1HDByjcmxUH_zU8W8sm8xo-C5EEc25STaitu3tJbxsez-bruCCUKypbgXa2t0u8NUw7glTrQ8ZH9z2FknHMKB8o/s200/resized+Lasalle+photo.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Volunteers from LaSalle Hotel Properties</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Thank you to all of our volunteer groups in 2012!! The
following groups/organizations have helped at Manna construction sites this
year: American Institute of Architects, American University Service Group,
BB&T, Dartmouth University Service Group, LaSalle Hotel Properties, and
Washington Area Women’s Foundation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/MannaInc/photos" target="_blank">Click here to view photos of some of our 2012 volunteer groups </a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/MannaInc/photos" target="_blank">on Manna’s Facebook page</a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/MannaInc/photos" target="_blank">!</a></span></div>
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</div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-26753262503182787462012-07-02T00:00:00.002-07:002012-07-03T08:56:50.988-07:00Hello's and Good-Bye's<br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Life is full of Hello’s and Good-bye’s. In this case, I get to say “hello” to you,
the friends and supporters of Manna, as the new Director of Corporate Development and Communications. At the same time, we say Good-bye
to Jennifer
McAllister who has served in this position for the past seven years. As Manna's
Director of Development & Communications, I look forward to being a part of the Manna
family and getting to know each of you, our supporters and donors. Without you, there wouldn’t be the bricks and
mortar, the carpenters and craftsman, the advisers and counselors to guide
people in the homebuying process to make the work of Manna happen. You make it possible for Manna to fulfill the
dreams and aspirations of low to moderate-income families
to fulfill the American dream of being homeowners. As our nation celebrates Independence Day, I
join Reverend Jim, and all of us here at Manna, to thank you for making this
measure of financial independence and security available to those who would
otherwise not have it. Please know that
I am here at any time to answer your questions and to help to be a partner with
Manna in this work. My office number is
202-832-1845 x223 and my email is <a href="mailto:bwinston@mannadc.org">bwinston@mannadc.org</a>. I look forward to meeting you, so please do
not hesitate at any time to reach out to me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Happy Independence Day!</span></div>
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" /> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Bill Winston </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">Director
of Corporate Development & Communications</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Click here for more information on the <a href="http://www.mannadc.org/template/page.cfm?id=115" target="_blank"><b>Capstone Fund</b></a>, which pays 3% interest on your investments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/template/page.cfm?id=115"> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 115%;">You can figure Manna in your Will and Estate Planning, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_1697663840"> </a><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/doc/Instructions%20for%20Wills%20and%20Bequests.pdf">click
here for more information on the Legacy Program.</a></span></div>
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<br /></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-59912132612809218792012-03-05T08:54:00.000-08:002012-03-05T08:54:34.613-08:00NeighborWorks America and Manna Celebrate 25 Years of Homebuyers Clubs<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This year marks the 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Manna’s Homebuyers Club (HBC) program. The HBC is a peer support group and homeownership counseling program created in 1986 to prepare low to moderate income homebuyers for homeownership. Manna was the first organization in the country to create such a program. NeighborWorks America, of which Manna is a chartered member, replicated this homebuyers club program in hundreds of its member organizations nationally. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj3HYlPttiOkIOg5CsSJ0udq8dyEqqs0svdPJA0eZnPAt48nc5l5XyP3Mxwg9pVtkt5-5HTB7WdPX7Bre4HAphvBiRUxTOzea5khLudr1z9Uzr20ZTWQ7ZtqVDwCt9bkmatPA8EJXNig/s1600/416785_10150633625334911_103730084910_8975130_12541918_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhj3HYlPttiOkIOg5CsSJ0udq8dyEqqs0svdPJA0eZnPAt48nc5l5XyP3Mxwg9pVtkt5-5HTB7WdPX7Bre4HAphvBiRUxTOzea5khLudr1z9Uzr20ZTWQ7ZtqVDwCt9bkmatPA8EJXNig/s1600/416785_10150633625334911_103730084910_8975130_12541918_a.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">From left to right: Donna Morris, Tia Norde, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">the Honorable Christiane Gigi Hyland, Rev. Jim Dickerson, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Deborah Boatwright, Willamena Samuels,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"> and Valerie Robinson.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Photo Credit: Ron White Photography</span> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">On Thursday, February 23<sup>rd</sup>, 2012 NeighborWorks America and Manna celebrated the 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary of homebuyers clubs at the National Press Club. Speakers included Eileen Fitzgerald, CEO of NeighborWorks America, the Honorable Christiane Gigi Hyland, National Credit Union Administration Board Member, and Deborah Boatwright, Regional Director of NeighborWorks America Northeast Region, who moderated the event. Rev. Jim Dickerson, Founder of Manna, also spoke about how Manna’s HBC has helped hundreds of low to moderate income individuals become homeowners in the District. He introduced three Manna HBC graduates: Donna Morris, Tia Norde, and Valerie Robinson. The women shared their Homebuyers Club experiences and how being a homeowner has positively affected their lives. </span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-4Fm-S46T27ZEyKU8KK1P3ss1rhbe4n85zHogvqsicP3IlDzp22hWh221N9VTU4-NI9Dm4PWfFDN65O2NzvANnByinhNbx02JDNDhrsysTuXDMCxG9L8lyEwc-OuRu03UugEdJfU5eo0/s200/cropped+rvj.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="135" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Left to right: Willamena Samuels, <br />
Rev. Jim Dickerson of Manna,<br />
and DC Councilmember Kwame Brown</span></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">he Washington DC City Council also joined in the HBC 25<sup>th</sup> Anniversary celebrations. On Thursday evening, Councilmember Kwame Brown presented Rev. Jim Dickerson with a proclamation recognizing the impact of Manna’s HBC on homeownership in Washington DC. Councilmembers Kwame Brown and Michael A. Brown both gave remarks about the need affordable housing in the city and for programs such as Manna’s HBC. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/template/page.cfm?id=202" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Click here</a> <span style="color: black;">for complete profiles on Donna Morris, Tia Norde, Valerie Robinson, and several other HBC graduates.</span></span></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Want to give your input about why you think homebuyers clubs are important? Follow Manna on Twitter and use the hashtag #HBC25! </span><a href="http://twitter.com/MannaINC" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Click here to follow Manna on Twitter.</span></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Visit </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/MannaInc" style="color: blue;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Manna’s Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> page to view photos and video of the HBC 25th Anniversary celebrations</span>.</div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-77629912936651002462012-03-05T08:52:00.005-08:002012-03-07T07:50:34.077-08:00Manna's OWN NOW Campaign<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvHQCtZ8ovh2B0hR3Eysc-DaSPW6yq8F575JHped8Ksj2u5dsniFhR5PTQqxRdAFrBUt-uA2tOB85x2-4KnIS65tc715OFl0dgGiJhbyR57btOgn6SpLI7HUHFUKBs1O4d1hXBsYF-HA/s1600/Own+Now+campaign+flyer+-+Generic%28small%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCvHQCtZ8ovh2B0hR3Eysc-DaSPW6yq8F575JHped8Ksj2u5dsniFhR5PTQqxRdAFrBUt-uA2tOB85x2-4KnIS65tc715OFl0dgGiJhbyR57btOgn6SpLI7HUHFUKBs1O4d1hXBsYF-HA/s200/Own+Now+campaign+flyer+-+Generic%28small%29.jpg" width="154" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OWN NOW is the new Manna campaign to promote affordable homeownership opportunities and resources across Washington DC. The goal of the OWN NOW campaign is to inform DC residents that now is the best time to buy a home in 30 years; opportunities exist for people making as low as $13 an hour, interest rates are extremely low, and they can own for cheaper than rent! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">OWN NOW has developed into a major outreach campaign with the help of Manna staff, homeowners and volunteers who are passing out flyers to individuals at metro stops and other public spaces to get the word out. In addition, the OWN NOW campaign staff have made presentations about affordable homeownership to the staff of various organizations and groups across the DC (schools, nonprofits, police, real estate agents, etc.) Since its inception, Manna's OWN NOW campaign has outreached to over 700 individuals and organizations. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">A key message of the campaign is that homeownership is attainable and manageable for prepared low and moderate income people. In the past 30 years, Manna has only a 2% foreclosure rate amongst its buyers, with no foreclosures for those who purchased in the last eight years during height of the housing crisis. This is a result of homebuyers education, low down payments, and fixed rate loans.<br />
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</div></div><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You can get involved too! Contact Sarah Scruggs, Head Organizer, at </span><a href="mailto:sscruggs@mannadc.org">sscruggs@mannadc.org</a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> if you are interested in passing out flyers, or scheduling a presentation for your organization. </span></span>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-31028222046928879402012-03-05T08:50:00.005-08:002012-03-05T12:17:49.884-08:00Manna Welcomes Michael Tierney to Board of Directors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HK8Cv-fhPjNbibulg2QrlqT0j0ILoCkeoxe0KNrIx9KWZp4BOSsnSkbl5Lq0KhHPluiWdh8laT4WS8BemcBPpPuySV55xGio3CxwwjynXsrQwU8Y5gOQ2Alw6WgqD_RzBz5_87Na8VA/s1600/resized-Mike-Tierney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7HK8Cv-fhPjNbibulg2QrlqT0j0ILoCkeoxe0KNrIx9KWZp4BOSsnSkbl5Lq0KhHPluiWdh8laT4WS8BemcBPpPuySV55xGio3CxwwjynXsrQwU8Y5gOQ2Alw6WgqD_RzBz5_87Na8VA/s200/resized-Mike-Tierney.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">As the New Year began, Manna said goodbye to board member and Manna homeowner, Sherry Persaud, and welcomed Michael Tierney. Michael retired in September 2011 as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Office of Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Currently, he serves on the board of Hope and a Home, Inc., Center for Community Progress, and LISC New Markets Support Corporation. </span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/template/page.cfm?id=112" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Click here</a> <span style="color: black;">to view the complete profiles of Manna’s Board of Directors.</span></span></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-58904219174098438442012-03-05T08:50:00.004-08:002012-03-05T08:57:21.896-08:00Mark Your Calendars for the 2012 Manna 5K Fun Run!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjeayyet7IbAZom_XGbo_xG4X5iOklkAQfcMTwrex0xIOZNGjN7JGPxS36b2-Q2wTBiqoXzS7j4MOm34xtKhNPEnwY3fQVMrEKV0HRzr4_o0KGmhfMFIX-VnLGVezXvwp338EZ2dz2bY/s1600/resized+BJs+group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvjeayyet7IbAZom_XGbo_xG4X5iOklkAQfcMTwrex0xIOZNGjN7JGPxS36b2-Q2wTBiqoXzS7j4MOm34xtKhNPEnwY3fQVMrEKV0HRzr4_o0KGmhfMFIX-VnLGVezXvwp338EZ2dz2bY/s200/resized+BJs+group.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The 14<sup>th</sup> Annual Manna 5K Fun Run/Walk will take place on April 21, 2012. This year, we will be holding the Fun Run in a new location: Anacostia Park! Metro and Parking directions are available on the Fun Run website!</div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are also introducing the Manna Team Challenge this year! Teams with a minimum of 5 members can compete for prizes and the registration fee will be discounted to $25 for team members. For more information on the Manna Team Challenge, <a href="http://www.mannadc.org/detail/event.cfm?event_id=64&id=103" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">click here.</a> </div><div style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/detail/event.cfm?event_id=64&id=103" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Click here</a> <span style="color: black;">to register and for more information on the Manna 5K Fun Run/Walk!</span></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i><b>Meet you at the finish line!!</b></i></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-52644596325656380392012-03-05T08:46:00.001-08:002012-03-05T08:58:15.305-08:00The Cardozo Court Sells Out<div style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf4F_n_JpFxCKNSoVFD1dTdqStCZb6JFQGtbkJb375Fgqz7y_4wSecNc0YzvYBxK5_1HcdQ_HNlGOnjce5aqYpsh53cj_IKdldgQX4bgkYIPDcQImdJZWFKArXQ11uGCukM6NHKub1Pk/s1600/low-resolution-photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbf4F_n_JpFxCKNSoVFD1dTdqStCZb6JFQGtbkJb375Fgqz7y_4wSecNc0YzvYBxK5_1HcdQ_HNlGOnjce5aqYpsh53cj_IKdldgQX4bgkYIPDcQImdJZWFKArXQ11uGCukM6NHKub1Pk/s200/low-resolution-photo.jpg" width="198" /></a></div>In June 2011, Manna celebrated the grand opening of the Cardozo Court Condominium, and within less than a year, all 15 units have gone to settlement. The Cardozo Court, a new 15 unit condominium Manna project, was built in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of DC. Since the recent retail development in Columbia Heights, the prices for homes in this neighborhood has increased significantly, making it hard for lower income homebuyers to purchase in this community. Manna’s development of Cardozo Court presented low to moderate income families an affordable homeownership option in an increasingly expensive DC neighborhood. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Visit <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.276675434910.141944.103730084910&type=3" style="color: blue;" target="_blank">Manna's Facebook albums</a> to view Cardozo Court as it evolved from the ground up! </div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-19933689140968178472011-12-19T13:06:00.000-08:002011-12-19T13:06:50.454-08:00The 2nd Annual American Dream Award Awardees<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Congratulations to this year’s recipients of the Annual Manna American Dream Awards (the AMDEEs)! The following recipients were honored by Manna for their commitment, dedication, and work in the affordable housing community in Washington, DC:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><a href="http://cms.mannadc.org/doc/Marion%20Barry.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><strong>Councilmember Marion Barry, Jr</strong></span></a><strong>.,</strong> <span style="color: black;">Council of the District of Columbia; </span></span></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://cms.mannadc.org/doc/Maudine%20Cooper.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Maudine R. Cooper</span></a></b>, Greater Washington Urban League; </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://cms.mannadc.org/doc/Chris%20Smith.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Chris Smith</span></a></b>, William C. Smith & Co.; </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://cms.mannadc.org/doc/Blake%20Biles.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Blake Biles,</span></a></b> Arnold & Porter; </span><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://cms.mannadc.org/doc/Stan%20Jackson.pdf" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Stanley Jackson</span></a></b> Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (retired).</span><br />
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<a href="http://cms.mannadc.org/template/page.cfm?id=194" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Click here to view the complete profiles of the 16th Annual Friends of Manna AMDEE Awardees.</span></a></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-54099287685290402422011-12-16T14:24:00.000-08:002011-12-16T14:24:22.526-08:0016th Annual Friends of Manna Silent Auction and Reception<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On October 13, 2011, Manna celebrated the 16<sup>th</sup> Annual Friends of Manna Silent Auction and Reception at the Carnegie Institution. The Manna American Dream Award presentation was the highlight of the evening’s events; this is <span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span>the second year Manna has awarded individuals who have significantly contributed to the affordable housing community. This year’s silent auction items also added an exciting element to the evening. Guests were able to bid on terrific items such as two round trip JetBlue tickets, Moët Hennessy Gift Sets, tours of the National Zoo, DC Aquarium, and local vineyards. The evening concluded with a presentation from Wells Fargo of a $20,000 check to Manna in support of the work Manna does in the affordable housing community in Washington, DC. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUuF4mkj0CHWrPk5ZedYABTFd03JkQPKZihww0aLYFr-TjOkw4aSSF2Bnae2AxoGpGK1YRz_MggkJ-J84YS5urLgRT9At8sOKJoLGGP6X0ZlW_ZnVjXMzWxagc5af2E4ElAxOh7oqquY/s1600/FOM2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOUuF4mkj0CHWrPk5ZedYABTFd03JkQPKZihww0aLYFr-TjOkw4aSSF2Bnae2AxoGpGK1YRz_MggkJ-J84YS5urLgRT9At8sOKJoLGGP6X0ZlW_ZnVjXMzWxagc5af2E4ElAxOh7oqquY/s200/FOM2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Manna would like to give a special thanks to Mike Golden, Regional President of Greater Washington DC Wells Fargo, who served as the Honorary Chair, the auction committee, event volunteers, Manna staff and all of the guests for making this Friends of Manna event successful.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150356461864911.368792.103730084910&type=3" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Check out Manna’s Facebook page to view photos of this year’s Friends of Manna Silent Auction and Reception.</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-16787731589962354502011-12-16T11:36:00.001-08:002011-12-16T13:43:20.542-08:00Support Manna through RECOUP!<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Several months ago, we asked for your help to make Manna the featured organization on Deals for Deeds, an online deal site where a portion of the sale goes to a selected non-profit. Thanks to you, Manna was able to raise over $600 to help support Manna Mortgage's mortgage counseling efforts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Now, Deals for Deeds has merged with RECOUP. RECOUP has a similar business model to Deals for Deeds, except that you can select the cause you would like to donate to with each purchase.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Simply go <a href="http://www.recoup.com/org/manna">http://www.recoup.com/org/manna</a> and start shopping!</span>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-35692533863697848972011-12-14T14:30:00.001-08:002011-12-16T13:43:20.544-08:00Manna Forms New Partnership with John Marshall Bank<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWlXErvli9A2WkwcXovVORFlCbr8zqovH5MLh15tZodxeCPfB_HHpyfGy3_XMj7EyT6u0C48C5u88QEH4p5Lyus3c7myKqAifiCOyjEjgq-TJGkK8U7HzniX1Jcs57Ddl1dVi0LKWafw/s1600/IMG_8759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" height="150" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWlXErvli9A2WkwcXovVORFlCbr8zqovH5MLh15tZodxeCPfB_HHpyfGy3_XMj7EyT6u0C48C5u88QEH4p5Lyus3c7myKqAifiCOyjEjgq-TJGkK8U7HzniX1Jcs57Ddl1dVi0LKWafw/s200/IMG_8759.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Manna President & CEO, George Rothman with </span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;">John Marshall Bank Regional President, Ed Harrington</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Without good partners, Manna would not be where it is today. Manna is excited to embark on a new partnership with John Marshall Bank. The Bank is providing construction financing for Manna's 7th Street NE single family property. This market rate unit in one of the city's most popular neighborhoods will help provide funds to support Manna's affordable homeownership properties and programs. Additionally, the bank has provided Manna with a grant of $2,500 to support Manna's programs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“John Marshall Bank is very focused on making a positive difference in our local community." says Regional President Ed Harrington, "We are delighted to assist the good works of Manna and other local charitable groups during these economically challenging times.”</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Formed in 2006, John Marshall Bank is the area's newest community bank with locations in the District, Maryland and Virginia. You can visit them online at </span><a href="http://www.johnmarshallbank.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">http://www.johnmarshallbank.com/</span></a></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-65084296599454067502011-12-12T11:11:00.001-08:002011-12-16T13:43:20.554-08:00Manna Welcomes New Board Members<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This September, Manna welcomed three new members to its Board of Directors: Nathan Smith, Robert Cooke, and Eugene Griffin . <span class="apple-style-span">The new members were chosen to be a part of the Board of Directors because of their strong commitment to Manna and passion for the work that we do.</span></span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/detail/person.cfm?person_id=90" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nathan Smith</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">, a member of Manna’s Homebuyers Club and Housing Advocacy Team.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/detail/person.cfm?person_id=91" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Robert Cooke,</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> a new homeowner at the Willowbrook Condominium, and graduate of Manna's Homebuyers Club.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/detail/person.cfm?person_id=89" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eugene Griffin,</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> a returning board member, is a homeowner at the Oakdale Condominium and graduate of Manna's Homebuyers Club.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.mannadc.org/template/page.cfm?id=112" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">View the complete list of Manna’s Board of Directors by clicking here.</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-16633366746855170722011-11-09T08:30:00.000-08:002011-11-09T08:30:48.983-08:00Homeowner Profile: Gwendolyn Mathis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-b_rMj-JR-FbRMz5WveEBkaSCAzuyeVOL0PXlhc051iHRiCzxyO4mkyYfe8S7KSVvyaQjOQDuJk58pn85gJwFZaajl4dnxIIfA5Pl8ccvaJG3GAjQ4F203-hBUSNYQFCi7weVrFkc0LQ/s1600/Sept+08+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-b_rMj-JR-FbRMz5WveEBkaSCAzuyeVOL0PXlhc051iHRiCzxyO4mkyYfe8S7KSVvyaQjOQDuJk58pn85gJwFZaajl4dnxIIfA5Pl8ccvaJG3GAjQ4F203-hBUSNYQFCi7weVrFkc0LQ/s200/Sept+08+025.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">Gwendolyn Mathis was born and raised in Washington D.C. and wanted to become a homeowner in the city she called home. Her first step for making this dream a reality was becoming a member of Manna’s Homebuyers Club in 1990. During her time in Manna’s Homebuyers Club, her journey became filled with many obstacles, difficulties and delays that would have caused most to give up and quit. Her generosity and care for others was one of the big reasons her dream of homeownership got delayed for so many years. Others simply came first for Gwen. In addition, she lost her job at one point, thus losing the financial means to purchase. She worked hard to find another job, eventually succeeded, and got back on track with her homeownership goal. Soon after, she qualified for and signed a sales contract for a new condominium at Madeline Gardens in Northeast D.C. Before she could go to settlement, there was a delay in construction that was beyond Manna’s control. Then in April of 2007, she suffered a serious stroke that left her disabled and unable to work. Gwen never gave up on her of homeownership, and Manna never gave up on helping her accomplishing that dream. During the next year, she made an amazing recovery from her stroke, and the delays in construction had been resolved. After overcoming many hurdles in her life, Gwen became a homeowner at the Madeline Gardens Condominium in September 2008. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://give2max.razoo.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavIkWLgoaAdVVBe0YL_3LvE2JYLNswsC_F5W4O4mpoBjBGdz6vvEdODYc7uiKItoPCL8u6B33p86vA8R37j8DOkEbyMKtbfGRqBacORJOxu1eXRRTBaOCOMbhv5D8uMkrtQx4ao9Q-UU/s1600/Give+to+the+Maxmini.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal">Today is Give to the Max Day!! Make your good deed of the day a donation to Manna, Inc. <a href="http://give2max.razoo.com/story/Mannadc"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Donate to Manna here!! </span></a></div><br />
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</div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-85397912055878006282011-11-08T11:36:00.000-08:002011-11-08T11:37:49.125-08:00Homeowner Profile: Mian Shafi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As a tenant on Mt. Pleasant Street, NW, Mian Shafi enjoyed all of the amenities the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood had to offer; he worked, lived, and played in this community. In 2002, he traveled to his homeland of Pakistan to care for his mother who had a stroke and his brother who suffered a heart attack. He had made plans to stay in Pakistan for two months to care for his family, however, less than two weeks into his trip, he received devastating news. The apartment building where he lived in Mt. Pleasant had been destroyed in a fire. Mian left his ailing family and returned to the U.S. to retrieve whatever belongings he could find in the charred building. With no place to call home, Mian bounced around from one friend’s house to another for more than a year. After the fire, the Mt. Pleasant building, where Mian previously lived, was donated to Manna by the owners. Manna successfully completed rehabilitation of the building, and christened it: the Atonatl Condominium. Manna worked with the former tenants of the Atonatl Condominium to help them become homeowners, including Mian, who joined the Homebuyers Club in 2003. After three years in the program, Mian was ready to become a homeowner in the Atonatl Condominium. Through all the hardships he has faced, Mian has always carried a positive attitude. “There were so many people at Manna who helped me become a homeowner, I had no reason to be upset.”- Mian Shafi, homeowner at the Atonatl Condominium. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwAjo1DJmEjfFrbYKMJBYOLpOpsnuuqqvgCulLRRQu4OzXgqryY_Lso0z0rOPsNonH9RIGvdz2lbMBiOXAeQjhRYNPn5npND3npleT_a_kDXK7dZ_IOFczI0SrtLtcV08bBPLLK2H4Mw/s1600/Shafi+and+Gloria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzwAjo1DJmEjfFrbYKMJBYOLpOpsnuuqqvgCulLRRQu4OzXgqryY_Lso0z0rOPsNonH9RIGvdz2lbMBiOXAeQjhRYNPn5npND3npleT_a_kDXK7dZ_IOFczI0SrtLtcV08bBPLLK2H4Mw/s1600/Shafi+and+Gloria.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://give2max.razoo.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavIkWLgoaAdVVBe0YL_3LvE2JYLNswsC_F5W4O4mpoBjBGdz6vvEdODYc7uiKItoPCL8u6B33p86vA8R37j8DOkEbyMKtbfGRqBacORJOxu1eXRRTBaOCOMbhv5D8uMkrtQx4ao9Q-UU/s1600/Give+to+the+Maxmini.jpg" /></a>Only <b><u>ONE</u></b> more day until Give to the Max Day!! Help us help people like Mian Shafi become a homeowner.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> Donate to Manna on November 9th!!</span></div>Manna, Inc.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17355768246626256190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8083389256128381298.post-51734261917234341672011-11-07T08:53:00.000-08:002011-11-07T08:56:39.135-08:00Syphax Village and the Southwest Renaissance<h3 style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Syphax Village and the Southwest Renaissance</span></span></h3><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxNEgEWOb_EGHYejgq_5fTu_rLk-usvHcD1DgZaM7cIzPBmCHPpEsHP55RtT7j-1ETg3whTQqSCnwzMJwpRhS2pPpHT9XBT9DtFt6Tg3Ujhl_TGGcap8ro5PTi1EmBXJoao421rqXkic/s1600/P9100056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHxNEgEWOb_EGHYejgq_5fTu_rLk-usvHcD1DgZaM7cIzPBmCHPpEsHP55RtT7j-1ETg3whTQqSCnwzMJwpRhS2pPpHT9XBT9DtFt6Tg3Ujhl_TGGcap8ro5PTi1EmBXJoao421rqXkic/s200/P9100056.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The William Syphax School before renovation</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just twelve years ago, the historic William Syphax School located at 1360 Half Street, SW, was a picture of blight. The boarded-up school was regularly used as a location of drug use and the surrounding property a pathway for drug dealers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Weeds and rust had overtaken the school playground and litter was abundant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In short, the old school building which had been abandoned more than a decade earlier, was a major eyesore for everyone in the neighborhood.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Years of neglect and deterioration could not erase the building’s prestigious history, however.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Named after William Syphax, a tireless advocate of equal standards of education and the first African-American to serve on the Board of Trustees of Colored Schools of Washington and Georgetown, the 1901 school building was officially declared a historic landmark in 2003.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyJCvL6V-1ejPFd2n547XUjsaddtR5w8XdTzro2kQl-DvezI_jH1v_d4FcbvB2yr6kEb4lBz5o3pEOL6uXK_SS0YmFqE7XQadYBwHaSk9HN5azojikkD-WYtJkW6qWGnhOux3-ufvrDA/s1600/IMG_1041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFyJCvL6V-1ejPFd2n547XUjsaddtR5w8XdTzro2kQl-DvezI_jH1v_d4FcbvB2yr6kEb4lBz5o3pEOL6uXK_SS0YmFqE7XQadYBwHaSk9HN5azojikkD-WYtJkW6qWGnhOux3-ufvrDA/s200/IMG_1041.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Wm. Syphax School after</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When Manna acquired the site from DC Public Schools in 1999 the community plan from the start was to preserve the beautiful historic building.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that is exactly what Manna accomplished.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In January of 2005, Manna, its new homeowners, and many friends and supporters celebrated the final completion of “Syphax Village,” a 41-unit mixed-income condominium development made up of twelve loft-style units in the old school building and twenty-nine new affordable single family town homes on the surrounding land. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">One of the best things about the redevelopment of Syphax Village was the overwhelming community support for the project.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manna was asked by the local community organizations to redevelop the site met numerous times with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly and other local residents to develop a plan for the revitalization of the school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manna’s largest construction project to date, Syphax Village represents everything good about community development.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was accomplished with a mix of private and public partners and incredible community support, its large scale has already made a major impact on the neighborhood, and it combines very-low and market rate units into a single condominium development.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was not the last time that this community was to see a major change in its neighborhood. In 2004, Major League Baseball announced that the Montreal Expos would relocate to Washington DC and become the Washington Nationals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many sites were considered, but the booming Southwest Waterfront area was chosen as the site for the new stadium. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By 2008, the stadium had been finished, and ready for its public debut. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0lezGlzpg22Hle_3f6hsOl3MD7ZJVXQwGupKgd2hAigXy0OaY7m7xq2fmV2yTLvF1u9Zj_DavhX8l04oH9cx3mF0ydsDKl2APo8NcHynKxaAUdJfv3AbIzeFdnJjkeMw_aaqWfMGWt4/s1600/IMG_1054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF0lezGlzpg22Hle_3f6hsOl3MD7ZJVXQwGupKgd2hAigXy0OaY7m7xq2fmV2yTLvF1u9Zj_DavhX8l04oH9cx3mF0ydsDKl2APo8NcHynKxaAUdJfv3AbIzeFdnJjkeMw_aaqWfMGWt4/s200/IMG_1054.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The Townhomes at Syphax Village</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Located just steps from Syphax Village, the new Washington Nationals stadium have brought more to this community than just baseball. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The neighborhood is now a prime destination for new commercial developments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With more housing and restaurants being built in the area, the Southwest Waterfront community will experience a renaissance unlike it has ever done before. </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Locals can hear the fireworks of the ongoing Nationals games in the spring and summer, and sit conveniently to summer time events that happen in the area. The best part of the stadium moving into the neighborhood is something that the residents cannot see. The property values of the homes of the Syphax village residents have increased. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For most, that is the best advantage of the Nationals stadium being built.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK5;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Every time they score a homerun in Nationals Stadium they set off fireworks; before you might have thought it was gun shots, but since the stadium was built everyone knows it is noise of celebration.” – <personname w:st="on">Eve Werbicki</personname>. </span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://give2max.razoo.com/" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ida="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjavIkWLgoaAdVVBe0YL_3LvE2JYLNswsC_F5W4O4mpoBjBGdz6vvEdODYc7uiKItoPCL8u6B33p86vA8R37j8DOkEbyMKtbfGRqBacORJOxu1eXRRTBaOCOMbhv5D8uMkrtQx4ao9Q-UU/s1600/Give+to+the+Maxmini.jpg" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Manna helps people become homeowners everyday- now it's your turn to help Manna! </span><a href="http://give2max.razoo.com/story/Mannadc"><span style="color: blue;">Click here to help us reach our goal of $2,000 by donating on Give to the Max Day, November 9th</span></a></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
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