Phase 1: A Brush With Kindness: Critical Home Repairs/Disability Modifications

Sponsored by the Southern California Gas Company in partnership with KHTS AM 1220
Contributors:  Home Depot Foundation, Daily News, The Magazine of Santa Clarita

A Brush with Kindness brings together donated materials, volunteers, and resources in times of emergency, disaster or special circumstances.  Here, we focus on those veterans who are homeowners or renters and who are trying to provide a decent place to live for their families or reintegrate into family life in their own homes—and in Santa Clarita, their own home town.

Emphasis is on disabled veterans, working families and those veterans using their veterans’ benefits to attend College of the Canyons’ educational program.  Veteran families also qualify, based on their need for our services, in order to remain as homeowners and/or be self-sufficient in their environment and pursuit of a productive and comfortable civilian life.  Low and low moderate income veteran families requiring home repairs will qualify as will those requiring home modifications.  The selection process includes income verification, background checks, and a home visit.  Home visits include objective criteria on the relative risk of living in the home the way it currently is, from maintenance and repair issues, environmental factors and need for modifications as well as issues of dignity.  Veterans must have good references (including honorable discharge).

Sponsored by KHTS Radio

The program is designed to leverage existing funds through the addition of in-kin ddonations of materials, sweat equity and volunteer builders, and Habitat for Humanity construction methods. Traditionally, the Brush with Kindness program has a scope of work that includes exterior painting, landscaping and minor repairs on homes of low-income homeowners.  In the case of the “SCV Habitat for Heroes” initiative, we use this program to provide external repairs, inside painting, home modifications (such as ramps, grab bars, etc.), and moderate repairs where necessary depending on funding.

PHASE 2: Neighborhood Revitalization
(revitalizing foreclosed homes and the surrounding properties)

The City of Santa Clarita

In this phase, partners will be sought as key financial sponsors.  Building on cases in other states in which banks have donated foreclosed homes to nonprofits, we will seek contributors to this program interested in leveraging their resources for the maximum benefit of the community.  Should such contributions not be forthcoming, resources will be sought through Veterans Administration programs and community contributors to make this mutually beneficial program for the City of Santa Clarita and veteran families possible.

Focusing on clusters of REO properties in redevelopment areas selected by the City of Santa Clarita, we will strive to renovate REO homes for veteran families to purchase under the Habitat model and will link these homes in a neighborhood revitalization effort that will assist the entire community through additional Brush with Kindness efforts at blighted properties.

Habitat self-sufficiency training will be offered to the veteran families in each cluster, those families qualifying for a Brush with Kindness linking the veteran families into a neighborhood cluster, and those neighbors interested in the programs and services within the defined boundaries of the project.

• Veteran families in need of permanent housing who are struggling working class, low income to low middle, 50-80% of the average income of the region. Transitional self-sufficiency service and training at or below 120% of average median income.
• They will qualify based on an extensive nationally proven selection process that includes a home visit and credit check.
• Home visits include objective criteria on the relative risk of staying at home, from landlord maintenance and repair issues, environmental factors and overcrowding.
• They must have good references (including honorable discharge)
• As a family they must contribute a minimum of 350 (200 if single or single head of household) hours in “sweat equity” working to construct their house or others, helping to provide for our volunteer’s needs, taking required coursework and more.
• They must agree to pay a mortgage at zero (0) interest for up to 30 years.
• They must also agree to “Resale Restrictions” that limit their ability to sell their home for the first 10 years to low-income working families who also qualify for Habitat housing and to sell the home at affordable housing prices. This ensures that the mission of the home is maintained for a minimum of 10 years-providing safe and stable housing for generations to come.
• They must take a certified Home-buyers Training Class.

PHASE 3: Enriched Neighborhood

Enriched Neighborhoods Program

Unique in the world of Habitat for Humanity, the Habitat Enriched Neighborhoods go far beyond previous affordable home ownership projects. As will be provided in all veteran efforts, life skills are provided to families that enable them to become self-sufficient. The Enriched Neighborhood model brings social and educational services into the neighborhood, and in the case of new construction, this can be improved with open areas for safe play, community gardens for obtaining inexpensive fresh fruits and vegetables, and more. Our commitment to community sustainability is strong. Our home designs are green. Habitat believes in extending a hand-up, not a hand-out. Through building homes with the help of volunteers (keeping the price low) and by holding the interest free loan – families are able to buy a home for less than what they would pay in rent. In addition families commit sweat equity to the building of their homes.

• Veteran families in need of permanent housing who are struggling working class, low income to low middle, 50-80% of the average income of the region. Transitional self-sufficiency service and training at or below 120% of average median income.
• They will qualify based on an extensive nationally proven selection process that includes a home visit and credit check.
• Home visits include objective criteria on the relative risk of staying at home, from landlord maintenance and repair issues, environmental factors and overcrowding.
• They must have good references (including honorable discharge)
• As a family they must contribute a minimum of 350 (200 if single or single head of household) hours in “sweat equity” working to construct their house or others, helping to provide for our volunteer’s needs, taking required coursework and more.
• They must agree to pay a mortgage at zero (0) interest for up to 30 years.
• They must also agree to “Resale Restrictions” that limit their ability to sell their home for the first 10 years to low-income working families who also qualify for Habitat housing and to sell the home at affordable housing prices. This ensures that the mission of the home is maintained for a minimum of 10 years-providing safe and stable housing for generations to come.
• They must take a certified Home-buyers Training Class.