2012 Spring Retreat Information Page now live! 

http://www.fahe.org/2012springretreat

Please join us March 13-14 in beautiful Morehead, KY for FAHE's 2012 Spring Retreat. Hotel information is currently live including special rates. Online registration and agenda information coming soon so please check back!

Interested in Automatic Deduction Payments on your Mortgage?

**Congratulations to A.J. from Knoxville, TN, the most recent winner of the ACH $25.00 Wal-Mart gift card! Don’t miss your opportunity to win a gift card as well. Contact Melinda about signing up for ACH by emailing Melinda@fahe.org or calling her at 1-888-969-1399 ext. 2124. The next drawing will be held in January!**

Annual Meeting Registration Now Live!

The 2011 Annual Meeting is over, but that doesn't mean you can't go on sharing with your peers.  Find materials, presentations, and photos from the event at: www.fahe.org/2011annualmeeting 

National Award Honors Local Leader’s Commitment

The 2010 Cochran/Collings Award, honoring lifetime achievement for outstanding and enduring service, with national impact, for the betterment of housing conditions for the rural poor, recognizes Tom Carew of Morehead, Kentucky. Carew is the Membership Director for the Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises (FAHE). The Housing Assistance Council (HAC) presented the award at their National Rural Housing Conference in early December. 

Tom first came to Appalachia as a college volunteer in Lewis County, KY in early 1971. His first trip was for a week, but Carew returned for a two-year stint as a volunteer with the Glenmary Home Missioners, a Catholic order working in Central Appalachia and the Deep South. Those two years turned into 40. “To be honest I fell in love with Kentucky, the people, the rich culture and the beauty!” said Carew. Throughout his 39-year career dedicated to the provision of affordable housing in the Appalachian region and beyond, Carew has always advocated making change on the national level to improve housing for the rural poor throughout the country.

His work on USDA’s Section 502 Demonstration Program benefits rural families nationwide. The demonstration has proven ways to increase the efficiency of the 502 program, making delivery of affordable financing more effective. “It was a great honor to receive the Cochran/Collings award from the Housing Assistance Council,” said Carew. “My most recent work on the National USDA Packaging Demonstration really recognizes the superb team Jim King has put together here at FAHE. It is this team that has made the Central Appalachian demonstration with USDA very successful, and so far the best performing in the country!”

Outside of his position at FAHE, Carew founded FAHE Member Frontier Housing and served as its Executive Director for 25 years. He serves as a director and advisor to many organizations and agencies including the National Rural Housing Coalition, the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky, the Christian Appalachian Project, and others. Among his other accomplishments in these positions is provision of testimony to Congress on a broad range of rural housing issues. Carew and his family live in Morehead, KY where he is a city councilman.

Visit FAHE's YouTube channel to watch an interview with Tom.

USDA and FAHE Announce $25 Million Partnership in Central Appalachia

Affordable Housing Program Targets Persistent Poverty

Officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have approved a special set aside of $25 million in mortgage funds for low-income homebuyers in Central Appalachia through the Federation of Appalachian Housing Enterprises (FAHE) and its affiliates. Loans originated through this pilot program will feature payment assistance and interest rates as low as 1% to ensure affordable monthly payment. For those who qualify, 100% financing and alternative credit analysis are available.

Known as The 502 Demonstration, these funds will be made available based on USDA’s existing Section 502 Direct Loan program, which received substantial
new funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or Stimulus Bill, passed in February of last year. The Demonstration is the first partnership of its kind nationwide, wherein nonprofit lenders are being given unprecedented
access to fast-track the deployment of federal funds.

The focus of The Demonstration is Central Appalachia and its pockets of persistent poverty. As an association of nonprofit housing providers, FAHE is uniquely positioned to deliver affordable mortgage products in some of the country’s most underserved communities.

Members participating in The Demonstration can find program resources by visiting:  www.fahe.org/502. 

FAHE will administer the funds through its mortgage division, JustChoice Lending, which is certified as a Fair and Safe Lender. Interested homebuyers can find details at: 
www.justchoicelending.com/502.

FAHE Wins NEXT Award for Opportunity Finance

In recognition of outstanding work in community development, FAHE has been named a winner of the 2009 Wachovia NEXT Awards for Opportunity Finance. FAHE will receive a $2.75 million prize, which includes a $2.5 million low-cost loan and a $250,000 unrestricted grant. The Selection Committee chose FAHE for its innovative and bold strategy in eliminating substandard housing conditions prevalent in the Central Appalachian region. 

"Each award recipient has blazed an unlikely trail on solid ground against expectations," said OFN president and CEO Mark Pinsky. "These awards recognize the outstanding achievements and extraordinary future potential of two leading CDFIs. The Wachovia NEXT Awards also spotlight how the entire opportunity finance field benefits our nation's economy through responsible lending, investing, and financial services."

FAHE and the other winners will be honored on the evening of Wednesday, October 28th at the Opportunity Finance Network Annual Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

To learn more about the NEXT Awards at www.nextawards.org.

Controversial 20/20 Piece Features Children of Central Appalachia 

On February 13, ABC's 20/20 aired a harrowing, though somewhat provocative special highlighting the struggles of impoverished children in Central Appalachia. The special was watched by nearly 11 million viewers, the highest rated 20/20 episode in five years. 

"Regardless of your opinion about the piece, it highlighted the kind of stories FAHE and its Members see all too often" said FAHE's President, Jim King. "Hopefully, it will call attention and resources to the disparities that make it difficult for people in our communities to unlock their potential." 

Didn't catch the 20/20 Special "A Hidden America:  Children of the Mountains"?  Check out the streaming video online.