The Ringers’ new home is part of $1.3 million , 24-home project to revitalize the Borden Street Corridor in South Cuminsville. While the neighborhood has a 54% homeownership rate, with homeownership rates as high as 78% on some streets, the Borden Street Corridor is plagued by 13 vacant homes. “We are thrilled to work with Working In Neighborhoods to bring our community up,” said Marilyn Evans, South Cumminsville Community Council President.
Working In Neighborhoods is working on the Borden Corridor Revitalization Project over the next five years to bring new homeowners to the community. The project includes renovating or building 24 homes, and educating at least 75 families about purchasing a home. The homes will have energy-saving features including replacement windows, energy-efficient furnaces, and LEED-recommended insulation.

Funders for the Borden Street Corridor Project are: The Greater Cincinnati Foundation; Duke Energy;  Robert H. Reakirt Foundation, PNC Bank, Trustee; The City of Cincinnati; The SC Ministry Foundation

Funders for the Ringer’s home specifically are: The City of Cincinnati Cooper Electric; The Adrian Dominican Loan Fund

We would like to take this time to thank our Race Sponsors, Scream Teams, Volunteers at WIN’s Hospitality tent, Race Committee and a special thank you to our Race Chairman Steve Grieser. Steve worked tirelessly to organize our participation and with his guidance we believe that it was a great success for us.

WIN has been helping families, free of charge, to save their homes for more than a decade. Our housing counselors are HUD certified. Our counsel-ors help present your case to individuals who can make decisions about your loan, and work as an advocate for you and your mortgage.

My home is already in foreclosure. Can WIN do anything to save it?

YES! WIN has a high success rate at saving peo-ple’s homes. WIN has worked to develop partner-ships with banks, which makes a real difference. We know who to call, what questions to ask, and what forms to fill out. Just because a foreclosure has been filed does not mean you are out of time to save your home.

I am not behind on my mortgage payment yet, but my hours at work have been cut back and I am afraid that I will fall behind soon. Can WIN help me?

YES! The sooner you get help, the easier it is to save your home.

I tried to get a mortgage modification through HAMP last year, but I was told that I was not eligible. Has anything changed?

Recent changes to existing programs like HARP and HAMP have expanded eligibility, allowing more people to participate in these programs and get help. If you have applied in the past and turned down, our housing counselors can help you determine whether you may now qualify for assistance under the new guidelines.

I received a letter from my lender stating that my house will be foreclosed on. What do I do next?

DO NOT ignore any letter from your lender or any third party claiming to represent them. Contact the lender immediately to verify the letter and discuss your options. Then contact us.

Should I stay in my home if I receive a foreclosure notice?

YES! You may not qualify for many assistance programs if you abandon your property.

I’ve been contacted by a company offering to save my home, but how do I know if it’s a scam?

Beware of anyone who makes guarantees that they can save your home from foreclosure, especially for a fee. HUD-certified housing counseling agencies offer foreclosure prevention and mitigation help free of charge. And NEVER sign documents you don’t fully understand.

Can WIN help me deal with the legal aspects of the foreclosure?  

NO! WIN does not have attorneys on staff and our housing counselors are not permitted or qualified to offer legal advice under any circumstances. We can, however, refer you to free or low-cost legal services and resources in the community.

Working In Neighborhoods released our tenth Annual Foreclosure Report at a press conference on Tuesday, April 30th at 10:00 am at WIN’s offices located at 1814 Dreman Avenue in South Cumminsville. The report includes information on Sheriff’s Sales in 2012 in Hamilton County and the cumulative impact of foreclosure on our communities. To read the report, click the link:

A Decade of Foreclosures and the Crisis Continues: A Study of Foreclosures in Hamilton County, Ohio in 2012

In 1978, Sister Barbara Busch and Dave Scharfenberger, working in Northside, became deeply concerned as the residents of low to moderate-income neighborhoods increasingly struggled to improve their communities. High utility bills, the unavailability of loans to move people toward home-ownership, and the need for economic education were major obstacles. In addition their Millcreek Valley neighborhoods were rapidly becoming victims of blight, vacant homes and crime.

S. Barbara, with the support of the Sisters of Charity, convinced Dave to join her in founding a new neighborhood organization that would undertake grassroots organizing to help people solve these problems. S. Barbara and Marilyn Evans (Dave Scharfenberger served as Chairperson of the Board) established an office in a rented classroom in St. Bernard School in Winton Place, now Spring Grove Village. They depended totally on volunteers until 1981 when Sister Judy Martinez joined the staff.

Every corner of that room was used, every square inch had a purpose. Volunteer Sharon Zumwalde remembers copying documents on an old crank-style mimeograph machine and shoveling snow from the track before the annual fund-raising race could take place. Dave recalls writing proposals in the evening at S. Barb’s and S. Judy’s kitchen table while his young children played in the living room. One of the early board members recalls meetings in the school annex, actually a kitchen, planning car washes and bake sales as fund raisers. S. Barbara remembers often repeating that “necessity is the mother of invention” in those days.

In 1992, an unused convent building on the St. Pius Parish property became available and WIN relocated there, reveling in having space for individual offices, tiny as they were. By this time S. Judy was spearheading the Housing Development Program and Dave was
working in community organization. The WIN staff had grown to ten.

It was March 17, 1999, after the St. Pius Church property had become available that the WIN staff took a great leap of faith, working frantically to raise the funds to purchase the buildings. S.Barbara remembers saying to S. Judy “I never thought I’d own two towers!” After several years of renovations, WIN was established in its present offices, where it has expanded its efforts over the past ten years. ‘

WIN presently has 22 staff members and serves a seven county area. Dave Scharfenberger remarked that “WIN has grown more and lasted longer than I ever expected due to the determination and vision of all the people involved.”

Over these 35 years, WIN has seen over $700 million in good quality mortgages invested in its neighborhoods. Utility reform and energy education for over 900 residents annually helps keep people comfortably in their homes. WIN has built or rehabbed over 150 homes and sold them to first-time homeowners. Each year WIN prepares hundreds of families for home ownership and saves hundreds of homes from foreclosure. While celebration plans are still taking shape, you can join your support to WIN’s continuing efforts to “build strong communities across Cincinnati”.

While WIN’s annual race takes a “sabbatical” this year we are excited to announce that WIN will participate in one of Cincinnati’s largest charitable fund raisers, the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon. The marathon and half marathon are on Sunday, May 5, while May 4 features a 10k & a 5k race, a variety of Walks, a kid’s fun run, and several other venues.

Runners supporting WIN receive a discounted registration and several other perks. We will keep you alerted and informed as we move closer to race day.

Read more about the partnership between WIN and the 2013 Flying Pig Marathon here.

Help support WIN’s participation in the Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon by purchasing raffle chances from The Piggest Raffle Ever. Tickets are only $5.00 each and the FIRST PRIZE is a Two Year Lease on a 2013 Toyota Prius; second and third place prizes will be announced soon!! You do not need to be a race participant to purchase a raffle ticket. Race participants running for any area organization are also encouraged to designate their raffle ticket price to WIN. 100% of raffle ticket sales designated to Working In Neighborhoods will come back to WIN, helping build strong communities across Greater Cincinnati.

TO PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS:

1.   Visit www.piggestraffle.com.

2.   Choose Working In Neighborhoods as your charity.

3.   Select the number of pigs to “adopt” (i.e. tickets @ $5 each).

4.   Proceed to check out.

Thanks for your support!

To learn more about WIN’s Partnership with 2013 Flying Pig Marathon, click HERE.

The annual Children’s Christmas party, founded by Marilyn Evans and continued through the efforts of Cozy Evans and Thelma (Miss T.) Edwards complements WIN’s mission of helping families. On the Saturday afternoon before Christmas, over 350 children ages 5-12 and fifteen families from the surrounding neighborhoods gathered with Santa (Volunteer James Freeman) for the 17th year of Christmas crafts, games and food in the WIN Community Room.

Twenty-Live soccer players from La Salle High School helped move boxes of donated toys and set up “Santa’s Toy Shop” where children used a set amount of play money to to “purchase” toys and gifts for their families and friends. These volunteers also filled holiday bags for
the children with fruit, snacks and candy. Cozy remarked that she doesn’t “get tired of organizing the party because the children benefit so much.” The children also experience the joy of being able to “buy” presents for others.

Special thanks to Kathleen Lutz, a WIN Board member for her generous donation of toys and food as well as for serving as the “hotdog chef”. Jean Evens brought her family to volunteer at the party and Sister Barbara Busch helped with organizing the children. Thanks also to Greg Hyland for his donation of juice, to “Toys for Tots” for donated toys and to all the volunteers who made this event such a success. Special thanks also to LaSalle High School and Mr. Schulten’s soccer team for setting up and preparing for the “Toy Shop”.

WIN’s efforts in assisting families to increase financial stability while reshaping neighborhoods is a long-term, continuing process. While pre-purchase programs, described in the Winter Newsletter, are an essential beginning of the journey to home ownership, Pam Hardin-Willis, Manager of WIN’s Home Preservation Department, notes that the “hardest part of being a home buyer is attempting to retain home ownership with its financial, emotional and lifestyle adjustments”. 

Unforeseen circumstances such as illness, divorce and/or unemployment can threaten the American “dream” of home ownership and can turn that “dream” into a nightmare. WIN’s Home Preservation Program can provide help. The Home Preservation Program (HP) provides free counseling through its’ Housing Counseling and Restoring Stability (Save the Dream Ohio) programs. These programs can assist struggling homeowners to review their options to obtain financial assistance to pay their mortgage while they are unemployed or struggling with an involuntary loss of income, can advocate with the lender to determine if their mortgage payments might be lowered through a loan modification or educate them about options to transition out of the property.

WIN’s HUD-certified Housing Counselors assist clients with developing budgeting and money management strategies, and in exploring their options if they are struggling to make mortgage payments. Counselors provide advocacy to the lender while finding a resolution such as a repayment plan or loan modification. While results cannot be guaranteed, a counselor supports the client through the entire process. Since program support comes from HUD, Hamilton County, and the United Way, among others, all services are free for the ducate them about options to transition out of the property.

client. WIN’s focus is on prevention first, and clients are urged to participate in counseling as soon as they anticipate any problems in
making their mortgage payment.

The Restoring Stability (RSS) Program, a mortgage assistance program funded through the U.S. Treasury Department and operated by
the State of Ohio, is locally administrated by WIN. This fund, first designed to help unemployed borrowers, now is also available to those
experiencing an involuntary reduction of income, such as death of a spouse, disability or illness. Clients have been men and women, families, single parents, low to moderate income or professionals who have been in their homes from only a year to as many as 30 years.

One example is that of “Mr. K” who lost his job three years ago. His unemployment compensation has now run out. He owes $17,000 on his home, but only has $17,000 in savings as he liquidated his 401 K in order to be able to pay his bills. Mr. K has been struggling with the possibility of selling his home of more than 20 years or of using all of his savings to pay his mortgage, leaving him with no resources to pay his bills. He looks for work daily, but options are limited. He has been referred to the RSS Program, and WIN is helping Mr. K to work through the application with the goal of having the mortgage balance paid off. This plan will help Mr. K stay in his home, have funds to sustain his household responsibilities and give him time to review and plan for his next steps in a non-emergency fashion with the help of the WIN counseling program.This is “WIN, win”. WIN is committed to helping families increase financial stability and to improving neighborhoods. The post-purchase programs are essential components of our efforts.

WIN’s Continuum of Service

WIN’s Home Preservation Program provides help for struggling homeowners. Read more…

WIN Prepares to Celebrate 35 Years! 

WIN has been nurturing neighborhood leadership to build strong neighborhoods since 1978. Read more…

Children’s Christmas Party

Over 350 children ages 5-12 gather with Santa in WIN’s Community Room for Christmas. Read more…

WIN’S Annual Race Partners with Flying Pig Marathon: May 4 & 5

Read more…

To download the pdf version of the newsletter, click here: Spring 2013 Newsletter

Thanks to the following for their generous support this quarter: Bridges for a Just Community, CDC Association of Greater Cincinnati, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Ohio Housing Finance Agency, Hamilton County, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Greater Cincinnati Northern Kentucky, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, SC Ministry Foundation, George B. Riley Trust Estate, Cincinnati Bell Telephone, American Dream Downpayment Initiative, National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling, PNC Bank, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and Ed Wells.