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| FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Release
Date: November 04, 1999
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Contact: |
Steve
Rector
Public Affairs Director
208-331-4725
Reed Hollinshead
Media & Public Relations Officer
208-331-4858 |
New Home Buyer Education Program Launched In Boise
Tuesday (Nov. 9)
BOISE – A new statewide home buyer education
program—Finally Home!—is being introduced on Tuesday (Nov.
9) at an 11:00 a.m. reception at Neighborhood Housing Services, 416
South Eighth Street, announced the Idaho Housing and Finance
Association. Speakers at the reception will include Darlene Bramon, a
commissioner with IHFA, Marsha Irvin, executive director of NHS, Mark
Dunham, chair of the Idaho Partners for Home Buyer Education, Inc. and
Lucien Semaha, manager of NHS’s Home Buyer Education Center and
Community Lending Relations.
The Idaho Partners for Home Buyer Education, Inc. (IPHBE)
was created by a group of organizations interested in promoting home
buyer education throughout Idaho. The organization was formed in
response to one of former Governor Batt’s Affordable Housing Task
Force recommendations and led by IHFA. Along with other
housing-related organizations, IHFA developed the statewide home buyer
education program with the aid of regional training partners.
"When home buyers are educated about the process
of purchasing a house, they become more successful home owners,"
said Gerald Hunter, IHFA president and executive director. "This,
in turn, leads to lower default rates and healthier neighborhoods.
It’s a winning situation for everyone involved—home buyers,
lenders and communities."
Qualified industry professionals volunteer their time
as instructors and teach home buyer education to potential or existing
home owners in a traditional classroom setting. Participants are
required to spend six to eight hours in the class to successfully
complete the course. Lenders throughout Idaho are offering various
incentives to potential home buyers for their participation, including
qualifying for down payment assistance, reduced mortgage insurance
premiums and access to special loan programs. Neighborhood Housing
Services offers free monthly home buyer education classes in the Boise
area. Anyone interested in learning more about home ownership classes
should contact Lucien Semaha at 208-343-4065.
The IPHBE will manage implementation and
administration of the program’s four objectives:
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to facilitate wide delivery of its home buying and
home owner educational programs throughout Idaho;
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to target its educational programs to reach
diversified markets, including various socioeconomic
groups—specifically low and moderate-income households and
first-time home buyers; and
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to enhance the lives of citizens throughout Idaho,
as well as the participating communities, by providing better home
buying and home ownership education.
Five other regional training partners offer free home
buyer education throughout Idaho: St. Vincent de Paul in Coeur
d’Alene, Community Action Agency, Inc. in Lewiston, the Greater
Idaho Falls Association of REALTORS®, Inc., Pocatello Neighborhood
Housing Services, and the College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls.
Funding for the education initiative comes from IHFA, the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Bank of America, Fannie
Mae, First Security Bank, N.A. and U.S. Bank.
Membership in IPHBE, Inc. is open to organizations
statewide. For more information on Finally Home! contact
Darlene Joyce at 208-331-4847.
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The
Idaho Housing and Finance Association, a financial services and
housing organization, provides funding for affordable housing in
Idaho communities where they are most needed and when it is
economically feasible. IHFA uses no state funds or state employees
to support its operations. For more information, visit our Web
site at www.ihfa.org.
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