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UNHP January Financial Fitness and Tax Sign-Up

UNHP hosted a Bronx Financial Fitness Open House on Wednesday, January 18 at the Northwest Bronx Resource Center at Refuge House. Attendees were able to get information about delayed refunds from the IRS, the status of ITINS and other important tax information. Over 30 Bronx residents, many of them UNHP tax clients, booked their tax appointments, met with the UNHP Financial Clinic Coach, and obtained information and assistance with credit, housing, rental subsidies, immigration and banking. Santander Bank and Amalgamated Bank attended and provided information on free and low costs financial products. Laura Cantre, Burnside Avenue Amalgamated Bank Branch Manager, led a brief workshop on basic banking tools, the benefits of direct deposit and immigrant banking rights and opportunities. NYC and NYS agencies were present to assist Bronx residents.

​Attendees were able to sign up for a free tax preparation appointment with UNHP and get on-the spot help to:

Apply/Renew ITINs

Open free banking accounts and Products

Address eviction, landlord harassment, denial of essential services, overcharges or any housing-related issues

Get previous taxes reviewed (if any error is found we can amend your 2015, 2014, & 2013 forms)

Get updates on the refund schedule and EITC credits

Commit to saving a portion of tax refund towards a goal in 2017

Prepare for any immigration changes

Schedule free consultations with reputable immigration attorneys

Get Credit Reports & FICO Scores

Qualify for SNAP, Affordable Healthcare or Reduced Metro Cards

Freeze Rent under NYC’s SCRIE/DRIE

Apply for NYC Housing Lotteries & request applications from Bronx private managers

The above services were provided at the Open House by:

Amalgamated Bank

TD Bank

Santander Bank

The Financial Clinic

NYS Department of Taxation

Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs

NYC Tenants Services Unit

GetCovered NYC

UNHP Northwest Bronx Resource Center

NYC Department of Consumer Affairs

NYC Commission on Human Rights

#NYCFreeTax appointments, info on #SaveYourRefund & Credit reports at UNHP Open House. 30 #Bronx attendees working on  #financialfitness

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UNHP TENANT RESOURCE HOUSING FAIR

At a time of record NYC homelessness, Bronx tenants are feeling the pressure of rising rents and fixed or stagnant incomes. Many need assistance to fight eviction, tenant harassment, and to receive basic housing services like heat and hot water. Others are seeking an apartment or subsidies that would be more affordable for their families. UNHP organized the Bronx Tenant Housing Resource Fair and materials to assist Bronx residents seeking to remain housed, find another apartment or connect to services.

10 organizations providing information on eviction prevention and housing services participated in the UNHP Tenant Housing Resource Fair on November 30th. The Fair was attended by 64 Bronx tenants who joined the workshops and met with representatives from the groups for help.

Two workshops, held in the Concourse House chapel, covered a range of issues facing Bronx tenants. The first workshop was offered by NYC Tenants Services Unit, Home Base and The Legal Aid Society on Tenant Rights and Eviction Prevention Services. The second workshop was led by UNHP and Fordham Bedford Housing Corporation about Finding, Qualifying for and Applying for Affordable Housing.

The Financial Clinic, POTS, NYC Tenant Services Unit and the NWBCCC representatives were among the 10 groups that answered questions and provided help to the attendees at the UNHP Tenants Housing Fair.

UNHP joined the 10 other groups to provide credit scores and appointments for coaching, information and appointments for the NYC Rent Freeze and Housing Connect accounts. 17 people got their credit scores at the Fair, 13 people made follow up coaching appointments, and 16 people signed up for help with SCRIE/DRIE and Housing Connect.

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UNHP Christmas Party! Happy Holidays to all and a huge THANKS to everyone!

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UNHP Fast Track Homebuyer Sessions with Santander Bank - Session 3 - A SUCCESS, INDEED 

Our third and final in this 3 session workshop series remained well-attended and focused on improving your credit score and making a plan for homeownership.

15 attendees obtained credit reports, 7 met with UNHP’s financial coach, 6 people signed up to meet with the homebuyer counselors, 6 people signed up for the 5 session UNHP/Neighborhood Trust Financial Partners Getting Ahead workshop and 1 person submitted an application for the Federal Home Loan Bank First Home Club. 

Attendees were pleased with the information and professionalism of the workshops. A highlight of the event was access to the many private and public programs that can lower closing costs, and subsidize a down payment.

We want to thank all the participants and all of our partners for making the event a success! This Fast Track Series is UNHP’s second homebuyer event this year. UNHP held a Homebuyer Expo in April that was attended by 34 prospective homeowners. The Bronx is interested in homeownership! 

 Go Bronx!

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UNHP Releases its Bronx Owner Guide During Session 2 of UNHP’s Home Buyer Fast Track Series 

On an early October Saturday morning we filled Refuge House with the participants for our second session. UNHP and Santander Bank brought Realtor Joel Rivera from Douglas Elliman, attorney Ryan J. Walsh, and title Agent Carina Tom from 1st Equity Title & Closing Services so that the participants could meet the members of the home buying team. 

The presenters described their specialties and walked the attendees through the homebuyer process. Heather, the Santander Mortgage Specialist, discussed mortgage origination, and how each professional links with one another and with the bank. The presenters discussed the need for independent professionals as part of the homebuying team. 

UNHP shared its BronxOwner Guide with information on the Bronx housing market, the location of ownership opportunities by neighborhood and special programs for low and moderate income first-time homebuyers. The Guide contains a Bronx Property Price Tracker which, while not a substitute for a realtor, is a good starting point to understand the price ranges of Bronx condos, co-ops and homes currently on the market. The Bronx Property Price Tracker lists Bronx properties for sale by type and price range.UNHP’s work on the Guide and the Property Price Tracker was supported by Citi.

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Free 1st Time Homebuyer Fast Track Series 

45 Bronx renters attended the UNHP Fast Track Homebuyer Series held over three separate sessions in October of 2016. 15 individuals attended all three sessions and earned a homebuyer education certificate. There were three sessions in the series; Thursday, October 6th, Saturday, October 15th and Tuesday, October 18th, where the full range of homebuyer information was covered, including buyer readiness, credit scores, down payment assistance, special first-time homebuyer programs, the role of a professional homebuyer team, and credit and homeownership traps.

The Fast Track Series was organized by the UNHP Northwest Bronx Resource Center (NWBRC) in partnership with Santander Bank. UNHP’s financial coach, Alma Rojas, via the Financial Clinic, offered printed credit reports and analysis as well as appointments for free 1:1 financial coaching sessions at the Resource Center. UNHP offers free financial coaching at the Center twice a week by appointment. UNHP also partnered on this series with The Parodneck Foundation, our homebuyer and foreclosure prevention partner at the Northwest Bronx Resource Center. Parodneck Foundation HUD certified homebuyer counselors have worked with over 30 Bronx individuals to provide 1:1 assistance on homeownership in 2016 and with over 70 individuals at UNHP sponsored homebuyer seminars. Noemi Aviles, the Parodneck homebuyer counselor, worked with some of our clients at the event to get them pre-approved for a mortgage, answer questions and provide assistance to the attendees.

For our first session we had a full house at Concourse House. Jumelia Abrahamson, Director of the NWBRC, and Heather Barbosa, the Santander Mortgage Specialist, discussed financing and the basics in home buying and researching for a new home. Noemi Aviles from The Parodneck Foundation was also available to answering questions about home buying. The presentations were so helpful and informative that even the babies were getting involved!

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