2008 Fall Conference

Session I

Pulling the Purse Strings: Accessing Legislative Funding Streams

Jon Furlong, Grassroots Organizer, HFH-NYC

Most legislators have funding to support initiates in their districts. While states, counties, and municipalities across the country have different funding streams and processes for accessing those funds, the protocol for building relationships remains the same. This session will examine strategies for building strong relationships with elected officials, what kinds of funding are available and how to put your affiliate in the strongest position to receive government allocations.

Refund Anticipation Loans: Alternatives to a 700 percent interest rate and $300 fee for tax return preparation

Paige Bellenbaum, Director of Advocacy, HFH-NYC

Refund Anticipation Loans (or RALs) are short-term, extremely high-interest loans, based on a taxpayer's expected income-tax refund. At first glance, RALs may seem very attractive -- especially to cash-strapped taxpayers -- because they promise to deliver the anticipated tax refund immediately. But what many consumers don't realize is that RALs carry hidden costs, including high fees and interest rates. This session will examine how this predatory lending practice works and what your affiliate can do to provide alternatives for Habitat and community families

How Low Can You Go? The Effects of High Insulation

Mark Pierce, Cornell Cooperative Extension

Super insulation and advanced air sealing can reduce annual heating costs by over 85%. A 2,200 sf home can be heated for under $200 per year in our cold up-state New York climate--and you can do it even with heating fuel oil costing $4.50 per gallon! To learn how, attend presentation.

Top Ten Risky Mistakes All Affiliates Should Avoid

Mike Weston, Risk Prevention, HFHI

This workshop will cover the 10 risky and potentially costly mistakes affiliates should avoid on an ongoing basis. The Risk Prevention and Response Unit (RPRU) works with affiliates to help protect against risk to Habitat's mission.

VISTA Team Meeting

Judith Nelson, AmeriCorps*VISTA Contract Administrator

This workshop will provide an opportunity for all AmeriCorps members serving in NYS Habitat affiliates to meet one another, share learning, and compare experiences. Attendance at this workshop is required by all VISTA members. All AmeriCorps members are welcome and encouraged to attend.

Session II

Holiday Campaign

Arthur Woodward, CEO Flower City HFH

Thanksgiving and Christmas are when people are most generous in making donations to a worthy cause. How can you make your campaign more effective? Does the length of the appeal letter matter? Should you use photographs? How do you make your appeal stand out from all the others that potential donors receive at this time of year? Who do you send your appeal to? This and many other aspects of direct mail will be covered. Participants should leave the session with the tools to undertake an effective affiliate annual appeal.

Habitat and Credit Scores - Financial Education is the Key to Unlocking the Doors to Long Term Home Ownership

Valerie Sherwood, Consumer Credit Counseling & Broome County HFH

Home buyer education is the single, greatest factor in successful home ownership. Learn how this affiliate-community partnership successfully created a credit recovery plan for family partners and how your affiliate can provide these critical educational resources.

Dow's GIK Program for Building Energy Efficient Homes

Joseph Mulvey, HFHI Midwest Development Director

Joseph Barrow, Dow Chemical Company

Building energy efficient homes requires excellent insulation. Learn more about the Dow gift in kind program, the products available, and how this excellent corporate partnership can provide reduced energy costs for your homeowners while not increasing your cash construction costs.

Habitat Intensive Immersion

Sr. Sue Hoffman, Nick Croce; Flower City Habitat for Humanity

Students from area high schools lived together for a week. They worked at construction sites, the Restore, and a local soup kitchen. They also had a poverty tour of the city and learned about the causes of homeless and poverty as well as the success stories of families who have become homeowners. Learn about this program, the impact on the participants and how you can implement this program at your affiliate.

The Real Cost of a Habitat Home and New HFHI Pricing Policies

Judith Nelson, President HFH-NYS

Bricks and mortar, construction overhead, administrative expenses, and the cost of money are all factors in determining a true cost of construction. Although your affiliate may choose not to pass all these costs on to your buyers, it is important to understand the true costs--particularly when approaching funders. This session will discuss how for-profit builders determine costs and some of the changes in house pricing policies from HFHI related to this cost model.

Session III

Major Gifts: "How to Ask"

Les Scheinfeld, HFH Suffolk

Learn effective techniques for soliciting major gifts, and for successful follow-through. "Fund raising is the gentle art of teaching the joy of giving." --Hank Rosso

Energy Efficient Families

Erin Puckett, HFH Greater Newburgh

Building energy efficient homes is only the first step. To be really effective, we must have energy savvy homeowners. This session will review new materials available for homeowner training

NYS Weatherization Program

Speaker: Beth Ryan, NYS Department of Housing and Community Renewal

The NYS Weatherization Program can assist in the cost of energy related products for the rehabilitation of homes for low income families. This session will review the types of assistance available and how to participate in this important cost saving program.

The Nuts and Bolts of Quality Assurance

Mike Weston, Risk Prevention HFHI

Come to this workshop to learn about the importance of quality assurance at your affiliate and for all of Habitat, and how to align you affiliate with HFHI's Quality Assurance Checklist. We will highlight key sections of the U.S. Policy Handbook and the QA Checklist, answer questions on specific policies and provide you with the intent and perspective behind these initiatives.

Receiving Funding from NYS Affordable Housing Corporation

Judith Nelson, President HFH-NYS

The NYS Affordable Housing Corporation has funding available to assist your affiliate's construction program. HFH-NYS submits an application to NYS AHC on behalf of Habitat affiliates. This session is the first in a training series to assist your affiliate to prepare the information required for this application.
Note: If your affiliate is interested in AHC funding, it is critical that the individual who will be responsible for the affiliate portion of this application attend the House Pricing and the AHC session.

Campus Chapter Roundtable

Meet with other campus chapters, share ideas, plans and networks.