Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, October 29, 1997, Page 3, Image 3

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I ut P or n a \ u O bserver * O ctober 29, 1997
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Governor Urges Support for Oregon HEAT
G
G eneral Electric. Pacific Power and
overnor John K itzhaber
the city of M ilton-F reew ater The
visited the hom e of Mrs
m axim um level o f assistance is $ 125
V alerie Fuqua today to
a year a per household They must pay
eall attention to O regon HF.AT.
some am ount tow ard their overdue
nonprofit organization that pros ides
bills and are encouraged to take some
em ergency energy assistance for low-
action to reduce energy bills - insu­
incom e households during the heat
lating the w ater heater or installing
ing season
w ater-saving show erheads. for e x ­
"They often must choose betw een
paying for heal and paying for food,
ample.
"B y im proving the energy effi­
m edicine or some other basic neces­
ciency
o f their hom e and giving them
sity." the G overnor said. "S om e sim ­
a
little
help to pay overdue energy
ply turn off the heat or keep it very
bills,
they
usually can reduce their
low - and endure the cold.
dependence
on energy assistance."
"O regon H E A T will provide bill
said
Jay
Form
ick, d irector o f O regon
assistance for 5,000 fam ilies this year
HEAT.
so they can keep their hom es w arm ."
O regon H E A T also serves house­
O regon H EA T is funded by and
holds w ho heat with oil. The o rg an i­
serves the custom ers o f Portland
zation em pties oil from tanks being
d e c o m m is s io n e d -- s a v in g th e
hom eow ners a pum ping fee -- anil
delivers the oiled to people w ho need
it.
T he largest and fastest-grow ing
population that Oregon H E A T serves
are single parents with two or more
children - and a job — who are in
crisis because o f an illness or an
accident or because their em ployer
cut back their work hours.
Many clients are seniors w ho are
on a fixed incom e and c a n ’t afford to
cut back on m edication or other e x ­
p en ses. "W h en w e find th e m ."
Form ick said, "th e y 're living in a
cold h o u s e ."
O re g o n H E A T a lso p ro v id e s
PGE Energy Expert Mel Edridge shows Gov. John Kitzhaber that saving money on your heating bill can be
as simple as insulating pipes under the kitchen sink.
PGE Energy Expert Met Edridge teaches Valerie Fugua, a low-income Salem resident, how to save money
on her heating bill this winter by checking the seals on her refrigerator. Mel went room to room in
Valerie's home showing her a variety of energy saving tips, from wrapping pipes to sealing windows.
em erg en cy en erg y a s sista n c e to
people with disabilities, many of
whom are unable to work a living-
wage jo b "They often do not have
family Io help out or any resources
other than the com m unity social ser­
vice netw ork,” Form ick said
Because the com m unity action
agencies that distribute funds for
O re g o n H E A T a ls o p r o v id e
vv eaterization services for people with
low incomes, m any get signed up for
w eatherization too. Form ick said But
dem and for w eaterization services
lar outstrips funding.
T w o out o f three low -incom e
h o u se h o ld s in O re g o n -- som e
150.000 -- live in unw eatherized
homes, and as much as a third o f the
Network supports affordable housing
Network for Oregon A ffordable
Housing (NOAH) announced that its
has selected six affordable housing
projects in Oregon as recipients of its
new Resident Services Funding Pro­
gram. Under the program. NOAH pro­
vides a reduced interest rate on se­
lected perm anent mortgage loans al­
lowing the ow ners ol the affordable
housing to use the savings to provide a
variety of supportive services to resi­
dents.
Hie selected projects are Madras I 'am-
ily Housing Center, sponsored by Cen­
tral Oregon Community Action Agency
Network; Sommerville Place in Harris­
burg. spt insored by 1 .innCounty Afford­
able Housing: M yrtleTenace in Myrtle
Creek, sponsored by Umpqua Com mu­
nity Development Corporation; Otesha
Place in Northeast Portland, sponsored
bySabinCommunity Development Cor­
poration; West Place in'llie Dalles, spoil
sored by Columbia Cascade Housing
C orporation; and H ailey Place in
Pendleton, sponsored by LINK Com ­
munity Development Corporation.
NOAH created the Program in recog­
nition of the importance of service-en­
riched housingtolowerincome families.
"Housing for lower-income families
means more thanjust providing shelter."
in ited I Jon Johnsi in, NOAH BixirdChair-
man and Senior Vice President in US
Bank's Commercial Real Estate Group.
It means creating places where people
are supported in their efforts to build
stable lives for themselves and theirchil-
dren. That requires making the resi mrces
that they may need as accessible as pos­
sible. Our Resident Services Funding
Program provides the funding to put
those resources directly on-site, literally
within walking distance of the families
who need them."
The Resident Services Funding Pro­
gram is a unique commitment by the
financial community to fund more than
the physical housing development. 11 k
bankingcommunity generally would not
subsidize community serv ice programs,
but working through NOAH, the bank­
ing industry can provide a valuable addi
donai serv ice
A ccording to G ustavo W ilson.
Community Services Administrator for
Oregon Housing and Com munity Ser­
vices Department, "This is an excel­
lent example o f the continuing public-
pri vale partnerships that make Oregon
a national leader in creating the kinds
of affordable housing and resident ser­
vices that effectively change the lives
of lower income Oregonians
NOAH is a non-profit consortium
of nineteen Oregon financial institu­
tions prov iding permanent mortgage
financing for m ulti-family affordable
housing across the state. Since incep­
tion in 1990, N( )AH has provided $53
million in financing for the develop­
ment of 22(H) affordable apartments.
2% Down May Boost Home-Buying Sales
“ H o u s e -b u y in g s h o u ld g et a
m a jo r b o o st fro m the re c e n t T V.
an d ra d io a n n o u n c e m e n t o f th e
29i o n ly d o w n p a y m e n t n e e d e d
to p u rc h a s e a h o u se in t o d a y 's
m a r k e t,” sa y s A lfre d P o rte r, a
re a l e s ta te c o n s u lta n t an d in v e s ­
to r, 8 3 0 6 W ils h ire B lv d ., S u ite
4 8 8 . B e v e rly H ills. C A 9021 I .
He p r o v id e s a " f r e e " re p o rt
w h ich in c lu d e s in fo rm a tio n ab o u t
th e 2C( d o w n o n ly p a y m e n t to
a s s is t firs t tim e h o m e b u y e rs .
“ T h e m e n tio n o f 2% d o w n is
o n ly w in d o w d r e s s in g .” he c o n ­
tin u e s.
" B e c a u se the U .S. G o v e rn m e n t
h as b ee n g iv in g th e low to m o d ­
e ra te in c o m e fa m ilie s a s s is ta n c e
in h o m e -b u y in g fo r ag e s. A ll p r e ­
v io u s a n n o u n c e m e n ts just fell oil
d e a th e a rs.
W e h av e s h o rt-te rm m e m o rie s.
T h e a v e ra g e p e rso n w ho liv e d in
th e 6 0 s an d in th e e a r ly 7 0 s
d o e s n 't re m e m b e r a n y th in g ab o u t
the $ I h o m e s th a t w ere a v a ila b le
n o r a b o u t th e g r e a t m o v e -o n
h o u se an d u n its p r o je c ts ."
P o rte r a d v is e s all to w rite for
h is s p e c ia l re p o rt th a t g u id e s on e
to th e g o v e r n m e n t s o u r c e s ol
fu n d in g , m o rtg a g e s and ju s t good
o ld g e n e r a l in f o rm a tio n . "W e
g iv e u p d a te d in fo rm a tio n , o r d i ­
re c t y o u to g re a t r e s o u r c e s and
s o u rc e s w h e re you m ay be ab le
Io o b ta in th e n e e d e d h elp and
g u id a n c e in p u r c h a s in g y o u r
h o m e ," sa y s P o rte r
" M a n y o f the p ro p e r tie s from
th e g o v e rn m e n t to d a y are g e a re d
to w a r d th e f ir s t lim e h o m e -
b u y e r ,” n o te s P o rte r.
" T h e re a re n u m e ro u s h o u se s
an d in c o m e u n its a v a ila b le at r e ­
m a rk a b le an d s u r p ris in g ly low
p r ic e s ," sa y s P o rter.
Make your oil heat home comfortable
This is your last chance to m ake
your oil healed hom e m ore co m fo rt­
able and affordable this w inter and
win free heating oil for a year.
The O regon O ffice o f E n erg y 's
S tate H om e O il W e a th e riz a tio n
(SH O W ) program offers free hom e
energy audits, free furnace efficiency
test, and cash incentives to help O r­
egonians who heat with oil save on
their hom e heating bills.
T hrough the free hom e energy
audit, hom eow ners and renters can
learn w hat they can do to save the
most money. T rained energy sp e­
cialists will check the insulation in
the attic, w alls, and doors, inspect
the w indow s and perform a furnace
efficiency test. A w ritten energy
analysis helps the hom eow ners and
renters understand w hich actions
m ake the m ost sense for them.
The SH O W program offers all
households that heat with oil cash
rebates o f 25 percent of the cost of
insulation o r o f a new high efficiency
llam e retention oil burner. Funding
for the rebates is lim ited and will be
available with no m axim um income
limit on a first-com e, first-served
basis until the m oney is gone. The
m axim um rebate is $400.
L ow -interest loans arc also avail
able to pay for those m easures and
for new . energy sav ing w indow s or
high efficiency replacem ent oil fur­
naces. The loans are offered by par­
ticipating lenders throughout the stale
at 6.5 percent interest to O regonians
who heat their hom es w ith oil.
A nyone who has not had an energy
audit and requests one for their oil
heated home by October 31st will be
entered in a drawing for free heating
oil for a year, up to 5(H) gallons Only
Oregon customers are eligible and only
for one free home energy audit. If you
have not taken advantage o f this ser­
vice. now is the time to call SHOW
toll-free at I-8ÎXI-452-866O to sched­
ule your free home energy audit. Let us
show you how you can save.
Central City Concern Awarded Grant for New Housing
Central City Concern was aw arded
a $ 5 .0 0 0 grant from the L orene Sails
H iggins C haritable Trust for their
latest developm ent project, the Rose
W ood A partm ents
Central C ity C oncern will rem ove
a motel on 48th and NE Sandy Blvd
for 35 units o f housing for people
will low or no incom e living with
H IV /A ID S The building will open
in early 1998.
R ic h a rd L. H a rris. E x e c u tiv e
D ire c to r o f C e n tra l C ity C o n c e rn ,
w as th r ille d w ith th e T ru s t's s u p ­
p o rt. "It is g r a tify in g to know
th a t in o u r c o m m u n ity , a p ro je c t
lik e th e R o se W o o d A p a rtm e n ts
re c e iv e s so m u ch p u b lic an d p r i­
v ate s u p p o rt.
P a r tn e r s h ip s w ith o r g a n iz a ­
t i o n s lik e th e L o r e n e S a ils
H ig g in s C h a rita b le T ru s t re a lly
m ak e a d if fe r e n c e in th e q u a lity
o f life fo r all O re g o n ia n s ."
The Lorene Sails H iggins C h ari­
table T rust was established in 1968
for broad charitable purposes in the
service o f O regonians
heat they pay for is lost through holes
and cracks and uninsulated walls,
floors an attics
Even through many households
will still need help pay ing their heat
ing bills if their hom es are w eath er­
ized. less heat and m oney will be
wasted. They can use the money
w eatherization sav es to pay for other
necessities.
P o rtlan d G en eral E le ctric took
the first steps to w ard w ea teriz in g
th e F u q u a s ' h o m e d u r in g th e
G o v e rn o r's visit to show how e f f i­
cien cy im p ro v e m e n ts red u c e h e a t­
ing b ills T he ev ent today w as one
o f se v eral a c tiv itie s c a rrie d out by
P o rtlan d G en eral E lectric, the O r­
egon O ffice o f E n erg y . N W N a tu ­
ral. P acific P ow er and the P o rtlan d
E nergy O ffic e to raise a w a re n e ss
of hom e en erg y issu es d u rin g O c ­
to b er. n atio n al E nergy A w aren e ss
M onth.
C ontributions to O regon H E A T
are tax-deductible. Portland G eneral
Electric and Pacific Pow er cu sto m ­
ers w ill get a donation env elope with
next m o n th 's bill. D onations may be
sent to P.O. Box 127. T ualatin. O R
97062.
C o m m u n ity a c tio n a g e n c ie s
an d th e S a lv a tio n A rm y w ill b e ­
g in a c c e p tin g a p p lic a tio n s fo r
e m e rg e n c y e n e rg y a s s is ta n c e th e
first w eek o f J a n u a ry . F o r m o re
in fo rm a tio n , ca ll O re g o n H E A T
at ( 5 0 3 )6 1 2 - 3 7 9 0 .
Peak Investments “Owner Financing”
Peak Investm ents, a m ortgage
investm ent brokerage w hich spe­
cializes in structuring and buying
privately held real estate notes, a n ­
nounces the opening o f its new
office in B eaverton. T his may be of
great interest to developers and
other property sellers' in need ol
creative financing to close sales.
Strong lending guidelines m ake
it difficu lt for m any p eo p le to
qualify for a traditional hom e loan,
particularly the self-employed. This
lim its the num ber o f potential buy­
ers, often resulting in offers far
below the appraised property value.
Peak Investm ents can show a seller
how to broaden their m arket by
offering “ow ner financing." W ith
no fee or contract required, sellers
are advised on how to structure a
note w ith a buyer, w hich is typi­
cally purchased by Peak Invest­
m ents at the sam e closing table
w here the real estate transaction
takes place. T his innovative con­
cept allow s sellers to close quickly
on their property and gives un­
qualified buyers a chance at hom e
ow nership. A nd everyone saves big
on closing costs.
Peak Investm ents is also inter­
ested in existing m ortgage paper.
F o r m o re d e ta ile d in fo rm atio n
please call (503) 6 4 9 -PEA K or fax
848-6271.
UPS Is Hiring Nowl
Great Part-Time Opportunities!
Rated as the #4 Most Admired Employer
in the Nation by Fortune Magazine
$8 $9.00/hr to start
‘ Opportunities for advancement
‘ Part-time temporary work through the holidays
‘ A variety of shifts available
‘ Must be 18 years or older
COME VISIT UPS AND APPLY!
In Person at:
Northeast Workforce
4106 N. Vancouver
Portland, Oregon
Hrs. 8 am - 5 pm
October 30 - 31
An Equal Opportunity Employer
C s ¡O
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