CAHEC Connection: Your CAHEC Newsletter

Since 1999, KCEOC Community Action Partnership in Barbourville, KY, has been helping low-income residents complete their journey to homeownership. By offering financial literacy courses and housing counseling, KCEOC provides residents with the tools they need to purchase their first home and become successful homeowners.

Earlier this year, CAHEC partnered with KCEOC on a project designed to increase interest in their homeownership program. The idea of creating a small-scale housing unit - one that was nearly identical to a home they would build for a family in their program - was the perfect mix of innovation and creativity. "The miniature model home will allow KCEOC to provide a unique perspective on homeownership," explained Jennifer Smith, Vice President for Program Operations at KCEOC. "With this tool, families will be able see the possibility of homeownership and, in a sense, give them a clear vision of their future as a homeowner."

Making an Impact: CAHEC at Work

The 2016 - 2017 Making an Impact: CAHEC at Work in now available online! Take a minute to explore this interactive platform and learn how we are positively impacting the residents and communities within our footprint.

When is Housing Affordable?

By: Andrew Foster, CAHEC Board Member

While there are strong and varied opinions about what should be done to help low- and moderate-income families afford safe, stable, and decent housing, there is a broad consensus that the country faces an affordable housing crisis. In North Carolina alone, data from the North Carolina Housing Coalition shows that more than 40 percent of all renters cannot afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. Even more shocking, at least half a million households in North Carolina pay more than half of their income for rent. The data reveals similar problems across the country.

What counts as "affordable" when it comes to housing? The standard measure, and the basic approach when it comes to most state and federal housing programs, is that housing is affordable if it costs less than 30 percent of a household's income. Some advocates and policy analysts, however, argue that the 30 percent standard is flawed. The better alternative, they argue, is the "residual-income" approach. This method determines the amount a household can pay for housing by determining what is left for housing after accounting for all other basic necessities such as food, health care, child care, and transportation.

Our Mission in Action

Congrats to Assembly Aptartments in Greenville, SC, on receiving nearly $13,000 through the CAHEC Foundation's Active Lifestyle Grant! Funding was used to help install this awesome playground, which is a great amenity to help youth residents stay active.

We're excited to unveil CAHEC New Markets' logo! CAHEC New Markets, an affiliate of CAHEC, utilizes New Markets Tax Credit allocations to help finance community facility projects throughout the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. CAHEC New Markets' investments improve access to education, healthcare, and other positive community outcomes while fostering economic development and opportunity in low-income communities. For more information, visit our website or contact Brian Oxford at [email protected].

CAHEC was proud to have staff members participate on four of the speaker panels during the National Association of State and Local Equity Funds (NASLEF) Annual Conference last month. We are proud to have such a knowledgeable staff and are honored to be asked to be a part of this educational event.

For more information on CAHEC's Community Investments grants, visit our website or contact Stefanie Lee at [email protected] .

CAHEC on the Road

CAHEC will be attending the following upcoming events:

NCSHA Annual Conference - October 14-17 - Denver, CO
The Heritage Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - October 16 - Greenville, SC
Novogradac New Markets Tax Credit Conference - October 19-20 - Chicago, IL
NAHMA Fall Meeting - October 22-24 - Washington, D.C.
North Carolina Affordable Housing Conference - October 25-26 - Raleigh, NC
Cedar Terrace Apartments Grand Opening - November 13 - Hendersonville, NC
Virginia Governor's Housing Conference - November 15-17 - Norfolk, VA