Sixteen Nonprofit Leaders Set to Attend NeighborWorks Training Institute Through $40,000 Grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Sixteen leaders from more than one dozen nonprofit community-based organizations located across Pennsylvania are attending the NeighborWorks Training Institute (NTI) in Philadelphia August 19-23 on scholarships provided by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. The 16 leaders plan to take housing counseling courses with the goal of going back to their communities to provide strong support and to share the knowledge gained from the training to further their organizations' community development initiatives.

The NeighborWorks Training Institute is among the largest community development training programs in the U.S. Each year, with the financial support of partners such as the PHFA, foundations and corporations, the NeighborWorks Training Institute builds the leadership and programmatic skills of approximately 8,000 nonprofit, government and private-sector individuals committed to community development.

"The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency is the first housing finance agency to fund scholarships to the NeighborWorks Training Institute," said Paul Kealey, director of training programs at NeighborWorks America. "NeighborWorks America is excited by this new partnership that's been developed with the PHFA and we hope that it will grow, sparking other partnerships with housing finance agencies to expand the availability of affordable homeownership and rental housing."

"We believe an educated consumer makes the best housing decisions, and our housing counselors in Pennsylvania are on the front lines everyday helping to inform and advise renters and homebuyers," said PHFA Executive Director and CEO Brian A. Hudson Sr. "We're proud to support the NeighborWorks Training Institute with our grant because of the good work it does to better prepare counselors across the state for working with housing consumers in Pennsylvania."

The recent increase in mortgage rates from their historic low point has focused attention on how even a small increase in mortgage costs could put homeownership out of reach of some homebuyers. Housing finance agencies are an excellent source of lower-cost mortgage money and together with local nonprofit organizations also can help buyers obtain everything from down-payment assistance to housing counseling and education.

Importantly, both nonprofit community development corporations and housing finance agencies are in the business of building and maintaining affordable rental housing, often for renters who earn substantially below the median income.

NeighborWorks organizations around the country own or manage more than 102,000 high-quality, affordable and attractive rental homes. Housing finance agencies such as the PHFA are critical partners in creating and sustaining affordable rental homes for NeighborWorks rental home developers and others. PHFA and other housing finance agencies are frequently the main source of Low Income Housing Tax Credit funds that support affordable rental housing.

"The PHFA is a great partner for NeighborWorks America," said Deborah Boatright, director of the northeast region for NeighborWorks America. "CEO Brian Hudson is a steadfast supporter of quality housing and sustainable homeownership, and works closely on a number of initiatives with the NeighborWorks Association of Pennsylvania. Terri Redmond, manager, counseling & training at PHFA has long championed certification of housing counselors so that homeowners throughout Pennsylvania receive the best possible services. "

The NeighborWorks Association of Pennsylvania consists of seven NeighborWorks organizations: Arbor Housing and Development; Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks; Neighborhood Housing Services of the Lehigh Valley; NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania; NeighborWorks Western Pennsylvania; Pathstone, and NKDC.  NKDC is based in Philadelphia and is the local host NeighborWorks organization for the Philadelphia NTI.

About NeighborWorks America

For 35 years, NeighborWorks America has created opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and to safe and affordable rental housing. In the last five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation's leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals.

SOURCE NeighborWorks