I am pleased to report that after months of formal grant writing, the Greater Las Vegas Association of REALTORS® received funding from the National Association of REALTORS® through their “Foreclosure Prevention and Response Program.”  I would like to sincerely thank the Nevada Association of REALTORS®, led by CEO Rob Wigton and 2010 President Linda Rheinberger for their steadfast encouragement and support.  A committee was formed to determine the best way to allocate the funding and that committee voted unanimously to give a grant of $20,000.00 to Housing Help for Nevada.

Housing Help for Nevada is a nonprofit agency that was founded in response to Clark County’s housing crisis.  The program is solution based, while being deadline and results driven. They undertook careful thought and consideration when establishing their criteria development plan to ensure that every homeowner, regardless of social economic make up, receives the same effort of assistance.  Housing Help for Nevada understands that the housing crisis crosses line and demographics like no other time since the great depression.
The complexity and nature of Southern Nevada’s housing crisis makes it impossible for anyone, regardless of their educational level, to understand the full spectrum of solutions without a specific understanding of the lending institutions core makeup and mode of operation.  Even then, the variables at each institution make it near impossible for a homeowner to navigate and understand the system and the plethora of options before them.

The goal of Housing Help for Nevada is to provide a safe, professional and free environment for homeowners in Clark County to learn about and to understand their options.  Housing Help for Nevada has a solemn commitment to our community through their pledge to ensure that every homeowner who receives their services is counseled through the entire process until a resolution is obtained.  Unfortunately, sometimes the best solution is not always the preferred solutions.  However, through their one on one counseling and action plan referral process, every homeowner is guaranteed to receive a professional and personally focused resolution. 

If you would like more information about the efforts of Housing Help for Nevada, I encourage you to attend the 1st Quarter General Membership Luncheon (Friday, March 26, 2010 at the Four Seasons Hotel) where Alisa Juni, Founder & Executive Director of Housing Help for Nevada, will give a presentation of current loan modification programs and the criteria and eligibility for those programs.  Reservations are required as seating is limited.  You can register at www.lasvegasrealtor.com or by calling (702) 784-5000 by Monday, March 22, 2010.

Nevada to receive $100M for Housing Assistance

During a February visit, President Obama announced that Nevada will soon receive more federal money to help with our housing crisis. At a town hall meeting at Green Valley High School the President announced, “…a $1.5 billion fund for housing finance agencies in the states that are hardest hit by the housing crisis. And that means here in Nevada.” These funds were allocated from the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, better known as TARP. While no concrete details exist for this assistance, Senator Harry Reid’s office announced that Nevada’s share will be at least $100M.

While this program is not a complete solution, it is a step in the right direction.  I will be sure to pass along more details of this program as they become available.

Do you want to get involved in the 2010 Campaign Season?

GLVAR in conjunction with NAR will host an educational program, “Politics for REALTORS®, on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 from 1:00PM-3:00PM. We have lined up a few great speakers to include: John Ferruggiaro II, NAR Managing Director of Field Operations; and Ryan Erwin, principal of Ryan Erwin & Associates, a nationwide political consulting firm.  John and Ryan will share the ways to navigate the political landscape and how your involvement can determine the political future of Nevada for decades to come. Please contact Tiffany James at tjames@glvar.org or at (702) 784-5038 to register.