November 28, 2005 Update:

Rebuilding Lives in Katrina’s Wake
First, the basics: shelter, food, clothing, household goods. For the nearly 1,000 adults and children displaced by Hurricane Katrina who are now living in NHT/Enterprise’s communities in Texas, that was a start. Generous grants from the Freddie Mac Foundation and the Blue Moon Fund are helping NHT/Enterprise do much more.

Mark Cornman and Tyrren Warner, just having finished looking at a web site explaining how comets work, are sitting in the brand new communications center set up at Chelsea Court (above left). It’s outfitted with 7 computers, internet service, shortcuts to educational and job search web sites, along with special sites such as those for finding missing persons. There’s a separate area in the center where our new resident services coordinator, Laura Nally (shown at right helping another child), can meet with residents to help determine what's needed to get their lives back on track.

Laura's stocked the center with information packets on local jobs, schools, contacts for medical care, pharmacies, volunteer organizations – the whole nine yards. She’s working on plans to buy furniture, set up computer classes, and help with resume preparation.

NHT/Enterprise is also working to provide an onsite employment counselor at Chelsea Court. Our goal: place 100 residents in decent-paying jobs over the next year.

Special Thanks
Upon learning of the relocation of families to NHT/Enterprise properties in Houston, the Enterprise Community Partners immediately sent several volunteers to assist in assessing the needs of displacees and help NHT/Enterprise fundraise for furniture, communications equipment, and transportation for the families, described more below Then the Freddie Mac Foundation and Blue Moon Fund stepped in with grants enabling NHT/Enterprise to provide a range of supportive services to the families including, among others, immediate furniture needs, staffing for case management, job access, a communications center, transportation, and access to basic healthcare needs. We are extremely grateful for this assistance, and for the individual efforts of so many others.

Background

NHT/Enterprise Preservation Corporation, together with Lincoln Property Management Company and other Houston and Dallas organizations, private companies and neighbors moved quickly to help families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, providing almost 200 affordable apartments in Houston and Dallas, Texas by September 8, 2005. The range of additional assistance provided includes:

• Coordinating Resident Fundraising
  Lincoln Property, our management company, enlisted the help of residents to hold fundraisers at the communities to raise money and donate clothing, food, etc.

• Linking up with Service Providers
  We developed an excellent list of government agencies and local churches that can help displaced families get their lives sorted out.

• Providing Meals
  At Chelsea Court, daily meals for over 200 people were donated by vendors of Lincoln Property as well as by area businesses.

• Meeting Basic Needs
  A donation "store" was set up in a vacant unit at Chelsea Court. As each tenant signs in, they are escorted through the "store" to secure basic supplies, clothing, food, etc. Among the generous donations that have been received thus far are more than 100 mattresses from a local company, and eight shopping baskets full of basic necessities such as sheets, towels, etc. from Target. Citigroup sent a representative over to meet with the families to assist them in setting up job interviews upon learning that NHT/Enterprise and Lincoln Property were housing many displaced families.

• A Communications Center
  We have taken one unit off line and have established a communications center for residents with 7 donated computers. That center has software for after school homework help as well as software to enable residents to create resumes for employment searches. At the grand opening in early November, residents arrived to see seven computers complete with basic software and DSL service and a separate meeting area to discuss employment, healthcare, child care, and other needs.

• Establishing A Communications Center
  We have taken one unit off line and have established a communications center for residents with 7 donated computers. That center has software for after school homework help as well as software to enable residents to create resumes for employment searches. At the grand opening in early November, residents arrived to see seven computers complete with basic software and DSL service and a separate meeting area to discuss employment, healthcare, child care, and other needs.

• Hiring of Resident Service Coordinator
  Laura Nally has been hired as Chelsea Court's new Resident Services Coordinator. Laura graduated from Rice University in May 2005. While at Rice she led many volunteer projects serving the Houston community and has come to Chelsea Court to put that experience to work for Katrina evacuees. Ms. Nally is in the process of developing a case assessment questionnaire and will start interviewing residents to determine their current and future needs. After assessing the questionnaires, she will start identifying programs in the community to address those requests. Also in the works are furniture purchases, computer classes, and resume preparation.

• Employment Services
  NHT/Enterprise is working on providing an onsite employment counselor at Chelsea Court. Our objective is to place 100 residents in decent paying jobs over the next year. Residents would have access to GED classes, free practice interviews, and job banks. We hope to have this in place sometime in November or December.

• Thanksgiving
  This will obviously be an emotional Thanksgiving for those displaced by Hurricane Katrina. NHT/Enterprise is providing free Thanksgiving dinners to families displaced by Hurricane Katrina residing at Ashley Park, Timberlodge, Riverwalk, Kressington, Victoria and Champions Green.

NHT/Enterprise is offering additional apartments to displaced families at Belton Woods, a property located in Anderson, South Carolina. Michael Bodaken, President of NHT/Enterprise observed, "NHT/Enterprise is not alone. Many other owners, and individuals have opened up their properties and homes those in need. Still, as I write, many -- far too many -- families displaced by Hurricane Katrina remain without a decent place to live. We should not rest until all of them are housed and fed."

NHT/ENTERPRISE PRESERVATION CORPORATION, a national nonprofit joint venture of the National Housing Trust and The Enterprise Foundation assisted by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur and Fannie Mae Foundations, is currently working to save affordable housing communities. Developing and preserving affordable homes for low-income people is central to the missions of the National Housing Trust and The Enterprise Foundation.

The NATIONAL HOUSING TRUST, founded in 1986, believes that the nation's supply of decent, safe and affordable multifamily housing is a unique national resource. This housing protects and enhances the well being and stability of the families and seniors who call it home and strengthens the communities in which they live. The National Housing Trust's mission is to preserve and improve these homes. The Trust has been responsible for the preservation of approximately 5,000 apartments over the past four years, requiring a combined financial commitment of over $200 million.

ENTERPRISE COMMUNITY PARTNERS is celebrating 20 years of rebuilding America's low-income communities by helping provide affordable housing, safer streets and access to jobs and childcare. Launched by Jim and Patty Rouse in 1982, Enterprise works with partners and a network of 1,900 community-based organizations in 700 U.S. locations. By leveraging investments and donations from nonprofit, private sector and government partners, The Enterprise Foundation has committed more than $3.5 billion in equity, loans and grants to build or renovate more than 120,000 homes.

THE JOHN D. AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION is one of the ten largest foundations in the country and is the nation's leading philanthropic supporter of affordable housing preservation. Since 2000, the Foundation has awarded more than $30 million in low-cost loans and grants to accelerate preservation activity among leading nonprofit housing owners committed to providing high-quality rental housing for poor and working families.

The FANNIE MAE FOUNDATION creates affordable homeownership and housing opportunities through innovative partnerships and initiatives that build healthy, vibrant communities across the United States. The Foundation is specially committed to improving the quality of life for the people of its hometown, Washington, D.C., and to enhancing the livability of the city's neighborhoods. The Foundation, a private nonprofit organization supported solely by Fannie Mae, has regional offices in Dallas Pasadena Calif.; and Philadelphia.