Healthy Neighborhood's Initiative

Today’s families are stricken with the most significant financial woes in over a generation. Foreclosure rates have increased at an amazing rate, and an alarming amount of communities are facing shattered homeownership dreams, with seemingly nowhere to turn. The increase in foreclosures have wiped out nearly 30 years of community development stimulated by East Bay NHS. An estimated 7 million Americans will lose their homes to foreclosure, within the next five years.

East Bay NHS maintains the firm belief that through the partnership of community residents, government leaders, businesses, financial institutions and organizations, change can be obtained to help strengthen families and neighborhoods stricken by this crisis. East Bay NHS has reached out to an array of residents and committed leaders, with a vested interest in restoring health and vitality to struggling neighborhoods. These conversations have led to the formation of a plan, called the “Healthy Neighborhoods Initiative” (HNI). Through this initiative, East Bay NHS will partner with local government and community groups to initialize revitalization efforts for low and moderate income families in need.

East Bay NHS envisions communities rich with strength and life. Our belief is that healthy neighborhoods are characterized by a diverse mix of quality housing options for families of varying income levels, neighbors who are financially and emotionally invested in their neighborhoods, quality public infrastructure (including public schools, attractive buildings and parks, quality lighting, streets and roadways), a genuine feeling of safety, a robust local economy and access to quality educational opportunities for children and adults.

East Bay NHS encourages the recovery of families and neighborhoods by concentrating its efforts through:

• Foreclosure Prevention: Programs and services designed to limit the number of families who are forced to leave their homes due to foreclosure

• Economic Stabilization and Recovery: Programs which include financial and homebuyer education, credit and housing counseling, neighborhood revitalization and residential property rehabilitation for both families and neighborhoods.

Through these efforts, East Bay NHS projects tremendous results within families and neighborhoods within the East Bay. Some of these positive results include:

• Stabilized neighborhoods with reduced vacant and abandoned properties in high priority neighborhoods.

• An increased number of residents who live in safe, affordable housing, an improved credit score, debt reduction by at least 20%, an increase in savings, and the resources to become educated homebuyers and sustainable homeowners.

• Strengthening neighborhoods in the South Richmond corridor, through the creation of enhanced public and aesthetic infrastructure, improved access to quality education, transportation and access to healthy food, and engaged residents and business owners willing to invest time, money and energy to care for their neighborhoods.