North West Housing Partnership Highlights 25 Years at Anniversary Event
Schaumburg-based nonprofit, North West Housing Partnership (NWHP) recently celebrated 25 years of assisting low to moderate income individuals through housing, renovations, repairs, education and advocacy at an event held at Chandler's Banquets in Schaumburg. The organization provides a variety of support and assistance to first time homebuyers and current homeowners with low to moderate incomes throughout the Chicagoland area.
Event sponsors included Palatine Bank & Trust, Diane Hill, Realty and Mortgage, Landmeier Station, Four Daughters Real Estate, the City of Bellwood and Marc Neuerman.
The idea behind NWHP was born from the 1987 Northwest 2001 Conference at Harper College, where more than 300 government bodies, businesses, social service organizations and concerned citizens met to discuss the future of the northwest suburbs. Topics of discussion and deliberation included affordable housing and day care, coordination of social services and intergovernmental cooperation to benefit area residents.
One of NWHP's founder members, Kathy Gilmer, who remains on the NWHP board today, reflected at the anniversary event on the goals she, and other board members developed as a core mission for the organization.
"We were concerned with the mismatch between affordable housing and good jobs, with the length of commutes for our area workers, the lack of affordable housing for seniors, and for the future of the suburbs as a vibrant place to live, work and play for all generations, young and old," said Gilmer. "We were concerned with bricks and sticks, not just words and wishes. We wanted to make things happen, and we did."
In 1990, NWHP was formed, with a core philosophy that the development of strong partnerships could increase the supply of affordable housing in the north and west suburbs, and keep it vibrant and growing for people of all income levels.
Since that time, NWHP has assisted more than 1,700 fist time homebuyers through homeownership counseling and education, in addition to providing home repair and handyman services to nearly 500 individuals and/or families. The organization also has had a hand in the development of affordable senior housing rentals and has purchased foreclosed homes to rehab and sell to low to moderate income individuals. Down payment assistance and resources are also made available to those who utilize NWHP's programs and services.
Steve Hovany is another current, and founding board member who said NWHP not only is a nonprofit partner and developer for several large affordable housing projects, but also acts as a developer to rehabilitate apartments into affordable housing.
"We partner with several communities, Cook County, the state of Illinois and the Federal Government to achieve our goals," Hovany said. "My personal pride is that we have been good for the communities we work in, and we have truly helped people and families."
For more information about all of the programs offered, and service areas, please visit the North West Housing Partnership online at www.NWHP.net or call 847-969-0561.
ABOUT NORTH WEST HOUSING PARTNERSHIP:
Through a fiscally responsible and multifaceted approach, North West Housing Partnership (NWHP) promotes public and private partnerships that create and preserve cost-effective quality diverse housing for low to moderate income residents and workers through housing development and renovation, education and advocacy.
The North West Housing Partnership program services areas include Des Plaines, Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg for the home repair program; Bellwood, Berwyn, Maywood, Oak Park and Forest Park for single family for sale housing program; and other parts of the Northwest suburbs and the Chicago area for senior rental housing and for sale housing.
Handyman services are available to residents in Arlington Heights, Buffalo Grove, Mount Prospect, Palatine and Rolling Meadows. Single family owner occupied rehab assistance programs are available in Hoffman Estates, Schaumburg and Des Plaines. Homebuyer rehab programs are available in DuPage, Kane and McHenry Counties.