Habitat HappeningsHomeowner NewsletterWinter 2009

HOME Room IIIAtlanta Habitat’s New Class Already a Success

One homeowner commented, “I really don’t think this class could have been any better!” On Saturday, September 26, 2009, twenty-six Atlanta Habitat homeowners who have been in their homes for at least five years attended HOME Room III, Atlanta Habitat’s newest home maintenance class.

Homeowners:4 Learned how to identify and handle typical maintenance issues faced in older homes 4 Received hands-on demonstration of many basic home repair tasks4 Practiced their new skills

Using the skills that were learned, homeowners were asked to go back and inspect their own houses. On October 10, 2009, homeowners shared the inspection results with volunteer financial consultants who, in turn, helped them come up with a plan to get the work done. Homeowners who attended both classes were entered into a drawing to receive free services for their home, such as having their house pressure washed and painted.

Homeowners put into action the skills they learned in HOME Room III.

As a new homeowner, you are entitled to receive an exemption on your tax bill just for living in your house. This exemption saves hundreds of dollars on your property tax bill, which helps to keep your mortgage payment low.

If you have not already done so, please be sure that you file for your homestead exemption by March 1 in DeKalb County or April 1 in Fulton County. This has to be done only one time, and the exemption will be in effect for as long as you own your home.

Did You Close in 2009? Don’t Forget Your Homestead Exemption!

As a homeowner, you have the right to appeal your property value. Filing an appeal can lower your taxes by hundreds of dollars, helping to keep your mortgage payments low.

You can only file an appeal if you receive an assessment notice; however, the tax assessor will only produce an assessment notice if your value increases. In order to ensure that an assessment notice is sent to you so that you can appeal, you must file a Real Property Return (TPA) with DeKalb County by March 1, 2010, or with Fulton County by April 1, 2010.

The appeal process is not difficult and can produce great results! If you are one of the many homeowners who have seen their monthly mortgage payments increase in the past few years, appealing your property value is the best way to try to avoid future increases. If you are able to obtain a large enough reduction in your property value, it is even possible to see your mortgage payment decrease!

If you have any questions, call Jennifer Chisholm at 404-223-5180 x132. And be on the lookout for Atlanta Habitat’s “How to Appeal Your Property Value” workshop in spring 2010.

Appealing Property Taxes

These proud homeowners completed the two-day session of HOME Room III.

Happy Holidays:

EditorEconomy F. Jackson

Managing EditorSyd Janney

Family Services StaffEconomy F. Jackson, ext.168Director of Family Services

Chiquita Board, ext.161Financial Education Consultant

Geneva Hall–Shelton, ext.124Homeowner Selection Manager

Maricarmen Smith-Martinez, ext. 133Homeowner Outreach Coordinator

Melissa Klein, ext.163Homeowner Education Manager

April White, ext.169AmeriCorps Family Services Assistant

Contact InformationPhone: 404-223-5180Fax: 404-223-5103www.atlantahabitat.org

Habitat Happenings is an informational newsletter produced three times a year for Atlanta Habitat homeowners.

Holiday ClosingsAtlanta Habitat will be closed:

December 24 & 25, 2009In observance of Christmas

December 26, 2009No Saturday house builds

January 1, 2010In observance of New Year’s Day

January 2, 2010No Saturday house builds

January 18, 2010In observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Photography This IssueEconomy Jackson, Melissa Klein, Tandongfor family, Dan Velez, Keenan Yates

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During this season of cheer, we want to wish the very best for you and your family. We would also like to introduce two new staff members in the Family Services Department.

April White is the new Family Services AmeriCorps member for 2009-2010. She graduated from Kennesaw State University with a Master’s of Public Administration in July 2009. She is excited about working closely with homeowners. April is also expecting to gain valuable experience in program operations within nonprofits by serving as Family Services’ AmeriCorps member at Atlanta Habitat.

Our new homeowner outreach coordinator, Maricarmen Smith-Martinez, from Jacksonville, FL, first learned of Habitat for Humanity in high school, as a volunteer for HabiJax.  Having graduated from

Emory University with a degree in Spanish, she is not new to the Atlanta area. She recently returned to Atlanta from Costa Rica, where she served for nearly two and a half years as a volunteer, working in the Rural Community Development sector.  She looks forward to meeting and working with more Atlanta Habitat for Humanity homeowners!

2010 Tax Season ApproachingDon’t fall victim to tax scams. If it sounds too good to be true, we know it probably is. As tax time approaches, be aware of dishonest tax return preparers. According to the IRS, they can cause many problems for taxpayers who fall victim to their schemes. These scam artists make their money by skimming a portion of their clients’ refunds and charging inflated fees for return preparation services. They attract new clients by promising large refunds.  

You can report tax fraud activity to the Internal Revenue Service online

at www.irs.gov by completing an IRS Form 3949-A or by calling 1-800-829-3676 to order the form by mail.

We encourage all Atlanta Habitat homeowners to use the VITA (Voluntary Income Tax Assistance) site that is most convenient for you. Atlanta Habitat for Humanity will not host a VITA site in 2010, but we encourage you to visit one of the many sites throughout the metro area to have your taxes done at no cost to you. To find a site near you, contact Atlanta Prosperity Campaign at 678-538-9968 or www.atlantaprosperity.org.

Notes from Family Services

L-R (standing) Melissa Klein, Economy Jackson, Geneva Hall-Shelton

L-R (seated) Maricarmen Smith-Martinez and April White

Atlanta Habitat homeowner Tamyea Randers prepares for tax season.

Through the collaborative efforts of fellow Atlanta Habitat homeowners, dozens of Georgia Tech employees came out to hear William Tandongfor talk about his journey to homeownership through Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s homeownership program. “Atlanta Habitat is changing lives out there,” William announced to the crowd of future homebuyers, and he speaks from experience.

Mr. Tandongfor, his wife, Scholastica, and their five children emigrated from Cameroon to the U.S. Since he became a homeowner in 2006, William has encouraged numerous families to apply with Atlanta Habitat. “I have been motivated and encouraged by the whole program,” he explains, “and thought it wise to share with those who don’t know about the blessing.”

William Tandongfor and his wife, Scholastica, welcome others to Atlanta Habitat homeownership.

Homeowner Profile

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William Tandongfor

Ambassador to Future Homeowners

Want to win prizes just for talking? Tell friends and family about Atlanta Habitat homeownership and win! Just make sure the prospective homebuyers you refer to Atlanta Habitat mention your name at the Application Workshop.  Each month, all homeowners who refer an accepted applicant are eligible for a drawing, and the winner receives a $50 gift certificate to the ReStore. Every six months, the homeowner that refers the most approved applicants wins a $100 Target gift card! 

Congratulations to the latest winners of our monthly referral contest: Vanitta Woods (May), Lisa Simpson (June), Mading Mawel (July), and William Tandongfor (August)!! And a big congratulations to Jaqueline Otey, our six-month $100 Target gift card winner, for the encouragement she gave to several families who are now in the Atlanta Habitat homeownership program.

If you want share your Habitat story and learn more about outreach efforts, join the Atlanta Habitat Ambassador Committee, which meets at 6:30 pm on the last Thursday of each month.  For details, contact Maricarmen Smith-Martinez, homeowner outreach coordinator, at 404-223-5180 ext. 133.

It Pays to Talk Whirlpool Building Blocks 2009Congratulations to our new Avery homeowners who were a part of the Whirlpool Building Blocks blitz build. Whirlpool staff and volunteers from all over the country helped to build eight homes in five days. The Avery, our new subdivision in Jonesboro, is a collaboration of Atlanta Habitat and Southern Crescent Habitat.

Whirlpool Building Blocks families show their joy on dedication day.

Home Smart Education PaysMs. Cathy Martin was the winner of a drawing for a $100 Target gift card. All she did was complete and return a Home Smart survey. If you receive a Home Smart survey in the mail, complete and return it, and your name could be drawn as the next winner!

Inside this IssueHOME Room III Page 1Notes from Family Services Page 2Spotlight on Homeowner Page 3Contest Winners Page 3

Insert Energy AssistanceAssistance for SeniorsClass Info

519 Memorial Drive, SEAtlanta, GA 30312

Congratulations to Ms. Barbara Caldwell! She filled out the coupon from the last newsletter and dropped it off at the ReStore. Ms. Caldwell received a $50 ReStore gift card.

Shopping at the ReStore pays. By shopping at the ReStore for household items, you save up to 75% off retail prices. You’ll find home improvement supplies, appliances, furnishings and much more!

Store Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 9 am – 4 pm.

Stopping By the ReStore Pays!

Atlanta Habitat homeowner Barbara Caldwell (R) receives a $50 ReStore gift card from Charlene Rogers, ReStore manager.

We need you to let us know if this newsletter is helpful to you. Please call, email or drop us a note. As we plan for next year, we need your feedback. Please let us know what you like about the newsletter and where we can make improvements.

Email us at familyservices@atlantahabitat.org or call April White at 404-223-5180 ext. 169. If you respond by December 18, 2009, your name will be entered into a drawing to receive a holiday gift pack.

Atlanta Habitat Homeowners...We Need Your Help!

Set your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter and leave it there. You can gain a 3%-5% decrease in your heating costs for every degree you adjust the thermostat from your normal setting.

Open your drapes in the day to let the sunlight in and close them at night to retain the heat.

Replace the filter in your furnace to increase its efficiency.

Close off unused rooms and close the heating ducts in those rooms.

Inspect your door sweeps and window weather stripping and repair/caulk when needed. A crack as small as 1/16th of an inch around a window frame can let in as much cold air as leaving the window open three inches!

Turn off the lights when you leave the room.

A compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulb uses 75% less energy than a regular bulb – and it can last up to four years. Replacing one 100 watt incandescent bulb with a 32 watt CFL bulb can save you at least $30 in electricity costs over the life of the bulb.

Do not use your oven to heat your house!

Only run full loads in the washing machine. The average family can save up to 700 gallons of water per month in this way.

• Make sure your roof is free of debris

(and your gutters, too, if you have them).

• Inspect and repair your weather stripping.

• Disconnect and store outside hoses.

• Replace your furnace filter.

• Check your smoke detector batteries.

• If you have been in your home for more than one year,

have your heating and air conditioning system serviced

by a professional.

• Plant bulbs, trees and shrubs.

Tips to conserve energy and lower your utility bills

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to do your winter maintenanceDon’t Forget

Need Energy Assistance?Call the Georgia Public Service Commission at 404-656-4501 for information on H.E.A.T. Heating Energy Assistance Team (H.E.A.T.), Inc. is a nonprofit organization that has been assisting Georgians with their home energy needs since 1983. So far H.E.A.T. has provided $1.02 million to help Georgians pay their heating bills.

You can also call Fulton-Atlanta Community Action Agency, Inc. at 404-320-0166 for information on the Energy Assistance Program (EAP).The EAP pays for some home heating and cooling costs for eligible low-income families, including those in crisis. The program has three components:

• Energy Crisis Available for eligible seniors, homebound individuals, or households with life-threatening issues during November each year (and for the general public beginning in December until the program ends), qualifying households will receive assistance to prevent their service from being interrupted or to restore service to their home.

• Regular Home Energy Assistance Provides financial assistance to households meeting certain income and other requirements.

• Weatherization Provides low-cost home energy conservation improvements to eligible households.

Homeowners discuss maintenance skills with their instructors.

Benefits of Being a Senior and Services for SeniorsDid you know you could get a discount on your water bill just for being a senior? Do you need …advice on Medicare? …a service to help with housework? …help paying the mortgage? Whether you’re a senior looking for resources or searching for assistance for your parents or grandparents, there are numerous benefits available.

•AgeWise Connection, part of the Atlanta Regional Commission, hosts an online database providing information on all aspects of senior assistance and senior care.  (404-463-3333 or www.agewiseconnection.com)

•Area Agency on Aging provides assistance and support with housing, mortgage payments, insurance counseling (particularly Medicare), and much more. They also have resources for caregivers looking to better serve their patients. (404-463-3100).

•The Council on Aging, Inc. links seniors with a variety of services including health, transportation, housing, legal, and more.   (404-523-5027 or www.gcoa.org)

•Exemptions for Seniors If you are 62 or older as of January 1, there are exemptions you may qualify for that would reduce your property tax bill, which could, in turn, translate to a lower monthly mortgage payment. There are additional exemptions available for disabled veterans as well as the surviving spouses of veterans, police officers and firefighters. To find out if you qualify, please contact the Fulton County Board of Assessors at 404-224-0102 and ask about these additional exemptions.

Technology Makes aDifference

Do you have a computer in your home? Would you like to gain more skills to use your computer more effectively? We need your suggestions.

As the first phase of the homeowner technology program wraps up, over 260 Atlanta Habitat homeowners have been given a new or refurbished computer and also received in-home computer instruction. For the second phase, we plan to develop computer classes that can be delivered via web and lab settings. What would you like to learn using your computer? Please email Melissa Klein at melissa.klein@atlantahabitat.org with your ideas for computer class topics.

12th Saturday

15th Tuesday

9th Saturday

19th Tuesday

6th Saturday

6th Saturday

9 - 10 am

7 – 8 pm

9 – 11 am

7 – 8:30 pm

9 – 11 am

9 – 11 am

Car Buying 101If you plan to buy a car soon, this class offers you information to make smart car purchasing decisions and tips to negotiate a good deal.

Quick Healthy Meals on a Budget Just in time for the holidays! Eating healthy foods does not have to be expensive nor do they have to take all day to prepare. Come learn some tricks of the trade from a professional food instructor.

Be Prepared…Before You Miss a Payment Be prepared to deal with unexpected financial emergencies. If you are experiencing a loss of income, this class will offer tips about managing your way through the tough times.

Child Support Q & AA representative from the Office of Child Support Services will be available to answer your questions about the services they offer. You’ll get information about how to apply for child support, what services they offer, and what enforcement options are available to you.

Money Smart ICome to one - or come to all - of the Money Smart classes and improve your financial management skills. Graduates of the three-part series will be skilled in budgeting, using credit wisely and improving banking relationships. Money Smart II: Saturday, March 6, 9-11 amMoney Smart III: Saturday, April 10, 9-11 am

Simple Upholstery Do you want to spruce up your dining room chairs? Or re-do your footstool to make a bold decorating statement? This class offers demonstration and hands-on practice for simple upholstery.

December 2009

January 2010

February 2010

A complete listing of classes is available at www.atlantahabitat.org.