LaCasa of
Goshen, Inc.
Goshen, Indiana
LaCasa began over 30 years ago as an effort to improve the
housing conditions of migrant workers in Goshen, IN. Concerned individuals and several local churches
organized in response to this need and grass roots support and community partnerships
continue to be critical to LaCasa’s success in Elkhart County. While LaCasa has evolved into a community
development corporation with a strong housing development component, the organization and
the community continue to place a high value on providing a unique mix of social
services.
LaCasa does not make a sharp distinction between community
development and social services. Currently, a staff of 20 administers a range of
programs that are organized into three departments. The Housing Department offers
homeowner assistance with repairs, new housing development, and acquisition/rehab and
resale of older homes. The Community Service Department includes: crisis counseling, translation and language
services, immigration services and individual development accounts (IDA). The Community
Home Ownership Center provides financial literacy and home buyer education, home buyer
assistance in accessing grants and mortgage products, as well as post purchase counseling
and foreclosure prevention. All LaCasa programs are designed to assist low to moderate
income families regardless of race, national origin or religion.
LaCasa’s mission to work in partnership with individuals
and communities to create opportunities for economic developments, personal
growth and neighborhood improvement continues to be based on the values that generated the
program many years ago. LaCasa understands its activities of responding to the social and
economic needs of the community to be rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ.
A distinctive feature of LaCasa, Inc. is its Community Home
Ownership Center which was launched less than three years ago. Clients of the
Community Home Ownership Center and of the IDA program are required to participate in a
Financial Fitness Training. This is an 8-hour course held monthly at LaCasa on a very
flexible basis and taught in both English and Spanish. Taught by a certified instructor,
Financial Fitness is an intensive study on managing money, developing budgets and being
credit smart. Private credit counseling if offered outside of the classroom setting. In
2003, LaCasa will have seen over 100 people graduate from Financial Fitness.
The Community Home Ownership Center also offers a Home
Ownership Training Class. This class is also an 8-hour course, offered monthly in
both Spanish and English. The class is designed to teach people how to read their credit
reports and clean up credit issues; wisely choose a realtor, lending institution and loan
products; minor home maintenance and the importance of homeowners insurance.
After completing these courses, a family will meet one-on-one
with the Home Ownership Counselor to prepare their mortgage application. When the
application is ready, it is presented to the Elkhart County Loan Committee. This group
oversees a special loan fund comprised of investments from First Federal Savings Bank,
First State Bank of Middlebury, Lake City Bank, MFB Financial, National City Bank of
Indiana, and Standard Federal Bank. LaCasa
appreciates how the Elkhart County Loan Committee really pays attention to the
applications and the special circumstances of each family. Everyone seems to be interested
in seeing LaCasa’s families succeed.
Once a mortgage is approved, families work with a realtor
to find a house. LaCasa can also help families identify additional grants for home
repairs. The repairs are managed by LaCasa’s
Housing Department, by one of the Construction Managers.
LaCasa works side by side with people to break down the home ownership
process into manageable steps. It is this type of commitment to and partnership with
families that makes LaCasa a model for community development.
How does LaCasa navigate the road to Home Ownership?
- Presents
information and resources through Financial Fitness and Home Ownership Trainings.
- Offers individual
counseling to correct credit problems and save for a down payment.
- Provides special
loans and grants based on income.
- Works with
families to find a new or existing home of their choice.
- Provides
post-purchase counseling to protect the family’s investment.
Contact point:
Meg Yoder, Director of Home Ownership Center
LaCasa of Goshen, Inc.
202 N. Cottage Ave.
Goshen, IN 46528
Phone: 574-533-4450
Fax: 574-533-4399
E-mail: megan.yoder@lacasagoshen.org
Web: www.lacasagoshen.org |
