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ENACT NEWS…
Winter brought a pause to the ENACT project, however, thanks to the
City of Syracuse Commissioner of Community Development, Fernando Ortiz,
funding is now available to replace the roof. A development advisory
board has been formed to support the Board of Directors through the
final stages of fundraising and facilities development. The plan is
to develop the building floor by floor, so that programs can begin as
soon as possible.
The porch will be completed first, then, the ground floor will become
a community computer center, art gallery, office space, and the Youth
Cultural Center. The basement area will include an audio-video studio
and production space, a studio arts education room, and a multi-media
arts area. The upper floors will be a performance hall, canteen, and
additional studio and office space.
In addition to lining up performance for the Picnic in the Park Series,
ENACT is working with other organizations on collaborative programming.
Onondaga Community College, for example, has expressed an interest in
using the ENACT center as a community based teaching site for their
courses, and WAER’s Women’s Voices Radio program plans to broadcast
from the ENACT radio studio. ENACT will also house the Onondaga Historical
Association’s "Peaceful Flat Travelers" writing program. A
Healing Garden has also been proposed.
If you have ideas or are interested in helping out, please contact Alana
Bolden, ENACT Arts & Cultural Programs Organizer at 471-7911 x232.
PORCHES PLUS PROGRAM…
ENIP (Eastside Neighborhood in Partnership) is organizing a new program
to assist homeowners with repairs to their homes. Grants of up to $5,000
worth of "curb appeal" repairs (that improve the appearance
of the front of a house, i.e. painting, windows, porches, landscaping)
will be available from the Syracuse Neighborhood Initiative for homeowners
in those target blocks.
Homeowners must match this grant with $1,000 in cash or labor (sweat
equity).
ENIP’s Porches Plus Program will assist homeowners through the process
of planning repairs, applying for funding, recruiting volunteer labor
(some with professional skills), and supervising the work.
For more information, please contact LaTonya English at 471-7911 x228.
2003 ANNUAL UNPA MEETING
FEATURING NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL PRINCIPALS’ FORUM
The UNPA Annual Meeting will be held Wednesday, September 25th, from
7-9PM at the Ed Smith School Cafetorium.
Last year 130 neighbors and civic leaders attended the event. This year,
the agenda for the program will include a panel discussion based on
the question, "What educational, cultural, social and/or community-building
programs do Ed Smith, Levy and Nottingham Schools offer that directly
or indirectly affect our neighborhood? What help do you need from the
neighborhood to achieve success?" Tony Tolbert, Tom Kenah and Deb
Mastropaolo will represent their respective schools.
LEAD HURTS KIDS…
Did you know that any home, apartment, school or day care facility built
before 1978 could be a source of lead poisoning for your child?
For more information, call 1-800-424-LEAD.
REAL ESTATE ALERT – CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR LAW
Effective March 6, 2003, a functioning carbon monoxide detector
must be installed in every one and two family house, coop, or condo
offered for sale. The new law does not apply to New York City.
PETER’S GROCERIES IS NOT GOING OUT OF BUSINESS …
Nationwide, the smaller, family-owned supermarket companies have
been hard hit from the 1990s through today. Many have been bought out
by bigger competitors. Many other have gone out of business. Many of
the grocers cite increased competition as reasons for difficult times.
Giant retailers are striking claim in the grocery business.
While the recent highly publicized bankruptcy filing broke the heart
of the founder, John Peter, they made the move to stay in business.
"We’re not closing the Nottingham property", said Joseph Peter.
"It will not close under any circumstances whatsoever."
Keep supporting Peter’s Groceries! We are lucky to have them in our
neighborhood.
WHAT PARENTS CAN DO?
Edward Smith Elementary School wants to know your concerns, interests
and ideas about education for our children attending Syracuse City Schools.
The following are members of an ad hoc committee, parents who have volunteered
to find answers to your questions.
Ross Andrews, 471-1166, Andrews@a-znet.com
Melanie Littlejohn, 425-0470, mlittlej@twcny.rr.com
Paul Harvey, 432-1914, luludoodah@aol.com
Mary "Kiki" White, KikiRW@aol.com
Consider becoming involved. What form that may take for may not be certain,
but working at community makes community.
Help us find the best ways to communicate with you and get input from
you.
HOME EQUITY PROTECTION PROGRAM
In July 2002, Congressman Walsh and Syracuse Neighborhood Initiative
officials announced the creation of the Home Equity Protection (HEP)
program, designed to encourage greater investment and home ownership
in the City of Syracuse.
HEP is administered by Equity Headquarters, a subsidiary of Home Headquarters.
According to the Equity Headquarters web site, HEP provides financial
protection to homeowners in the event that home prices decline in their
neighborhood (defined by zip code) between the time they purchase the
protection and the time they sell their home.
After a three year period from purchasing the plan, if a homeowner sells
his/her home and home prices have dropped in the neighborhood, HEP pays
down the mortgage or pays the homeowner directly in an amount defined
as the percentage decrease in price times the Protected Value of the
home.
For example: A homeowner purchases Home Equity Protection for a $60,000
home. The cost of the plan is a one-time 1.5% fee based on the Protected
Value of the home. (Protected Value is defined as the current market
value of the home, some portion thereof, or the anticipated value after
improvements.) In this case, the fee for the plan is $900 (1.5% of $60,000).
After three years, if the homeowner sells his/her house and prices have
dropped in the neighborhood zip code by 20%, HEP would pay $12,000 (20%
of $60,000) to the homeowner, no matter what price the home sold for.
HEP is available to one and two family, owner-occupied homes in any
neighborhood within the City of Syracuse. The program is funded through
a $5 million federal grant secured by Congressman Walsh in FY 2002.
For more information about the HEP program, visit the Equity Headquarters
web site at www.equityhq.org
or call (315) 474-1939, ext. 248.
RESIDENT FINALLY FEELS "AT HOME"
As an army brat, growing up meant never staying in one place too long.
In fact, my stint in Syracuse has been the longest I have ever lived
in one place. I moved to Syracuse in 1992 to attend college at the State
University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
More than ten years later, I still live in the neighborhood, now as
a homeowner rather than a student renter.
After graduating in 1995 with a Bachelors degree in environmental studies,
I remained in Syracuse to pursue a graduate degree at SUNY-ESF and the
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.
While in grad school, I met my husband Brian, an employee of Syracuse
University. With both of us closely tied to the University, when we
decided to purchase our first house, the natural choice was to stay
in the University Neighborhood.
In 1999, I obtained a job with the City of Syracuse, Department of Community
Development. For nearly three years, I worked as a planner for the City’s
Eastside neighborhoods as well as managing several programs funded through
Federal grants. In May 2002, I switched roles and joined Crucible Materials
Corporation as an Environmental Specialist.
I have stayed in the University area and Syracuse so long because I
like the people, the look and feel of the neighborhood, the proximity
of businesses and other amenities, but most importantly, I feel at home.
From someone who has lived in many places, that says a lot.
MAYOR ANNOUNCES EMPLOYEE MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
"We want to encourage people to live in the City," says Mayor
Driscoll. All City employees are eligible for this City-sponsored mortgage
assistance program. This program provides opportunities for first time
homebuyers in the City as well as current homeowners who want to buy
in the City. As an added incentive, UNPA can supplement this program
with our mortgage assistance program. The first 100 City employees to
participate in this program will also be guaranteed a slot in the Home
Headquarters’ Home Equity Protection Program that would protect the
market value of your home. Attorneys, Bond Schoeneck & King, agreed
to give City employees deep discounts on closing costs and even waive
them altogether. For further information about the "Home Assist"
program, contact Catherine Faulkner at KeyBank, 385-0000.
FREE MONEY FOR HOME IMPROVEMENTS!
Plenty of money is still left for homeowners and potential homebuyers
within the Westcott Neighborhood. This money is available through the
federally-funded Syracuse Neighborhood Initiative Program. There are
no income restrictions for the home improvement grants. Other categories
of grants and loans for acquisition and rehabilitation are also available.
For more information about the program and service area location, please
contact Home Headquarters at 474-1939.
BOXTOPS OFFER A SHOPPING SOLUTION
The Boxtops for Education Shop Program offers an easy way to earn cash
for Ed Smith School. Begin at www.boxtops4education.com.
Sign up to support Ed Smith at the Boxtops Marketplace. Be sure to start
online shopping trips at the Boxtops Marketplace site. Click to shop
at your favorite online store. The Boxtops Marketplace is your gateway
to quality online stores including Amazon.com, Eddie Bauer, Office Max,
Lands End, and many more. It features over 100 stores in all. Up to
10% of each qualifying purchase from an affiliated store will be donated
to your designated Boxtop school. Ed Smith is already registered, and
so is Levy Junior High School.
KEEPING THE ‘TOWN’ IN COLLEGE TOWN
Bob Karrow, a technical writer who has always lived in college towns,
maintains a web site devoted solely to the topic of College Town issues.
He believes that through creative university and neighborhood partnerships,
college and university communities can work together to keep the ‘town’
in college town. For more information, please visit the web site: www.users.muohio.edu/karrowrs/College/index.html.
S.U. TEACHES STUDENTS RESPONSIBILITY …
The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators named the
Syracuse University in the Community Program a 2002 Exemplary Program.
The initiative, created by the Division of Student Affairs and the Office
of Government and Community Relations, was introduced in 1999 as a way
to educate students about their rights and responsibilities while living
in the neighborhoods surrounding the campus. For more information, please
contact, Laura Madelone at 443-5489.
WANT TO CUT DOWN ON JUNK MAIL?
If you want to reduce the amount of national advertising mail you receive
at home, send your name and address to the Direct Marketing Association’s
Mail Preference Service (MPS) at PO Box 643, Carmel, New York, 10512.
After a few months, the MPS will reduce the amount of advertising mail
you receive. Names remain part of the MPS for five years. After five
years, you will need to register with MPS again.
OHA CHIEF WANTS TO GIVE THE PAST A NEW
PRESENCE
Paul Pflanz, the new Director of the Onondaga Historical Association,
wants to illustrate life in Syracuse from as many perspectives as possible.
Pflanz would like to get family photos of Syracuse’s ethnic communities
and incorporate them into the OHA collection. "We haven’t been
a destination for people leaving family albums," Planz says, "I
want images from everybody." If you have pictures to share and
stories to tell, contact the Onondaga Historical Association at 428-1864.
HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE
If you hear of a house coming up for sale, or if you hear of someone
who wishes to live in, and buy a home in, the university neighborhood,
by all means call UNPA at 476-5228. We will network with real estate
agents and share information about what help is available from UNPA
and other organizations.
UNPA’s goal is promotion of owner occupancy. At this time, most "mint
condition" houses in our neighborhood are selling very well. The
challenge now, as when UNPA was formed in 1990, is bring back into owner
occupancy some of the houses that have been rental properties. We are
particularly interested in hearing from rental property owners who are
ready to sell a house in the area. There are several blocks in the area
that will benefit from the return of two or three homes to owner occupancy.
With that change, they can join may other blocks that have the balance
of families and students that many of us appreciate about the neighborhood.
We look forward to hearing from you.
FREE ENERGY AUDITS AVAILABLE…
Free Energy Audits are available to University Neighbors through Entherm.
Entherm is a local weatherization company that performs home energy
audits under the New York State Energy Star Program. In addition to
climbing in and out of attics, certified energy auditors can help homeowners
prioritize their home improvement needs. Low 5% loans are also available
through this program to finance energy-related work using Fannie Mae
and NYSERDA funding. Grants are also available for people whose household
income is 60% of the NYS Median Income. Eligible energy saving measures
includes: insulation, ventilation, high efficiency heating systems,
energy star appliances, windows and doors, etc.
Bill Meadows, a certified energy auditor of Entherm, resides at 1155
Lancaster Avenue. He and his wife, Jacqueline are UNPA recipients who
welcome this opportunity to give back to our community by performing
energy audits for neighborhood families at no change (thereby saving
you about $107). If you are interested in this program, please contact
Bill at 420-2210.
WESTCOTT COMMUNITY CENTER
PRESENTS…
FIFTH ANNUAL UNIVERSITY NEIGHBORS LECTURE SERIES
The University Neighbors Lecture Series committee is excited to announce
its fifth season. Over $10,000 has been raised through the lecture series
to date. "The lecture series enhances the ability of the Center
to provide community programing for the 25,000 people that pass through
the Center’s doors," says Steve Susman, Executive Director of the
WCC.
Proceeds from the lecture series have been used to help purchase a video/data
projector. The after school program was enhanced by funds raised through
the lecture series. Improvements were made to the front lobby and landscaping
plans are in progress. An annual event, the 2003-2004 series covers
a range of topics from the community affairs to politics. Keeping with
our theme of University Neighbors, all of the presenters are from the
University neighborhood.
We encourage people to come and meet their neighbors. We welcome people
from outside the neighborhood to come and hear the presenters; join
us in dialogue and share refreshments after each presentation. Please
visit the Westcott
Community Center web site at www.westcottcc.org
for more information and a full listing of topics and presenters.
GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS EVENTS CALENDAR…
For current happenings in and around the community, visit the website
of Syracuse University’s Office of Government and Community Relations.
In the "Events" section of the site, you will find a calendar
of events that may be of interest to you. To learn more about SU’s
Office of Government and Community Relations, visit their website at
http://govt-comm.syr.edu
or call 443-3919.
TALK TO A LAWYER FREE…
Come in and "chat" with a lawyer and ask questions anonymously
and confidentially without cost or legal obligation to hire the consulting
lawyer. The "Talk to a Lawyer" program is held every Thursday,
7-8PM, at the Westcott Community Center, 826 Euclid Avenue. Consulting
lawyers are members of the Onondaga Bar Association. 117 people have
already sought free legal advice through this program. Topics range
from divorce to landlord-tenant issues. For more information, please
call 478-8634.
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