Plans for our IAFR housing initiative in Fort Morgan seem to be moving forward. The initiative has been in development for years, and it has been a less than straight road so far. But big steps are being taken.
After extensive research a few years ago, it was decided to pursue a model based off The Neighbor Project in Illinois. A two-year residential program for those in the Fort Morgan area who are interested in home ownership, especially those who at one point in time were forcibly displaced from their country of origin, will allow for educational opportunities and savings towards a down payment on a home. There are a lot of big picture benefits when a family that might have experienced a lot of instability in the past can make steps towards an established home and development of assets.
One place to find summary information about our housing initiative is our new IAFR Northern Colorado website. There are several things on it you might be interested to explore, including one page that highlights the housing initiative: https://iafrcolorado.org/housing. If you or someone you know might be interested in an opportunity to be involved, opportunities for volunteering or donating are provided there.
We recently signed an MOU with owners of a four-unit complex in Fort Morgan, which was a huge accomplishment to help get things going in a difficult housing environment. It has been difficult to develop the program to any great extent without a specific property identified, but since we have now crossed that hurdle, we are moving forward as quickly as possible. We hope to officially start the program by the end of 2024.
I am serving as the primary point of contact for the property owners and eventual program participants. I will deal with housing and program issues. I will also seek to engage local churches, volunteers, and other interested parties. It is going to be an interesting year ahead, for sure.
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