Sacramento, CA – August 18, 2011. Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association recently was awarded a $450,000 grant to add green elements to the rehabilitation of a local housing community, Mutual Housing at Norwood. Mutual Housing is one of 115 local NeighborWorks organizations to receive $34.9 million in Capital Funding for the Rehabilitation of Affordable Housing (CFRAH) grants.

“Rehabilitating and maintaining rental property in the Sacramento area is one of our goals,” said Rachel Iskow, Mutual Housing Association’s Executive Director. “Receiving this grant will help us with the ongoing restorations we are doing in our communities.”

“Sacramento Mutual Housing Association is dedicated to providing affordable housing for our region,” said Congresswoman Doris Matsui. “I want to congratulate them on receiving this award. “

The Norwood rehabilitation will include:
-- Replacement of HVAC systems with Energy Star condensers.
-- Installation of Energy Star/CFL lighting and the
-- Installation of Energy Star refrigerators, ranges and hoods.

The NeighborWorks America grant also will:
-- Significantly increase the number of water heater replacements with high-efficiency water heaters and
-- Increase the number of toilets with low-water models.

“This federal investment will help reduce energy consumption and costs for those who need it most,” said Matsui, Sacramento Democrat for the U.S. House of Representatives who voted to approve the funding.

The total cost of the rehabilitation at Norwood is $2.7 million. Funding also came from Community Housing Capital and the Sacramento Housing and Redevelopment Agency.

In addition to helping nonprofit small businesses acquire and rehab properties, the nearly $35 million in funds also will jump start local economies through the creation of more than 1,000 jobs that produces more than $300 million in economic activity.

Applicants requested more than $53 million in CFRAH grants—which far exceeded the amount available. Because of the high demand, a cap had to be placed on the funds each applicant could request. Without this cap, the amount requested—and need for these funds—would have been much higher.

Just four months after the CFRAH funds were given to NeighborWorks America to distribute, organizations like Mutual Housing are starting to use the funds to maintain local neighborhoods.

Sacramento|Yolo Mutual Housing Association develops and operates well-designed rental housing for modest-income households. The communities have 2,600 residents, half of whom are children.

Through Mutual Housing’s focus on leadership, the nonprofit also provides training and mentoring as well as educational programs, community-building activities and services for residents and neighbors. For more information, visit http://www.mutualhousing.com.

NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities by providing access to homeownership and safe, affordable rental housing. In the past five years, NeighborWorks organizations have generated more than $19.5 billion in reinvestment in these communities. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals. For more information, visit http://www.nw.org.