The Community Information Guide provides the latest news, upcoming events and local city directories.
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www.slfp.com
How To Reach Us:
St. Louis Front Page
P. O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188
www.slfp.com
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St. Louis Community Info, Sunday, February 27, 2005
State Tax Credits Approved for Kingdom House
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com) February 20, 2005 - The Missouri Department of Economic Development has approved $165,000 in tax credits through the Youth Opportunities Program for Kingdom House in St. Louis. The tax credits are expected to provide more than $330,000 in contributions to support the programs offered to at-risk youth.
Kingdom House provides young people in the south area of St. Louis an opportunity to participate in after-school activities, organized sports, youth groups and clubs and gain valuable work experience.
"The Youth Opportunities Program enables the state to partner with local non-profit organizations and businesses to help our youth stay in school and get the support they need in gaining basic life skills," Missouri Governor Blunt said. "It provides our young people the chance to get involved in community activities and complete their education. And it's a great opportunity for businesses to get involved and contribute to our best resource and investment in Missouri's future--our youth."
Kingdom House will use contributions provided through the tax credits to offer many of its programs six days a week. The Youth Opportunities Program is part of the Department of Economic Development's Community Development Division. The program is designed to broaden and strengthen opportunities for positive development in community life for youth and to discourage such persons from engaging in criminal and violent behavior.
Through the program, contributors approved projects can receive up to a 50 percent partial state tax credit for their donation that allows donors to redirect their tax dollars to support local efforts. Approval of these tax credits is contingent upon completion of contracts set forth by the program.
Housing development south of downtown St. Louis, adjacent to new Truman Parkway, reflects dramatic rise in new home construction.
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New Home Construction in January
Sets Monthly Record
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com) February 20, 2005 - The Census Bureau and HUD released data last Thursday showing that new home construction was up in January to its highest monthly level since February 1984. Overall housing starts rose 4.7 percent from December and 11.6 percent from January 2004. Single-family starts were up 2.7 percent from December to an annual rate of 1.76 million. That rate is a new monthly record.
Building permits were also up, showing a 1.7 percent increase from December and 6.8 percent from January of last year.
In a statement, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson said, "These numbers show that housing is continuing to lead the way in our rebounding economy. President Bush is committed to building on these accomplishments so that people from every walk of life can have the opportunity to become homeowners. The President's housing initiatives are breaking down the barriers and paving the way for more Americans, particularly minorities, to achieve that dream."
Two years ago, the President challenged the nation to create 5.5 million new minority homeowners by the end of this decade. To date, there has been a net increase of 2.2 million minority homeowners, which represents 40 percent of the 5.5 million goal.
HUD's 2006 budget proposes a zero downpayment mortgage option in the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that would allow first-time buyers with a strong credit record to finance 100 percent of their home purchase including closing costs. The Budget also proposes a program called Payment Incentives, which would allow borrowers with limited or weak credit histories to purchase homes by initially paying higher mortgage insurance premiums that would gradually be reduced after a period of timely payments. In 2006, these new mortgage programs will help more than 250,000 families to buy a home of their own.
To stimulate the production of affordable homes in distressed communities where such housing is scare, the Administration is again proposing a tax credit of up to 50 percent of the cost of new construction or rehabilitation. This tax credit targets low-income households earning less than 80 percent of an area's median income.
The 2006 Budget also provides $200 million to fully fund the American Dream Downpayment Initiative (ADDI). This Initiative helps first-time homebuyers with the biggest obstacles to homeownership - the downpayment and closing costs. Since President Bush signed this initiative into law, ADDI has helped more than 3,500 families to purchase their first home. More than half of these new homeowners were minorities.
SLACO to Host St. Louis Neighborhoods Conference
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), January 21, 2005 - The St. Louis Association of Community Organizations (SLACO) will host the 10th Annual St. Louis Neighbordoos Conference, Saturday, March 12, 2005, at St. Louis Community College at Forest Park.
The conference, from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. will feature a variety of practical "how-to" workshops in the following six topic areas:
- Housing & Community Development
- Crime Prevention & Safety
- Organizational Effectiveness
- Youth Issues
- Healthy Communities
- Diverse Communities
The conference is designed for residents who share a common interest in improving the living conditions of the neighborhoods of St. Louis through an exchange of information and ideas.
Featured keynote speaker for the event is Henry Cisneros, founder and chairman of American CityVista, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and former Mayor of San Antonio, Texas.
Registration fee of $15 per person includes breakfast pasteries and box lunch. For more information, call 314-533-9104.
Archived St. Louis Community Information:
 St. Louis Launches Project Heartbeat PAD Program
City Library to Open Facility in Old Post Office
The Community Information Guide is presented in conjunction with the St. Louis Front Page and Southwest Illinois News. The sites are owned and maintained by the Moore Design Group for the sole purpose of disseminating news and information about the Metropolitan St. Louis area. Text or graphics may not be copied, rewritten or distributed in any manner whatsoever without written permission. For more information, contact editor@slfp.com All rights reserved world wide © 1996 - 2008 Moore Design Group .
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