Homesight

PROMOTING SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY TO PRESERVE AND ENHANCE ECONOMICALLY AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES THROUGH AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, AND COMMUNITY ADVOCACY.

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT: PART OF HOMESIGHT'S STRATEGY IS TO USE AFFORDABLE COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT TO STIMULATE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN COMMUNITIES WHERE EQUITABLE INVESTMENT IS LAGGING AND BUILD HOUSEHOLD ASSETS FOR LOW INCOME AND FIRST-TIME HOME BUYERS. HOMESIGHT DEVELOPMENT ALSO PROVIDES PROJECT MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO COMMUNITY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO ASSIST IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION ACTIVITIES. HOMESIGHT CONTINUES TO MANAGE THE REHAB AND REPLACEMENT OF MOBILE HOMES IN A LOW-INCOME SENIOR COMMUNITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF SNOHOMISH COUNTY. HOMESIGHT IS THE LEAD DEVELOPER AND PROJECT MANAGER FOR THE TRANSIT- ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT OF OTHELLO SQUARE IN SEATTLE. HOMESIGHT COMPLETED THE FEASIBILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE PROJECT IN 2017. THE GOALS OF THIS 215 MILLION PROJECT ARE TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT OF THE HISTORIC RESIDENTS AND BUSINESSES IN THE OTHELLO NEIGHBORHOOD, TO CELEBRATE AND EMBRACE THE HERITAGE OF THE DIFFERENT CULTURES THAT COMPRISE THE SE SEATTLE COMMUNITY, AND TO PROVIDE TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO GUARANTEE THE LONG- TERM HEALTH AND SUCCESS OF THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF SEVERAL COMMUNITY-LED COALITIONS ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST SEATTLE, HOMESIGHT HAS BEEN LEADING A DEDICATED AND ROBUST COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS THROUGHOUT THE PROGRAM PLANNING TO ENSURE THAT THE OTHELLO SQUARE BEST MEETS THE NEEDS AND VISION OF THE COMMUNITY. HOMESIGHT SIGNED ALL FOUR PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENTS (PSAS) ON THE PROPERTIES IN 2018 FOR THE OTHELLO SQUARE PROJECT WITH THE SEATTLE HOUSING AUTHORITY (SHA). HOMESIGHT ALSO ENTERED INTO ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENTS FOR TWO OF THE PROPERTIES TO BE OWNED AND DEVELOPED AS PART OF THE PROJECT BY TWO LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS. THE ODESSA BROWN CHILDRENFS CLINIC, TINY TOTS OTHELLO SQUARE AND ORENDA APARTMENTS BUILDING BROKE GROUND IN NOVEMBER 2019 AND THE SALISH SEA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BROKE GROUND IN JULY 2020. BOTH BUILDINGS ARE NOW OPEN AND OPERATING. PROPERTY PURCHASES FOR THE REMAINING TWO PSAS WILL BE FINALIZED ONCE ALL CLOSING CONDITIONS ARE MET. HOMESIGHT IS DEVELOPING A LOW-INCOME LIMITED EQUITY HOUSING COOPERATIVE ON ONE OF THE REMAINING PROPERTIES. ?ULEX (U-LEX, PRONOUNCED "OH-LEW")@ OTHELLO SQUARE IS APPLYING FOR FHA-INSURED CONSTRUCTION FINANCING AND HAS EQUITY FROM LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL SOURCES ALREADY SECURED. THIS PROJECT IS FULLY PERMITTED AND ENTITLED AND IS SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION IN 2024. THE LAST OF THE FOUR BUILDINGS ON THE OTHELLO SQUARE CAMPUS IS THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER @ OTHELLO SQUARE. A LOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDER WILL DEVELOP THIS BUILDING AND OWN AND MANAGE THE AFFORDABLE RENTAL UNITS. HOMESIGHT WILL BUILD OUT THE 1ST FLOOR AS COMMUNITY-SERVING COMMERCIAL SPACES THAT WILL BE SOLD TO LOCAL COMMUNITY SERVING ORGANIZATIONS. HOMESIGHT WILL RELOCATE ITS OFFICES TO THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER. THE ENTITLEMENT AND FUNDRAISING PROCESS IS MORE THAN 50% COMPLETE FOR THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER. COMPLETION OF THE OPPORTUNITY CENTER AT OTHELLO SQUARE IS SCHEDULED FOR 2025.

HOMEBUYER SERVICES & LENDING: HOMESIGHT'S HOMEBUYER EDUCATION AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS SERVE NEARLY 350 HOUSEHOLDS ANNUALLY, INCLUDING NEW AND EXISTING CUSTOMERS. IN 2021 AND 2020, OF THESE CUSTOMERS, 69% AND 78% RESPECTIVELY, WERE AT OR BELOW 80% PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. HOMESIGHT'S MISSION IS TO SERVE PRIMARILY LOWAND MODERATE-INCOME FAMILIES WISHING TO PURCHASE THEIR FIRST HOME, BUT AS A HUD-CERTIFIED HOUSING COUNSELING AGENCY, IT CANNOT DISCRIMINATE BASED ON INCOME. ITS HOMEBUYER PROGRAM CONSISTS OF ONE-ONONE COUNSELING, AND NO-COST CLASSES ON ACHIEVING THE DREAM OF HOMEOWNERSHIP, OR AN ONLINE BUYER EDUCATION CURRICULUM FOR A NOMINAL FEE. -- HOMESIGHT DEVELOPED ITS REVOLVING LOAN FUND IN 1991 TO ADDRESS THE GROWING GAP BETWEEN FAMILY INCOMES AND HOME PRICES. IT OFFERS PURCHASE ASSISTANCE LOANS FUNDED BY PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INVESTMENTS TO PACKAGE HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AMORTIZING OR DEFERRED SECOND LOANS AND DEFERRED THIRD LOANS FOR LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME HOMEBUYERS. THIS STRUCTURE ALLOWS HOMESIGHT TO MINIMIZE OR ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR FHA OR PRIVATE MORTGAGE INSURANCE FOR ITS CUSTOMERS THEREBY INCREASING THE BUYING POWER OF LOW- AND MODERATE-INCOME FIRST-TIME HOMEBUYERS. -- HOMESIGHT IS A CORRESPONDENT 1ST MORTGAGE LENDER TO THE WASHINGTON STATE HOUSING FINANCE COMMISSION, A LOCAL COMMUNITY BANK, AND A NEIGHBORWORKS AMERICA PARTNER. IN 2021 AND 2020, HOMESIGHT ORIGINATED OVER 18 MILLION AND 17 MILLION IN 1ST MORTGAGE LOANS WITH ITS CAPITAL PRIMARILY FOR SUBSEQUENT SALE TO THESE LENDERS. THROUGH THESE CHANNELS HOMESIGHT PROVIDES QUALITY, LOW-INTEREST DOWNPAYMENT OPTIONS AND MORE FLEXIBLE CASE-BY-CASE UNDERWRITING THAT ALLOWS MANY MORTGAGE-ELIGIBLE CUSTOMERS TO ACCESS CREDIT THAT WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE TO THEM OTHERWISE. IN 2020, HOMESIGHT WAS APPROVED BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY - CDFI FUND TO EXPAND THE TARGET MARKET TO AFRICAN AMERICANS (AA) IN KING, PIERCE, AND SNOHOMISH COUNTIES. SINCE THIS ADDITION, HOMESIGHT HAS FOUGHT AGAINST REDLINING AND GENTRIFICATION OF AAS IN THE SEATTLE AREA BY INTRODUCING LENDING PROGRAMS SUCH AS THE SAM SMITH HI NEIGHBOR HOMEOWNERSHIP FUND (SSHNHF) AND THE SOCIAL JUSTICE (SJ) DPA PROGRAM. THE SSHNHF HELPS AAS BETWEEN 80-120% AREA MEDIAN INCOME, PURCHASE HOMES ACROSS WASHINGTON STATE BY OFFERING DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE UP TO 12,000 AT 3% DEFERRED FOR 30 YEARS. HOMESIGHT HAS PARTNERED WITH WINDERMERE, US BANK, AND NAREB TO PIONEER THIS INNOVATIVE PROGRAM. AS HOUSING PRICES CONTINUE TO SKYROCKET AND INTEREST RATES CREEP UP, HOMESIGHT HAS MADE IT A MISSION TO SUPPORT BIPOC COMMUNITIES. HOMESIGHT IS SUPPORTING BIPOC FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS BY OFFERING THE SOCIAL JUSTICE DPA PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM INCLUDES 10,000 DEFERRED DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AT 0% FOR 30 YEARS. THE 3MILLION SJ DPA FUND WILL HELP 300 BIPOC FAMILIES PURCHASE HOMES IN WASHINGTON STATE. IN 2021, HOMESIGHT LAUNCHED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MORTGAGE LOANS PROGRAMS TO FUTHER SUPPORT BIPOC COMMUNITIES. HOMESIGHT NOW OFFERS A VISTA (ITIN) LOAN PROGRAM AND A SHARIA COMPLIANT LOAN PROGRAM. THE VISTA LOAN IS AIMED AT HELPING THOSE WITHOUT TRADITIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS PURCHASE HOMES. THE VISTA LOAN PROGRAM ONLY REQUIRES A 5% DOWN PAYMENT BY THE BORROWER. THIS IS MUCH FRIENDLIER THAN THE OTHER ITIN PROGRAMS AROUND WHICH REQUIRE 10-30% DOWN. HOMESIGHT WAS ALSO APPROVED BY THE WASHINGTON STATE HOUSING FINANCE COMMISSION TO FUND AND SELL SHARIA COMPLIANT FIRST MORTGAGES. THERE IS A LARGE ISLAMIC POPULATION IN SEATTLE THAT NEED SUPPORT IN PURCHASING FIRST HOMES. HOMESIGHT WAS EXCLUSIVELY APPROVED BY THE WSHFC TO OFFER THESE LOANS. WE PARTNERED WITH IJARA CDC TO OFFER THIS INNOVATIVE, INTEREST FREE AND SHARIA COMPLIANT LOANS. TOGETHER WITH OUR PARTNERS WE HOPE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS IN THIS EVERCHALLENGING HOUSING MARKET IN WASHINGTON STATE.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT: WITH A HISTORY OF CROSS-SECTOR COLLABORATION, EXPERTISE IN POLICY AND ADVOCACY, AND A TRACK RECORD OF EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT, HOMESIGHT IS RECOGNIZED AS A CATALYTIC COMMUNITY LEADER. FOR OVER 30 YEARS, HOMESIGHT HAS FACILITATED BEAUTIFICATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS, MANAGED THE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL CENTERS, SUPPORTED LOCAL BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS, AND LED COALITIONS PROMOTING EQUITABLE GROWTH IN SOUTHEAST SEATTLE, THE CITYS MOST RACIALLY AND ETHNICALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITY. HOMESIGHT ESTABLISHED THREE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN 2021: 1) ESSENTIAL SOUTHEAST SEATTLE COOPERATIVE (ESES). AT THE START OF THE COVID- 19 PANDEMIC, THIS PROGRAM WAS DEVELOPED TO PROVIDE AN ONLINE DIRECTORY OF SMALL, INDEPENDENTLY OWNED BUSINESSES LOCATED IN SOUTHEAST SEATTLE THAT WERE OPEN FOR BUSINESS AND DEEMED ESSENTIAL BY WASHINGTON STATE. AS THE PANDEMIC PROGRESSED AND THE NEED BECAME APPARENT, ESES WAS TRANSFORMED INTO AN ONLINE MARKETPLACE REPRESENTING OVER 2,000 BUSINESSES AND SERVING MORE THAN 30,000 CONSUMERS; 2) SEACAP PILOT PROGRAM SEACAPS MISSION IS TO PROVIDE CAPITAL AND BUSINESS COACHING FOR COVID-19 SMALL BUSINESS RECOVERY, STABILIZATION, AND GROWTH TO LOW-INCOME IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEES, WOMEN, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR IN SOUTH SEATTLE WHOSE BUSINESSES ARE VULNERABLE TO DISPLACEMENT; 3) READY TO WORK (RTW) RTW IS A PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND AN ADULT BASIC EDUCATION LEARNING CENTER PROVIDING ESL COURSES AND JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT IN SOUTHEAST SEATTLE. THE RTW PARTNERSHIP, IS NOW MERGING WITH TWO OTHER BASIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN NORTH AND WEST SEATTLE, WHERE HOMESIGHT WILL CONTINUE TO SERVE AS THE LEAD AGENCY PROVIDING ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT.