1. In 2011 we will have two Chair’s – Jody Wainio and David Flory – Both of us have served as chairman of this committee and we go back to when it came out of a task force headed by Faye Brock in 2004. We both bring different aspects to the committee with Jody being an active Realtor and David being an active lender.

2. Our main function comes from the WRAR Strategic Plan – To develop an affordable housing public relations and marketing program. We work on many aspects of this at every meeting.

3. Goals: We are developing several which will be discussed at our December meeting – Continue to promote the Workforce Housing Specialist certification in our board; Set up opportunities to present the Operation Home Sweet Home seminar to local groups, and to participate in the Housing Coalition – Housing Summit in April 2011.

4. Arrive at Goals – over the years as we have developed different parts to affordable housing – component for Realtors, component for the public, component for programs. All different aspects to Affordable Housing

5. The opportunity to put service above self – help those who need a little push or a little extra time to get into the right house. To instill the knowledge of what it takes to help a homebuyer into an affordable home with available loan programs.

6. We have grown over the years from just a few of us on the task force to a core group of about 10. Our group is made up of several lenders, and Realtors from big firms and small firms.

7. Biggest Benefit – I think everyone on our committee is very informed on the different loan programs available to first time homebuyers as well as the different obstacles affordable housing buyer have to overcome.

8. This past year WRAR was involved in a pilot program from Homes4NC to certify agents in affordable housing programs. We pushed it as a committee and with a lot of help from Jody have over 30 agents in our market certified as Workforce Housing Specialist.

9. Why committee important – local agents would have to make a lot of calls and talk with a lot of people to put together programs and find programs that fit their affordable buyer. With our Buyers Resource Guide it guides and leads and gives specific programs and loan types to local housing programs.

David Flory, 2011 PAH Co-Chair
Mortgage Consultant, Cunningham & Company Mortgage Bankers
davidf@cunninghammortgage.com