September 29, 2010

Gulf Coast Renaissance Corp. Announces New Chair, Vice Chair and Board Member

Roy Anderson III named chair and Carl Chaney named vice chair; Edward Day VI joins board.

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June 3, 2010

Gulf Coast Renaissance Corp. Marks 500 Home Closings         

Gulf Coast Renaissance Corp. officials announced today that the affordable workforce-housing nonprofit has closed more than 500 home sales since its founding in 2006.                                                                                                                 click here for entire story

 

January 4, 2010

MyHome MyCoast Receives $10 Million Funding Boost From Governor         

Gulf Coast Renaissance Corp. affordable-housing program will use allocation to help hundreds of individuals become homeowners in South Mississippi.
                                                                                                                                 click here for entire story                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 
 

March 11, 2009

Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation to Host REACH Employer Workshops in George, Stone and Pearl River Counties                                click here for entire story 

 

March 3, 2009

Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation Continues to Grow with New Board Appointments

-Carl J. Chaney and Chevis C. Swetman join the nonprofit organization's board of directors; Bobby Hensley and Everett Lewis to increase involvement to hold voting positions on the board.

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February 26, 2009

REACH Mississippi Rolls into George and Stone Counties                                              click here for entire story

 

October 25, 2008

Hollywood is 1st Coast Casino to Offer Housing Aid - Sun Herald                                                click here for entire story

October 22, 2008

JCCAA helps 35 Jackson County public sector employees buy homes                             click here for entire story

 

October 12, 2008

Report on REACH Mississippi in Jackson County - The Mississippi Press                                  click here for entire story

 

September 30, 2008

Renaissance endorses Warm Welcome Gulf Coast, an initiative of Back Bay Mission                  click here for entire story

 

September 16, 2008

REACH receives first 100 homeownership applicants

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September 5, 2008

Renaissance to become CDFI

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August 26, 2008

Housing Assistance on the Way - Sun Herald

Renaissance launches the REACH Mississippi program and announces help for public sector and other employers                                                                                   click here for entire story

 

August 26, 2008

Program to help Coastal Workers Buy Homes - The Mississippi Press                                       click here for entire story

 

August 26, 2008

Housing Initiative For South Mississippi's Work Force Unveiled - WLOX                                       click here for entire story

 

August 25, 2008

Renaissance Launches Two Programs: Renaissance Builder & Developer Guild and Mississippi Gulf Coast Development Fund                               click here for entire story

 

August 1, 2008

Sun Herald: Partners unveil housing fund

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July 24, 2008

Kimberly LaRosa named President/CEO of Renaissance                                        click here for entire story

 

July 20, 2008

Sun Herald Editorial: Housing market can and must meet the needs of both buyers and sellers

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June 26, 2008

WLOX: Homeowner Assistance Program Tested In Ocean Springs

                 Click here to read the full report                     Click here to see the video

 

June 2008

One step forward, two steps back

A Reporter Analysis by Dick Polman                 click here

 

May 2008

Governor Haley Barbour Speaks at Government Exchange


Governor Haley Barbour joined city and county elected officials May 14 for the Gulf Coast Business Council’s Government Exchange. Business Council Chairman, Anthony Topazi, began the meeting with an updates on the REACH Mississippi program and encouraged the elected official’s support in this effort. Topazi also reminded the attendees of the Business Council’s efforts towards establishing the Gulf Coast as a tier one tourism destination. Governor Haley Barbour explained that this year is the critical year for the coast’s hurricane recovery, and stressed the importance of beginning many of the approved environmental and water/sewer projects. The Government Exchange is a quarterly program of the Legislative and Governmental Committee that aims to maintain partnerships and collaboration with elected officials. The May 14 Exchange was the forth forum held since the Business Council’s formation.

 

May 12, 2008

Coastians still lack housing

By MICHAEL NEWSOM
mmnewsom@sunherald.com

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April 2008

Governor Barbour Signs REACH Mississippi Bill

The Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation’s main program of focus moved one step closer to reality last week when Governor Haley Barbour signed into law House Bill 1482. The REACH Mississippi Bill, supported by the Gulf Coast Business Council, will provide tax relief to working families with incomes below 120 percent of the area median income by allowing them to exclude certain funds from employer-assisted housing (EAH) programs from their taxable income. To view the signed bill, click here.

 

 

April 13, 2008

Sun Herald Editorial:

Affordable is always in the eye of the beholder

 

March 6, 2008

Renaissance, Business Council and Tradition sponsor visit from Prince Charles’ housing advocate

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March 25, 2008

Knight Foundation Grant, Volunteers Support Habitat for Humanity's 25th Annual Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project on the Gulf Coast

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February 2008

Congratulations to all who received funding through the long term workforce housing fund. Renaissance was thrilled when Gov. Barbour announced today $40 million has been allotted for our REACH Mississippi program and $15 million for our East Bank Redevelopment project in Pascagoula. Great things are possible through partnership and without the participation of fantastic organizations from all sectors, these programs would not have been achievable. Through these awards, we will be able to help thousands of struggling families in South Mississippi.

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February 20, 2008

Governor Barbour Awards Affordable Housing Grants – WLOX

 

February 12, 2008

Northrop receives housing award

SUN HERALD

PASCAGOULA -- Northrop Grumman Corp. has received a 2008 Pioneer Award from Homes for Working Families for its employee-assisted housing program.
The Washington, D.C.-based national, nonprofit organization recognized the company, which includes Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding, Gulf Coast Operations in Pascagoula, at an event in Washington on Monday. HWF also released a resource for employers, "Understanding Employer-Assisted Housing: A Guidebook for Employers," on Monday morning.

Northrop's Gulf Coast Operations is preparing to launch an employer-assisted housing program for employees who otherwise would not have access to affordable housing, said spokesman Bill Glenn. Designed as a recruitment and retention tool, the program will provide financial assistance through down payments, funds in the form of a forgivable loan and counseling to eligible employees who have been employed with the company for at least six months.

 

April 2007

Sun Herald Editorial
Renaissance Corp. breathes new life into housing

To fully appreciate the impact the new Renaissance Corporation can have on the future of South Mississippi, try imagining that future without such an innovative, nonprofit group:

  • Traffic, traffic, traffic. The greatest loss of housing resulting from Hurricane Katrina was near the shoreline, where thousands of jobs are concentrated. Without intense efforts to develop housing for workers near their jobs, most of the affordable housing would be far to the north, greatly increasing commute times, fuel costs and traffic congestion, while decreasing quality of life.
  • Huge housing gap. Land and insurance costs have sent building costs skyrocketing, along with the prices that builders and developers must charge for houses and apartments. Without some new and creative financing programs, thousands of middle-income workers would not be able to afford the homes that are built.
  • Decaying city cores. Infill housing — replacing destroyed or aging homes near our cities’ downtowns — is a vital key to redevelopment that would be ignored by developers seeking higher profit margins and less-complicated land purchases.
  • What new jobs? South Mississippi’s growth would stall, because businesses do not bring jobs to places where housing for employees is unavailable or unaffordable.
    This unattractive future could be ours, but a number of local leaders stepped up and said, “We can do better.”
    Recognizing that traditional market forces would leave significant gaps in South Mississippi’s post-Katrina housing needs, the Gulf Coast Business Council created Renaissance. The goal is to assist in making housing available for the average working family, those earning 80 to 120 percent of the average median income — too much for any federal programs, but not quite enough for our suddenly higher housing market. Because mixed-income housing is the organization’s model, the benefits will touch all income levels.

    Chairman Anthony Topazi, president and CEO Laura Davis, and a diverse local board are off and running with the challenge to develop safe, affordable and attractive housing for the local work force.

    Key steps in reaching that goal will include significant capitalization, an estimated $50 million to $100 million in private and public funds, for land acquisition and creative financing programs. Recognizing that such a large investment carries large responsibility; Renaissance pledges that its operations will be transparent, inclusive and accountable.

    Renaissance will bring together and work with developers, employers and a broad advisory group of local organizations and other nonprofits. Where appropriate, it welcomes the background role of facilitator. “We don’t want to be duplicative or competitive,” says Topazi, “we want to be compatible and cooperative.”
    All across South Mississippi, people are working together toward the goal of rebuilding a beautiful place where people want to live, work and play. By accomplishing its goals, the Renaissance Corporation will enable thousands who want to . . . to be able to afford to.

    The editorial above represents the views of the Sun Herald editorial board: Publisher Ricky R. Mathews, Executive Editor Stan Tiner, Chief Financial Officer Flora S. Point, Opinion Page Editor Marie Harris and Associate Editor Tony Biffle.

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