Back to the home page

Weatherization Day Celebrated

    Jim Sconzo, Executive Director, Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties, joined Corporation Commissioner Denise Bode and Russell Perry, the Governor’s Special Assistant for Economic Development, on Weatherization Day, Oct. 30, to view cost-effective, energy efficiency measures being installed in a southwest Oklahoma City residence.

   At a press conference, Bode made the first donation to the Energy Conservation Assistance Fund (See related story).

    Meanwhile, in Norman, Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency conducted a blower door demonstration at a home scheduled to be weatherized. Among those attending the demonstration was Lexington Mayor Bill Haddock.

    Oklahoma Community Action Agencies weatherize about 800 homes each year.

Energy fund donation can reduce your taxes and help elderly

    Oklahoma individuals and corporations can help elderly and handicapped residents reduce their heating and cooling costs and save money on their state taxes by donating to the Energy Conservation Assistance Fund.

    By donating to the fund, you may be entitled to a state income tax credit of 50% of the amount you contribute to the fund. Call 800-879-6552, ext. 359 for details.

    Money donated to the fund helps support the weatherization program targeting elderly and handicapped. The weatherization program installs storm windows, attic insulation, caulk and weather-strip doors and windows, seal cracks in the home and make other needed repairs to reduce energy consumption.

    The Oklahoma Legislature created the Energy Conservation Assistance Fund and designated the Department of Commerce to administer it.

Community Action transit drivers participate in roadeo

    Transit drivers from eight Community Action Agencies were among 68 participating in the 12th Annual Oklahoma Bus Operators Association Roadeo. Pedro “Pete” Soliz from Southwest Transit sponsored by Southwest Oklahoma Community Action was the winner.

    Sponsored by the Oklahoma Transit Association, drivers were required to maneuver 22-passenger busses around cones to demonstrate skills they use on a daily basis.

    Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers rode in each bus to judge the drivers on basic skills such as use of lights, mirrors, starting and stopping smoothly. Outside, judges graded the drivers as they worked through nearly a dozen stations within a seven minute time limit.

    At one station, drivers had to negotiate a “S” created by cones. Drivers lost points if they hit any of the cones or had to back up to negotiate the curves.

    At another station drivers had to back up between a series of cones that were positioned only a few inches further apart than the width of the bus.

    At still another location called the “judgment stop” drivers had to drive through a lane of cones at 20 miles per hour and then come to a stop before hitting a cone only about 25 feet in front of them. Oklahoma City police provided an officer with a radar gun to help with this test.

    The course was designed to test drivers on all maneuvers they might have to perform during a typical day.

    In addition to the course, drivers were graded on performing a vehicle pre-trip inspection, operation of a wheel chair lift and a written test. Soliz will participate in the national competition next year which is sponsored by the Community Transportation Association of America.

    KI BOIS Community Action provided the vehicles and cones used in the roadeo. Other participating Community Action Agencies included Big Five, Community Action Development Corporation, Delta, INCA, Little Dixie, Southwest and United.

CARD partners with developer to build houses

    Community Action Resource & Development (CARD) was one of the first Oklahoma Community Action Agencies to partner with a private developer 15 years ago to build a senior nutrition center.

    The agency is now working with a private developer to build quality, affordable, single-family houses.

    The agency is able to interest private developers to build a quality product by using HOME dollars to provide gap financing.

    The agency works closely with buyers to help clean up any credit problems. Then when the client applies for a commercial loan to purchase the home, CARD can provide additional money, if needed, to cover closing costs or help with the required down payment.

    Working with a private developer, the agency has already sold 50 homes in the Canterbury subdivision in Claremore.

    Another 100 affordable homes are being constructed in the Preston Lakes subdivision of Owasso. The agency has also acquired 77 lots in Bartlesville.

    One of the keys to a successful partnership is for the Community Action Agency to maintain control to make sure the developer follows all of the HOME regulations.

    The homes constructed in the Canterbury subdivision are three bedrooms, two baths with about 1,150 square feet of space.

    CARD’s goal is to become a developer offering a full package of services. The agency is developing expertise in-house and soon expects to be in a position to walk clients through the entire process.

CAAs get housing counseling grants

    Three of Oklahoma’s Community Action Agencies will share in $17.5 million in housing counseling assistances grants from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
    These grants are part of HUD’s on-going efforts to promote homeownership.
    Community Action Agency of Oklahoma City and Oklahoma/Canadian Counties will receive $18,466 with Community Action Project of Tulsa County getting $22,283 and Community Development Support Association to receive $17,540.
    “This is another example of HUD working with non-profit groups and the housing industry to increase homeownership across the nation,” said HUD Secretary Mel Martinez. “These grants will help take the uncertainty out of homeownership for thousands of Americans, allowing them to take part in the American dream and own a home.”
    HUD’s housing counseling grants enable anyone — current homeowners, prospective buyers or renters — to get the counseling they need to improve their housing conditions and be responsible owners and renters.

Southwest gets grant

    Southwest Oklahoma Community Action Group is receiving $41,842 Housing Preservation Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.

    The Altus Times reports the project to be completed in Granite will include one two-bedroom, one three-bedroom, one four-bedroom replacement home and one rehabilitation.

    The grants are targeted to housing preservation programs benefiting low and very low-income rural residents. The grants are used to remove or correct health or safety hazards or to make needed repairs to improve the generalizing conditions of the homes.

COCAA partners with pharmacy to provide prescriptions at lower costs

    Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency (COCAA) sponsored outreach offices and health clinics have joined forces with a local Stillwater pharmacy to form the Pharmacy Distribution Center to help provide life-maintaining generic medications to those who cannot afford to pay the “walk in” pharmacy prescription prices.

    According to an article in the agency’s July newsletter, News & Quotes, the Pharmacy Distribution Center is giving those who do not have insurance or are underinsured an opportunity to pay prescription costs at a greatly reduced rate through the program by creating a large buying pool for commonly used medications.

    COCAA outreach offices and volunteer health clinics are the ordering and income screening mechanism to access the services. Eligibility requirements include having a total monthly income at or below 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

    According to the article, each screening center will be able to take orders and submit them to the center on behalf of the client. The medication will then be mailed to the client within 48 hours of receiving the order.

Deep Fork sponsors haunted house

    The week before Halloween, Deep Fork Community Action Executive Director Jeff Schuman takes vacation so he can spend full time putting the final touches on Okmulgee’s haunted house -- The Castle of Terror.

    Located at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds, the haunted house is open for three nights leading up to Halloween.

    Now in its fifth season, proceeds from the Castle of Terror benefit the Okmulgee County 4-H Clubs and other charitable causes sponsored by Deep Fork.

    Schuman says he has really gotten into making the haunted house better each year and began in April building some of the effects in his garage including a medieval torture chamber and mad scientist laboratory.

    Deep Fork staff is recruited to play werewolves, witches and assorted goblins.

Butch Miles Regional Head Start Parent of the Year

    Butch Miles from Central Oklahoma Community Action, is Region VI’s Head Start Parent of the Year nominee. He has been invited to attend the 7th Annual Parent Banquet at the National Head Start Association (NHSA) Parent Conference in Nashville next month. NHSA will announce the national winner during the banquet.

Delta helps provide affordable housing in Lindsay

    Delta Community Action is partnering with the City of Lindsay and the Department of Corrections to provide five new homes to low and moderate-income residents.

    Carrie Dutton moved into her new inmate built, two-bedroom, 960 square foot modular house on Oct. 20.

    The home is valued at $50,000, says Kathy Griffith, Housing Director at Delta.

    While the new homeowners are not required to make mortgage payments, they must live in the home, maintain it and pay for homeowners insurance and property taxes. The city of Lindsay holds a lien on the property for ten years.

    The homes are built by inmates at the Lexington Correctional Center under the direction of the Oklahoma Correctional Industries (OCI) in partnership with Career Tech, explained Bob Tomlinson, industrial manager, Oklahoma Correctional Industries.

    The homes are delivered in two sections and are assembled by five-member crew of inmates.

    Carrie Dutton’s home is the first to be set up and occupied.  “We purchased the first five homes built by OCI,” Griffith said.

    The new homes are part of an economic development program by the City of Lindsay. The city wanted to improve the quality of housing and the looks of the targeted neighborhood.

    Griffith said the city wants to do five new homes each year.

    She praised the city for its help on the project.

    “The city has been wonderful,” Griffith said. “Without their cooperation, we would never have got this one done.”

    As the new owners move into their new homes, their old homes will be bulldozed. Many of the old homes were damaged by flood waters and in some cases are literally caving in.

    Griffith said there is a waiting list for the new homes and a priority system has been established. Income, age, any disabilities, condition of their existing home and overcrowded conditions are all considered.