WelcomeAntionette Kerr

The Affordable Care Act: What Does it All Mean?

Parrott Insurance & Benefits

Community Champion Spotlight on Barbara WalserKassaundra S. Lockhart

Reasons to reframe the conversation about renting Ryan Jones

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9Every Penny CountsPhyllis Oliver10

The Future of Housing:What’s Next?Jonathan Bush11

table of contentsFALL 2013EMPOWERMENT

MAGAZINEPromoting Financial, Community & Self Awareness

Cover Photo by Matti House

6Habitat Celebrates25th AnniversaryRyan Jones

The Benefits of Home OwnershipMiriam Esquivel

On the backPhotos Around Town

EMPOWERMENTMAGAZINE

Contributors:Antionette Kerr

Executive Director, Lexington Housing CDC

Kassaundra S. LockhartIndependent PR/Marketing Consultant

Miriam EsquivelHousing Counselor & Foreclosure

Prevention Specialist, Davidson CountyCommunity Action

Jonathan BushCity Planner, City of Lexington

Ryan JonesLHCDC Board Member

Elizabeth ShiveParrott Insurance & Benefits

Alvaro AldanaParrott Insurance & Benefits

Phyllis Oliver LHCDC Thomasville

Housing Assistance Program

Emily Kepley MossDesigner, Smoky Mountain Living Magazine & Smoky Mountain News

LHCDC StaffAntionette Kerr, Executive DirectorMargaret Strickland, BookkeeperOlivia Gaddy Fisher, Housing Program CoordinatorKeith McCurdy, Director of Construction & RepairPhyllis Oliver, Housing Program

Coordinator-Thomasville

Lexington Housing Community Development Corporation

lexingtoncdc.com(336) 236-1675 p • (336) 236-9408 fax

The Lexington Housing Community Development Corpora-tion’s Empowerment Magazine will serve as a resource ofknowledge, information and empowerment for DavidsonCounty. The magazine will feature articles and briefs suchas but not limited to housing, financial literacy, communitydevelopment, revitalization, foreclosure, education, self im-provement, community champions and upcoming events.We will seek to always provide the citizens of DavidsonCounty with the most current and accurate information thatis available.

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7 Upcoming Events

Empowerment Magazine | FALL 2013 3

Antionette Kerr, Executive DIrector, Lexington Housing CDC

“Incredible change happens in your life when youdecide to take control of what you do have powerover instead of craving control over what you don't.”

Author Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Dear Friends:It seems as though people in Davidson County are often talking about how change actually happens around here.

Over the past seven years, I have had the privilege of sitting across the table for many of these types of discussions. Our staff has traveled through communities with some of the same questions that many agencies, community leaders,neighborhood grandmothers, pastors and friends want to know.

Some of the most common questions include:• How do you reach people in this community?

• What will happen to the next generation of youth?

• What is on the horizon for our communities?

In our quest to find solutions, we have come to discover that people are often looking externally for answers to community needs that really start within.

For example: A customer and friend once stopped me in the post office to complain about the amount of litter in anearby park. I listened earnestly for a few minutes and scratched my head in deep thought before giving her some of the best advice of my entire housing counseling career. “Why don’t you form a neighborhood group to take turns picking it up?”

So when the Lexington Housing Community Development Corporation was awarded a grant that included financial literacy from the North Carolina Community Development Corporation, rather than purchasing more books or hosting additional workshops-we simply decided to bring the message of financial literacy and community development to you.

We anticipate Empowerment Magazine will serve as a quarterly resource that will provide knowledge and informationfor Davidson County that features our partner agencies. The magazine will showcase articles from local businesses, gov-ernment, non-profits and housing agencies. However, articles and briefs will not be limited to housing, financial literacy, community development, revitalization, foreclosure, education, self improvement, community championsand upcoming events. We will strive to consistently provide the citizens of Davidson County with the most current and accurate information available so you can truly partner with us in Community & Economic Empowerment. But it all begins with you!

We welcome and encourage your story ideas and suggestions. Kindly submit to us at empowerment@lexingtoncdc.comor stop by our office at 21 West Second Street to meet our staff. Thanks to all our wonderful contributing writers and photographers. I hope their words inspire and provide each reader with knowledge, information and a sense of self-empowerment!

With anticipation,

Antionette G. KerrExecutive DirectorLexington Housing Community Development Corporation

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Healthcare is always a hot button issue in politicaldebates and on the national news. Lately, a mediastorm has been brewing over the Affordable CareAct (ACA) – also known as the Health Reform Lawor Obamacare. That’s because the law is about tosignificantly change the way health insurance worksby making it available and affordable to more people.

What is the ACA? The ACA is a federal statute thatwas signed into law by President Barack Obama onMarch 23, 2010. It is the most significant overhaulto our healthcare system in roughly 50 years. Thegoal of the law is to increase affordability and accessto healthcare. The ACA does not replace Medicaid,Medicare, or private insurance. If you have healthcoverage you like you can keep it, in most cases.

How do people gain access to ACA insurance?

In North Carolina, the federal government has cre-ated a new website that allows you to buy and com-pare health plans side-by-side from competingprivate health insurance companies. The marketplacewill determine if an individual or family is eligible fora policy as well as the cost per month. This website isoften called “the exchange” or marketplace. And,good news! Your local agent, such as folks at our of-fice – Parrott Insurance – can help you through thisconfusing process and it costs you no more than ifapplying on your own.

When can I shop?

The marketplace is not open all the time. In 2013,it opens on October 1 and closes March 31, 2014.This is called the Annual Enrollment Period (AEP).There will be one AEP each year. If you miss it, youmay not purchase health coverage unless you havea qualifying event – like moving to a different state,adding a newborn to your plan, losing your insur-ance through your job, etc.

How does it increase affordability?

The federal government will offer to subsidize thecost of health insurance for some people. Americansmaking less than 400% of the poverty level – approx-imately $45,960 for an individual or $94,200 for afamily of four, may be eligible for a subsidy. Somesubsidies could cover the full cost of your premium soyou will pay $0 for your health insurance. In fact, it’sestimated that millions across America will pay lessthan $100 per month for their insurance, accordingto a Department of Health and Human Services re-port released September 17, 2013.

The subsidy covers the full or partial cost of yourinsurance premium and is paid directly to the com-

pany that provides your insurance. That way, you’renot stuck with a big bill waiting for reimbursement.And, the less money you make, the more federal dol-lars you get towards your health plan.

However, not all people will be able to receive asubsidy for their health insurance. People who areable to obtain qualified health insurance from theiremployer will not be able to receive a subsidy forhealth insurance bought on the exchange.

I can’t get insurance because of a health condition…NOT ANYMORE!

The ACA includes many protections for Americans.One of those protections ensures that health coveragecannot be denied to anyone, including those with pre-existing conditions. In addition, insurers may not dropindividuals when they become sick. The Act also saysmen and women will pay the same price and stops in-surers from placing lifetime and annual limits on cov-erage. However, costs will continue to be affected byage, location, and tobacco use.

What do the policies cover?

The ACA intends to provide everyone with accessto affordable, quality health insurance. As such, theACA requires all health plans to contain certain serv-ices called Essential Health Benefits (EHB).

Furthermore, the ACA requires health insurers toprovide access to preventive health services with nocost sharing. Thus, your annual physical at your pri-mary care doctor could cost you $0.

What does this mean for my family and me?

Part of the ACA requires most Americans to obtainhealth coverage or receive an exemption by January1, 2014 or pay a fee for being uninsured.

We know this law is broad and confusing. It alsoaffects all of us in different ways. We’re sure youhave questions, and we are happy to help.

Attend an informational session at

10 a.m., 2 p.m. or 4 p.m. any week day at ouroffice at 150 Weaver Drive in Lexington.

Phone Parrott Insurance 336-249-7705 or

or email us at benefits@parrottinsurance.com

The Affordable Care Act: What Does it All Mean?

Liz Shive Alvaro Aldana

Liz Shive and Alvaro Aldana are with Parrott Insurance & Benefits

Wife. Mother. Grandmother. Overseer.Executive Director.

Humanitarian. Friend.

Hall of Famer.

After spending a mere fiveminutes with Barbara Walser, it iseasy to understand why she hasearned so many well respected ti-tles. The saying goes you only getone time to make a first impres-sion. Within the first five minutesof talking with Walser, my im-pression was: she is extremelyhumble.

Walser, a native of Lexington,never imagined she would be inthe position she is now. As a stu-

dent in high school, Walser always knew she wanted to help people.“I figured I would be a social worker,” she explained. “I didn’t thinkit would take me this far.”

This far includes her current position as executive director of David-son County Community Action (DCCA), a nonprofit organization thatseeks to end poverty within the county. Walser, who started workingwith DCCA as a receptionist, upon her return to Lexington in 1965,has earned her ascent to the top of the ladder. In addition to workingas a receptionist, she has served in numerous capacities within DCCA- administrative assistant, homeless coordinator, Community ServiceBlock Grant Director and acting director. After being asked previouslyto accept her current role, Walser, citing comfortability as the reason,became executive director in July 2013.

So what drives a woman of Walser’s stature? Her passion. Herpassion for making sure the citizens of Davidson County receive theservices offered by DCCA motivates her to continue to put forth herbest effort daily. Walser is not only driven to help those in the com-munity. She is driven by the desire to “help someone else so when Ileave someone else can carry on the program.”

Her ability to mentor someone to carry on the program is inevitable,according to Keisha Temple, secretary at DCCA. “Mrs. Walser is notonly a mentor and a friend but she is easy to talk to and is a shoulderto cry on if you need one.”

Miriam Esquivel, housing counselor at DCCA, echoes those senti-ments and describes Walser as an “understanding person who caresabout her employees and loves to help those in need.” Esquivel alsocites Walser’s sense of humor as one of the reasons it is so pleasantworking with such an easygoing “Boss Lady.”

Despite the challenges DCCA faces, primarily financial, Walsercontinues to advocate every day for the program she has seen endurecountless changes. “It is always a fight to get funding. All community

actions across the state are having challenges,” Walser explained.“Funding is difficult because a lot of people do not understand Com-munity Action.”

Even through the difficult times, Walser continually finds a way toget things done. This fact is not surprising to her colleagues. KimberlyHume, housing counselor at DCCA, is one of those who never ceasesto be amazed by how Walser successfully navigates through trialsover and over. “Barbara is an overachiever. She will go above thecall of duty to ensure that things get done.”

Walser's ability to get things done has landed her the honor of receiving some of the country’s most prestigious awards. In 2004, shewas inducted into the National Community Action Hall of Fame. Thefollowing year, the North Carolina Community Action Hall of Fameinducted her as well. Walser has also received the Diamond Community Service Award, which was signed by several UnitedStates senators.

So what does Walser, whose plate is perpetually full, like to do inher spare time? If there is such a thing. “I like to go to the movies,”Walser said, excitement evident in her voice. And, she is blessed witha green thumb. She loves plants, especially gardenias and ever-greens. Her yard is abundant with grape and muscadine vines, aswell as blackberries, the latter of which she turns into “delicious pies.”In addition to her movie watching and green thumbing, Walser is theoverseer at Lexington Deliverance Tabernacle.

Citing faith, family and her job as her foundation for stayinggrounded, Walser beams with pride when she speaks about her hus-band, Donald, their six children and their 17 grandchildren. “My hus-band says I’m from the old school because I cook every Sundaybefore church,” Walser laughs. “I love to spoil my grandchildren.Sometimes I mail them stuff because they like to get stuff in the mail(from Granny B).”

The Thanksgiving/Christmas season is one of her favorite times be-cause her family is able to get together at one time. When asked whatit is like having so many people under one roof at the same time,Walser simply says with joy, “It is fun! It’s really fun.”

True to my first impression, when asked if there was anythingWalser would like to tell readers about herself or DCCA, she immediately shifted the focus to DCCA. “Community Action is here toserve the people of Davidson County. We do have a website(www.dccommunityaction.org) if they would like additional information. They can always call the office to find out what services are available or come by. We are here to serve and we alsowant to work with other organizations.”

Kassaundra S. Lockhart is an Independant PR/Marketing Consultant.

By Kassaundra S. Lockhart

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Often lampooned for its wacky fashion and way-ward tunes, the 1980s was a decade that sawwidespread national and local change. Towardsthe end of the era, in 1988, one group in partic-ular decided that significant social and economicchange in Lexington should be built from theground up.

Born out of a desire to provide safe, decent, andaffordable housing to local families, Habitat for Humanity - Lexington Area continues working to

achieve its mission of improving the quality of life for allcitizens by building homes and eliminating poverty

On September 21, the organization fittingly celebrated 25years of service with an 80s-themed gala that drew a crowd of 150

plus to the Edward C. Smith Civic Center. Big hair, preppy popped collars, neon accessories,and more than a few celebrity impersonators abounded (did anyone spot Boy George? Billy Idol?)as guests enjoyed heavy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and live and silent auctions.

Local musicians Ken Davis, Allison Crowell, and Second Wind performed period favorites throughout theevening while Sheets Dance Academy treated partygoers to a special Michael Jackson montage.

“We just wanted to celebrate Habitat’s twenty-fifth anniversary and honor the founders (John Walser,Mary Davis, and the late Helen Brinkley) of our local affiliate” said Marjorie Parker, executive director ofthe organization. “One night we were talking about how to celebrate and we thought how fun it would beto see everyone come dressed up.”

As she looks forward to breaking ground on Habitat for Humanity - Lexington Area’s forty-eighth housethis fall, Parker explained the impact of the 94 homes (47 in Lexington and 47 throughout the world withties to the National HFH) the organization has already built over the last quarter-century with the help of anarmy of volunteers and community sponsors. “We’re trying to break the poverty cycle. We can offer homesto the families we partner with for $80,000 with a mortgage payment of less than $400. In 20 years they’llown their home and that increases the tax base in Lexington. It keeps families stable,” she said, adding thatchildren who grow up in homes tend to have better test scores and are more likely to attend college. “Ithelps for generations to come.”

Habitat for Humanity acknowledges

25 years with a nod

– or ‘headbang’ – to the 80s

Ryan Jones is a LHCDC Board Member

By Ryan Jones

UPCOMING EVENTS

Financial Literacy & Home Buyer Classes

Oct.14 & 15, Nov. 11 & 12, Dec. 9 & 10. All classes are held from 6:00p-8:00p at

Davidson County Community College.

Call Lexington Housing CDC at (336)236-1675 for more information.

To submit an event, email empowerment@lexingtoncdc.com

Lexington Community Ministers Conference

Annual Holiday BanquetDecember 14th 2013

Contact Minister Al Armstrong at the14jesus@yahoo.com

2013 Holiday HouseFri., Dec. 6th 10:00 am to 9:00 pmSat., Dec. 7th 10:00 am to 2:00 pmHome of Tim & Robyn DeZego

Tickets are $10 and benefit the league’s mission of helping women & children in Davidson County

Holiday House ShoppesFree Admission

Edward C. Smith Civic CenterFri. Dec. 6th - 9:30 am to 8:30 pmSat. Dec. 7th - 9:30 am to 3:00 pm

Refreshments will be provided.

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Miriam Esquivel is a housing councelor and foreclosure preventionspecialist with Davidson County Community Action.

All of my life I have heard about “The American Dream:” theright to pursue happiness and the freedom to strive for a betterlife through hard work and fair ambition. In a perfect world, somewould consider this an image of raising a family in a big, beautifulhouse, in a nice neighborhood with two to three children, a dogand, of course, the white picket fence about which we all haveheard. People work hard to be able to provide and keep thisdream alive for their families. For the last three years, I have beenable to work with many individuals and I have witnessed manyhomeowners wake up to the reality of this dream. Some dreamshave unfortunately turned into nightmares.

Many homeowners across North Carolina have experienced fi-nancial distress. A lot of people have lost their jobs or are workingreduced hours. Others have been sub-jected to increasing or unexpectedexpenses. For example,death in their families, highinterest rates, accidentsand expensivehouse/car repairs.After experiencing suchhardships, many home-owners give up the fightwith foreclosure as soon asthey receive foreclosure notices.

This raises the question of how can homeowners prepare to suc-cessfully carry out their dreams of owning their own homes? Inmy opinion, there are several factors borrowers should considerbefore making such a big commitment. Here are a few pointers:

1. Pre-purchase Counseling is recommended.2. Financial Budgeting is necessary. (Prioritize your spending)3. Saving for a rainy day is critical. (Pay yourself first)4. Make sure you are ready for the long-term responsibility.5. Do your homework. (Study your homeowner rights)

Maintaining the dream is part of the achievement and it is im-portant you do what it takes to stay on top of the game. I havenoticed the most common mistake some homeowners make whenpurchasing a home is overextending their income. Oftentimes,people are in such a rush to live out “The American Dream” thatthey will do whatever it takes to become a homeowner. Rushing isnever advised. Instead, take your time and do it right. Be honestwith yourself when it comes to your financial situation and makesure you are not merely making your budget work for your mort-gage company. Know what you are getting yourself into and makesure you are aware of all changes that can occur during home-

ownership.

We all know things tend to happen when weleast expect them. That’s why it is imperative to beprepared. It is also a good idea for homeowners to builda relationship with a local Housing Counselor who can guidethem throughout their journey, before and after the big purchase.There are a lot of programs that can assist individuals who aredealing with hardships that may prevent them from meeting theirmortgage obligations: modifications, special forbearance, repay-ment plans, refinancing options, even short sale and deed in lieuare included in the many options that may be available for home-owners in need. Housing Counselors all over the area are trainedto assist individuals when facing foreclosure. ACT RIGHT AWAY!

Do not wait until the very last minute to seek assistance. Thenumber one mistake I have seen people make

is ignoring the problem. Time is of theessence! The further you allow yourmortgage to get behind, the harder itwill be to reinstate your loan and youwill be more likely to lose your home. Thesooner homeowners consult with a Hous-

ing Counselor, the sooner the counselorcan begin to help you explore your options.

Don’t become victim to scams and companies that prey on home-owners in distress. Be aware there are also for-profit agencies that canonly do the same thing with which non-profit agencies can assist you.In desperation, a lot of home owners tend to trust the wrong people.You should never have to pay fees for foreclosure prevention. Help isFREE! Never sign any legal documents without fully reading and un-derstanding the terms. You may seek assistance from an attorney, a realestate professional or a HUD-approved housing counseling agency.

Owning a home is a great achievement and has always been partof living “The American Dream.” Don’t be rudely awakened by thereality that a lot of unprepared homeowners have experienced.

For more assistance and information, contact us at:

Davidson County Community Action15 E. 2ND Ave., Lexington, NC. 27292

(336) 249-0234 www.dccommunityaction.orgE-mail: dcca@lexcominc.net

Don’t wake up from “The American Dream”The Benefits of Homeownership

By Miriam Esquivel

The first thing I saw was the bright yellow caution tape. It tookseveral seconds longer to register the massive tree trunk restinggently (seriously, gently) on the roof of my century-old home.

As the beast of a storm that had recently blown through taperedoff to a slow drizzle, I stood in my front yard and surveyed thedamage, still in the sweaty clothes I was wearing when I boltedfrom my YMCA workout upon receiving the dreaded “you needto get home – right now” phone call from my partner.

I was frozen in awe, vaguely aware that my chimney wasnowhere in sight and feeling the mounting anxiety about how se-vere the internal damage must be. I remember quickly cataloguingthe contents of the rooms that would have been affected by thepunch of wayward limbs and feeling the stab of fear as I realizedmy only child – a tuxedo cat with laser green eyes and a penchantfor window-gazing – was inside at the time of the incident.

I secretly high-fived nature for reserving power beyond com-prehension, an invisible wind that could uproot so forcefully afixed object that likely had been in place longer than the city ofLexington itself.

Noticeably absent from the random tangents of fears, questions,and observations I entertained was the terror of not knowingwhere to turn, whom to call, what policies needed consulting. Isnapped a photo with my phone and texted it to the owner of theproperty, my landlord.

What followed was a series of visits from insurance adjusters,contractors, and a tree removal service. Two weeks later my housewas back to normal, sans chimney and the offending tree.

Arguably, this is a best-case scenario for any renter. Not every-one receives such prompt attention from the manager or ownerof their rental property, but the essence of the situation is relevantto anyone who, like me, lives happily on the fringe of the home-ownership club. For all intents and purposes the cost of maintain-ing my residence is not part of my monthly budget. When disasterstrikes, my savings account doesn’t take a hit and the headacheis minimal.

But beyond being free to outsource the fallout from storm damageand skip out on property taxes and homeowners’ insurance, thereare more than a few reasons I’m in no hurry to stop being a renter.

At 28 and 25, respectively, my partner and I haven’t yet hadthe opportunity to build a solid credit profile. We’ve invested in afew big-ticket items, including a car last year, we’ve started payingoff student loans and we pay our bills on time, but neither of usroutinely uses a credit card and we tend not to make purchaseswe can’t pay outright for with cash.

Though our financial situation is stable with a manageable levelof debt, a purposeful savings plan, and spending habits thatwould make our parents proud, the reality is that we likely aren’tthe best candidates for a stellar mortgage rate right now. Recog-nizing that time and consistency are our best friends when it comesto successfully courting a lender, we happily own our current iden-tities as renters. Frankly, the jury’s still out on whether our long-term vision will ever include a mortgage.

“But you’re throwing your money away,” I’m told matter-of-factly by well-meaning family members and friends. To a degree,this is true, but only if the value you ascribe to homeownershipoutweighs the value ascribed to other parts of your life.

In the midst of the resurgence of Lexington’s uptown district, mygreatest interest lies in being at the center of it all in what manyconsider the city’s oldest neighborhood. Having the option to leavethe car at home and stroll a few minutes up the road to my favoriteurban haunts is worth the cost of my rent and more.

Though I’ll be the first to admit that my future is uncertain (I hon-estly don’t know where I’ll be working in two years – a dilemma Ishare with many others in what we can all agree is a challengingeconomy), I don’t have the transient mindset renters are often ac-cused of spreading.

I’m in my neighborhood to stay for now and I feel comfortableinvesting in my home’s exterior, trying desperately and with em-barrassingly little success to imitate the gorgeous flower gardensand landscaping of my neighbors (my thumb remains resolutelybrown rather than green). But my next career move could easilyland me in a new city altogether and I’m okay with that. Thethought of turning down a thrilling job opportunity because I’msaddled with a house that won’t sell is nightmarish.

All in all, my living preferences –flexible monthly fi-nances, an urban environment, and freedom of movement – lendwell to a rental situation. I love being a renter, but as with mostthings in life, it isn’t for everyone.

Empowerment Magazine | FALL 2013 9

Continued on next page...

“But you’re throwingyour money away”

and other reasons to reframe the conversation

about renting

By Ryan Jones

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Here are a few things to consider if you choose a rental agreement over a trip to the mortgage loan office:

• Always read your lease. All of it; every word. Ask if youcan take a copy with you to read over before you sign. Mostare standard and a simple Google search will likely give youa good idea of what to expect, but pay close attention to spe-cial stipulations that could result not only in the loss of yoursecurity deposit, but termination of your lease.

• Be a good steward and honor your lease term! Don’tbe a house/apartment-hopper, but do treat the propertylike your own. If you don’t feel comfortable agreeing tostay in the same spot for a full year (this tends to be thestandard term), be honest about it. Most property ownersand managers can be flexible. You may pay a highermonthly cost to sign a six-month lease but it’s worth it whenyou consider that breaking a lease early could cause you

to lose your deposit as well as your credibility as a renter(they check references!) Down the line a bad referencefrom a landlord could affect your bank’s opinion onwhether or not to carry your mortgage.

• Buy renters insurance! It’s cheap and without it you’reon your own if a tree unexpectedly comes through yourliving room window, ruining your brand new laptop.

• Do you have pets already or have you consideredadopting one? Not all property owners and managers arecool with that. If they are they’ll likely require a pet securitydeposit in addition to the general security deposit you’llbe asked to pay. Best to find out whether or not Fido iswelcome before the U-Haul pulls away.

Have you ever wondered where your money goes each month?If so, you are not alone. It is safe to say most people have short-comings when it comes to managing finances, but many of usaren't aware of them. Identifying the underlying money manage-ment mistakes you might be making can help you eliminatespending habits that are less favorable and take control of yourfinancial well-being. Let’s consider a few common areas that con-sume our money:

Spending unconsciously. It is not necessarily the large purchasesor expenses such as mortgage/rent payment, car payment, etc.that cause a person’s finances to spin out of control – although it isvery important to live within your means. More often than not it’sthe small, routine purchases that are overlooked that deplete whatwould otherwise be surplus monies for the household each month.

For example, soft drink purchases. The average cost of a 20ounce soda is $1.39. If a person were to consume three drinksper day, the cost would be $4.46 (tax added). That would be anaverage cost of $31.22 per week/$133.80 for the month! Fortwo people, the cost would be $178.40 per month! That's a lotof pennies going down the drain for cola consumption.

Another overlooked area is the amount of money spent duringthe workday. If you routinely purchase both breakfast and lunchduring your work hours, you might not realize exactly how muchyou are spending. For instance, consider the dollar menu boardfor purchases. Breakfast $3.21/Lunch $3.21 – amounting to adaily cost of approximately $6.42. That would be an average of$32.10 weekly/$128.40 monthly. For two people, the cost woulddouble to $256.80 – money, money, money!

Another common and costly habit is not opening your mail.Avoiding bills and statements will not make them go away. It’s

important to stay on top of your finances so you know when pay-ments are due. Taking time to manage your finances will help youavoid unnecessary late fees and additional interest charges. In-curred late penalties from bills might appear to be small fees in-dividually each month but when you add them up you will noticea significant amount.

Paying bills on time will help to improve your creditrating/score. This will be money saved on future purchases. Yourcredit score determines the interest rate creditors charge. Thehigher one's credit score the lower the interest rate will be for newcredit purchases such as a home, car, auto insurance, creditcards, etc. Any money spent unnecessarily equals pennieswasted!

Don’t forfeit cash on interest by making minimum payments.Try to allot extra money towards your credit card balance eachmonth. When you pay more than the minimum you reduce theamount of interest that would otherwise be paid on each debt.This translates to eventually having more money in your pocket.When your finances are already tight it can be challenging to ac-complish this goal. You can possibly find the extra money neededby reducing your grocery bill, changing to a cheaper cell phoneprovider or switching to a different cable carrier. Don’t be afraidto shop around for the best deal. There are a lot of options avail-able for cell phone plans. Many do not require contracts.

The proverb is still true: “A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned.”Acknowledging your past money management mistakes now willenable you to recognize and replace them with better decisions.Over time you will see that these new financial habits becomesecond nature. Remember, Every Penny Does Count!

Every Penny¢ounts

Phyllis Oliver is with the LHCDC Thomasville Housing Assistance Program.

Ryan Jones is LHCDC Board Member

By Phyllis Oliver

¢

What are the emerging trends and challenges for thetwenty-first century and how can the City of Lexington bestposition itself to lead and innovate as we move forward toprepare our community for growth and change? Withchanging demographics, a fluctuating political landscape,shifting consumer preferences, and new demands for hous-ing types, what role will we play in the coming years?

Lexington’s economy is shifting from a manufacturingbase to a diverse economy and becoming more of a re-gional economic player. Lexington’s geographic positionwithin the state provides many benefits that allow us tomarket ourselves as a suburban community of Greensboro,Winston-Salem, High Point and yes – even Charlotte!

Many newcomers to the area like the idea of living in asmaller town with neighborhood main streets and a quickdrive to a major city! Our highway infrastructure andcharm is attractive to those with young families as well asyoung professionals, artists, and theaging population.

As it relates to housing, the Census Bu-reau, the American Planning Association(APA), and the Urban Investment Strate-gies Center at UNC-Chapel Hill all pro-vide compelling data as it relates tohousing trends.

Data collected by the Piedmont TriadRegional Council reveals that DavidsonCounty will have an increased popula-tion of 11.2%, equivalent to 18,294 res-idents by 2030. To those who work in thehousing industry we must ask ourselveswhat type of housing will they desire?What impact will that have on the de-mand for various housing types? Whatother services will be impacted with theincreased demand for housing?

The younger generation will demanddifferent lifestyle, housing choices, andtransportation costs.

The size of the homes and lots will get smaller. The aginggeneration demands are similar with housing types that re-quire less maintenance, modest yards and the ability to bewithin short distance of retail, civic uses and healthcareneeds.

Studies reveal that consumers desire mobility and flexi-bility, and they follow job creation. As a City Planner I amoften faced with questions that determine long-range plan-ning goals. Do we have housing stock for the people whowill be migrating to our area? How will the aging popula-tion want to live? What are their mobility options?

People choose a place as a commodity. They don’t justbuy a home. They buy a neighborhood, a place. If our de-sire is to have strong economy and a stable tax base, wemust think about what kind of place we’re designing andplanning for the future.

Empowerment Magazine | FALL 2013 11

The Future

of Housing

What’s Next??

Jonathan Bush is a Lexington N.C. City Planner.

By Jonathan Bush

Both

younger

and aging

populations

are asking

for walkable

communities

The Housing Market of Tomorrow

More walkable

communitieswill decrease

our dependenceon foriegn

oil and improve

quality of life.

House sizes

are shrinking

and 1/3 of

the local

population

desires more

compact

housing.

Just to meetthe marketdemand, all new

residentialunits built by2040 would

need to provide these

housing options.

1/3 of the

population

favors rental

housing over

owning their

own house.

The youngerpopulation is

waiting to buy til laterand require

upscape rental

housing.

Demand fo

multi-family

housing units

is growing,

driving

rents up.

New singlefamily homeswill need to be built tokeep up with the

increasingpopulationand smallerhousholds.

TREN

DS

FACTORS

WalkableCommunities

House Size

Rental House

HouseholdSize

You Can ‘Do It Yourself’ Expo is a success

On Thursday, September 5, Lexington Housing Community DevelopmentCorporation(LHCDC) hosted its first You Can ‘Do It Yoursel’ Expo.The Expo was held as an effort to educate the communityabout simple projects that could be done at home. TheExpo featured presentations and one on one question &answer sessions by local vendors. The vendors sharedtheir expertise on a wide range of topics ranging fromsquare foot gardening, door, window, backsplash andcarpet installation, evergreen planting, spill remediationand constructing a firepit. Vendors in attendance wereCrative Carpet, Hedgecock Builders Supply, Lowe’s,Beth’s Greenhouse, Lexington Farm & garden, Lisa Jonesand ChuckVogel representing Johnson Concrete. Atten-dees were not only treated to presentations but they alsoenjoyed free hot dogs, on behalf of Michael Evans Hot DogHeaven, door prizes, goody bags and a visit from the LexingtonFire Department. Vendors and attendees both expressed their desire to seethe event take place again.

Around

Town

Around Town at The Jazz on Main Community Festival, Big Day of Serving and Habitat's 25th Anniversary Gala