Foreclosure Assistance Program Expands Statewide

Oregon Housing and Community Services Department (OHCS) is announcing the expansion of the Rebuilding American Homeownership Assistance Pilot Program (RAHAPP) to help more Oregon homeowners struggling to stay in their homes. The program is designed to help homeowners with high- interest loans who can’t refinance because they still owe more than their home is worth.

The program has been in operation in Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties since July 2013, and is now expanding to serve all Oregon counties. The program is based on the Rebuilding American Homeownership proposal by Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley.

For more information, read the press release here.

Help CSC Head Start of Lincoln County by Just Using Your Fred Meyer Rewards Card

You can help CSC Head Start of Lincoln County earn donations just by shopping with your Fred Meyer rewards card! Fred Meyer is donating $2.5 million per year to non-profits in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to charities designated by their customers. Here’s how the program works:

• Go to www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards to sign up for the Community Rewards program, which links your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to Head Start of Lincoln County. You can search for Head Start of Lincoln County by name or by their non-profit number (89698).
• Every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping Head Start of Lincoln County earn a donation!
• You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, just as you do today.
• If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred Meyer store.

For more information, please visit www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards.

Workforce & Education Provides Support to Dislocated Workers

CSC's Workforce & Education department recently coordinated with workforce partner agencies Linn Benton Community College, the City of Harrisburg, and three local employers to provide information sessions on February 25 to the workers affected by the February closure of Allied Specialty Vehicles/Monaco RV.

According to the Albany Democrat-Herald, the Linn County plant closed on Monday, February 10. The company would not disclose details or how many jobs were lost with the closure. Monaco was purchased by Allied Specialty Vehicles last May. The parent company plans to discontinue production of its towable vehicles.  It will instead focus on producing motorized RVs in Decatur, Ind.

The dislocated workers were able to learn and ask questions about opportunities for retraining, job search, advice, and job openings at another local employer site in Harrisburg, Isovolta, Inc.