​We'll let you know how we made out as soon as we get a total from Home D. Thanks!

​The State College Community Land Trust is excited and proud to announce that construction of the GreenBuild Project will begin in late September. The project will construct an affordable duplex equipped with green energy technology in the Borough of State College. Thanks to key partners and individual donors, SCCLT has experienced enthusisasm and support for the fundraising campaign. A groundbreaking ceremony was held this summer, but we are continuing to pursue additional support to help achieve the goal of making the two homes fully net zero ready.   
 
A major contributor and partner is West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund (WPPSEF). SCCLT has been awarded a $100,000 grant and a $350,000 construction loan from WPPSEF. Other key partners are the Borough of State College, the Penn State Hamer Center for Community Design/Energy Efficient Housing Research Group, Centre County Government, and S&T Bank.  
 
Joel Morrison, Director of West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund, said “Our financial support will help this community to showcase the benefits from a project that began when SCCLT met with the Penn State Hamer Center and challenged the architecture and engineering students to form a team to compete in the 2015 US Department of Energy (DOE) Race to Zero Student Design Competition. This competition challenges and inspires the next generation of building science professionals to design an affordable, net zero energy home that meets DOE’s Zero Energy Ready Home guidelines.
“By definition, these high-performance homes are so energy-efficient that renewable power can offset most or all of the annual energy consumption,” he said. “This program will foster existing and future collaboration with university architectural and engineering students to deploy high performance construction practices in their local communities. We are proud to pioneer this new GreenBuild initiative along with State College Community Land Trust to provide affordable, high performance housing.” 
 
Susan Venegoni, SCCLT president, said, “Project funding from WPPSEF enables our Land Trust to expand affordable housing to middle-income households in the Borough of State College. For 20 years, the SCCLT has focused on increasing housing opportunities for low to moderate-income households. Through our GreenBuild project, we will be able to help two middle-income individuals or families to buy a Land Trust home and lower their overall housing costs by reducing energy costs.”
 
Envinity, Inc. of State College has been selected to construct the duplex and will partner with Henry Architecture & Design, and Macht Architecture. GreenBuild will benefit not only the people who own the homes, but also will serve as a model for builders, developers, architects and individual homeowners seeking new ways to reduce energy costs.
 
Peg Hambrick, chair of the GreenBuild Project, said: “As a model project, GreenBuild will provide valuable insight into ways to lower the costs of home ownership over the long term. In a community that already has a shortage of affordable housing, the SCCLT will eliminate another barrier to home ownership by reducing the energy cost burden. We are proud to welcome WPPSEF as a key partner in this town-gown collaboration to address one of our community’s most well-known challenges: affordable housing.” 
 
If you are interested in GreenBuild and other affordable home ownership opportunities in State College Borough, contact the SCCLT office at 814-867-0656 or director@scclandtrust.org. Our web site is www.scclandtrust.org
 
The West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund (WPPSEF) is a nonprofit organization that invests in the deployment of sustainable energy technologies that benefit West Penn Power ratepayers in Pennsylvania. Visit http://www.wppsef.org for further information.
 
Photo caption
WPPSEF Director Joel Morrison & SCCLT Executive Director Colleen Ritter

​Serving as the SCCLT Board President is filled with many responsibilities, but my favorite task by far is attending the closings, the day an applicant becomes a homeowner.
 
A long-time SCCLT homeowner recently retired and moved out of town, closer to her family members. When the home became available for purchase, we held an Open House for prospective buyers. One of the families who attended became our 61st SCCLT homeowners! It’s inspiring when all the paperwork is signed and the new owners get the keys to their home.
 
Let me take a moment to tell you how much work goes into each SCCLT home and into each successful homeowner purchase and sale.
 
First, a home is purchased and renovated to current Property Maintenance Code
standards and for energy efficiency. The SCCLT staff handles the marketing and sale of each property. When applicants call and schedule a meeting, we provide budget counseling and homebuyer education, tailored to individual needs. If a home is being re-sold, the staff works with the seller to ensure a smooth transition.
 
Applicants have their income certified, complete the educational segments of the program, obtain traditional financing, and work with our staff to find the right home for their needs. They are fully prepared when it is time to buy. And when the closing is completed, we truly feel joy and excitement along with the new homeowners.
 
During the first five years of ownership, SCCLT homeowners complete post purchase budget counseling, which helps keep finances on track. Information and referrals are provided for any needs or questions that may arise. All that hard work pays off! Our homeowners stay in their homes an average of 7 years, and no one has faced a foreclosure over the 20+ years of SCCLT’s operation.
 
In July, we added our 40th home to the program, and it is a beautiful home. The previous owners put a lot of work into house improvements, and we are thrilled to expand our community of SCCLT homes. From start to finish, SCCLT homeowners benefit from a dedicated network that empowers and leads to successful outcomes.
 
The latest newsletter highlights the launch of the GreenBuild project and a SCCLT home for sale on Orlando Avenue. Our annual appeal went out in August so your support can help our applicants sooner than later. We could not have accomplished so much without our volunteers and donors. Thank you for your generous support of the SCCLT and its services.
 
Susan Venegoni,
Board President