Neighborhood Philanthropy: LOU-HOME

Oxford is host to some wonderful non-profit organizations that provide for our community in so many ways. We want to provide a glimpse of these organizations each month. LOU-HOME focuses on building a better Lafayette-Oxford-University community through affordable places to call home. Its goal is to increase and promote affordable housing opportunities within our local community.

The Lafayette, Oxford and University Home Ownership Management Enterprise (LOU-HOME, Inc.) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 2006. Its initial goal was to work with county, city and university leadership to refurbish on-campus faculty housing into affordable housing. The first 5 houses were given to low-income families who had land but not the means to build on it, while an additional 21 houses became the Community Green neighborhood.

Since Community Green, LOU-HOME has helped to develop the tax credit development, Belle Rivers – a modern, affordable housing development in our community – and provides housing and credit counseling to clients throughout Lafayette county. Forrest Jenkins is LOU-HOME’s housing counselor. She is HUD-certified who educates individuals and groups about understanding and improving credit, setting and reaching budget goals, the home-buying process and landlord-tenant rights and responsibilities.

Forrest not only meets with clients one-one-one, but she also hosts workshops. Her next workshop, Budget for Nutrition, is scheduled for June 21st and June 26th at the Lafayette County Library. Forrest shared, “These workshops recognize an intersection of needs in the LOU community. When households are cost-burdened on housing, paying more than 30% of their income on rent or mortgage costs, families need support and strategies for other necessities like food. LOU-HOME, with the support of LOFT, is providing grocery gift cards to ten workshop participants. Everyone attending workshops will learn how to calculate the per-serving cost of a meal with several simple recipe examples. They will also be introduced to the Oxford Community Market, where they can find low-cost, fresh ingredients and various service and support organizations.”

Fred Laurenzo, founder and current Chief Administrative Officer, recognizes that housing affordability is a community problem requiring a community solution. He serves as one of 12 on the LOU-HOME board. You can see all board members here. The current board is excited about Forrest’s work as financial counselor and two upcoming events. One will be held at Belle Rivers in early July to host a “community day” for the residents of Belle Rivers, Eastover and Owens Place. The second will be a birthday party celebrating the Community Green neighborhood. More details coming at a later date.

Belle Rivers

Affordable housing is vital to any community. I personally believe it is one of the most important aspects of defining a healthy community. That is why I serve on both the LOU-HOME Board of Directors as President and am a newly appointed Commissioner for the city of Oxford’s Affordable Housing Commission. I am so grateful for the tireless work that LOU-HOME does for our community. Thank you.