HANDS Background

History - Housing and Neighborhood Development Services, Inc. (HANDS) is a non-profit organization committed to the revitalization of neighborhoods in Orange and East Orange, New Jersey. HANDS was founded by a group of clergy and community leaders in 1986 when it was incorporated as a non-profit corporation with tax exempt status under IRS 501(c)(3). HANDS is a chartered affiliate of NeighborWorks® America.

HANDS’ accomplishments in recent years have resulted in the following recognition:

	2003 Neighborhood Impact Award from LISC-New Jersey
	2004 Governor’s Excellence in Housing Award for Community Revitalization
	2005 Smart Growth Award from New Jersey Future
	2006 Achievement in Planning Award from New Jersey Planning Officials
	2006 Neighborhood Builders Award from Bank of America
	2006 Outstanding Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan Award from New Jersey Chapter - American Planning Association
	2007 Outstanding CDC Award from LISC-New Jersey
	National Runner-up 2008 Innovations in Homeownership by NeighborWorks® America

Mission - The stated mission of HANDS is to “ensure that the neighborhoods of Orange and East Orange remain good places to raise a family”.  The HANDS neighborhood strategy is built upon a working philosophy that neighborhoods are revitalized by the actions of hundreds of individuals - investing their time, their funds, their energy and their hopes in the future of that neighborhood.  HANDS believes the role of the CDC is to leverage those investment decisions, to bolster public sector action and community initiative and to generate more private sector investment.

Programs - Over the past 24 years, HANDS, Inc. has carried out and refined a neighborhood revitalization strategy centered around the acquisition and redevelopment of long-vacant, pivotal eyesore properties in selected neighborhoods in the cities of Orange and East Orange, New Jersey bordering Newark. Our strategy of High-Impact Neighborhood Development for redeveloping targeted properties involves clearing title, acquisition, rehabilitation and resale to first time, low and moderate income home buyers.  First time buyers are prepared for successful homeownership through the HomeBuyers Club, a mutual support and education program lasting six months.  HANDS has expanded their redevelopment efforts beyond dilapidated homes to include long-vacant and underutilized industrial sites in a targeted neighborhood of Orange, New Jersey known as the Valley.  Efforts are also underway to attract new businesses, educational, recreational and career opportunities, arts programming and events and community arts space to the Valley through the ValleyArts collaboration initiated by HANDS. Recently, HANDS has responded to the foreclosure crisis by implementing a collaborative demonstration project to return foreclosed properties to productive use.

The seven inter-related core elements of the High-Impact Neighborhood Development strategy are:

	Redevelopment of pivotal properties in target neighborhoods.
	Increasing homeownership; investing in first time homebuyers.
	Strengthening neighborhood organizations.
	Developing leadership.
	Increasing effective citizen engagement.
	Forging strategic partnerships.
	Shaping public policy and private sector initiatives.