Marilyn Graham of H.O.P.E., Inc. Named CT Mortgage Bankers' Affordable Housing Award Winner

Groton, CT – Marilyn M. Graham, Executive Director of H.O.P.E., Inc., was named the winner of the Connecticut Mortgage Bankers' Affordable Housing Award. She was nominated for this honor by Chelsea Groton Bank. Nominees demonstrated leadership in the affordable housing arena by providing individuals with tools to achieve homeownership, increase the affordable housing supply and/or assist in community revitalization which includes homeownership.
 
Marilyn has been employed by H.O.P.E., Inc. since its inception in 1989, and has been involved in the planning and implementation of all of H.O.P.E.’s projects, both rental and homeownership, for 27 years.  As the Executive Director, she has a full range of responsibilities including planning and supervising projects, fundraising, record keeping, sales and marketing. 
 
“Marilyn has been instrumental in ensuring H.O.P.E.’s First-Time Homebuyer Program, Reynard Rent-to-Own Program, and the Home Repair Workshop Program not only were started, but have been incredibly successful,” said Michael Sheahan, SVP, Retail Lending Manager at Chelsea Groton Bank. “Without Marilyn’s efforts, many families in our region would never be able to afford to purchase a home, or to transition from renter to homeowner.” 

The First-Time Homebuyer Program takes distressed properties and thoroughly renovates them. The renovated homes or units are then sold to very-low, low and moderate-income families at affordable prices. Through the Reynard Rent-to-Own Program, rental apartments are made available to low-income tenants at affordable rates. The tenants are coached on how to improve their credit and to save a portion of their rents each month to put towards closing costs, so they will be ready to make a home purchase. The third program, H.O.P.E.’s Home Repair Workshop Program, is a series of nine free workshops taught by a local plumber, electrician, and carpenter and feature hands-on demonstrations, for low and moderate-income, first-time homeowners in southeastern Connecticut.  This popular program helps homebuyers make the transition from being tenants to homeowners. 

The other two winners were Peter DeBiasi, Access Community Agency and George Kral, Guilford Town Planner. Winners will be honored at the Connecticut Mortgage Banker’s Affordable Housing Awards on November 4, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. at Aqua Turf in Plantsville, CT. If you’re interested in attending the breakfast, contact Pam Days-Luketich at pdays-luketich@chelseagroton.com.

About Chelsea Groton Bank
Based in Groton, CT, Chelsea Groton Bank is a mutually owned bank with 14 locations throughout New London County and a Loan Production Office in Hartford County. The Bank has over $1 billion in assets and serves businesses, individuals and families throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island. To learn more, please visit chelseagroton.com. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.