DURANGO, Colo. - The Colorado Association of REALTORS® Housing Opportunity Foundation (CARHOF) has donated $714,000 to more than 100 housing agencies in Colorado. This represents the most the foundation has donated in one year.

Approximately 25 percent of the donations were given to organizations that provide foreclosure prevention, such as the Colorado Foreclosure Hotline, and various homeless shelters, transitional housing programs for the homeless and mortgage/rental assistance programs to prevent homelessness.

“With the high foreclosure rate in Colorado and significant homeless population, it’s not surprising a quarter of our grants this year went to these causes,” said Bill Osnowitz, CARHOF president.

The Durango Area Association of REALTORS® chapter of CARHOF completed their grant cycle for 2008, distributing a total of $29,210 to four local nonprofit housing organizations.

Grant recipients include Volunteers of America – given to assist with operating costs to feed, house, clothe, and council guests of the Durango Community Shelter and Southwest Safe House; Colorado Housing; Housing Solutions; and Habitat for Humanity – given to aid in local down payment assistance programs.

According to John Gamble, executive director of Volunteers of America, “The Durango Area Association of REALTORS® represents the most outstanding professional organization supporting our community.”

Contributors to CARHOF in La Plata County include Bank of the San Juans, Bayfield Realty, Campbell Realty, Inc., Century 21 Premiere, Inc., Chuck Muir Realty, Coldwell Banker Heritage House, Colorado Land Title, Double LL Realty, Durango Mountain Realty, Durango Realty, Durango Sunrise Realty, First National Bank of Durango, Gallant Real Estate Company., Homestead Realty, Horizon Properties, Mountain Dreams Realty, LLC, Needles Real Estate, Pine River Valley Bank, Prudential Triple S Realty, Re/Max Western Realty, Realty Executives of Durango and The Wells Group.

Samantha Gallant, local DAAR president and CARHOF director said, “The Durango Area Association of REALTORS® and its fellow CARHOF participants are very proud to be a part of this organization. Together we continue to support the housing needs in our community.”

CARHOF continues to be one of Colorado’s most reliable affordable housing resources. Since 1990, this nonprofit foundation has helped thousands of Colorado residents with their housing needs. To date CARHOF has given more than $6.5 million in grants to nonprofit housing organizations.

“This is what CARHOF was created for, to make a difference in people’s lives,” said Gallant.  

Community members can help CARHOF continue with its mission by depositing earnest money in a real estate transaction in an interest-bearing CARHOF account. CARHOF collects the interest and 85 percent is donated back to the community for affordable housing in Colorado. For more information, visit www.CARHOF.org.

The Colorado Association of REALTORS® Housing Opportunity Foundation (CARHOF) is a nonprofit foundation designed to assist housing efforts across the state.  CARHOF is part of the Colorado Association of REALTORS®, the largest real estate trade association in the state, representing more than 27,000 members.

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