MORTGAGE MINUTE – APRIL 2024

By- Nicole Donn, U.S. Financial Mortgage

The topic this  month is more about the CalHFA California Dream For All Loan that we discussed last month.   You may remember this loan from last year where a little over 2,000 families became homeowners for the first time with the help of the state of California through a shared appreciation program.  It was first come, first served and you had to have a property in contract.  The funds were gone in less than 10 days.

The guidelines for eligibility have changed along with the way the program will be administered.  The down payment assistance will be up to 20% of the sales price or $150,000, whichever is lower.

  • The homebuyer must register for a voucher. A randomized drawing will select registrants who will receive the voucher. This will not be first come, first served; it will be a random drawing occurring once the portal closes.  The portal will be opening April 3rd, and we will be slammed with getting people their preapproval certificates.

One borrower must be a first-generation homebuyer. All borrowers must be first-time homebuyers.

Income must meet CalHFA Income Limits for the county you are purchasing in.

Next Steps

  1. Call 510-758-3035 or email ndonn@gemcorp.com  to get preapproved for the California Dream for All Loan
  2. Work with your loan officer to determine what you need to do to secure a California Dream For All (DFA) Lender Pre-Approval Letter. You’ll need this letter in order to register for a DFA voucher in April.
  3. Take the 1-hour California Dream For All education course which covers what shared appreciation is and how it affects your mortgage repayment. This course is delivered online and is free. Visit calhfadreamforall.com to get signed up and learn about shared appreciation now.

Shared Appreciation

Shared Appreciation is a little more complex than a typical mortgage loan, so we’ve put together a few examples for you.

This loan is not for everyone, but for the lucky few, it offers an excellent opportunity to experience homeownership for yourself! For those who are not selected or who decide the program is not for them, we can present a variety of other options. So if you or anyone you know does not yet own their own home, please have them contact your local lender – US Financial Mortgage Lending at 510-758-3035 or email me at ndonn@gemcorp.com.

CLOVERFIELD FARMS

Organic Cuttings & Scions at Cloverfield Feb. 2024

Every winter the deciduous fruiting shrubs and trees at Cloverfield Organic Farm drop their leaves and go into dormancy. This dormancy is when we do our winter pruning and harvesting of cuttings and scions. The cuttings and scions are used for propagating new plants of desired fruiting woody shrubs and trees.

Starting or adding to your own home orchard or vineyard is most affordable when you propagate your own trees and shrubs from cuttings or scions. We have a diverse selection and they are very affordable. We have six varieties of grapes, 3 varieties of elderberries, at least four varieties of pomegranate, 3 varieties of figs, and many fruit trees and other fruiting shrubs.

We can help you cut the scions or cuttings off of the trees and shrubs we haven’t pruned yet. Others will be available in marked pots with loose soil mix and you just pick the cuttings you want to purchase and grow.

Each scion or cutting is between 6 to 12 inches in length and has at least two strong nodes with healthy buds. The bottom node with buds is for sending out roots, and the top node with buds is for growing the vegetative shoot (leaves and new growth). The scions will also have at least two nodes with healthy buds and are suitable for grafting or rooting.

Cuttings and scions are best potted up or grafted as soon as possible, but they can be kept refrigerated for a few weeks in a plastic bag with a moist towel wrapped around them. Dormant cuttings can be rooted directly into a loose soil mix. We use (and we also sell) our loose Cloverfield Soil Mix containing a mix of organic OMRI compost, composted wood chips, vermiculite, and a bit of our “Magic Mix” fertilizer.  The loose soil mix should be completely moistened with water before using, as dry compost can be hard to hydrate in a pot. The base of each cutting should be trimmed close to the bottom node of the cutting’s stem.

To root the cuttings, push each cutting deep into your loose soil mix to where only one or two nodes with buds are above the surface.. Most woody cuttings root easily on their own, but can benefit if treated with a rooting hormone. We sometimes dip the bottom cut surface of each cutting in kelp meal. A commercial rooting hormone can also work, but these synthetic hormones are not approved for organic growing. Since most cuttings will grow out leaves before they grow roots, they should be kept in an environment where the new top growth will remain humid enough to not dry out until the roots emerge. A greenhouse with shade cloth is excellent for many plants, though an outside space with either shade cloth or part shade from deciduous trees can work fine for hardier plants. When weather gets warmer and dry be sure to water the top growth regularly and keep the loose soil mix hydrated.  When it is cold in early spring, only water by hand when necessary as cuttings can rot if kept overly wet. Once they have sprouted roots they can be fertilized with a diluted fertilizer, which spurs good growth. Pot up the rooted cuttings into larger containers filled with quality potting soil, once they have a solid well established root system. In a few weeks after that, they will be hardy enough to be planted in their permanent spot in your garden.

Cuttings can also be purchased online and we will ship them to you or hold them for pickup:

https://www.cloverfieldfarm.us/product-page/organic-grape-cutting-wood

https://www.cloverfieldfarm.us/shop
Cloverfield Organic Farm is located at 501 La Paloma Rd., El Sobrante, CA. Our open hours for u-picking and touring the farm are Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 11-4 until the time changes in March; then the hours shift to from noon to five.

RAMON VIRAY- 2023 CITIZEN OF THE YEAR

Ramon Viray, Citizen of the Year

Ramon Viray was born to serve. That’s not just a tagline on his signature, but it’s something he lives every day with a big smile on his face. Ramon is a vital and beloved member of the Green Team 94803, who helps keep our community clean and beautiful. He is committed and shows up and help on Third Saturday Cleanups and Green Teams’s special events like Earth Day, Coastal Cleanup Day, El Sobrante Stroll and Parade and assorted interim cleanups (and sometimes treats the volunteers to his World Famous Banana Bread). If that isn’t enough, Ramon has adopted a highway, the CalTrans property near I-80, the entrance to our community —to make sure we give a good, first impression of our town. Have you seen his handmade signs there? He is so creative.

Ramon is the ultimate cheerleader and ambassador for our town, as he is constantly recruiting people to help cleanup (including his large family who live around the area or are visiting from the Philippines), which builds community and gives people a sense of purpose. He is a positive presence on Next Door as well, as he posts about the good works people do and inspires others to get involved. Ramon also helps on Dumpster Days, when he is available, and has taken it upon himself to paint over graffiti around the area, which is his pet peeve. He has rigged up a trailer to help pick up illegal dumps and he often will make trips to the recycling centers to drop off recycling or hazardous waste materials that has been collected by others. Thanks to the support of his lovely wife, Flora, Ramon is the ultimate volunteer, who also gives his time to help SOS! Richmond, to his church, St. Callistus, SPAWNERS, his family and individuals who just need a helping hand. If that isn’t enough, he still donates blood at the local banks on a regular basis. He recently joined up with the Green Team crew who is going to maintain the planters in the downtown area along San Pablo Dam Rd. Ramon’s background as a Navy veteran and head of maintenance for Oakland post offices has provided him the skillset and experience to help people in need of household repairs or give advice on projects. Ramon is a lot of fun, with a great sense of humor. He keeps us laughing with his selfies, song lyrics, witty posts and positive, can-do attitude. He has definitely earned this award as El Sobrante’s Citizen of the Year. Thank you, Ramon, for all you do to make El Sobrante cleaner, more beautiful, and a very neighborly place to live.

 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM YOUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2020 has been a particularly difficult year for many of us, and is ending with another health order preventing businesses and community organizations from operating in a normal way.  Some even call the guidelines established by CDC , state and local health departments as “the new normal”.

We want to encourage everyone to support the local businesses – now more than ever your patronage may make the difference in whether a local restaurant, store or service will be here next year.  Our community, your neighbors and friends, are relying on each of us to help them, just as they have been there for us these many years.

Think of our local stores, restaurants, and services when making out your holiday shopping list – many of us have gift certificates available for purchase to give as holiday gifts.  If you are a local business who would like to sell gift certificates but don’t have the resources to create the document yourself, contact us at the chamber and we will be happy to help.

Together we can have a Happy Holiday season and prepare for the New Year to come.

Stay safe, wear a mask.