Urban Neighborhoods Alliance programs

Urban Neighborhoods Alliance is a nonprofit organization focused on center-city neighborhood rehabilitation. It has four pilot programs.

Down payment and closing cost assistance program. It is available for first-time home buyers whose household income is no more than 80 percent of the median income for Springfield, or $40,000. The median income for a four-person household in Springfield is $49,200.

Employer-assisted housing program. Helps center city businesses to pull their employee base nearer to the workplace through loans, grants, matched savings and education. Hopes to stimulate homeownership in center city.

Property acquisition and remodeling program. UNA will identify problem properties, then acquire them for rehabilitation and resale.

Remodeling loan program. Still in the planning stages, it would offer below-market rate loans for major remodeling projects within the center-city boundaries.