Housing And Neighborhood Development Services (Hands)

The mission of HANDS (Housing and Neighborhood Development Services) Inc. is to make and keep our neighborhoods places where people can and do choose to raise their families and run their businesses. The ways we advance our mission are driven by our core values of equity, creativity and sustainability. At HANDS, we amplify neighborhood voices and implement the ideas that will elevate the quality of community life. HANDS patiently invests expertise and funds in places where the private sector sees insufficient return and in projects that the public sector has not yet prioritized. HANDS strategy is threefold: (1) Engage citizens to articulate, advocate, and create programs and goals that build on community assets and address local challenges, (2) Partner with stakeholders, community organizations and government to implement programs that elevate civic engagement and advance community goals, (3) implement a neighborhood development program that includes the acquisition and redevelopment of pivotal, eyesore properties. HANDS redevelops deteriorated one to three family homes and sells them to low and moderate income buyers prepared for homeownership. HANDS also repurposes vacant, underutilized, industrial and commercial properties for long term economic development and have created a growing arts district. The success of our strategy is demonstrated by increased civic engagement, neighbor satisfaction, and private investment. HANDS has completed about 190 properties. HANDS is tax exempt under IRS 501(c)(3) and is a chartered affiliate of NeighborWorks® America.