Beyond Housing/Neighborhood Housing Services (BH/NHS) of St. Louis has developed a comprehensive Home Safety Program, with assistance from the local insurance industry, to help residents protect their homes, address fire safety issues and obtain adequate insurance coverage.

BH/NHS was incorporated in 1975. It strengthens neighborhoods by improving and preserving housing through resident, business and government partnerships and offers a number of city-wide programs that include homebuyer education and counseling, purchase and rehabilitation lending, and insurance services. BH/NHS has five offices in the city of St. Louis, including a NeighborWorks HomeOwnership Center.
 
In 1994, BH/NHS began offering basic insurance education to residents with limited access to insurance coverage. A committee, made up of representatives from local insurance companies, was formed to administer the program. Its goal was to educate homeowners and ensure that sufficient insurance coverage was available as well as affordable.

Program Foundation.  In 1999, BH/NHS expanded the initial program as it joined a pilot through the NeighborWorks Insurance Alliance (NIA), formerly the National Insurance Task Force.
 
The NIA, formed by NeighborWorks America to help community-based organizations strengthen relationships with the insurance industry, identified the primary cause of insurance claims in St. Louis to be wind and theft. However, fire was the most costly, so BH/NHS decided to focus its efforts on fire prevention.
 
BH/NHS participated in the pilot for four years. During this time, the Insurance Services Committee developed a fire prevention class, a home safety inspection process, and affordable lending options to address fire hazards in participants’ homes. Ten lower-income neighborhoods were selected as target areas.
 
Now that the pilot has ended, BH/NHS has merged its fire prevention strategies into the Home Safety Program, a comprehensive postpurchase effort. In general, program services remain the same, but class topics were expanded to cover home maintenance, predatory lending, and foreclosure prevention strategies. The Home Safety Program is available to any household in the city of St. Louis.

Insurance Services Committee.  The Insurance Services Committee (ISC) consists of 35 members who meet quarterly to manage the Home Safety Program. Three subcommittees have formed to address specific program components. The education/curriculum committee reviews course evaluations and makes sure the curriculum is up-to-date. The government affairs committee focuses on legislative issues, such as credit and insurance scoring, and evaluates the impact these practices have on homeowners. The loss prevention committee is working on implementing the postpurchase program.
 
ISC members include representatives from Allstate, American Family, Farmers Insurance, Liberty Mutual, Missouri Department of Insurance, Safeco, Safety National Insurance Corporation, St. Paul Travelers, and State Farm. Additional committee members include the St. Louis Public School Community Education Centers, United Missouri Bank, the fire department, and the public library.

Fire Prevention Class.  During the pilot, BH/NHS partnered with the fire department to provide fire safety education to both homeowners and tenants. NHS was responsible for program planning and recruitment, while the fire department taught the class. In addition, local insurance agents came to explain insurance policies and protection. All of these topics have been incorporated into the postpurchase class.

Home Management Class.  The postpurchase Home Management Class is a six-week course that covers a variety of subjects. Topics include drywall and paint, money management, lead-paint hazards, working with contractors, insurance issues, predatory lending issues, foreclosure prevention, heating, plumbing and electrical systems, fire safety information, crime prevention information, and lawn and garden care.
 
The class is taught by BH/NHS staff and includes guest speakers from the insurance industry, fire department, Home Depot and local contractors. BH/NHS offers caulk guns, credit reports, dry wall repair kits, and calculators as door prizes. Plus, every participant gets a smoke detector and fire extinguisher.

Home Safety Inspections.  BH/NHS began offering free home safety inspections during the pilot, and has continued this service as part of the Home Safety Program. Any household participating in the six-week class may request a home safety inspection, which is conducted by a BH/NHS rehabilitation specialist. Inspections include a close look at the electrical, heating and plumbing systems, plus evaluate the overall condition of the home. The inspector informs the homeowner of potential hazards and makes repair recommendations. Homeowners who are income-eligible may apply for one of BH/NHS’ home improvement loans.

Home Repair Loans.  BH/NHS offers two lending options for homeowners in need of home safety repairs. The first is for households in its target neighborhoods that are at or below 80 percent of the area median income. These loans can be up to $10,000 and offer a 0-percent interest rate. The loans are forgiven if the borrower remains in the home for at least five years.
 
The second option is a low-interest loan through United Missouri Bank. Households at or below 115 percent of the area median can "buy down" the interest rate to between 2 and 4 percent. Homeowners can receive up to $10,000 for a single-family home and $15,000 for two- to four-unit homes.

Program Outreach.  BH/NHS conducts program outreach at a grassroots level. Activities are promoted through neighborhood associations, community organizations, small businesses, and community centers as well as through other BH/NHS programs. Occasionally, BH/NHS sends fliers home through the school district, or mails announcements to individual households in a specific neighborhood. BH/NHS also holds trainings and orientations at local organizations.

Special Event.  Every October, BH/NHS and the fire department conduct a fire safety event as part of National Fire Safety Month. These events take place in targeted communities and include activities for both children and adults, such as fire prevention workshops and a "safe house" demonstration that shows visitors what to do in case of fire. There is also a 9-1-1 simulator and fire trucks to explore. Free fire extinguishes and smoke detectors are given to every participant.

Staffing and Costs.  The insurance services manager at BH/NHS is employed full-time and provides insurance-related services to all five offices in St. Louis. The cost of operating the program is about $80,000 a year, which includes staffing, materials, printings and mailings.

Funding and Support.  The Home Safety Program is funded through BH/NHS’s general operating budget and includes contributions from insurance companies, local lenders, and the city. The program also receives in-kind donations from First Alert, such as smoke detectors and fire extinguishers. The home repair loans at BH/NHS are funded by the city of St. Louis’s Community Development Administration and local CDBG funds.

Since 1999, BH/NHS has provided home safety education to 2,015 people, and conducted 315 home safety evaluations. More than $500,000 in home improvement loans have been made through BH/NHS and United Missouri Bank.
 
The Home Safety Program is helping partners connect with the community. Program activities provide positive exposure and an opportunity to support homeowners in need. Insurance partners are pleased with the results, and more agents are joining as the program grows.

Insurance partnerships and home safety programs must begin with strong support from the local insurance industry. Take the time to build relationships and illustrate how insurance companies can save money, plus add to their customer base by participating. It is also important to show how the program will benefit the overall community.
 
The best way to connect with homeowners is to reach out to a variety of local organizations. Support from schools, churches and businesses will help market the program and make its services more accessible.
 
Stable, long-term funding is key. In addition, ongoing communication with partners is necessary to help them stay connected and committed.
 
Before implementing a home safety program, the needs of the community should be assessed. Fire prevention was an important issue for St. Louis neighborhoods, but BH/NHS realized that other concerns needed to be addressed as well. If the agency takes the needs of the community into consideration, the public will respond.
 
Agency interview with: Eric Madkins