Struggling homeowners that have fallen behind on their monthly payments and want to meet with their mortgage servicer face-to-face to create a workable solution for mortgage default are invited to attend the Help for Homeowners Foreclosure Assistance Event.

The event will be held on Saturday, April 30, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Reno Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S. Virginia Street. There will be no charge for parking.

HUD-approved housing counselors will be available along with servicers and other valuable resources to assist individuals with foreclosure assistance programs, options, and how to avoid foreclosure scams.

The City of Reno has partnered with the City of Sparks, City of Fernley, Washoe County, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco for the event.

Please click here for more information about the event and to ensure attendees bring the proper documentation for assistance.

On October 1, members of the Reno Police Department along with members of Hispanic Juvenile Services and Victory Outreach Church conducted a door-to-door survey to assess the needs and concerns of residents living in the areas of Wrondel Way, Apple Street, Kietzke Lane, and Grove Street.

“Our goal is to build sustainable relationships with the people of this community and to listen to what their concerns are for their neighborhood,” advises Lieutenant Robert Larson. “Once we better understand the concerns we can target those specific areas and work together to come up with solutions.”

In a three day period, approximately 327 contacts were made with residents. Residents had discussions with officers and chose from a list of concerns on a questionnaire. The results showed the biggest concern was gangs, followed by graffiti/vandalism, then drug use/sales, prostitution, lack of youth programs, and safety/police response. Other issues raised included racing/speeding, unsupervised small children, fear of reporting crimes due to retaliation/intimidation, and more police interaction.

The neighborhood needs survey was conducted as a result of the Reno Police Department seeing an increase in crime in this area and wanting to bring awareness of local resources to the neighborhood to help prevent further violence. “We encourage people in the community to continue to build this relationship by reporting crimes in the area and partnering with the Reno Police Department,” advises Larson.

In celebration of Fire Prevention Week, the Reno Fire Department is hosting open houses at neighborhood fire stations.

In addition to station tours, residents will get the opportunity to meet with firefighters to learn about firefighting techniques, personal protective clothing and various types of fire apparatus and special emergency equipment utilized by the Reno Fire Department. Fire Prevention Division personnel will also be available to discuss developing home escape plans, use of smoke detectors and fire extinguishers, and general fire prevention techniques for homes and businesses.

The fire station open houses will be held Saturday, October 9 at:

• Reno Fire Station 15 at 110 Quartz Lane (Sun Valley) from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Reno Fire Station 14 at 12000 Old Virginia Road (off Damonte Ranch Parkway) from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
• Reno Fire Station 3 at 580 West Moana Lane from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.
• Reno Fire Station 8 at 3600 Kings Row from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

The 2010 National Fire Prevention Week theme is “Smoke Alarms, A Sound You Can Live With.” It serves to remind us all of the simple actions we can take to stay safer from fire year-round through fire safe preparation, having working smoke alarms, and planning and practicing home fire escape plans.

For more information about fire prevention in your home or business, contact the Reno Fire Department’s Division of Fire Prevention at (775) 334-2300.

The Reno City Council accepted a $40,000 grant from the Nevada Department of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Assistance to the Reno Police Department for the department’s Project Safe Neighborhood Program.

Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun and gang crimes in America by networking existing local programs that target these and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.

The State of Nevada has received $119,000 from the Federal government as part of the National Project Safe Neighborhoods Program of which the City of Reno has been awarded $40,000 to be used to focus on a particular neighborhood with additional enforcement and community clean-up.

Due to gang and crime problems, the neighborhood from Virbil Lane to Miguel Ribera Park has been chosen as the neighborhood for this grant.

The Reno Police Department, City Attorney’s Office, and Code Enforcement are working to improve the neighborhood by removing the gangs. They have put together a project based on Project T.O.U.G.H (Taking Out Urban Gang Headquarters) used by the City of Los Angeles. The Reno project uses the public nuisance ordinance and civil remedies to require property owners to address the nuisance of continual gang activities within their property areas. The program also provides for injunctive action prohibiting gang members from congregating within identified private properties. The Regional Gang Unit, with members from the Reno Police Department, Washoe County Sheriff’s Office, and Sparks Police Department, has also been providing enforcement for this project.

Since its inception in 2001, approximately $2 billion nationwide has been committed to Project Safe Neighborhoods. The funding has been used to hire new federal and state prosecutors, support investigators, provide training, distribute gun lock safety kits, deter juvenile gun crime, and develop and promote community outreach efforts as well as to support other gun and gang violence reduction strategies.

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