Created in 1978, the mission of the Bay East Association of REALTORS® Foundation is to provide financial support for education and charitable needs within our community.
Foundation Goals
- Support Bay East members in need (Members Helping Members Program™).
- Offer community scholarships and grants to Alameda & Contra Costa County students who pursue higher education degrees.
- Support community-related charitable organizations and local schools.
The Bay East Foundation relies upon the generous support from the community and Bay East members. Without those voluntary contributions, the Foundation would cease to exist. We would like you to consider the Bay East Foundation in your annual giving plan. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 Corporation and charitable contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable by law.
The Foundation provides assistance through the following programs:
- Scholarships
- Charitable Contributions
- Members Helping Members
Become a Trustee
We’re looking for members of the Association or the community who want to make a difference and have them join our dynamic team. We have open positions on the Board of Trustees, Scholarship Committee, and Members Helping Members™ Committee. See what our current Trustees have to say about their experience with the Foundation:
Simi Puri, REALTOR®: “Being a Trustee gives me the chance to give back to the community. It feels good to donate my time and money where I know it’s being put to good use. I enjoy the networking opportunities, working with a group of wonderful people, not only REALTORS® but Affiliates, members of the community and Bay East staff. It’s just a great environment. Taking a few hours a month in a positive giving environment makes me feel internally happy.”
Richard Fitzmaurice, Arc of Alameda County: “The “feel good” part of being a trustee is awarding scholarships to local students heading off to college. If I had any doubts about the next generation, they were erased after interviewing the applicants; all of them were smart, well spoken, talented and involved in their communities.”
1st Time Home Buyer Low Income Closing Cost Program
Mission Statement – Assist first-time home buyers in offsetting the closing costs associated with purchasing a home.
Program Purpose – The First-Time Home Buyer Closing Cost Grant Program assists low-income home buyers who have not owned a home within the last three years. The value of the Grant is $2,000 and does not have to be repaid. This Grant is issued by the Bay East Association of REALTORS® Foundation. The Grant will be subject to the Truth in Lending Act (TILA) requirements.
Participant Eligibility
- Applicant must be a 1st-time home buyer or have not owned a home within the previous three years.
- Income eligibility restrictions do apply. Grant recipient total household income cannot exceed 80% of the Area Median Income (adjusted for family size) as defined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- Grant Recipient may receive the Award only once.
- A maximum of two (2) different homebuyers represented by the same Real Estate Agent can apply for the Grant in the same year.
Property Eligibility
- The property associated with the application must be in either Alameda or Contra Costa counties.
- The property must be a residential property. Manufactured and Mobile homes are eligible.
- The maximum purchase price cannot exceed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development FHA Mortgage Lending Limit for the San Francisco / Oakland / Hayward MSA. (For 2018, the FHA Mortgage Lending Limit for Alameda County is $679,650 for a single-family home.)
- The property must be owner-occupied and be the recipient’s primary residence.
- If the property is a multi-unit, one of the units must be the recipient’s primary residence.
Income Eligibility
Income Eligibility Chart
Please contact David if you have any questions about the process.
Members Helping Members™
This program raises funds that are distributed directly to Bay East REALTOR® or Affiliate members who have experienced a catastrophic event in their lives, which resulted in severe financial hardship. To apply for assistance from the Members Helping Members program, please submit the application found here.
Make a tax-deductible donation to Members Helping Members™
For more information on the Foundation and its programs please email Francoise.
Foundation Trustees 2019
Jennifer Bourque
President
Tony Alvino
Treasurer
Brad Warren
Past President
Jon Bernardez
Sharon Bohoman
Georgia Butterfield
Caroline Chang
Brandy Clark-Smith
Michael Soon Lee
Carol Marshall
Jim Murphy
Jackie Pena
John Souerbry
Tim Totah
Patrick Ignacio
