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80 81 PREFERRED VENDOR n Bert Smith & Co. www.bertsmithco.com Bert Smith & Company was founded in 1989. For decades, the company has provided cost-effective, timely, and accurate services to meet the needs of federal, state, and local govern- ments. Its lines of business include accounting, bookkeeping, and related auditing services. The firm has more than 60 CPAs and management consultants who have earned a reputation for efficient service, effective representation, and experienced counsel. THE VIRGIN ISLANDS HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY Griffithacknowledges that,while theamountof land availableonthesmall islands isn’t infinite,thesupplyof available lots is still plentiful.“Butwe’restartingto look at in-fill development,lookingat thosehomesandthose areas inthe townsanddifferent areasaroundthe islands thathavebecome rundown,”heavers.“We’rebasically startingtodoourownversionof gentrification,butdoing it for the local people tomakesure theyareable toafford ahome.” TheVIFHAisalsoasource for counselingservices for first-timehomebuyers,including: n TheHomeBuyersEducationProgram-an instruc- tional guide thatprovides step-by-step informationonthe purchaseprocess n CommunityEducation-“micro-seminars”designedto increasepublicawarenessof theagency’shomeowner- shipandhomebuyer educationprogram n TheHousingCounselingProgram-offeringpersonal- izedcounselingservices to individualsor families,focused onovercomingbudget andcredit challenges. n TheHomeBuyersEducationandCommunityEd- ucationprogramscanbeaccessed in-personoronline. Pre-and-post-purchaseandfinancialmanagement coun- selingarealsooffered. TVcommercialsandadvertisements innewspapers andonthe territory’sPublicAccess televisionchannel and theVIFHA’Swebsiteareamongtheways theagencyhas spreadthewordabout its servicesover theyears.And of course,there’salwayswordofmouth.“Basically,the communitynowknows that theycancall onusandthey come tousbecauseweprovide first-timehomebuyer educationclasses,”Griffithsays. Partnershipswithbusinesses inthecommunityand othergovernmental agencies,suchas theVirgin Islands HousingAuthority,havebeenkeyelements intheVIFHA’s success.Griffithalsocites JacksonDevelopment,Co.,and MichaelsDevelopmentCo.,alongwithcontractors such asAyalaConstruction inSt.Croix,LumetConstruction, NorthshorePartners,andHeavyMaterialsGEC. Acloseeye isbeingkeptonthebudgetarydeliberations ofCongressandtheDonaldTrumpadministrationwhere grantprograms,particularlytheHOMEprogramarecon- cerned.“I knowthat thePresidenthas talkedabout elimi- natingtheHOMEprogramthroughout theUnitedStates,” saysGriffith.“If thathappens,thatwouldbeasegmentof thepopulationthatno longer receivesgrant funding.” Inthenear term,theVIFHA’sprimaryfocus isonfinding efficiencies that canreducebuildingcosts inthe territory, whichGriffithreportsarehigher than intheU.S.andon PuertoRico.“Rightnow,ahome inthe territory,saySt. Thomas,costsabout$200,000to$230,000toconstruct andthat samehomeonthemainlandUSAandPuerto Ricomightbehalf of that,”heexplains. Recently,a teamofVIFHAofficials traveledthe60miles toPuertoRicoto investigatebuildingpractices there andfoundthatpoured-concretehomes similar tothose built inthe territorywerebeingconstructedfor less than $100,000.“Sowe’regoingtobringsomeof that technol- ogyandsomeof thedifferent constructionmethods that meetourbuildingcodeshere,anduse themtotryand lower thecostsof construction,”Griffithdeclares. Theagencyisalsocontemplatingchanging its rela- tionshipwithcontractors.“It’sdefinitelyapartnership,but weact as thedevelopers for a lotof thehomesandwe’re goingtochange thebiddingprocessa littlebit,”Griffith suggests.“We’re lookingatbringingall of thebuilding materials tothe islandsandthenhave thecontractorsbid juston labor.Weneedtostart comparingapples toapples tosee ifwecanstartbringingcostsdown.”