HOC staff have been out and about in the community sharing information about our services.
Here are some of the most recent events:
Mettiki Coal Resource Fair
The Mettiki Coal plant, located in Tucker County, WV, closed on April 1, 2026, laying off nearly 200 employees. WorkForce West Virginia saw this as a disaster in need of a rapid response, putting on a resource fair. HOC attended, offering services in household budgeting, credit counseling, and foreclosure intervention assistance.
During the fair, Executive Director Kate Somers and Communications Coordinator Geneva Brown talked with participants about their specific situation, offering next steps to financial security.
Realtor Continuing Education Meeting
The Realtors Association of West Virginia hosts opportunities for realtors to receive continuing education credits. These credits are required to maintain their realtor license. During the event this spring, HOC offered a table full of information related to our Preferred Relator program. This is a network of relators who attend quarterly meetings to receive information and updates about what’s new at HOC. There is no cost to join, and Preferred Realtors are included on HOC’s website so that our customers know who is most knowledgeable about our unique services and loan products.
HOC is always interested in expanding our network and interested real estate agents should reach out to Chris Vance, HOC’s loan originator, for more information.
Supportive Services Class
The HomeOwnership Center (HOC) has a long-standing relationship with the Randolph County Housing Authority (RHCA), whose Supportive Services department is dedicated to offering educational services to help community members through difficult times. As a part of this program, HOC’s Homeownership Advisor, Jami Carpenter, presented an all-day session on financial literacy, including topics of credit, debt, loans, and budget. During the class, Jami used a sample credit report to walk through it’s different sections for participants to better understand their own credit scores. Jami answered lots of questions throughout the day and participants left with new tips and tool for how to better manage their own finances.
Leadership Randolph Presentation
Leadership Randolph helps create and promote leaders in the local community, educating them on numerous facets of the county. Executive Director Kate Somers was asked to sit on a Community Housing panel, hosted by Dustin Smith from Woodlands Development Group, and joined by Randolph County Housing Authority Executive Director Lisa Shaffer.
Before the panel discussion, participants of the program toured the Firefly Commons rental development and the Randolph County Homeless Shelter.
This year’s Leadership Randolph cohort included our very own Loan Originator, Chris Vance. Chris is proud to have been a part of Leadership Randolph and says she learned something about Randolph County through every month’s topic.
Check out this short video to get a … view of the panel
Leadership Randolph Presenrtation