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Union Bank Of California Featured In Documentary on Habitat for Humanity Green Housing Project

Union Bank Of California Featured In Documentary on Habitat for Humanity Green Housing Project

Published 08-04-08

Submitted by MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

LOS ANGELES,CA. - August 4, 2008 - The Union Bank of California Foundation's contributions to Habitat for Humanity's environmentally green housing project in Riverside, Calif. are featured in a new documentary that will be distributed to all chapters of Habitat for Humanity and to schools and colleges nationwide.

The five-bedroom, two-bathroom house on Eleventh Street in Riverside, is Habitat Riverside's first green project, and is part of Habitat for Humanity International's effort to expand its use of green materials and guidelines in its buildings. Union Bank's commitment to the project includes a $5,000 donation to the Riverside house. To date, the bank has given $10,500 to Habitat Riverside, and nearly $3 million overall to Habitat chapters in California, Oregon and Washington.

"Habitat for Humanity has helped many families and communities by providing safe, decent, and affordable housing," said Kathy Patoff, vice president for the Union Bank of California Foundation. "It's great that they are now doing this with an eye toward preserving the environment. Union Bank is proud to be a part of this, and to continue our own involvement with environmental sustainability."

A ceremony on July 29 celebrated the grand opening dedication of the house. Union Bank representatives attended the ceremony, along with other contributors and the Suarez family, a couple with six children between the ages of 3 and 12, who will move in when the house is completed this month.

"The homes are sold to the families who live in them," Karin Roberts, executive director of Habitat for Humanity Riverside, said. "They pay no interest, and the homes are sold at no profit. The family pays exactly what the home cost to build. Working on the house creates pride of ownership. Union Bank has been a tremendous help to Habitat in providing these homes to people."

In order to qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home the Suarez family had to meet criteria that included an income between 50 and 60 percent of the median in Riverside County, good credit, no evictions, and working at their present jobs for at least two years. Also, the family must contribute sweat equity, which can include working on the house or working in one of Habitat's thrift stores. The family has already contributed 500 hours of sweat equity.

The project was made possible by the donation of the land from the City of Riverside, solar panels from Riverside Public Utility, and grants from financial institutions, including Union Bank, says Roberts.
The house's green features include solar panels on the roof, radiant floor heating, a grey-water system from the clothes washer drain to augment irrigation, drought-resistant plants, and permeable concrete in the driveway to control storm water.

The documentary, which is being made as a donation by GIVE (Green Institute for Village Empowerment) , will air on local Riverside television channels and made available to the media. It will also be available for viewing throughout Habitat for Humanity and by classes nationwide in elementary schools, the construction trades, and community colleges and universities.

During the past ten years, Union Bank of California has invested more than $17 billion in the communities it serves through consumer and real estate loans, loans to nonprofits, small businesses, and small farms, and through grants from its charitable foundation.

Established in 1953, the Union Bank of California Foundation serves as an agent for charitable contributions made by Union Bank of California, N.A., a wholly owned subsidiary of UnionBanCal Corporation, a publicly traded San Francisco-based bank holding company. The Foundation contributes financial assistance to nonprofit institutions and organizations that enhance the quality of life and help meet the needs of the communities it serves. The company's Web site is located at
www.unionbank.com.

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MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

MUFG Union Bank, N.A.

MUFG Union Bank, N.A., is a full-service bank with offices across the United States. We provide a wide spectrum of corporate, commercial and retail banking and wealth management solutions to meet the needs of customers. We also offer an extensive portfolio of value-added solutions for customers, including investment banking, personal and corporate trust, global custody, transaction banking, capital markets, and other services. MUFG Union Bank is a proud member of the Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, one of the world’s largest financial organizations. The corporate headquarters (principal executive office) for MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation, which is the financial holding company and MUFG Union Bank, is in New York City. The main banking office of MUFG Union Bank is in San Francisco, California.

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