ANDERSON, Ind. —
In an effort to revitalize neighborhoods on the west side of town, a government agency has refurbished several homes and is seeking qualified low- to middle-income buyers.
Viewing home ownership as the means of instilling pride in neighborhoods formerly blighted by dilapidated houses, the City of Anderson’s Community Development Department is screening candidates for these like-new residences.
“We’re focusing our efforts in areas hit hard by foreclosures, a high incidence of blighted structures, and a higher percentage of low-income families,” said Michelle Westermeier, housing inspector. “Our intent is to stabilize neighborhoods.”
Four available now
Typically this program refurbishes two or three homes per year, with a buyer already in place before construction begins. The Community Development Department prefers that the homeowner be a part of the process, able to choose carpeting and paint color.
However, since several federal and state grants had an aggressive time line, the agency stepped forward and rehabbed homes before buyers were secured. Seven homes were renovated and six others were built new.
Now four homes are available at a reduced price, making them affordable for people who have previously been unable to own a home.
“These homes are not free,” said Westermeier. “That is one of the biggest misconceptions we deal with. We cannot self-finance like Habitat for Humanity. The buyer will have to secure a mortgage from a bank.”
Although funds have to be acquired in a traditional manner, the loan amount does not have to match the appraisal value of the home. If the family meets the income requirements, the amount of money the bank is willing to loan to the applicants will become the purchase price, even if that total doesn’t touch the appraisal value of the home.
How the system works
The Community Development Department acquires properties in a number of ways: from tax sales, directly from the county (sometimes for as little as $1) or through realtors representing unusually motivated sellers. Federal and state grants fund the rehab or the cost of building a new structure. Any money that is recovered as profit at the sale is invested into the next home in the same neighborhood.
“These grant funds provide quality homes much more affordably,” said Westermeier. “But they have to be sold to qualified families. If we can’t find the right buyers, they will sit empty. We can’t sell them to anyone else.”
Partnering with PathStone Housing Corporation of Indiana, which provides education and guidance to the potential buyers, ensures families are able to fulfill their financial obligations and remain in the home. Qualified buyers are required to complete an eight-hour workshop teaching money and home management skills.
“It is definitely enjoyable handing over the keys to families,” Westermeier said with a smile. “It’s exciting to walk through the house with them and see how much pride they have in their new home. One woman had flower pots all over her front porch by the first weekend.”
Each week, Emma Bowen Meyer features a Madison County home. If you know of a home that should be showcased, send an email to emmagoldiemeyer @yahoo.com.
Homes
Related Photos
-
A new construction at 1511 West 10th Street is eye-catching as the two-tone gray siding contrasts the white trim. Emma Bowen Meyer / For The Herald Bulletin
Discussion
Dream of owning a home?
Program rehabs homes, offers to qualified buyers
- Homes
-
-
A dream cabin in the woods
Phil Hatter regularly told his children that once they were all grown, he would build a log cabin in the country. They didn’t believe him. “I think log homes are really neat, but they have to be put in the right place,” he said.
-
Love lost and found again
With a storybook tale of love lost and found again, Forrest “Press” and Barbara Higginbotham are appropriately surrounded by a romantic setting.
-
Whetsel Funeral Service operators' work, home lives converge
Combining their business and home in one location, Bud and Susan Whetsel created convenience in a demanding service industry that keeps them on call 24/7.
Often receiving requests at odd hours, they have found the commute of a single door to be a blessing. -
Home restoration work gets down and dirty
When a woman presses her face up against the window of a home on the Madison County tax sale in an effort to decide whether to bid on the diamond in the rough, she is thinking about stripping wallpaper, painting and replacing the floors.
-
Slow, steady build
When Dallas and Cássie Conrad purchased their home on 20 acres, it was in such poor condition that the pole barn was insured for more than the house.
-
Dream home comes as surprise to bride
When Tiana Rhodes received a text message from her fiancé, Clint Mathes, announcing that he had found their dream home, she was taken aback. She didn’t realize they were in the market.
-
Returning home
Even though Kevin Idlewine has lived in Chicago most of his adult life, he has not forgotten his roots. Remembering happy days as he grew up in a small home near Shadyside Memorial Park, he is planning his retirement in the same residence.
-
Restoration begins with floors
Once people find out I purchased a home from the Madison County tax sale, I am peppered with questions about the process. Apparently I was not the only one intrigued by the 2,800 homes that were listed as part of the sale last year.
-
Making an old school house livable
When Jane Cornelious was finished renting and ready to step into home ownership in 1981, she knew she wanted one of two things: a round barn or a one-room schoolhouse.
-
'What have you done?'
Emma Bowen Meyer's newest project has overshadowed anything she's have ever conceived before. It has the potential to be her greatest triumph or the biggest mistake of her life. So she figured, with such high stakes, why not share the ride with the entire community?
- More Homes Headlines
-
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
