Welcome Home Ohio homes finding buyers before they’re finished
Trending
STEUBENVILLE -- With a sale pending on one house and offers in hand on two others still under construction, jubilant Jefferson County Land Bank officials gathered Wednesday in Steubenville's south end to break ground for their next "Welcome Home Ohio" house.
The Welcome Home Ohio program aims to bring homeownership within reach of those who might not otherwise be able to qualify for homeownership. Wednesday's groundbreaking was at 547 S. Fourth St., but in coming weeks they'll also break ground at another S. Fourth Street lot just up the street from it as well as a Cherry Avenue property.
"The project that we’re doing (here) is more than just four walls and roofs on vacant lots," Land Bank Director Tabata Glover told the group assembled for the celebration. "It’ll return previously utilized property to productive residential use."
Glover, though, said there's lots to celebrate: The land bank's flagship WHO house -- at 612 Logan St., Steubenville -- is now listed as sale pending, and they also have offers in hand on houses they built at two other sites -- 823 N. Fifth St., Steubenville, and 801 N. Fourth St., Toronto. Both of those houses are still weeks from completion.
"(Those two homes) are not even done and we're getting offers on them," Glover said, adding the board has scheduled a special meeting to review the offers Thursday. "The excitement is overwhelming. All of the hard work that was put into this program has paid off. The houses have sold (pending sale-contingent on the board's acceptance of the offers) and individuals who normally would not be able to afford a newly constructed house will now be homeowners due to this program."
Glover said that all told they're investing more than $1.3 million into building six new single-family homes in Jefferson County. Most of the funding -- around $961,000 -- was provided by Ohio lawmakers, with the rest contributed by the land bank.
"This project is a large collaborative effort on the part of many individuals that are here today, both past contributors and future contributors," she said. "No matter how small or how large the contribution to the project is or was, each group project would not be coming to success without each and every one of them."
City Manager Mike Johnson applauded the land bank "for the hard work and effort they are investing in making sure Steubenville has some new housing construction taking place."
"They're doing a great job," he said. "It’s great to see an empty lot -- a couple months ago it was a wooded lot -- but in (a few) months it'll be a nice home."
Contractor Matt Davis of Davis Homes said how quickly construction proceeds at the two S. Fourth Street sites will depend in large part on the weather.
"We plan (to start moving dirt) before winter," he said. "We anticipate a six-month build time if winter cooperates, and really, if we get everything in ground, I do anticipate these homes being up and framed before winter hits. If (they're) framed before winter hits, then winter’s not as much of a deal, we can work inside."
Both S. Fourth Street homes will be over 1,100 square feet and boast three bedrooms with two baths "and all one-level living," he said.
"They're going to be handicapped friendly. As you can see here, they're on empty lots -- we will be producing two beautiful homes here for the Welcome Ohio program, very energy efficient homes...(that will) be a blessing for whoever moves into them."
Given how many properties the land bank owns in the south end, Glover said they're hoping to keep building houses there.
"We’re trying to make a difference, one area at a time," she said. "We hope to continue the collaboration with all of these houses."
Glover said the land bank homes are available to buyers at 120% of the area median income, "so at 120 percent, that would mean a family of four can make up to $105,000 per year and still be eligible to purchase them."
Applicants must submit an application, be income-qualified and complete HUD-approved housing counseling to pre-qualify for a mortgage.
"The Welcome Home Ohio program is a success in Jefferson County," Glover said. "We hope that our legislators see this and continue to include this program in upcoming state budgets."