Community Action Commission of Fayette County (CACFC) celebrated National Homeownership Month on June 24 by hosting an open house at the newly constructed home of Damian (Scott) and Ashley Forsha and their children.
The Forshas participated in the Self Help Housing Program of Community Action and assisted with the construction of their home. By helping build their home, they now have a great sense of pride in being homeowners and they understand that homeo wnership provides a strong foundation that helps build household wealth.
At the open house presenting resolutions commending Community Action for their assistance to the local community by providing affordable housing opportunities were: Matthew Keyes, regional representative for U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown and Joe Bengoechea, representing Congressman Steve Stivers’ office.
Also present were Marty Heide, representing Congressman Michael Turner, and State Rep. Gary Scherer was also in attendance. Several local community representatives were present along with members of the CACFC Governing Board, representatives from the Rural Development State Office and the local Hillsboro office. Others attending were local community residents.
The Forsha family recently completed their new home on Linden Avenue through the Self Help Housing Program. The home was built using permanent financing from the USDA Rural Development 502 Direct Loan program. This program allows low-income individuals and families to obtain a mortgage through the United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development that is 100 percent financing and requires the families or individuals to invest 65 percent of the labor in building the home with the help of trained construction supervisors from CACFC.
This program allows families and individuals the opportunity to own a home either by building a new home or by purchasing and renovating an existing home. Since its inception in 1994, Community Action has helped with the construction of over 300 new homes for those who otherwise might have never had the opportunity to own their own home.
Community Action Commission of Fayette County is the only Self Help Housing Program in the state, and provides assistance to qualified residents in Fayette, Ross, Greene, Clinton, Madison and Highland counties who are at or below 80 percent of the area median income of their county.
For more information about the Self Help Housing Program call Community Action at 740-335-1831 or visit their offices at 1400 US RT 22 NW. You can also check out the Self Help Program on Facebook or visit www.cacfayettecounty.org and click on programs, then Self Help Housing.
This article was submitted by the CAC Self Help Housing Program.
