While Delaware celebrates National Homeownership Month, for many it may be a journey that doesn’t end with the closing.
(speaking in the video: Kevin Smith, executive director of New Castle County Habitat for Humanity; JT Webb of Wilmington; Mike Purzycki, mayor of Wilmington; Cynthia Karnai, director of the Delaware State Housing Authority)
JT Tabb, in his 70s, moved into his home on Pine Street about a year ago. He also realized that the home needed work.
“I had to make new moves. It was raining on four of my windows,” Tabb said.
Tabb discovered programs that can help people like her pay for repairs. Gov. John Carney, Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki and community members and neighbors on Wednesday recognized some initiatives that help people access their homes and afford any repairs that may be needed.
“Do you know how many people in our city have houses with roofs that leak all the time?” Purzycki said. “When you have a leaky roof, you have a house that will deteriorate in no time.”
Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County Executive Director Kevin Smith said that in addition to Delaware facing an affordable housing crisis, there is also a crisis around trying to “maintain the homeownership that we have.”
Delaware Habitat Chapters contracted with the University of Delaware to conduct a study that determined Delaware had more than 25,000 low- and moderate-income units in need of repairs, and 5,000 in need of substantial repairs. The total investment required was 95 million dollars.
“We are attacking the issue of critical repairs across the state, and we will do so here today to celebrate our partners who have joined with Habitat for Humanity of New Castle County and the two other Habitats across the state to address that issue . problem,” Smith said.
The Delaware State Housing Authority highlighted its “Diamonds in the Rough” program for helping buyers pay for needed repairs at the time of purchase.
“This is for our home buyers who are coming into a home that needs repair, maybe minor renovations. The maximum is $35,000,” said DSHA Director Cynthia Karnai.
Additionally, in recognition of the impact of housing on overall health, ChristianaCare Health Equity and Public Affairs Director Bettina Tweardy Riveros announced that ChristianaCare would invest $200,000 through Habitat, helping it provide home modifications to least 40 income-eligible patients, primarily in the city of Wilmington.
“We know that these home repair modifications will prevent falls and things like leaky roofs that the mayor talked about,” he said. “That’s really important work that we’re happy to partner with.”
Meanwhile, according to JT Tabb, “it’s working very well.”
“Which was meant to be.”
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