[StBernard] Self-Help Housing Program expands to St. Bernard Parish

[Westley Annis]

Self-Help Housing Program expands to St. Bernard Parish

 

St. Bernard Parish Government has made LLT lots available to Family
Resources of New Orleans to construct the first Self-Help home in Arabi.
Self-Help Housing is a USDA program providing low interest loans, as low as
1%, to families living in or who want to move to rural communities.  The
program is designed specifically to increase homeownership. 

 

Family Resources of New Orleans provides assistance to the family to help
them qualify for a USDA Direct Construction financing loan.  Once approved,
the family must attend a series of weekly home building training classes.
Families participating in the Self-Help Housing also apply their new skills
to provide "labor hours" to work on their own homes and work on homes of
their group members.  The program has operated successfully in St. Charles
Parish, Jefferson Parish and Avondale since 2005.  Over 50 homes have been
constructed since 2007.

 

Family Resources of New Orleans won national honors in 2011 at the National
Development Council Housing competition in Washington, D.C.  Expansion of
the program is critical to make more housing opportunities available to
working rural families.

 

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, June 21st at
7234 Claiborne Court in Arabi.   

 

Family Resources of New Orleans is a non-profit Community Housing
Development Organization founded in 1997 to increase wealth through
homeownership.  For more information contact the agency at 504-822-8519 or
visit their website at www.familyresourcesofno.org
<http://www.familyresourcesofno.org> .