"I am fifty years old and I have lived in a cracker box all my adult life. I don't want to move for another hundred and fifty years," Deena Keck told a crowd of community representatives and elected officials in Louisville. Deena and Donnie Keck, both of whom are visually impaired, and Staci Crowder, a single mother, are two more Kentucky families who never thought home ownership would be an option for them - and who today are homeowners.

In the mid-90's the Housing Authority of Jefferson County established a demonstration program using vouchers for homeownership which resulted in five new home owners by 1997. Once the Section 8 for Home Ownership Final Rule was published, the authority was ready to move forward to establish policy and guidelines which would make this opportunity available to its 8000 voucher recipients. Ten families statewide have become home owners with Housing Choice Vouchers this year.

Recipients must participate in pre- and post-purchase counseling, which includes resolving any credit issues that pose barriers. They also learn about predatory lending and home repair so that they can make informed choices to protect their assets. Besides the benefit of building an asset through home ownership, this program saves the taxpayers money. Over time, the government's share of rent will always increase because rents increase with market changes; however, a fixed-rate mortgage remains static over its life resulting in substantial savings to taxpayers.

Housing Authority Director Cathy Hinko and homeowners Deena Keck, Staci Crowder, and Donnie Keck.

The two families closed on home loans that, in part, will be paid with their HUD Housing Choice Voucher, and were the center of attention at a ceremony at the Keck's new 3 bedroom home. They received congratulations from elected officials and housing organization representatives like, including Congresswoman Anne M. Northup; Louisville Mayor David L. Armstrong; Jefferson County Judge/Executive Rebecca Jackson; HUD's Kentucky Field Office Director Ben A.Cook; Jefferson County Housing Authority executive director Cathy Hinko; Louisville East Community Housing Development Organization director Lisa Hamilton; and Fannie Mae Partnership Office director Brenda Ackinson.