Innovative Approach to Address Housing Challenges in DeKalb County, Georgia

Over one hundred local leaders and residents on June 1st kicked off Homeownership Month in DeKalb County, Georgia. CEO DeKalb County Burrell Ellis, with partners APD Solutions, First Guaranty Mortgage, Home Depot and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Region IV Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr., helped launch the new Get Home Now! campaign in the county.

HUD Region IV Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. speaking to local leaders and residents. CEO of DeKalb County Burrell Ellis on the right.

The assembled group of collaborators lead by CEO Burrell Ellis intent is to leverage a federally insured renovation mortgage option for working families to help become homeowners thereby increasing homeownership, reducing neighborhood blight and providing more renovation and reconstruction jobs. "This new stream-lined program provides credit flexibility to assist homebuyers, to include flexible financing that will allow for rehabilitation needs to occur in a single transaction, centralized project management that will provide all construction management and oversight and best in class home renovation services provided by the Home Depot," said CEO DeKalb County Burrell Ellis.

"This collaborative and innovative effort lead by DeKalb County to provide qualified homeowners with opportunities to own a newly renovated home through a stream lined and customer first strategy is a major step forward in addressing the foreclosure crisis," said Ed Jennings, Jr., HUD Regional Administrator.

HUD Region IV Regional Administrator Ed Jennings, Jr. speaking with local residents at the conclusion of the event.

DeKalb County Government and qualified nonprofits will collaborate with APD Solutions to establish local support systems for this initiative by making buyer assistance, counseling/preparation and marketing support available. First Guarantee Mortgage Corporation (FGMC) and Ginger Mae Financial Services (GMFS) (Both Ginnie Mae Approved Seller/Servicers) will originate the mortgages to the prospective homebuyers. The Home Depot will provide all home renovation services, warranties and after completion service needs. APD Solutions as a qualified community development consulting firm (Member of the National Association of Home Builders and NAHB Renovators Council) will provide all coordination, construction monitoring and administrative oversight support.

HUD's Section 203(k) program is the Department's primary program for the rehabilitation and repair of single family properties. As such, it is an important tool for community and neighborhood revitalization and for expanding homeownership opportunities. Since these are the primary goals of HUD, the Department believes that Section 203(k) is an important program and we intend to continue to strongly support the program and the lenders that participate in it.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.