Public Housing Residents Graduate to Homeownership

Twelve residents of Allegheny County Housing Authority properties recently graduated from HUD's Homebuyer Education Learning Program, also known as HELP. The satisfied smiles attest to the pride of accomplishment and their fervent desire to become homeowners. HUD's Pittsburgh Field Office created a teaching partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, the Allegheny County Housing Authority and the Mon Valley Initiative to train others to teach HELP curriculum. The training site was Millvue Acres, an Allegheny County Housing Authority property. The Millvue Acres neighborhood is also the site of the a $40 million renewal project in Clairton, PA. The Sanders Task Force in developing 42 lease-to-own mixed-income rental units and 25 subsidized single family home ownership units. HUD contributed significantly to the new neighborhood development and helped to prepare local residents for home ownership. HUD's initiative inspired several local banking institutions to pick up the charge and continue to conduct their own homeownership training as well. HUD has many partners in making Millvue Acres a reality. HUD's single family HOME subsidies leveraged tax credits on the 42 lease-to-own units along with a Homeownership Choice grant from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. The Federal Home Loan Bank also provided assistance to the project.

Sherry Campbell (on left) presents Romona Rochelle with her housing counseling certificate. Left to right: HUD's Sherry Campbell, Century Heritage Federal Credit Union's President Vince Cerasuolo, HUD's Cindy Haines, Regional Resident Services Coordinator Florence Powell, and Asst VP Dollar Bank Ray Garofalo

Content Archived: February 25, 2011