Creating Affordable Homeownership
with HUD's HOME Program

The State College Community Land Trust (SCCLT) was established in 1996. The SCCLT is a private, non-profit that has been receiving HUD CDBG and HOME funds which have significantly increased their capacity over the years. The SCCLT mission is to increase the ability of low income households to secure decent and affordable housing within the Borough of State College. As of January 1, 2009, they have supported 29 households through the purchase of their first home in the State College Borough.

Here is a story about one of our homeowners in which SCCLT utilized $105,785.72 in FY 2005 HOME funds.

A young couple that met as undergraduate students at Penn State decided to move back to State College after working and living in another area for a time. The husband, Jason, decided to accept a job with a religious nonprofit agency. That job change meant a significant pay cut which limited their housing options. A month after moving back to State College they were blessed with their first child. They decided that Deeanne would be a full-time wife and mother so their home is where she and the children would be spending a lot of time! They were living in a two bedroom apartment in the Borough of State College, close enough for Jason to easily commute on foot and by bike. Their growing family is what motivated them to look for a single family home with more bedrooms and more privacy than their apartment. Once they started looking into buying a home, they realized that in order to do so, they would need to move out of the State College borough. The ongoing demand for student housing meant that there were few homes in the borough that would meet their price requirements. Homeownership did not seem possible at the time.

After almost giving up on the dream of home ownership, they noticed a SCCLT for sale sign for an attractive looking home one day while taking the children for a walk. Once they phoned the SCCLT, they found that this home was no longer available but the director of the Land Trust told them that the SCCLT had acquired another house which would soon be ready for occupancy. When the director gave them a tour of it they were very impressed and thought it was too good to be true. Buying a decent home they could afford without the assistance of the SCCLT would have meant moving out of State College as well making a number of critical changes with their monthly costs, commute and overall quality of life.

Jason and Deeanne have been homeowners for over three years now and it's gone very well so far. They have three children now, ages six, five and two and are hoping for more! They have learned a lot about how to maintain a home and yard from being homeowners. They are settled into their neighborhood and really consider State College to be their home now even though neither one of them grew up in State College. They are very thankful for the blessing of their home and are very content with it. Thanks to the SCCLT this young family was able to move from a rental which was getting increasingly expensive due to the ever increasing student housing market. In addition, they needed enough space for their growing family.

Content Archived: February 28, 2011