Good Stories

Bernardi Visit Highlights Homeownership Month in Buffalo
Deputy Secretary Roy Bernardi visited Amherst NY to highlight the "Homeownership Month" activities of the Buffalo Field Office.
more... | HOME Program

Boy Writes Letter in Hopes of Home
Lucinda Freeborn and her 10-year-old son, Bryson Hranac, were tired of renting apartments and wanted to settle into their own home. Once Lucinda discovered the Mercy Housing Self-Help Housing program in Filer, Idaho, she applied with dreams of homeownership.
more... | SHOP Program

HUD Funding Creates 20 New Homes In Long Island, N.Y.
Thanks to the Community Development Block Grant Program and HOME, 20 Long Island families will soon be moving from their rental apartments into new and beautiful one-family homes in Bellport, Long Island as part of the Hamlet’s effort to create affordable housing for its residents.
more... | HOME Program

HUD Atlanta Regional Director Bob Young Meets Montgomery, Alabama Mayor Bobby N. Bright And Speaks At Alabama Habitat For Humanities Annual Legislature Dinner In Montgomery, Alabama
more... | SHOP Website

Habitat – The Next Generation
March 16, 2006
All told, the Department's SHOP program has awarded almost $50 million to Habitat in the last four years alone. That's a lot of money. But it's not money, but opportunity that tells the real story of the homeownership partnership between Habitat and the Department.
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"Northwest Estates" Offers Supportive Housing for the Disabled
February 3, 2006
The rural community of Moses Lake, Washington, celebrated three years of planning and development at the grand opening of Northwest Estates, a 12-unit affordable, supportive housing development for local residents with disabilities.
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2005

HUD Farmworker Housing Specialist first recipient of an outstanding community service award
September 27, 2005
Recently, HUD's Florida Farmworker Specialist, Christine Talcott-Roberts, became the first recipient of the Dorothy Duke Outstanding Community Service Award.
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"Green" light at Habitat Richmond
September 22, 2005
"Thanks to a lot of hard work and dedication," explains Kathy Garvin, executive director of Metropolitan Richmond's Habitat for Humanity chapter, "Habitat has helped more than 225 families own their own home. If "affordable housing" is the goal, Habitat clearly has a how-to model as good as any."
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Home, Where The Job Is
June 30, 2005
How do nurses, police officers and teachers afford homebuying in a market that, according to the head of a local REALTORS association, "is hotter than the volcano chicken" at a local Thai restaurant?
more... | HOME

Good Neighbors
March 28, 2005
Miss Fronnie Grant wanted to help her friend and neighbor, Miss Myrtle Brown, get home repair assistance. Miss Fronnie began making calls to the City of Shreveport's housing unit. After referrals to various housing maintenance programs such as Paint Your Heart Out and the city's emergency rehab program, it was determined that Miss Brown's property would need an assessment to determine the appropriate program.
more... | HOME Program

Mapping Neighborhood Success
March 18, 2005
Organizations in West Michigan have clearly gotten the message and are continuing to put HUD's mission to work in communities across the Michigan map. At the Grand Rapids Field office's fourth annual Wall of Fame event, there were seven groups in five separate counties that received recognition for supporting all of HUD's national goals.
more... | CDBG | HOME | SHP

HUD and Habitat for Humanity Team Up
March 3, 2005
When Ricky and Monica Gallegos applied for a Habitat for Humanity home they never imagined that they would meet the qualification requirements. For the young couple that resided in a 1969 singlewide one-bedroom mobile home, the hopes and dreams of homeownership seemed too far down the road.
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

Jacksonville's HabiJax "SuperBuild" Dedicates Homes For SuperBowl XXXIX
February 15, 2005
Thirty-nine homes were built in 39 days during the Jacksonville "SuperBuild."
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

2004

Home for the Holidays
December 8, 2004
Christmas will be extra special this year for Bobbie Jo Furlow. She'll be celebrating the holidays in a home of her own for the very first time. Her dream of homeownership became a reality recently with the help of Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Louisiana and the Northwest Louisiana Home Builders Association. Bobbie Jo's home was the 32nd house constructed by the Northwest Louisiana Habitat affiliate and the 4th sponsored by the Home Builders Association.
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Habitat Homeowners Bring Their Dreams to a Skeptical Neighborhood
September 29, 2004
When Habitat for Humanity brought their plans to construct a 12-home development to the Wyoming Planning Commission in February 2001, they were met with a group of residents opposed to its construction. Reluctantly, planners approved the first phase of the proposed Millennium Plat indicating they weren't in favor of it, but legally could not stop it.
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A Home of Their Own
August 9, 2004
Deron and Karen Lee aren't used to luxury. While living in a HUD-subsidized apartment in Tulsa, they thought their dream of owning a home was just that...A dream. Now their dream is coming true through a partnership between Habitat for Humanity and the Mental Health Association in Tulsa.
more... | Habitat for Humanity

Volunteers From the Birmingham HUD Office Help Family Construct Home
July 1, 2004
When staff from the Birmingham HUD Office heard that Field Policy and Management were planning a volunteer workday to help build a home for a needy family in celebration of Homeownership Month, the number of volunteers grew to include additional HUD employees and some family members.
more... | SHOP | Birmingham Habitat for Humanity

Homeownership Month in Washington
June 25, 2004
Habitat for Humanity in partnership with HUD began building homes in the City of Tacoma in 1997 - to date 95 homes have been built. A "Sharing the Dream" home, will soon fulfill the dream of homeownership for Karin Escobar and her five children.
more... | HOME Program | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

Homeownership Month in Virginia
June 23, 2004
Habitat for Humanity already has built some 1,000 homes in the Commonwealth of Virginia. What better time to announce a "boost" that will help Habitat build its next 1,000 homes in Virginia than the first day of National Homeownership Month.
more... | HOME Program | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

Miss Lucy's Happy Ending
June 22, 2004
Miss Lucy Ann Anderson has spent the last 40 years taking care of other people's homes. Working 12-hour days, holding two or more jobs at a time, she was never able to save enough to enable her to buy a safe and structurally sound place to live.
more... | HOME Program

New Housing Provides Hope in Texas
June 18, 2004
Garden Terrace is the first housing solution designed exclusively for single working adults, retirees, homeless and people with disabilities that meet the top recommendations of housing experts in Austin, and around the country.
more... | HOME Program

Building Their Own Homes Led to New Careers in Florida
June 16, 2004
"They came up through the program to build self-help houses." That's what Earl Pfeiffer, a licensed building contractor and executive director of Homes for Hillsborough in Tampa had to say about Hope Figueroa and Jesse Ornelas.
more... | SHOP

National Homeownership Month Comes to Iowa
June 15, 2004
Assistant Secretary Liu announced an American Dream Downpayment Initiative grant, which will soon allow more Iowans to become homeowners.
more... | HOME Program

Housing Choice Vouchers Lead to Homeownership for Idaho Residents
April 12, 2004
With help from the new Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Option, Caldwell resident and single mother Kelly Hynes is now a proud first-time homeowner.
more... | SHOP

The Business of Building!
April 1, 2004
Sponsored by area corporations, Habitat for Humanity recently dedicated six houses, including its 100th, in Hartford's North End.
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

The House That $1,500 Built
February 17, 2004
What can you build for $1,500 these days? If you ask Johnetta Gardner of Shreveport, Louisiana, that question, she'll answer a "new three-bedroom, two-bath home". That's because Ms. Gardner now owns such a home, thanks to the help of the Northwest Louisiana Home Builders Association, which just completed its third Habitat house in Shreveport.
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

Houston Habitat Sets Blitz Record During Super Bowl XXXVIII
February 6, 2004
Former HUD Secretary Jack Kemp, who once played quarterback for the National Football League's Buffalo Bills and now is on Habitat for Humanity International's board of directors, was in Houston for an NFL-sanctioned Super Bowl event where he congratulated volunteers and sponsors who were building homes for Habitat families.
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

New Homes for Kentucky Elderly
January 6, 2004
Senior citizens with very low incomes living deep in the heart of thoroughbred horse country in Lexington now have another 24 units in which to live, thanks to the recently dedicated Elm Tree Lane Apartments.
more... | HOME Program

2003

Breathing Life into a Michigan Neighborhood
December 19, 2003
What began in 1995 as a glimmer of hope for a distressed Detroit suburb has now become a success story for how smart revitalization can transform even the worst of neighborhoods.
more... | HOME Program

The Business of Building!
December 17, 2003
Sponsored by area corporations, Habitat for Humanity recently dedicated six houses, including its 100th, in Hartford's North End.
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

Faith Partnership Helps Oklahoma Homeless
October 17, 2003
Homeless persons in Oklahoma City just got a boost from a faith-based organization in collaboration with HUD and other partners. A brand new facility, called Pershing Center, opened in September and provides an array of supportive housing services for the homeless.
more... | HOME Program

A Dedication of Hope in Michigan
October 7, 2003
Thanks to the tireless efforts of two prospective homeowner families and the efforts of many Habitat for Humanity volunteers in Kent County, the Boyd and Freeman families of Grand Rapids, Michigan, are now proud homeowners.
more... | SHOP

Virginia High School Students Help Meet Local Affordable Housing Needs.
August 20, 2003
"Pioneer" is more than just a mascot at Heritage High School in Lynchburg, Virginia. It also reflects a pioneering new partnership between the school of 1100 students and the city's not-for-profit community.
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

Building Homes with Faith and Cans
August 6, 2003
The Webster Habitat for Humanity affiliate is located in the quiet country town of Minden, Louisiana, a rural community of about 13,000 residents in northwest Louisiana.
more... | SHOP | Habitat for Humanity

Celebrating Jacksonville's Partners in Homeownership
June 18, 2003
"What you have achieved here in Jacksonville demonstrates more vividly than words what we can accomplish when government, nonprofits, housing authorities, volunteers and local businesses join together to help our neighbors achieve the American Dream," said Assistant Secretary Bernardi.
more... | SHOP

HUD Gives Award to City of Lawrence
July 17, 2003
The Regional HUD Office honored the City of Lawrence, Kansas for their Atherton Court project.
more... | HOME Program | SHOP

Fifty-four affordable apartments developed in the Bronx
March 31, 2003
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2002

Shreveport's Model Blocks Program is changing one neighborhood at a time Queensborough, the first targeted neighborhood, now has seven new houses and another eighty occupied homes benefitting from improvements.
November 27, 2002
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"Heart of Omaha" Initiative
September 26, 2002
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The Rebirth of an African American Community in Kirkwood, Missouri Offers a Blueprint for Success
September 18, 2002
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Community Through Partnership: Corinthian Grace Estates
September 18, 2002
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Homeownership in Rural Iowa
To support their efforts to thrive in the 21st Century, America's rural communities need affordable housing, too. But the challenges can be even more complex than some faced in major metropolitan areas.
September 3, 2002
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In Utah, a Home Building Blitz for Habitat for Humanity
August 19, 2002
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Bush Administration Announces more than $60 Million in Housing and Economic Development Funds for the State of Florida
August 14, 2002
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Renovation of the Historic Eaton Hotel in Downtown Wichita, Kansas
August 1, 2002
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Affordable Housing Development - Fall River, MA
June 27, 2002
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HUD Announces Nearly $60 Million for Wisconsin in Housing and Community Development Funds
March 29, 2002
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HUD Helps State of Michigan Expand Habitat for Humanity Homeownership, Empowering "Can Do" Communities to Expand Habitat Partnerships
February 11, 2002
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2001

Bush Administration Awards $553 Million to California
July 18, 2001
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Martinez, Pataki Award $400,000 to Promote Homeownership
March 28, 2001
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