SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Seminole County is breaking ground on the first home that will be built using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act for the county’s Homeownership Program.
The ceremonial first dirt toss Thursday is one of the first steps, but a major one for families who have waited years to buy their first home and have watched prices continue to grow out of reach.
Seminole County Commissioner Amy Lockhart said the program is a better way to invest in the community.
“It’s truly the American Dream,” Lockhart said. “Anything we can do to give people the opportunity to have a piece of that American dream of their own and to build equity and to have a place for their family to start a legacy, that’s what we want to be about.”
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The groundbreaking ceremony Thursday morning showcased the first cleared lot in Midway, one of 10 homes that will be developed using money awarded to Seminole County in the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021.
$1 million was awarded to Habitat for Humanity and $1 million was awarded to Florida SPECS to develop five affordable houses each.
“Once those first 10 are housed, then we can look at the next round and hopefully there will eventually be hundreds,” Lockhart said.
Once a home is sold, the developer will reimburse the county for their initial investment so that money can be re-invested to continue building other homes. Every buyer will be vetted through the Seminole County Community Services Homeownership Program.
RT Hillery, executive director of Florida SPECs, said it’s going to allow some applicants to purchase homes now instead of having to continue to wait.
“They are going to have equity the first day they step into it,” Hillery said.
It’s life-changing for people like Latarshia Dixon. She purchased a home with help from Habitat for Humanity.
Dixon spoke to us about her life before she was able to become a buyer.
“It was kind of hard,” Dixon said. “I was paying rent and the landlord sold the house and I had to move out, but then I got approved for Habitat.”
Now she has a place her and her children can call home for years to come.
“It’s good for the kids. They have their own rooms,” Dixon said. “I still shed tears of joy every month when it’s time to pay that mortgage.”
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