ANDERSON, INDIANA - A young Anderson mother will own a cozy new home when it is complete early in 2008 thanks to a partnership between the City of Anderson Department of Community Development and Rural Opportunities Inc. Prospective homeowner Treva Long took part in a groundbreaking ceremony recently that will be the first of three new homes being built in the 1800 block of Sheridan Street.
Two years ago, the city’s Community Development Department partnered with Rural Opportunities Inc. in a NeighborWorks project that beautified homes on Nichol Avenue with plantings and cleanup. That partnership worked so well, the two agencies are now collaborating to build three homes. The city’s contract with ROI pledges $153,000 towards the project.
“We are utilizing Anderson’s share of federal dollars to create better neighborhoods and we are taking advantage of partnerships to make those dollars go even farther,” said Mayor Kevin S. Smith.
“We are pleased at the success of our partnership with ROI,” said Debra King, housing rehab administrator for the city. “These new homes will add to the value of our target neighborhood and provide home ownership opportunities for deserving citizens.”
The next two homes will be built by December 2008. ROI’s director for Indiana and Ohio, Michal Urrutia, said she hopes her organization can enter into similar partnerships in Ohio to put deserving citizens in new homes.
Other new homes have been constructed in the established neighborhood that is bounded by 14th Street, Lincoln Street, King Boulevard and Madison Avenue. Three homes were built between 2005 and 2006 in partnership with Habitat for Humanity and Anderson Community Schools Ebbertt Center building trades classes.
Other city efforts in this neighborhood:
- Demolition of 17 derelict properties
- Rehabilitation of four rental homes
- Rehabilitation of five resident-owned homes
- Reconstruction of streets, sidewalks and sewers
- Grant application for 12 additional homes that are architecturally fitting with the neighborhood
- $475,000 federal CDBG funds have been invested in this project,
- $120,000 in federal HOME funds leveraged.
Homeowner Treva Long breaks ground for her new home with lender representative Angela Nadeline at 1804 Sheridan.
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