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Outline of Need:
Easton, Maryland's Town vision was to tear down housing in a crime-ridden neighborhood and build safe, affordable housing for lower-income people that would contribute to a healthy economy. In 1999, Graham's Alley was selected for State and Federal funding as part of the State's HotSpot Homeownership Initiative, and in 2003, the dream became a reality.
How Rural Development Helped:
USDA Rural Development, through the Single Family Housing Direct Loan Program (learn more about this program), assisted 11 of the 12 homeowners in this community with home mortgages ranging from $98,500 - $108,500. Financing for the homes has been made possible with the support of government and private organizations working together. The partnership consisted of Easton Housing Authority, USDA Rural Development, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta , U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Corbin Real Estate, Talbot Bank and St. Michaels Bank. Overall, Rural Development has been the largest contributor of homeownership loan funds providing nearly $650,000 in low interest loans ranging from 1 to 5 percent interest. All of the new home owners are minorities.
The Results:
The road was once called Graham's Alley and consisted of substandard housing; mostly row apartments. The area was known for crime and deteriorated and abandoned homes. The old buildings have since been torn down and new homes have been built giving this area a new start. The street has been renamed - Kelley Gibson Street - and the new community is called “Graham's Park.” During a dedication ceremony in June 2003, Rural Development State Director Marlene Elliott had a chance to visit with one of the new homeowners, Ms. Ella McDowell. We caught up with Ella recently and she told us that her dream of homeownership came true in December 2003, the day she moved in. She admitted it was a hectic time of year to move, just prior to the holidays, but was well worth it.
Ella has been a resident of the Town of Easton since 1990, renting a small home close to her job at the Easton Memorial Hospital where she is employed as a Nursing Technician. She remembers the dilapidated homes that once lined her street and is proud to be one of the new homeowners in this revitalized community. “The best part of my big beautiful home is that there is a washer and dryer in it,” said Ella! She is grateful for the partnership that provided her a chance to own her own home in a nice neighborhood that is lined with three types of two-story homes, each with a front porch, white fence, a half-hidden patio and brick sidewalks. It's a nice place to call home!
(December 2004)
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