How COVID-19 Impacts Our Work
Affordable Housing Is Needed More Than Ever.
Here’s What Kent Attainable Housing, Inc. Is Doing About It.
The urgency of our mission, making affordable housing available to families in poverty, is now more acute than ever, as our applicants, once just surviving to meet basic needs, are in danger of slipping into circumstances even more devastating.
On March 5, the Board was delighted to have selected a family of five to buy our first property on College Avenue. They had checked all the boxes and were excited about moving from the cramped basement home of a relative, completing the requirements for a HUD certificate for First time Home Buyers and paying off debt to improve their credit score so they could secure a favorable mortgage. Then the corona virus hit. The breadwinner of the family, a chef, fell victim to the State mandate to close all restaurants.
On April 2, the Board decided that in good conscience it could not expose its corps of volunteers who had signed up to do interior and exterior work, including installation of cabinets, sinks and toilets; building a porch, patio, and shed; and landscaping.
Consequently, we have decided to place delivery of our first house on hold. This home, designed by Dave and Ed Minch and engineered by Beracah Homes, was scheduled to arrive the first week of June. We’ll put our house back on order once the dangers of the coronavirus clear.
Meeting our mission is more critical than ever, and we haven’t stopped working! Here’s what we’re doing right now:
- Recognizing that our applicants are among the most vulnerable during this difficult time, we have compiled a list of resources for Surviving Coronavirus Challenges on our website. The resources guide shares information about how to get needed services including unemployment benefits, food, and other necessities as well as how to deal with other COVID-19 issues or impact.
- We are identifying online financial and first time homebuyers classes that will help meet applicant’s requirements to buy a home.
- We are working with our applicants on improving their credit scores so that they are in the strongest possible position to secure a mortgage.
- We are identifying lenders that are willing to use Zoom and other video conferencing with potential home buyers.
- We are recording the stories of our families who are enduring the impact of the coronavirus.
