Program helps those who want homes to build them

Even with the softening housing market, buying a home is still a very expensive process. Even people with full time jobs are still having a hard time working up to owning their own property, and that is where Citizens for Affordable Homes Inc. comes in.

The non-profit housing development organization out of Dayton and Pahrump has been around since 1993. Its purpose is to provide quality housing for low-income families who want to live in a community environment.

They do this by providing families with the necessities they need to build their own house, as well as assistance with managing finances. The participants exchange their labor in lieu of a down payment to secure a loan and help build other homes in their neighborhood. All low and very-low income individuals that apply for the program's self-help homebuilder's program are eligible for the Credit Counseling Assistance Program.

In order to be a part of the self-help housing organization, participants must qualify for a USDA 502 loan. Other requirements for self-help housing include that the family must have good credit; must have qualifying income of $22,000 to participate; must commit to at least 35 hours a week for 9-10 months; must have qualified alien status; and have not owned a home in the past three years. Down payment assistance is available for credit worthy, qualified, first-time homebuyers in the following locations: Carson City, Lovelock, Fernley, Fallon, Yerington, Douglas County, Lyon County, Churchill County, Pershing County, Mineral County and Storey County.

However, it is not just a Nevada program.

"There are over 125 similar agencies like CAHI throughout the United States," said Ron Trunk, chief executive officer of the organization.

The houses come in a variety of models, with choices like two, three or four bedrooms as well as the style of the house itself. Participants have to complete at least 65 percent of their home on their own, but they may enlist help in areas such as plumbing, electrical, heating, dry wall, concrete work and flooring.

So far the program has been very successful. Family participants develop a sense of community and pride in their home as well as the entire neighborhood. The program itself has also developed over the years.

"CAHI initially began to prove single-family homeownership. Today the programs have been expanded to include: weatherization, down payment assistance, credit counseling, pre- and post-homebuyer education, construction training for youth, a summer intern program and starting fourth quarter of 2006 a home rehabilitation program," Trunk said.

The program also partners with Community Development Inc. of Idaho to build multi-family and senior apartments.

"We have built or preparing to build 139 units over the past three years," he said.

The organization just recently completed construction of its 100th home and will continue to expand.

"We are scheduled to build, over the next two years, 50 plus homes in Dayton, 24 homes in Pahrump, 16 homes in Hawthorne and 40 town homes in Carson City," said Trunk.

During the building process, CAHI uses local vendors to purchase construction materials and utilizes the local sub- contractors.

Anyone interested in volunteering or learning more about the organization, should visit www.cahinev.org or call 883-7101.