Organization hopes to put working people in homes

The genesis of a plan to put working families in their own homes was the topic of a weekly meeting of a men's prayer group.

Over morning coffee at 88 Cups in Minden, the Sierra Nevada Community Land Trust was created.

"It's a faith-based organization created by men from a variety of churches," said Gary Williams, president of the board of directors.

"Our goal, prior to the current building slump, was to do something about the then-$430,000 median price of homes that was higher than many communities in our area.

"School teachers, paramedics, firefighters, deputies, people in the service industry, couldn't qualify (for a conventional home loan," Williams said.

The community land trust - one of 300 across the United States - received its nonprofit status in March.

Williams said the group hopes that designation will pave the way for financial donations - and maybe a house - to get the program off the ground.

Under the program, the land trust buys a home, makes any repairs necessary, then sells the residence to a qualified applicant, but retains ownership of the land.

"We subsidize the home to make it affordable for a person to buy it. We'll lease the land for 99 years and charge a nominal monthly fee - like $25 - to the homeowner," Williams said.

By leasing the land instead of buying it, the homeowner may be able to save up to $100,000 off the purchase price.

Even though the price of homes has dipped, Williams said ownership is still beyond many families.

"People say the housing market is slumping, but so is the economy," Williams said. "It's just as hard for people to find financing."

Williams said if the organization had the financing, the land trust inventoried homes in Carson Valley would be ideal purchases.

"There are 27 homes if we could buy today, they're affordable without too much work," Williams said.

"The best deal now is to buy existing homes, renovate them and bring them up to snuff," he said.

Williams said the land trust would serve all Douglas County communities.

"We don't want to create little areas of affordable enclaves, or people saying, 'Those people live here,'" he said.

In order to qualify, an applicant must fall within 65-80 percent of Douglas County's median family income which was $67,200 in 2007.

That means a family of four would be considered low income at $53,750 a year. A single person could qualify at $37,650 per year, according to the land trust.

Williams said the land trust hopes to serve a working population which doesn't qualify for other subsidies.

"Mom and Dad are both working, there is not as much parental time," he said. "We're promoting the family."

Williams said "family" includes single parents and seniors.

"We'll do anything we can do to keep families in homes," he said. "It's not just limited to just couples with children."

The community housing plan also encompasses educational services for qualified applicants.

That includes financial management classes, counseling, drug and alcohol prevention and recovery classes and home maintenance workshops.

"I can see absolutely no drawbacks to this," Williams said. "I'm in it because I want to see our kids be able to stay in the area. We want to make Carson Valley a personal place. We don't see much of that anymore."

ON THE WEB

Sierra Nevada Community Land Trust

www.snclt.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Gary Williams, president

Tom McPhail, secretary

Craig Fuller, treasurer

John Hamer

John Cressaty

Bill Merrill

J.D. Sullivan, general counsel

COMMUNITY ADVISORY BOARD

Gerald Bing

Roger Falcke

Dennis Freitas

Robert Hadfield

Lloyd Higuera

Brent Holderman

John Jackson

Helaine Jesse

Leo Kruger

Carol Lark

Renea Louie

Brad Nelson

Greg Painter

Suzy Stockdale

Bobby Wartgow

Darcy Worms

Kathy Jo Young

Harmon Zuckerman