HUD-Niagara Falls Partnership Makes Homeownership a Reality

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The Niagara Falls Community Development Department's Urban Homestead Program is working to provide affordable homeownership opportunities to lower and moderate income residents in their city. In one recent success story the city's program, in conjunction with a HUD program, has worked to show how federal and local cooperation can bring benefits to not only citizens, but to a whole neighborhood and to a community's tax base at the same time.

Through the city's Urban Homestead Program, the McWilson family of Niagara Falls was recently able to purchase their new home at 0 percent interest. Prior to seeing this dream come true, the McWilson's were renters who felt that an affordable and decent home of their own was either out of their reach or would require them to move out of Niagara Falls.

The city first worked with HUD's Dollar Home Program to purchase the property, a long vacant HUD-foreclosed property. Through the city's Urban Homestead Program, a special lottery was held for lower and moderate income residents. In this instance 5 applicants were included in the lottery and the McWilson's were the fortunate winners. The property was then renovated by the city and sold to the McWilsons at an affordable price at 0 percent interest.

This success story highlights the benefits of cooperation between the Federal and local governments. This cooperation is advantageous to all concerned and can help bring blighted neighborhoods back to life and provide families like the McWilsons with the opportunity of achieving the American Dream of homeownership.

For more information on opportunities using the HUD Dollar Home Program, contact your local government.