Port St. Lucie - Sunday August 14, 2022: The City of Port St. Lucie has assisted six residents with realizing their dream of owning a home by creating and implementing an affordable homeownership opportunity funded by a federal grant from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program.
Colette Kemerer, a local healthcare worker; Jessica Jimenez, a single mother of five; Amie Rogers, a St. Lucie County School Board employee; and Luis Maldonado, a postal worker, all received keys to their newly constructed homes July 28 and July 29. Port St. Lucie’s Homeownership Program assisted them through the entire process, from application to loan qualification to closing. Closing took place at City Hall where PSL’s newest residents completed all the necessary paperwork, including the mortgage loan and title fees, to officially seal the deal. Two additional applicants are expected to close by the end of September.
“These new homeowners work so hard to get to the point of signing the closing papers,” said Port St. Lucie’s Neighborhood Services Deputy Director Alessandra Tasca. “The families that were able to purchase one of these homes are paying less for their mortgage than they were for their rental home. Homeownership is an important feature in our City providing housing stability for a stable workforce and economic development.”
The City of Port St. Lucie secured the grant to fund the program, then partnered with The Community Land Trust of Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast to construct six three-bedroom, two-bath homes as an affordable housing option for low-to-moderate-income level individuals or families. The City of Port St. Lucie’s Neighborhood Services Department secured the grant to construct the homes on City surplus property.
The homes range in price from $74,000 to $135,000, which were based on 50% and 80% of the area median income. The sales price was determined by household income when an applicant qualified. The City received 420 applicants who applied for the opportunity to purchase one of the homes at a price deemed proportionate to their income levels.
The program was made possible with special thanks to mortgage lenders First Horizon Bank and Synovus Bank; pro bono legal service Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc.; HUD Certified Housing Counseling; and first-time homebuyer education through Housing Foundation of America, Urban League of Palm Beach County and Debt Helper.
The City of Port St. Lucie’s Neighborhood Services Department hopes to continue to grow this program. For more information about housing programs, visit: www.CityofPSL.com/Housing.