<body><div>The Duke Energy Foundation announced earlier this month it had awarded a $5,000 grant to cover the cost of putting in energy efficient appliances for 10 homes to be built along Knowles Avenue south of the Gulf County courthouse in the months ahead.The money will fund a modest enhancement to each of these affordable homes, targeted for Gulf County residents, and most especially county and city employees, first responders, health care workers and educators.It’s a cherry on top of what has been a coming together of county government, church organizations, private non-profits and volunteers into a promising effort to provide affordable options for local workers to live in and thrive in their hometown.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1sPMH2_1AqVHZmB00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1sPMH2_1AqVHZmB00" width="400" height="400" ><figcaption>Kathy Gilbert, executive director of the Citizens of Gulf County Recovery Team [ Contributed ]</figcaption></figure>Kathy Gilbert, executive director of the Citizens of Gulf County Recovery Team which has been behind finding workable, affordable housing options ever since Hurricane Michael, said the Knowles Avenue lots which the county commission donated are a key piece of a new chapter in the team’s development. The group is moving into creating a broad, long-term strategy for workforce housing in the county for the 21st century, above and beyond reacting only to families displaced by a devastating hurricane.“Our objective is to build 10 homes for moderate income families,” she said. “We view this as an incubator, getting the process started. We don’t think this is the last 10 houses they will build.”America’s Home Place, which has a national office in Port St. Joe, will be building the houses, as what Gilbert said is a low profit margin that will carry the building costs to closing. Construction could begin as early as the next 90 days, and will be completed within the next three years.“We’re still finalizing the build costs,” she said. “We’re looking to get prices as low as we can.”The recovery team, which is about to rebrand itself as the Home Alliance, to better reflect the work they’ll be doing to create affordable housing, is forecasting homes valued at $450,000, with a mortgage of approximately $250,000 to $280,000, once the donated lot and other subsidies are factored in.The key to the affordability is that the lots will be held in a community land trust. This means that the homeowner can recoup no more than 1.5 percent compounding interest every year, a limitation that will keep housing prices from zooming high overhead the pocketbooks of future buyers.Gilbert said there will be a lottery draw to select the first five local families eligible for the homes, and then the pool will open for other eligible buyers.Gilbert said board chair Mike Boyle and the team’s other 10 members last month were able to secure $250,000 from the Jessie Ball duPont Fund to go towards the Home Alliance. In addition, as part of a partnership with the county’s hurricane housing recovery program, the Alliance has received two grants totaling $550,000 from the Florida Bahama Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. That money has gone to fund 18 mobile home projects, 16 new and two used, plus helped with three volunteer home builds, and a fourth with the State Housing Initiative Program.“We’re doing another volunteer build right now partnering withSHIP, and with another non-profit out of Georgia called Square Foot Ministry.The Alliance also has received $46,000 in grant money to help with homeless prevention, plus another $110,000 from the duPont fund to help build capacity as an organization.</div></body>

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The Duke Energy Foundation announced earlier this month it had awarded a $5,000 grant to cover the cost of putting in energy efficient appliances for 10 homes to be built along Knowles Avenue south of the Gulf County courthouse in the months ahead. The money will fund a modest enhancement...

County lots to boost affordable homes for Gulf workers

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The Duke Energy Foundation announced earlier this month it had awarded a $5,000 grant to cover the cost of putting in energy efficient appliances for 10 ho

County lots to boost affordable homes for Gulf workers

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