(ROCKWALL, TX — June 23, 2017) I recently had the chance to tour a residence which proved that affordable doesn’t have to mean poor or rundown when it comes to renting or owning a home.
On Friday, June 16, the North East Texas Community Development Corporation held a grand opening/ribbon cutting for their latest affordable property located a little ways down from Rockwall Crossing Orthodontics at 504 Ross St. The super two-bedroom unit sits on a 40 x 100-foot lot right next to a community pool and outdoor basketball court, and sports a surprising amount of upgraded, modern features:
- Tankless Water Heaters
- Spray Foam Insulation
- Dishwasher, Microwave and Refrigerator
- Washer and Dryer
- Vinyl Plank Flooring
- Granite Countertops
- Ceiling Fans in Rooms and Porch
- Fire Escape Ladders in Upper Bedrooms
- Off Street Parking
Not bad for a unit that leases for $935 a month, significantly lower than a lot of two or three-bedroom rental units in Rockwall which can range upwards of $1,000 a month.
“The whole idea is to show that you can still build housing without having to skimp on anything to make it affordable,” said Michael Hunter, executive director of the Community Development Corporation.
The property is the latest of 41 total units the Community Development Corporation has built in the area, including 36 apartment units consisting of two, three and four bedrooms on Hail Drive, with additional three single bedroom units on Bourn Street.
“It’s another advance for the community and we’re really pleased with the opportunity to assist in affordable housing,” said Mike Conway, Community Development Corporation board member and branch manager of Conway CPAs here in Rockwall. “The board has seen a need and this is one of the things we can do to help alleviate that.”
The Community Development Corporation currently has a waiting list of over 230 individuals in need of affordable housing, showing there is in fact a great need for that in Rockwall.
Hunter said their units are ideal for people in the transitioning phase from renting to homeownership.
“It gets them up close to the range they’ll be paying for a house payment, and then we can help them with getting ready to become homeowners,” he said. “We do homeowner education where we take people through what it means to own a house and how to get their financing, that kind of stuff.”
Established in 1995, the 501(C)3 nonprofit serves eight other counties besides Rockwall – Dallas, Collin, Hunt, Kaufman, Delta, Red River, Lamar and Fannin counties. Not only do they build affordable homes for the community, they also offer programs to help families new to the homeownership process.
“We do homebuyer’s assistance programs where we help people with down payments to buy a house,” Hunter said. “We have scholarships we offer to senior students who are tenants. All of the funds we make go back into the community in some form or fashion.”
After taking a tour of the home on the inside and meandering around the property on the outside, I couldn’t help but agree with Hunter when he said their units add to – not subtract from – the character of the community.
“If we could do something to improve the community with our design and our look, that’s a win-win all the way around,” he said.
Folks interested in leasing one of the Community Development Corporation’s units can visit their website at rockwallhdc.com, drop in their office at 787 Hail Drive, or call them at 972-722-7316.
By Austin Wells, Editor, Blue Ribbon News
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