The Housing Authority of Winston-Salem is introducing a new program to help people move from public housing to home ownership. From a story in Yes! Weekly:
The Path program is available to all public-housing residents in Winston-Salem. Employment will be required for all participants over the age of 25. Those currently unemployed will be offered access to one-stop career counseling through the Forsyth County JobLink Center, and training and job placement from Forsyth Tech — all free of charge.
(HAWS CEO) Woods said the Path program is the only one of its kind in the nation: No other housing authority has established a partnership with another development agency to provide new opportunities to residents.
The Path program fits into a broader vision promoted by the Housing Authority to break up large blocks of public housing…
Woods told the public-housing residents that those approved for the Path program will get the opportunity to move into the Oaks at Tenth, a 50-unit apartment community that is currently under construction one block away.
“If you qualify to move into this development, then you will be eligible to receive financial literacy assistance — find out how to budget your money,” Woods said. “If you’re having credit problems, they’ll help you resolve credit problems. Get your credit straightened out. If you have a job, no police activity in the household, your kids are going to school and you have children, then you become pre-qualified for a mortgage, the Housing Authority is guaranteeing to give you a voucher to help subsidize your mortgage so you can buy a house. You will be a homeowner at that point.”
The audience erupted in applause and an “amen” could be heard from one man in the back of the meeting room.
Woods said that the Winston-Salem Foundation has agreed to provide more than $1 million per year for tuition assistance to residents who are 18 to 25 years old.