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For 32 years, South County Housing has helped people purchase their first homes in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, Monterey and San Benito counties.

The nonprofit organization is in the first phase of a new housing development to be built at the corner of Seacliff Drive and Sea Ridge Road in the Seacliff neighborhood of Aptos, and is seeking interested individuals and families to apply for homeownership there.

The development, named Canterbury, will consist of 19 townhomes, all with two-car garages and side yards and some with ocean views.

"It's an exciting neighborhood," said South County Housing Home Buyer Program Manager Robyn van Ekelenburg. "The location is amazing and the financing is unbelievable."

Prices range from $299,089 to $361,519, with price depending on size. To qualify, a potential homeowner must meet income requirements. An individual cannot make more than $70,750, for example, while the income limit on a family of four is $101,050.

In addition, van Ekelenburg said, a first-time homebuyer can receive a loan of up to $100,000 for down payment assistance—and that loan is fully deferred so the homeowner doesn't have to pay on it until he or she sells the house.

"Even in this economy it's still tough for first-time homebuyers to have a shot at buying a home," van Ekelenburg said. "Even though prices are lower than in the past, it's still expensive—so having affordable housing is crucial to first-time homebuyers, and the down payment assistance is really critical to helping them qualify."

Lifestyle Programs
Since it was founded in 1979 by a collaborative of people in the area who felt there was a need for affordable housing, South County Housing has built 2,561 units, including 1,435 affordable apartments and 1,126 homes. In Santa Cruz County, the organization has also built homes in Freedom and Corralitos.

Once a property is built and the family has moved in, South County Housing is still present to offer a boost to new homebuyers. The organization provides programs to residents, including early childhood education, youth and senior programs; exercise classes and sports; substance- abuse support groups; and courses in financial fitness, domestic violence prevention and neighborhood leadership development.

The type of programs offered are unique to each community, van Ekelenburg said, and programs to be offered at Canterbury aren't yet determined.

Green Living
The Aptos development is continuing South County Housing's green-building, or environmentally friendly, initiative, which means solar panels on the townhomes' roofs and energy-efficient appliances in the kitchens.

"We've had a green initiative for about five years now," van Ekelenburg explained, "and with each home we get more green with those efforts."
She said an objective of the green initiative is to try to help minimize monthly costs for water, electric and gas for residents, while also providing good indoor air quality.

South County Housing also builds and manages apartment buildings, such as Seacliff Highlands Apartments at 151 Canterbury Dr., which is where 90-minute orientation meetings will be held on May 11 and May 26 at 6 p.m. for people interested in home ownership at the Canterbury development.
 
By Karen Menehan
Valley Post
Posted by Adam Andrus on May 11th, 2011 8:29 AMPost a Comment (0)

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