Home ownership was a hot topic throughout the months of June and July among City of Laurel residents. In June, the city celebrated National Home Ownership month which kicked off with a proclamation signing and ended with the Laurel Housing Authority’s Home Ownership House Party on Thursday, June 27. The event, hosted at South Central Place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., featured speakers and vendors from across the state who gathered to provide information and resources to individuals and families interested in the homebuying process.
Eloria Newell-James of the Laurel Housing Authority welcomed guests and vendors and encouraged everyone to learn as much as possible about the process. “There is joy in owing a home,” she said. “I love my house. I love being able to walk into my home. In case you haven’t made it there, today is a new day. Open up your mind and open up your heart and believe. Believe it in your heart and know that you can achieve it.”
James explained that the event was designed to benefit anyone in any stage of the homebuying process. “If you just woke up this morning and wanted to get information, you’re in the right place. If you have been working on your credit, you’re in the right place. If you think you’ve got it all together and you just need to get a house, you’re in the right place!”
Representatives from the Laurel Housing Authority, Resident Opportunity and Self-Sufficiency Program (ROSS), the Mississippi Home Corporation, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Southern Mississippi Planning & Development District (SMPDD), as well as representatives from several local banks and realtors were on hand to meet with and provide resources to participants.
In July, the City of Laurel began working with the Mississippi Home Corporation and Lakeylah White of Grants Unlimited to put together an application that would allow the city to receive grant funding through the MHC’s homeowner rehabilitation program. A public hearing was held as a part of that process in order to gather input from local residents. If the city receives the funding, the city will open up the application process to local homeowners who need repairs to their homes.
For more on this year’s National Home Ownership Month see, https://www.laurelms.com/mayor-magee-proclaims-june-as-national-homeownership-month-in-the-city-beautiful/
