Affordable housing group coming to Greencastle

inte8821 • March 7, 2012

Echo Pilot
Posted Jun 26, 2011 @ 04:07 PM

Interfaith Housing Alliance, which is currently planning projects in the Greencastle area, had a “Move In Day” for six homeowners in Shippensburg Friday, June 24, to highlight the program which provides affordable housing.

The entire 39-lot North Middle Springs Estates subdivision in Shippensburg features the efforts of families working to build their own and each other’s homes through a partnership between U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Home Program (USDA) and Interfaith Housing Alliance (IHA). Participants commit to completion of a homeownership financial counseling course and 30 hours per week of work on the houses for each family on the team. Each team can take 9-12 months to finish their project. Mutual Self-Help Homeownership participation requires hard work and endurance.

Families buy their homes at cost and, in lieu of a down-payment, contribute their labor. No one moves in until all of the houses for the team are complete. For the past nine months, each of them worked regular jobs and then worked an additional 30 hours a week on six homes that were constructed simultaneously. Both men and women used power tools and sweat to, among other things, install siding, do framing and trimming, hang doors and install banisters. Construction supervisors Steve Wivell and Dave Schweinsberg aided the team with their expertise in overseeing the construction of these self-help homes.

Moving day is an emotional end to the process and the ultimate beginning of a new life.
This summer, IHA will be beginning with the final six homeowners to complete the subdivision.

The organization is also building 18 homes through the Self-Help Program at Nottingham Meadows, in the Greencastle/State Line area and 14 homes are being built in partnership with Dan Ryan Builders in the Rolling Hills subdivision, near Greencastle.

As one homeowner said, “Interfaith housing is a program that allows families the opportunity to make home owning come true, but it is up to you to make it your reality.”

Interfaith Housing Alliance (IHA) was founded in 1990 after a group of concerned faith and community leaders held a meeting to address the growing need for affordable housing in Western Maryland. Today, IHA is the region’s leading nonprofit affordable housing developer, serving central and Western Maryland and South Central Pennsylvania. IHA’s mission is to strengthen communities by providing affordable housing opportunities and supportive services to improve the quality of life and economic stability of seniors, working families and individuals. Over the past 20 years, IHA has developed over 1,100 units of affordable housing.

For information, call 717-414-5042 or visit www.interfaithhousing.org

Copyright 2011 Echo Pilot. Some rights reserved

Photo Credit: Timothy Jacobsen

Gary Free resident at Residences at Railroad Square Apartments

March 3, 2025
Gary Free grew up in Brunswick, MD. The first time he saw the Residences at Railroad Square, he knew he would love to live in the apartments. Now all he can think to himself is, “I am living here!” Gary said the day he signed his lease he was so happy! He has a picture hanging in his apartment that says, “You’re Home.” Gary looks at it often and says to himself, “I am!” He finally feels at peace. Gary feels his home is nice! He also feels one of the ways of living at Residences of Railroad Square is that he now has everything he ever wanted, asked for and needed. The only thing he feels is a concern is that most of the time he gets lonely. His goal is to try to meet people. He says, “I’m a very friendly person.” Gary says his experience living at the Residences at Railroad Square has been rather good. If he has any concerns he can talk to the office staff. He feels it can’t get any better than this!

Lease-up of Residence of Railroad Square

By Crystal Thomas • March 3, 2025
With excitement and anticipation, I watched the groundbreaking on June 29, 2023, with my assistant Vickie and IHA’s Supportive Services coordinator, Sandi. By the middle of September 2023 concrete walls were being set up. We watched as the roof was completed; then the windows and doors were installed. We impatiently waited for the day we received permission to see the inside of the Residences of Railroad Square property. Finally, on September 25, 2024, we had the privilege to tour the inside of this beautiful property. On the weekend of September 27, 2024, the IHA property management team along with the CEO Jodie, held a two-day in-person application event. The owners of First Stop Brunswick generously donated their space at 2. E. Baltimore Street. That lease up kick off generated 56 applications. Over the next three months, ninety more applications were submitted. Each applicant came with their own story which stirred our hearts. No matter how different their stories may have been, they all had the same wish, a place to call home for Christmas! On November 5, 2024, the first resident signed their lease and on December 23, 2024, the last empty unit was filled! Not only were we able to fulfill these residents' Christmas wishes but it also filled our hearts with joy!

Interfaith Housing Alliance (IHA) is proud to announce 4 funding awards received this quarter from community partners.

March 3, 2025
In November 2024, IHA was awarded a $20,000 grant from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. This grant supports IHA’s three workshop series: Credit Café ; Financial Freedom Bootcamp ; and Ready, Set, Go… Home! In Credit Café, participants work specifically on improving their credit. Financial Freedom Bootcamp builds critical foundational skills for financial success. Ready, Set, Go… Home! walks participants through the entire homebuying process from start to finish. IHA also received a $1,574.37 designated grant from The PNC Homeownership Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These pass-through funds will directly support low- to moderate-income (LMI) households in achieving homeownership in Frederick County. In December 2024, IHA was awarded a $29,498 grant from the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT). MAHT is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization. This grant program is a valuable resource for the advancement of affordable housing initiatives and will provide operational assistance to IHA’s affordable multifamily community in Cumberland, MD. In January 2025, IHA was awarded a $2,500 grant by The Natelli Communities Charitable Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These unrestricted funds will support IHA’s work across the multiple counties served by our programs and affordable rental communities.
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