Kent Attainable Housing

Rebuilding Together Partners with KAH to Complete Garnet House

November 10, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Kent Attainable Housing, the new nonprofit that helps low-income families become homeowners, is now completing its first home for a family of five. Situated on the site of the former Garnet High School, the modular house, named the “Garnet House,” was delivered on October 28 with many excited community watching the dramatic arrival. “On a scale of one to ten, I’m at 11,” said Ed Minch, Project Director. He and others had worked tirelessly to get to this day when the new home would be delivered to a vacant lot on College Avenue.

Since the arrival of the home, volunteers from Rebuilding Together Kent County have been lending their resources and expertise to construct a front porch. “It’s a nice example of collaboration between local non-profits,” said Jon Hanley, Board Member for Rebuilding Together. Wearing masks and socially distancing, a cadre of volunteers has been hard at work since Tuesday. Rebuilding Together Kent County is an affiliate of a national organization which assists low income homeowners in repairing and improving disability access to homes.

Rebuilding Together board members, Jon Hanley and Pam Vogel constructing the front porch for the Garnet House. Photo by Genevieve Crocker

Gale Quist, a Heron Point resident, heard a talk about Rebuilding Together and said, “Sign me up!” Having had experience in building his own home, he is an eager first-time volunteer at Garnet House. Tom Eager was also working on the front porch last week. Retired from American Airlines, he said he knew basic carpentry and was learning to use a router. “I like to help out, and I like working with my hands,” said Tom.

Kent Attainable Housing volunteers will continue to complete the house and landscape the grounds. Property has been purchased in Worton for the second home. Applicant families matched with houses are required to attend 15 hours of free financial management and homeowner education. Kent Attainable Housing believes that when homes are built for families in need, foundations are laid for healthier, happier and more productive families and a stronger community. They plan to build 40 homes over the next decade.

For information about Kent Attainable Housing, call 443-282-0622 or email kentattainablehousing@gmail.com. Rebuilding Together Kent County is also accepting applications for assistance. Call 410-708-9936 or email info@rtkc.org. Both organizations welcome financial contributions and volunteer help.

ShoreRivers Donates River-Friendly Yard to First Kent Attainable Home

October 14, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Kent Attainable Housing (KAH), the recently-formed non-profit organization, is pleased to announce receipt of a generous donation from ShoreRivers of a river-friendly yard for the Garnet House, its first home located across from Garnet Elementary School on College Avenue in Chestertown. In keeping with the organization’s mission to assist landowners, towns, and communities in funding and developing innovative pollution-reduction projects, ShoreRivers will provide the concept and the native plants, specifically tailored to the location. Volunteers will do the planting to create a low-maintenance yard that will serve as a demonstration of good land and water stewardship.

In a statement Darran Tilghman, ShoreRivers Director of Community Engagement, said, “ShoreRivers is so excited to partner with Kent Attainable Housing on its first home, and to collaborate with a family to become good stewards of our waterways. The river-friendly yard we are co-designing will mimic the natural environment to benefit water quality, native species, and our local ecosystem. In a time when it is easy to feel despondent about our environmental future, this is a hopeful truth: stitching together small habitats into conservation corridors may make the essential difference we need for all species, including our own, to thrive. Each of us can make positive change in our own backyard while enjoying beautiful, resilient native species.”

Photo: ShoreRivers staff Tim Trumbauer and Darran Tilghman (pre-COVID-19) explore the property of the first KAH home site with VP of Construction Ed Minch to create a river-friendly yard that ShoreRivers is donating to the Garnet House.

River-friendly yards feature colorful and low-maintenance native plants, create bird and pollinator habitat, improve soggy lawns and basements, and help to restore water quality in Eastern Shore waterways. ShoreRivers 24-page booklet ”River Friendly Yards” contains tips, strategies, recommended native plants, and illustrations and can be found at https://www.shorerivers.org/river-friendly-yards.

“We are very grateful to ShoreRivers for this wonderful contribution. Not only will it create a very attractive streetfront, but it will serve as a model for other homeowners who put a priority on conservation,” said Lani Seikaly, President of the KAH Board of Directors.

KAH is creating home ownership opportunities for local, low-families in need of safe, decent, and affordable housing. To date, more than twenty-four applicants have turned to Kent Attainable Housing, Inc. in search of affordable housing. Their first home is in production at the Beracah plant and scheduled to arrive on October 26 where volunteers will complete the home and landscape the grounds. KAH has secured a second piece of property to begin construction for another family.

More information about ShoreRivers can be found on their website at https://www.shorerivers.org. You can view Kent Attainable Housing’s website at http://kentattainablehousing.org.

Kent Attainable Housing Teams Up with BB&T

February 25, 2020 by Spy Desk Leave a Comment

Kent Attainable Housing (KAH), the new nonprofit building homes for low income ownership, is partnering with BB&T Bank now Truist to teach financial management skills to prospective homebuyers. Students in the current classes are all applicants for a KAH home and will need to have a good understanding of credit, loans, assets and liabilities and family budgeting as they become first time homeowners.

Amanda Wallace, cluster branch leader of Chestertown and Millington BB&T banks, teaches the financial classes. “I am passionate about financial wellness,” explained instructor Amanda Wallace at the first workshop. She has also taught folks at the Kent Family Center and students at Kent County High School.

Amanda Wallace with BB&T now Truist Bank teaching a Financial Literacy class. Photo by Muriel Cole

BB&T developed a number of financial knowledge classes for community members including high school students. Their Bank for Your Success curriculum covers three main topics: Banking Basics, Family Budgeting, Becoming a Homeowner.

Their Financial Foundations Program includes 23 online modules designed “to put you in more control of your financial life.” These free interactive courses are available to anyone who signs onto the BB&T website at https://www.bbt.com/education-center.html.

“We are so appreciative,” shares KAH president Lani Seikaly, “that BB&T has developed this extensive financial literacy curriculum for adults and high school students and for Amanda’s knowledge and passion in teaching it. Our applicants have told us that if they had only known known earlier what they are now learning, they would have made very different financial decisions in their younger lives.”

During the first class, Understanding and Improving your Credit Score, Wallace identified some common mistakes that can hurt your credit rating.
Maxing out a credit card
Closing an old account
Applying for too many things in a short amount of time
Not using credit at all
Only using one type of credit

To access one’s credit report, Wallace recommends the free web site https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action.

Wallace has also led a workshop on Family Budgeting, a Credit Cards and Loans class and has added another Improving your Credit Score workshop coming up. Additional classes will be offered as applicant needs are identified.

For information about Kent Attainable Housing, call 443 282 0622 or email kentattainablehousing@gmail.com.

Photo caption:
Amanda Wallace with BB&T now Truist Bank teaching a Financial Literacy class. Photo by Muriel Cole

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