Families celebrate completion of homes they helped build

Five families who spent the past year helping build their homes in Sussex County reaped the fruits of their labor Aug. 30, as USDA inspectors made their final inspection rounds and gave them the clearance to move in.

USDA Rural Development partners with Milford Housing Development Corp. to offer affordable interest rates and mortgage payments to modest-income applicants who commit to nights and weekends to provide sweat equity in lieu of a down payment. Models offered are three to four bedrooms, two bathrooms, with a minimum of a one-car garage.

The Self-Help Housing Program is MHDC's premier homeownership program. The program was established by USDA Rural Development over 40 years ago for very-low to low-income families. Working under the supervision of MHDC construction supervisors, each family must commit to Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights. The families work on all homes as a group, and no one moves in until each home is complete. MHDC is the only agency in Delaware offering the program and has helped close to 200 families realize their dream of homeownership.

For more information, go to www.milfordhousing.com or call 302-422-8255.