Texas Border Business
Pharr, Texas – Against the backdrop of a newly-reconstructed home for the Perales family in Pharr made possible under Affordable Homes of South Texas Inc. (AHSTI)’s Neighborhood Housing Program, Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, M.D., announced the launch of a brand-new, affordable housing initiative, the Pharr Family Foundation program. Also in conjunction with AHSTI and specifically designed to assist low-to-moderate income households, the program aims to provide eligible families with the support and assistance to construct new homes on one of 18 specific lots in Pharr.
This program was made possible through funding from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development via the Lower Rio Grande Valley Development Council, which designated 840 Rio Grande Valley homes under the Disaster Recovery Program to assist people that suffered from housing problems from Hurricanes Dolly and Ike in 2008. Under this program, the City of Pharr was granted 18 lots, and joined forces with AHSTI to turn these lots into affordable housing opportunities for families in Pharr. AHSTI is now tasked with helping eligible families achieve their dreams of homeownership.
The Pharr Family Foundation program will focus on providing eligible residents with the support and assistance to purchase and construct a new home on one of these specific, program-approved lots throughout Pharr. This program is open to motivated families who meet specific eligibility criteria, based on AHSTI’s guidelines. Through the program, AHSTI will assist eligible families to finance the purchase of the lot and construct their new home. To be eligible for the 18 lots through the Pharr Family Foundation Program, an applicant must be either a current resident of the City of Pharr or have a child enrolled in PSJA ISA, Valley View ISD, Hidalgo ISD, IDEA Public Schools, Premier Schools, or Vanguard School. Financial assistance may be available for qualified applicants, up to and including the cost of the lot – an average value of approximately $12,000.
“We are committed to providing our families with every opportunity to live in and enjoy the city of Pharr, and we are proud to have established such a solid foundation and partnership with AHSTI,” said Hernandez. “Together, we are providing innovative solutions and creative homeownership opportunities for our residents, such as this program,” Hernandez continued.
Due to the limited number of lots available through this program, interested applicants are encouraged to begin the application process as early as possible by visiting www.ahsti.org https://pharr-tx.us17.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d3650c5ef4237200003aa41ad&id=3eb535615d&e=1420e87e31 Information that is required and must be submitted to AHSTI includes: check stubs for the last 3 months; SSI or child support award letters (if applicable); three (3) years of completed Tax Returns (2015, 2014 & 2013) if self-employed; copy of a valid government-issued ID; utility bill for Pharr residents or proof of enrollment in one of the eligible schools for non-Pharr residents.
A homeownership event, Welcome Home Pharr, is scheduled for January 13, 2018, which will be the next step for interested applicants after they have begun the application process with AHSTI. The event will be held from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm at the Pepe Salinas Event Center (1011 W. Kelly) in Pharr.
