Habitat for Humanity New Castle County broke ground on 12 new townhomes in Wilmington’s East Side Tuesday morning, and they already have their first homebuyer.
Wilmington native Antwane Grant will be the first to move into the Bennett Point townhomes.
“They have other sections but I just chose this section just to stay close to the city," Grant says. "I’m actually also looking to start a sports academy, so staying close to home is the goal.”
Grant is a former undrafted free agent for the Cincinnati Bengals, and is now a teacher in the Philadelphia School District. He’ll have the benefit of a 0% interest mortgage with Habitat for Humanity – as will every other resident on the row.
Habitat CEO Kevin Smith says this gives more people access to home owning.
The 12 townhomes will be in three groups of four, with off-street parking for end units and on-street for the middle. They will also be net-zero capable, meaning if the homeowner installs solar panels, their energy bill could be zero — another way that Habitat is trying to make home-owning more affordable.
“These homes are going to be different that we got money from Energize Delaware and a partner, New Ecology, that have helped us redesign our houses," Smith says. "They’ll be all electric, high-efficiency electric water heater, furnace, appliances, really tight homes.”
Smith says the first pod of homes will be completed in a year or less, and the entire row is slated to finish in about 15 months.
Delaware State Housing Authority Director Eugene Young says the project is an investment in safer communities, replacing dilapidated homes in an area with known criminal activity.
“Being here on the East Side, I think it’s a great opportunity for people to live where they work. Someone can walk into Market Street Mall downtown if they have a job there, or they can get to quality bus transportation and get to where they need to go, so it’s a great opportunity for everyone.”
Young adds that DSHA has recently launched two down-payment assistance programs – the Delaware Diamonds Program, which provides $15,000 for federal, state, county and local employees, including teachers and first responders, and the Home Sweet Home Program, which provides $12,000 in assistance for those who buy homes less than $285,000 in certain areas.
And if they stay in the house for at least 10 years, that assistance is forgiven.
Habitat is actively looking for people within the 30-80% average median income bracket to buy these homes – they’ll also be eligible for the Downtown Development District Rebate through DSHA.
