Housing programs available to residents

Several programs are available for lower-income homebuyers in Sisters. With the median home price here hovering around $450,000, opportunities have been very limited for those in the lower income brackets to even consider purchasing a home.

First Story, the nonprofit organization associated with Hayden Homes, will be building homes next year in McKenzie Village Meadow that are meant for those with lower/modest incomes. The application will be made available by the end of November at http://www.firststory.org/own-a-home.

The first step in applying for the First Story homes will be to attend NeighborImpact’s Home Buyer Education class. Registration for the upcoming class in Bend or Prineville can be found at http://www.neighborimpact.org/ni events/. More HBE classes will be available in 2020. The deadline to complete the HBE for First Story will be the end of January 2020.

There are several other affordable housing options available in the area. Sisters Habitat for Humanity is currently constructing homes in Village Meadows South on the corner of Brooks Camp Road and McKinney Butte Road. They will also be building three duplexes (6 units) in ClearPine, off of North Pine Street, next spring. For more information see http://www.sistershabitat.org.

Located in Bend rather than Sisters, is Kor Community Land Trust (CLT), which is currently developing their first community of homes in partnership with Housing Works of Central Oregon. The over-arching concept of a CLT is community ownership of land, and individual ownership of the homes. Kor uses funding from grants and donations to acquire land and build homes for those who otherwise couldn’t afford the opportunity. Buyers must meet income requirements and qualify for a mortgage. Seventy-five percent of their homes will be offered to low-income and super-low-income qualifiers and will be affordable perpetually. For more information visit http://www.korlandtrust.org.

For more information on affordable housing, contact Victoria Vale, HomeSource specialist with NeighborImpact, 541-213-0844.