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Phyllis in front of her new home with children and Mary Ann Robinson (HONK’s housing Counselor) |
Phyllis
Phyllis is one of two new homeowners in Covington’s Mainstrasse Village Neighborhood. Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky constructed two single family houses on existing vacant lots in the neighborhood, completing construction and arranging for the respective sales in November 2007.
Phyllis is a single mother with two daughters and one son. “I moved around a lot before I moved in here,” Phyllis said. “I lived in City Heights for a while too,” she continued. She found about HONK from her step-mother, who is a HONK homeowner.
Phyllis runs an in-home day care, so she was eager to get into her new home and place of business. She is excited and grateful for the opportunity to own her home. She is especially grateful to all the HONK volunteers that made affordable homeownership possible.
Phyllis is HONK’s first participant in Section 8 Home Ownership Program. Working closely with the Brighton Center’s Self-Sufficiency Program and HONK’s Housing Counselor, she was able to utilize a supportive housing voucher as a means to ownership rather than long term rental. With down payment assistance from the City of Covington’s housing Development Department, her dream of homeownership has become a reality. “Jeremy (Wallace, Covington) and Mary Ann (HONK) were great. They kept me focused on my goal and helped me understand that I could achieve it.” Phyllis said.
When asked how it feels to own her own home, she responded, “I don’t know if words can say how I feel. I am so grateful to HONK. I could have never fulfilled this dream without them. I am so blessed. I pray that my own children will one day grow up and own their own home, like me. God has so blessed me!”
Marlene & Peter Marlene and her son live in their beautifully renovated Covington home. She calls it her “la rosa casa because HONK has transformed this house into a rose from a thorn.”
For Marlene, the house is special because it has the character that you don’t find in some of the new houses today.
Becoming a homeowner was very important to Marlene. Here is what she has to say:
“It was just a joyous experience signing my name on the papers and them saying this is your home. It’s a wonderful feeling and achievement to own your home despite the fear you may have of the responsibilities of it. You can take pride in the fact that it is yours.”
“It’s a realization of a dream, a legacy to be passed along to your children that they too can be homeowners with hard work and determination. From homeownership comes pride in your surroundings and in your community, which for some continues into business ownership in the community. This helps the community to thrive and grow.”
Marlene was eager to do her fair share in making homeownership possible. “I remember that first day she did her some of her sweat equity,” says Jack Goeke, HONK’s founding Director. “She jumped right in with the crew that was cleaning out a burned out house that had become a neighborhood dump and drug house. When I saw how hard she worked, I knew we had a real go-getter, someone who would succeed because she wanted it.”
CARMEN
 Carmen's experience with HONK Homes may have just moved her into a home across the street from the apartment she was staying at in Covington, but the help she received from HONK has enabled her to make an even larger improvement in her life.
“The first thing I had to do was get out of some trouble I was in with credit cards,” said Hinkston, a 43-year-old single mother of one.
She started with HONK Homes by entering the ‘Yes You Can’ program, where she learned about budgeting and tracking her finances.
Within three years her credit had improved enough that she was able rent a home on a trial basis to ensure she was ready for a home of her own.
“They let me rent it first before I could buy it,” she said. “Once I did that everything started rolling.”
Soon she was able to buy the house, but that did not end her involvement with the program.
“They don’t sell you a house and forget about you,” she said. “They stay with you. They give you a mentor.”
Hinkston said through her mentor she not only learned some basic home maintenance, but HONK has also been there for the repairs she and her mentor can’t handle on their own.
“When I had a problem I didn’t call a plumber, I called HONK,” she said.
Now Hinkston is always willing to tell anyone of her good experiences with HONK Homes.
“Other people have asked me and I tell them HONK is a good program,” she said. “It is a wonderful program to be a first-time homebuyer in.”
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