Pictured on the front porch of her new home, Helen Heath-Johnson (seated) is shown with (standing, l-r) contractor Sim Dill, Washington City Councilman Rev. G.L. Avery, and USDA Rural Development Manager Roger C. Jenkins. Helen Heath-Johnson recently approached the USDA Rural Development Officeto request assistance in finding a home for her family. Her application was selected for processing and having met all of the requirements for assistance under the 502 loan program, she was deemed qualified for assistance. Helen Heath-Johnson is the featured homeowner for homeownership month.

For the seventh consecutive year, President Bush has designated the month of June as a time to promote the power of homeownership and to increase the ranks of homeowners especially among minorities. The White House is challenging public and private entities to work together to boost minority homeownership by 5.5 million homeowners by 2010.

For millions of individuals and families, the American Dream starts with owning a home. When families move into a home of their own, they gain independence and confidence, and their faith in the future grows. The spread of ownership and opportunity helps give our citizens a vital stake in the future of America and the chance to realize the great promise of our country.

From the earliest days of the Nation, homeownership has embodied the core American values of individual freedom, personal responsibility, and self-reliance. A home provides children with a safe environment in which to grow and learn. A home is also a tangible asset that provides owners with borrowing power and allows our citizens to build wealth that they can pass on to their children and grandchildren.

Homeownership Week has been expanded to Homeownership Month, which means people interested in buying or repairing their homes, will have opportunities throughout June to get information on programs to help them.

Over 1,200 families became homeowners last year through USDA Rural Development's housing programs in Georgia, according to figures for FY07. This totals an $80 million investment in rural commu- nities in housing and home repairs.

"We are proud to be able to serve rural Georgians by helping them realize the dream of homeownership," said F. Stone Workman State Director of USDA Rural Development.

Upon receiving her certificationof eligibility, Heath-Johnson decided that she wanted to build her dream home and contacted local builder Sim Dill who assisted her in finding a lot. She found a lot on Lincoln Circle and partnered with Sim Dill Construction to construct her home.

To assist her in meeting the loan requirements a DCA Georgia Dream Loan was obtained that allowed her to meet the loan limits. Once a site and builder was selected, construction was commenced in May 2007 with final construction completed in August 2007 allowing Heath- Johnson to achieve her lifelong goal of homeownership.

This goal could not have been met without the partnerships that exist between the USDA Rural Development, Georgia Department of Community Affairs, local builders, and community leaders. It is through outreach and partnerships in the served communities that the objectives of the agency are readily achieved. This partnership has allowed Heath-Johnson to build her dream home which has 1,248 square feet, three bedrooms, and two baths.

The 502 Loan program is a program where eligible individuals can obtain a direct loan from the Government of up to $129,700.00 in Wilkes County to purchase a home while qualified low income applicants can have their payment subsidized down to 1 percent in some cases.

Without this program, Heath- Johnson says that she could never have obtained the home of her dreams which she so richly deserved and needed. With the construction nearing completion and pending occupancy, Heath-Johnson is exuberant about her new home and is appreciative to USDA Rural Development and its partners for enhancing her Quality of Life!

While Heath-Johnson obtained her home under the 502 Loan program, the USDA Rural Development has other programs to assist Very Low Income individuals to making repairs to their home. For qualified homeowners a 504 Loan can be made up to $20,000 at 1 percent and in some cases amortized up to 20 years which can result in very low associated payments. For example, $20,000 amortized over 20 years at 1 percent would only have a payment of $92.00 a month.

Acceptable repairs include removing health and safety hazards, installing heating and cooling systems, repairing roofs, providing a sanitary water and waste disposal system that meets local health department requirements, installing screens, windows, insulation or making other repairs to make a home safe. General repairs to improve or modernize the home such as painting or enlarging a home can also be done with loan funds as long as the house remains modest.

There are other programs that eligible individuals may qualify for and information can be obtained by contacting the USDA Rural Development Officeat 706- 595-1339, ext. 4.