Joint Venture aims to add new permanently affordable home to Columbia’s Housing Market
[COLUMBIA, MO]: Job Point and Columbia Housing Authority announced plans for a celebratory ribbon cutting with the Columbia Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors on Tuesday, November 14 at 4:00 pm to take place at 207 Lynn St. The ceremony will mark the groundbreaking of a new permanently affordable home in central Columbia.
Filling a previously vacant lot, the new home will be built over the next year by Job Point’s YouthBuild and Carpentry students as they apply the skills they’ve learned in the classroom.
“This partnership checks all the boxes,” Steve Smith, Job Point’s CEO said. “It gives our students the opportunity to gain valuable on-the-job training and experience while also adding a beautiful new home to Columbia’s housing market.”
“One of our goals as an agency is to help our residents continue moving forward toward self-sufficiency and homeownership – but for that to happen, there has to be affordable homes available for them to purchase.” Randy Cole, CEO of the Columbia Housing Authority said. “We are proud that through this project, we’ll be addressing that gap in the market – and hope that it will lead to future collaborations, because the need isn’t going anywhere any time soon.”
The new home will feature 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, in an accessible single-story design. Funding for the project is provided by Columbia Housing Authority with support from an anonymous donor, Central Bank, Simmons Bank and the City of Columbia.
“Our students are living with the reality of the situation our city faces as rental costs increase while the quality of the living space(s) decrease. Additionally, those who have positioned themselves to purchase a home, fall victim to a lack of affordable homes to purchase. Each day this situation approaches a crisis status as our fellow citizens/students struggle to find a safe place to call home. Fortunately, through this project, our students will obtain valuable skills in the residential construction trades industry. Our students stand ready with hammer in hand on front lines, literally building solutions to the problem our city faces,” Jerrell Morton, Director of Job Point’s YouthBuild said. “Building this house goes far beyond creating a new structure – it is empowering the next generation of leaders to be a part of changing our community for the better.”
Once the home has been completed, it is estimated to be available for purchase sometime in mid to late 2024. Graduates from the Columbia Housing Authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency program among other Columbia residents will be eligible to purchase the home with down payment assistance based on income-eligibility guidelines.
- To learn more about Columbia Housing Authorities Family Self-Sufficiency and Homeownership programs, visit https://columbiaha.com/resident-services/
- To learn more about Job Point’s YouthBuild program, visit https://www.jobpoint.org/portfolio/youth-build/
To follow along with the construction journey, be sure to follow Job Point’s social media channels. Search for Job Point or JobPointMO.
About Job Point: Job Point is Missouri’s premier employment center and Community Development Corporation. Since 1965, we have been linking people and jobs by providing career planning and job placement assistance. We specialize in preparing individuals to enter the workforce, while meeting a critical need of the business community. The organization is headquartered in Columbia, Missouri, with services extending to Moberly, Boonville and the surrounding communities. Since 2003, Job Point’s YouthBuild program has helped over 1,100 youth and young adults reclaim their education and build the skills they need for life-long learning, leadership and personal and professional success. Students in YouthBuild and Job Point’s Skills Training program have built or contributed to the construction of 37 affordable homes and completed 4 major renovations to houses in Mid-Missouri through Job Point’s Affordable Housing Initiative.
About Columbia Housing Authority: Established in 1956, the Columbia Housing Authority (CHA) owns and operates 751 units of affordable housing while also administering 1,180 housing vouchers through various voucher programs. CHA’s housing programs include a variety of supportive services for income eligible families, seniors, and persons with disabilities. With over 2,000 units of households assisted annually, CHA serves approximately 9% of Columbia’s rental market. Each year, over 100 CHA households achieve a rise in household income allowing for moving up into market rate housing. CHA is working to expand homeownership opportunities for CHA households working towards self-sufficiency and is excited for the future of this partnership.
