Return to Headlines
By Marc Munroe Dion
Herald News Staff Reporter
Some of the Diman teachers and students involved in building this year's house for a qualifying first-time homebuyer stand outside the home on Duluth Street in Fall River - Herald News Photo | Dave Souza
This new house under construction on Duluth Street is being built by Diman students - Herald News Photo | Dave Souza
Photos by Diman
FALL RIVER — Other than getting your kids more education than you ever had, home ownership is probably the most-desired piece of the American Dream.
At 132 Duluth St., in the Maplewood neighborhood, that second piece of the American dream is a neat ranch house that is almost finished, ready for a lucky first-time homebuyer to win a lottery held by People, Incorporated, the city of Fall River, the Community Development Agency and Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.
Diman students built the house, as they have built houses throughout the last decade or so.
"For the last 10 or 12 years, we've built maybe eight homes," said Diman Principal Elvio Ferreira.
"This is absolutely great experience," Ferreira said of the student construction crew. "The experience is beyond anything you can get in a shop.
"This involves construction, plumbing, electrical, HVAC," he said.
"Today, we're kicking off the application piece," said People, Incorporated CEO Bill Perkins. "They've been working on it since the beginning of the school year."
"We're a Community Development agency, so this is paid for through a Community Development Block Grant."
The home will sell for $199,000.
"This is great," said Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II, just before touring the home. "It's home ownership, it creates property value, it increases the tax base."
The new home has about 1,500 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The home sits on an 11,700-square-foot lot and has an attached garage.
Buyers who enter the lottery must be pre-approved by a local lender for a fixed-rate mortgage, must agree to occupy the home as their primary residence, meet the definition of a first-time homebuyer and complete a first-time homebuyer workshop.
Qualifying entrants in the lottery must have incomes rising from $40,800 a year for one person, through $52,450 for a family of three to $67, 600 for a family of six.
Lottery applications are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at People, Inc., 4 S. Main St., or can be downloaded at peopleinc-fr.org. Applications must be returned no later than 4 p.m. on May 12 to be time-stamped.
Herald News Staff Reporter
Some of the Diman teachers and students involved in building this year's house for a qualifying first-time homebuyer stand outside the home on Duluth Street in Fall River - Herald News Photo | Dave Souza
This new house under construction on Duluth Street is being built by Diman students - Herald News Photo | Dave Souza
Photos by DimanAt 132 Duluth St., in the Maplewood neighborhood, that second piece of the American dream is a neat ranch house that is almost finished, ready for a lucky first-time homebuyer to win a lottery held by People, Incorporated, the city of Fall River, the Community Development Agency and Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School.
Diman students built the house, as they have built houses throughout the last decade or so.
"For the last 10 or 12 years, we've built maybe eight homes," said Diman Principal Elvio Ferreira.
"This is absolutely great experience," Ferreira said of the student construction crew. "The experience is beyond anything you can get in a shop.
"This involves construction, plumbing, electrical, HVAC," he said.
"Today, we're kicking off the application piece," said People, Incorporated CEO Bill Perkins. "They've been working on it since the beginning of the school year."
"We're a Community Development agency, so this is paid for through a Community Development Block Grant."
The home will sell for $199,000.
"This is great," said Fall River Mayor Jasiel Correia II, just before touring the home. "It's home ownership, it creates property value, it increases the tax base."
The new home has about 1,500 square feet of living space with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The home sits on an 11,700-square-foot lot and has an attached garage.
Buyers who enter the lottery must be pre-approved by a local lender for a fixed-rate mortgage, must agree to occupy the home as their primary residence, meet the definition of a first-time homebuyer and complete a first-time homebuyer workshop.
Qualifying entrants in the lottery must have incomes rising from $40,800 a year for one person, through $52,450 for a family of three to $67, 600 for a family of six.
Lottery applications are available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at People, Inc., 4 S. Main St., or can be downloaded at peopleinc-fr.org. Applications must be returned no later than 4 p.m. on May 12 to be time-stamped.
