There's one less rundown property in the Kensington-Bailey neighborhood and one new happy homeowner. After a 16-month effort, Chason Affinity Companies President Mark Chason has helped transform a neighborhood liability, across the street from the company's Collegiate Village on Eggert Road, into an attractive asset.
"We bought this house. This house had been in foreclosure," Chason explained. "It was boarded up and it was not a great thing for the neighborhood. So we bought up and then we had the good fortune of meeting Roseann Scibilia."
Scibilia is the Executive Director of the University District Community Development Association. Chason donated the house to the group, which completely renovated it and then resold it.
Sciblia says building homeownership combats blight and is very important for neighborhood stabilization.
"We were really lucky that Mark had the vision to be willing to donate the property to us and let us develop it. It serves a lot of purposes," Scibilia said.
"We were able to find a young man who has a family. And there was an opportunity for him to be a homeowner."
UCDCA was able to provide down payment and closing cost assistance so Johnny Williams was able to buy at below fair market rate.
"I love the house. My kids love it," Williams said.
The donation and the rehab work, which included a new roof, siding, kitchen and bath is valued at nearly $95,000.