Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties

Post Office Box 5953

Oak Ridge, TN 37831

(865) 425-0256

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

ADFAC TO UTILIZE CITY’S HOUSING DESIGN PROGRAM FOR HOME REHAB

(Oak Ridge, TN) October 31, 2003: Aid to Distressed Families of Appalachian Counties (ADFAC) will be utilizing plans provided by the City of Oak Ridge to rehabilitate a 1943 “B” Cemesto house. First unveiled in 2002, the renovation plans are part of the City’s Housing Design Program, developed to address the diverse needs of Oak Ridge’s aging housing stock. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, over 35% of Oak Ridge’s housing units were built prior to 1950 - this compares to 13.8% in neighboring Oliver Springs and is indicative of the growing need to preserve Oak Ridge’s historic homes and neighborhoods.

The home to be renovated is typical of the thousands of units constructed at the height of World War II to house those working on the Manhattan Project. The Housing Design Program offers three different plans for “B” homes; the homeowners have chosen Scheme A, which enlarges and modernizes the kitchen and replaces all windows. Many of the alterations made through Scheme A will address existing code violations in the home such as holes in the floor of the kitchen and utility room and broken/malfunctioning windows. In addition to the modifications in Scheme A, repairs to the bathroom, bedrooms and exterior will also be completed. The project is coordinated by ADFAC and construction is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 18^th.

The family will pay back an affordable 3% interest loan, designed especially to not create financial hardship. This is a young family who has chosen to live in Oak Ridge to raise their two children, one of whom is in Kindergarten at Willow Brook Elementary School. The father is assistant manager of the Children’s Room at Lawson McGhee Library in Knoxville and plans to earn a Master’s degree in Information Science. The family falls within the income guidelines for ADFAC’s Affordable Housing Program and are typical of many of our younger homeowners. Income guidelines are set by HUD and range from $29,100 for 1 person to $41,600 for a family of four.

Since 1989, ADFAC has rehabilitated over 300 homes for low and very-low income families in Oak Ridge. This project will be the first to incorporate the City’s Housing Design Program into their home repair services. ADFAC hopes this pilot project will become a model for future home rehabilitations for low-income families in Oak Ridge.