Milford Housing Development provides an affordable home to a local family
Affordable and Accessible
Milford, De. – Nationally, there is a shortage of more than 7 million affordable homes for our nation’s 10 plus million low-income families, according to National Low Income Housing Coalition, and sadly, Delaware is no exception. However, city officials in Milford have come up with a way to make housing more affordable.
Imagine for the past 4 years, you’ve had to have your entire life confined to just one room. Well, Judy Purcell went from living in a single room, to a beautiful home.
Affordable
76-year-old Judy Purcell went from living in cramped room, to 675 sq. ft. home right in her son’s backyard. With a budget of 200k Judy wasn’t able to find anything that fit her lifestyle. Luckily, the city of Milford had something up their sleeve, and when Judy and her son found out, they quickly applied.
“I can have it as warm or cool as I want, I can have my Tv as loud as I want, or not. I can read, or not, whatever. So, it is the safety, and security, and still being close… I could not find anything that was affordable, or on one level because I can’t do stairs anymore and so I moved into my son’s house in a bedroom… Most everything is 300k and above, and again, very large. If I go to something that’s maybe a small bungalow, they were built in the 1930’s, or 1940’s, and I didn’t want to buy that.”
Acessory Dwelling Unit
Milford Mayor Todd Culotta says his primary focus on the council has been affordable housing and so that why they created this ordinance. “The ADU, or the Accessory Dwelling Unit Ordinance is a big driver in that. To allow people to convert buildings on their property or build new buildings on their property, to allow for affordable housing. Such as, you know, something like a granny pod, or somebody that right out of school that just getting on their feet.”
CEO of Milford Housing Development David Moore explains an Acessory Dwelling Unit can be free standing building, and addition of the main dwelling, or a transformation of a garage and the square footage is based on the existing house. He says aside from the walk-in closet and farmhouse sink, it’s also energy efficient. “It’s a combination washer and dryer all in one, it does a maximum of 13lsb to 14lbs of clothes. It takes a little longer, maybe 3.5 hours or so just to finish a load, they’re steamed dried.”
A Solution
Moore says the men and women who built this home, had a blast doing this for Judy and they are ready to help someone else. “I think it’s a solution and the opportunity for just one more arrow in the quiver to tackle affordable housing.”
Judy says she’s grateful and she hopes this inspires someone else to look into Accessory dwelling units. “I know there are a lot of young people and seniors that are my age, that there is no place for us and so this is going to open up another avenue for them to be able to have something again, that’s there’s but still secure.”
Judy Purcell is expected to move in tomorrow, and Milford Housing Development says this is just the beginning. And if you or a family member are interested in getting an Accessory Dwelling Unit visit their website.
