Turning renters into homeowners | The Homepage

From left: Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh Senior Director of Asset Management Anthony Ceoffe, Serra Heck, the agency’s homeownership and repositioning manager, newly-minted homeowner Danielle Smith, Hazelwood Initiative Executive Director Sonya Tilghman, and Nancy Noszka, the nonprofit’s real estate director, at the Feb. 14 closing for Ms. Smith’s new home. Photo courtesy of the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh

By Juliet Martinez, managing editor

Two of the three newly constructed affordable homes on Flowers Avenue in Hazelwood have officially sold, with the third under contract at press time. This milestone marks a major achievement for Hazelwood Initiative Inc. as it continues to promote development without displacement through affordable homeownership opportunities.

“These homes represent years of work — from securing funding and acquiring land to designing and building quality, energy-efficient homes that will remain affordable for decades,” said Hazelwood Initiative Real Estate Director Nancy Noszka. “None of this happens without dedicated community partners, public and private investment, and the generosity of funders who believe in our mission.”

The three-bedroom homes feature open-concept living spaces, two bathrooms, energy-efficient appliances and smart home technology. The homes were developed on land acquired through the Pittsburgh Land Bank and funded by First Commonwealth Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.

Each home takes years of planning and significant fundraising to make homeownership accessible to local families. Hazelwood Initiative Inc. relies on a mix of grants, philanthropic support, and financing partnerships to keep sale prices within reach while maintaining long-term affordability.

In addition, home buyers are eligible to receive grants or soft second mortgages from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh and other sources. A soft second mortgage is like a bonus that helps make your home more affordable. It’s a loan, but you don’t have to pay it back as long as you live in the home for at least 10 years. After that, it’s forgiven, meaning it turns into a grant and disappears. If you move or sell before the 10 years are up, you may have to pay back part of it.

Building on this success, Hazelwood Initiative Inc. just began to renovate five additional affordable homes over the next year and is organizing a home-buyer workshop in April to help prospective buyers navigate the process.

To register for April’s affordable homebuyer workshop, email Nancy Noszka at nnoszka@hazelwoodinitiative.org, and put HOMEOWNERSHIP WORKSHOP in the subject line. Stay informed and subscribe to the Hazelwood Initiative Inc. e-newsletter at hazelwoodinitiative.org.