The Liberty County Initiative for Community Housing held a housing workshop on a recent Saturday at the Liberty County Community Complex in Midway.
The workshop highlighted several programs and grants available to low-income and senior citizens. Assistant County Administrator, Bob Sprinkel, who serves on the board of the LCICH, served as emcee for the workshop. He said Ameris Bank mortgage broker Gerald Lee, EXIT Team Realtor Angela Powell, Debra Attical from the city of Riceboro and Georgia Holliday from the county’s Tax Assessors Office created the LCICH, modeled after a statewide initiative.
Residents listened as Albert Walker presented information about rural housing loans offered by the United Stated Department of Agriculture. Walker, a USDA mortgage specialist said the USDA offers home loans for qualified applicants who seek homes in identified rural areas. He said every area in Liberty County, except the city of Hinesville, is identified as rural.
The USDA has a 502 direct loan program that helps low-income applicants obtain housing in eligible rural areas by providing payment assistance through a subsidy that reduces the mortgage payment for a short time. The amount of assistance is determined by the adjusted family income.
The USDA also offers a 504 loan or a 504 grant program to qualified applicants. The 504 programs are specifically used to make repairs to existing homes. The loan may be used to repair, improve or modernize homes or to remove safety hazards. The maximum you can borrow on the loan is $20,000. The 504 loan has an interest rate of 1 percent.
Applicants who qualify for the grant may receive up to $7,500. Grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards from the home. The grant is only available to seniors 65 and over. Applicants who qualify for the grant do not need to repay the money if they remain in the home for three years after receiving the grant.
Teresa Concannon, of the Georgia Department of the Community Affairs, spoke about the Georgia Dream Program.
The program provides first time buyers mortgage loans with low down payments and low interest rates. It includes some down payment assistance. To be eligible the borrower must not have owned a home in the past three years or must be purchasing a home in a targeted area. The borrower must meet income and purchase price limits, have limited assets, and must invest at least $1,000 into the purchase transaction.
Dana Ingram, of JC Vision and Associates talked about the Fair Housing Act, the federal law which prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings and other housing related transactions based on race, color, National origin, Religion, sex, disability and familial status.
Gerald Lee spoke about the different loan options available through Ameris Bank and the importance or reviewing and if needed improving your credit ratings.
Sprinkel said the LCICH has scheduled an Heirs Property Information Workshop from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday June 9 at the LCCC.
The workshop will review property titles, wills, deed searches, property taxes, tax exemptions and heirs determination. It will be presented by the Georgia Heirs Property Law Center, Probate Court of Liberty County, the County Tax Assessor’s Office and the Tax Commissioner.

Applicants who qualify for the grant may receive up to $7,500. Grants must be used to remove health and safety hazards from the home.
The grant is available only to seniors 65 and older. Applicants who qualify for the grant do not need to repay the money if they remain in the home for three years after receiving the grant.
Teresa Concannon, of the Georgia Department of the Community Affairs, spoke about the Georgia Dream Program.
The program provides first time buyers mortgage loans with low down payments and low interest rates. It includes some down payment assistance. To be eligible, the borrower must not have owned a home in the past three years or must be purchasing a home in a targeted area.
The borrower must meet income and purchase price limits, have limited assets, and must invest at least $1,000 into the purchase.
Dana Ingram, of JC Vision and Associates talked about the Fair Housing Act, the federal law that prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental and financing of dwellings and other housing related transactions based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability and familial status.
Lee spoke about the different loan options available through Ameris Bank and the importance of reviewing and, if needed, improving your credit ratings.
Sprinkel said the LCICH has scheduled an Heirs Property Information Workshop from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Saturday June 9, at the LCCC.
The workshop will review property titles, wills, deed searches, property taxes, tax exemptions and heirs determination.
It will be presented by the Georgia Heirs Property Law Center, Probate Court of Liberty County, the County Tax Assessor’s Office and the Tax Commissioner.