| Jim Keele’s students working on the house: Greg Meyer, Bowdy McMullin, Darrell Swasey, Trevor Butterfield, Mike Wilberg and Travis O’Neil. |
Utah Housing Corporation, Schools and Students Partner to Build an Affordable Home in Castle Dale
Utah Housing Corporation and students participating in the Emery County School Districts construction trade program are celebrating the completion of an affordable ECHO, Educationally Constructed Housing Opportunity, home that is enabling a lower-income family the opportunity of home ownership.
The open house is being held May 26 at 1:30 p.m. at 125 East 920 North in Castle Dale.
The ECHO program was created by UHC in 1997 to help meet affordable housing needs of lower income households across the state. Using the ECHO program, schools are provided financing by UHC to build the homes. Participating students are given an opportunity to learn valuable hands-on training in the construction industry while building a home in their community.
Once complete, UHC sells the homes at below-market prices to families earning 80 percent or less of the area median income. A portion of the proceeds go back into the schools program.
“UHC is proud of the many opportunities these ECHO homes provide. Students are gaining experience they will be able to use both professionally and personally. In turn, the student’s well-supervised, hard work contributes to keeping the cost of the home lower. As a result, a hard working family can afford this new, quality built home,” said William Erickson, UHC President.
There are 75 homes that have been completed statewide and more than 500 students are currently enrolled in their schools program. UHC’s ECHO program has contributed almost $400,000 to the various school programs with the sale of ECHO homes throughout the state.
“Almost every student who has participated in this program has been able to find employment in the construction industry when they applied. It is great training tool that can help student’s secure future employment,” said Ed Clark, Supervisor of Career Technology Education.
The Utah Housing Corporation is a self-supporting public corporation that offers multiple resources to develop and finance quality, affordable housing for low and moderate income people across the state.
Utah Housing finances low-interest home loans for thousands of lower-income home buyers. Since founded by the Utah State Legislature in 1975, as an independent public corporation, Utah Housing Corporation has provided financing for more than 67,000 single and multi-family affordable housing units.
For more information on this home visit UHC’s “Home for Sale” website at: www.utahhousingcorp.org. or call 801-902-8200.
Construction class students
Jim Keele’s students working on the house: Greg Meyer, Bowdy McMullin, Darrell Swasey, Trevor Butterfield, Mike Wilberg and Travis O’Neil.