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House built for disabled lacks a buyer By JONEL ALECCIA With its wide ramps, expanded doorways and roll-in bathroom, the tidy gray cottage on Medford's Fourth Street is a wheelchair-user's custom-built dream. In fact, it was renovated to address what has been called one of the Rogue Valley's crucial needs: affordable housing for disabled buyers. But organizers for the nonprofit agency that paid for improvements say they're about ready to sell the place to any qualified buyer, disabled or not, after more than six months of searching has failed to turn up a single viable buyer. "I'm a little disappointed that no one has found something," said Ron Demele, executive director of the Rogue Valley Community Development Corp. "Everyone kept telling us there is a very large need for housing for disabled people." The need is real, said representatives for several area agencies that serve low-income disabled people. Over the past three or four years, the Jackson County branch of the federal Housing and Urban Development Agency has filled 175 housing rental vouchers for disabled people, said Executive Director Scott Foster. And several hundred more are on a waiting list. But bridging the gap between needing housing and buying a house - even at a reduced rate - is difficult, said Connie Salda�a of the Rogue Valley Council of Governments. "It's a very narrow window between someone who is low enough income to qualify for Ron's program and high enough income to qualify for a bank loan," said Salda�a. "We've sent people his way and they just don't meet all of the criteria." That's frustrating for Demele, whose agency has so far invested nearly $100,000 in the house that will sell for $95,000. "There's a disconnect here," he said. "Our feeling is to empower these folks." The RVCDC paid for the 1,100-square-foot cottage to be moved to its site at 1115 W. Fourth St., paid for wheelchair ramps in the front, paid for renovations that include widened doorways, an accessible bathroom, even pull-down closet extenders that allow easy reach to clothes. The goal, said Demele, was to create a house that would allow accessibility not only to domestic conveniences, but also to the dream of home ownership. "We're not just in the business of making the houses, we're trying to educate potential buyers," said Demele. "The thing that sets us apart is ownership, equity building for low-income people." Ideally, Demele would like to sell the house to a wheelchair-using buyer who earns less than $30,000 a year. Through an arrangement with Umpqua Bank, Demele said he can find assistance with a down payment, financing, even credit repair. The mortgage payment will be less than $700 a month, he said. If that doesn't work out, Demele said, a nonprofit agency could buy the house and rent it to up to three clients who use wheelchairs. A detached garage out back could be renovated into a caregiver's cottage, if necessary, he said. Raised garden beds accessible by wheelchair could be another potential addition. The first goal, Demele said, is to make sure the cottage is used by people who need the improvements. Part of that may depend on changing the perception of disabled clients. "I don't know if it's just because they're always renters, and no one thinks of these folks as buyers." he said. Finding an ideal owner may not be possible, he acknowledged. Contacts with agencies ranging from the local Housing and Urban Development Agency to DASIL (Disability Advocacy for Social and Independent Living) and Living Opportunities have failed to yield a suitable buyer. "It sounds like a really neat project," said Roger Hassenpflug, director of Living Opportunities. "But it's a real niche kind of thing." Part of the problem is that agencies that serve disabled people are faced with precarious funding in light of pending state cuts in human services. Salda�a said she originally thought DASIL might be able to lease the building and then sublet it to clients. Buying it is out of the question for that agency, she said. "DASIL is a fairly new organization and not in a position to get a loan either," she said. "Even the thought of raising the funds is beyond their ability." Demele said he'll have to decide soon whether to put the cottage on the market for a low-income buyer. The RVCDC - which receives $50,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds annually from the city of Medford - needs to sell the place to be able to continue the mission of renovating three or four houses per year. "We're past our deadline," said Demele, who urges any potential buyers to contact real estate agent Pat Stoddard. "We know there's got to be some people out there." Contact Demele at 734-2355 or Stoddard at 890-3828. Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.