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85 °F Forecast | Road Cams Tuesday, July 20, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Prime Times Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Rogue Valley's Finest EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 19, 2004 Ashland first-time homebuyers find right fit By BILL CHOY Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Kristine Pandey first moved to Ashland in 1983 and never left, but she’s moved 30 times. She’s lived in five rentals just since her 3-year-old son was born. A 40-year-old caregiver at a local senior home, Pandey wanted a more stable environment and was tired of paying more than $1,000 per month in Ashland’s red-hot housing market. "I wanted to do something about it, so I started to seek out avenues," she said. With the help of the Rogue Valley Community Development Corp. and with a loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Pandey was able to buy a two-bedroom home on East Hersey Street. She moved in July 5. Advertisement "I feel like I won the lottery," Pandey said. "I could never have bought a house like this in Ashland without the help, (and) I have no intention of moving. I think of this as eventually being my son’s home when he grows up." Pandey and two other families recently moved into homes on Hersey and Patterson streets, sold by RVCDC. The property was sold to RVCDC by Larry Medinger Construction Co. at a reduced price. The homes, donated by Southern Oregon University, were renovated and then sold to low-income qualified families for $132,000 — far below the typical price of comparable homes in Ashland. Pandey and another family were able to afford the cost through a low-interest loan from the USDA, said Ron Demele, RVCDC executive director. The third home is owned by the Ashland Community Land Trust, which is leasing it to a family. Demele said SOU rented the homes to students, but they had to be moved to make way for a new dormitory complex at Indiana and Madrone streets. RVCDC is a nonprofit organization that has provided affordable housing options in the Rogue Valley since 1990. "This is a way to get people out of poor-quality housing and provide them a decent housing option," Demele said. "Our mission is to empower families and to help people who normally would be priced out of the market, especially in Ashland." Pandey said she has wasted no time in working to make her house a home. She has planted flowers and placed rocks in her garden and built a new fence. "I feel a great sense of security knowing that we’re in a place we don’t have to eventually move from," she said. "I’m surprised at how much security owning my own home has given me." Marta Flores, her husband and two children came to Ashland from Mexico eight years ago and recently moved into one of the new homes. After living with her sister, then in an apartment, Flores could hardly believe she and her family have their own home, she said through a translator. "We pay less, have more space, and the house is our property," Flores said. "We are putting our money in a house that in the future will be part of our children’s lives. The house is an investment for us. This housing program works, and it helps a lot of families like us to have a decent place." Bill Choy is a reporter for the Mail Tribune and the Ashland Daily Tidings. Reach him at 482-3456. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times