On Memorial Day in 2019, deadly tornadoes hit the Dayton area — leaving behind massive destruction and people in need of homes.
Since then, numerous nonprofits have partnered helping survivors to repair their homes or to move into new ones. WYSO’s Kathryn Mobley attended the recent dedication of one of these new homes.
“I can’t wait to get in there and make it my home, to decorate. It’s a new beginning I’m ready for,” the smile on Errin Moore’s face was infectious.
He survived the 2019 Memorial Day storms that damaged Dayton’s Riverside Drive. He’s now the proud owner of a 3-bed, 2 bath ranch, a garage and a doghouse on Haney Road.
The house is part of County Corp’s Pathway to Homeownership. The nonprofit collaborates with other groups to help qualified applicants affected by the 2019 tornados — either to restore their home or to become a first-time homeowner.
Moore credits the Pathway program for putting homeownership within his reach.
“With the interest rates and the bidding wars. I kept getting out bided for a home,” he said. “Low and behold I get this flier in the mail and here I am today, the house looks great.”
Laura Mercer is the former executive director for Miami Valley Long Term Recovery Operations. She now consultants for County Corp.
“We offer down payment assistance, we offer coaching and advising through the homeownership center of greater Dayton,” Mercer explained. “The homes we’re building, they have all new systems built to be energy efficient, they are built to be storm resilient which is really important for people who have been through a natural disaster.”
This project also benefits area high schoolers.
“That is my dream to have a family and to build them a house,” 17-year-old Jaylynn Shaver said. He’s closer to turning his dream into a reality. He and eleven other students from Liberty High Schoolspent this semester building the Haney Road ranch.
Members of YouthBuild/AmeriCorps are also on the team–all learning construction trade skills under expert supervision. Shaver says this experience has boosted his self confidence.
“A big thing I did was the trim mold, the base boards. And to see everyone come in here and say they like it, it made me feel so proud of myself,” reflected Shaver as he brushed dust off the baseboard trim. Shaver graduates in June and wants to further his skills to become a carpenter.
The Haney Road house is one of 16 homes in the first phase of the Pathway program. Learn more at HomeownershipDayton.org.
