KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -
It's a deal that could land you in a new house for half price or even less.
Kansas City, KS, is hoping to convince home buyers to consider a part of town they might otherwise not look at - a stretch along Quindaro Boulevard.
Brand new homes are being built along Quindaro thanks to $6 million worth of stimulus money being pumped into the community. Residents hope it will paint a brighter future for Quindaro.
The sound of construction is one that hasn't been heard around the area for quite some time.
"With houses coming up and people moving in, it will be a good thing. I'm glad to see them building the houses - it looks beautiful," Marydeth Morris said.
Morris, who has lived along Quindaro Boulevard for more than 25 years, admits it had gone downhill over the years.
"Houses have been torn down, people say it's bad around there," she said.
But right now there's a major commitment to turn things around with brand new houses going up along Quindaro at Tenth, 13th and 20th streets. Vacant houses like the three across from Morris' home are also being rehabbed.
The project is called Rebuilding Quindaro Block by Block.
"Each house has 1,500 square feet. Three bedrooms and two and half bathrooms," said Project Director John Martin.
Martin said the mission is to encourage working families who had given up on Quindaro to come back and buy the beautiful new homes.
"The goal is to remove the blight, remove the crime," he said.
There is an income requirement for the home loans and there's a major incentive - if the home sells for $120,000 and a person can only afford to pay $80,000, the city takes out a second mortgage for the remaining $40,000.
"If the homeowners maintain the property for 10 years then the second mortgage is forgiven and they own the home for the amount of the first mortgage," Martin said.
Morris' own daughter is seeing Quindaro change right before her eyes and she's now thinking about applying for the program.
"I would definitely want to move back to this area," Kendahl Morris said.
Twenty houses are being built in the first phase of the project and more will be built in later phases.
To apply for the program, a person simply has to fill out a one-page application with their total family income to determine if they qualify or call 913-573-5116. The application can be picked up at the Community Development Department inside of City Hall on the eighth floor.
Copyright 2012 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.
