Sunshine effort gives officials a ray of hope

Some of the houses had been condemned when the agency bought them.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Officials hope a housing rehabilitation effort on the north side spawns further improvements.
The homes are on Atlantic, School, Belmont and Fairfield streets and Adams, Mercer, Olive, Adams and Paige avenues in the city's 2nd and 4th wards.
Construction financing for the $2.6 million project came primarily from First Place Bank, with permanent financing raised through the sale of federal tax credits. The credits were awarded to Sunshine of Warren/Trumbull Area Inc. by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency and the city's Community Development Block Grants.
Tim Yova, Sunshine director, said more than half of the 20 homes have been completed, and a tour is set for today with city, county and state representatives.
Ownership
Sunshine will own the homes, and after 15 years the renters may take over the mortgage. Renters have moved into a few of the homes.
All of the houses were vacant when Sunshine bought the properties, "some for a very long time," Yova said.
"A couple had been condemned," he said. "We tried to take the worst ones that we could."
Most were in pretty bad shape, Yova said.
Councilman Alford L. Novak, D-2nd, whose ward includes most of the 20 homes being rehabilitated, said he's heard from many residents and others who just drive through the city, commenting on the improvements.
"It's a fantastic shot in the arm to that neighborhood," he said.
Some of the homes had been boarded up and condemned for years, and neighbors gave up hope that any progress would be made.
"They're very pleased to see the amount of renovations being done, especially on the homes that have been setting for a very long time," Novak said.
Progress
The work also shows people traveling through the city the progress that is being made, he said.
"Maybe it will spur a revitalization in that area," he said.
Yova said the effort continues in that part of the city.
The agency expects to receive about $670,000 from the Warren-Trumbull County Home Consortium and the Ohio Housing Finance Agency to buy five more homes in the same area. When rehabilitation is complete, those five will be put up for sale, rather than rented and then purchased from Sunshine.