WFMZ-TV 69 News Highlights studio26 homes’ Work with City of Allentown

As part of Allentown’s renewed Homesteading Program, studio26 homes (with the assistance of Renu Building & Energy Solutions) was brought in to help the City of Allentown ‘go green’ and deliver a more sustainable, more energy-efficient, and healthy green rehabilitation of a previously dilapidated townhome. Through a successful partnership with the City of Allentown, championed by Leonard Lightner (Rehabilitation Supervisor, Bureau of Building Standards and Safety) and the diligent contracting efforts of Doall Construction, studio26 homes helped provide valuable green building insight and experience as the trailblazing home is currently on track to not only become an Energy Star Qualified Home but also receive a National Green Building Standard Gold or Emerald Certification. The transcript of the WFMZ-TV 69 News segment is shown below. To see the video, Read the complete transcript..
Allentown’s Homesteading Program Marks Milestone
Building communities by cleaning up blighted properties and boosting first time home ownership, that’s the goal of Allentown’s Homesteading Program.
Today the city celebrated a milestone, taking its first home from trashed to treasured.
“You didn’t even want to step in it,” said homeowner Rosa Sanchez. “I always wanted my own brand new house and I got it.”
Sanchez and her family bought the house from the city and the redevelopment authority for a dollar.
“Once we have transferred the house to the homeowner we turn around at that point and we fix up their property based off their qualification income wise and their loan amount,” said Allentown Rehabilitation Supervisor Leonard Lightner.
The homeowner pays off that loan amount like a mortgage over a set number of years. In this case the loan amount is $60,000.
Program officials say it’s a way to granting the dream of first time home ownership and getting the property back on the tax rolls.
“We have 11 properties sitting in inventory right now,” said Lightner.
Officials say everything in these homes will be energy efficient, energy star rated or use green technology.
This first home will serve as a blue print for the others with the help of green energy consultant Studio 26 homes out of Orefield.
“It’s about enabling the city and all of the workers involved to not only deliver this home but every one there after as part of a larger overall goal for the city,” said studio26 homes owner, Brian Baker.
The homes will be funded by the city rental rehabilitation program and a $150,000 grant from the state.