Housing

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New River Safe Housing
A program which provides rehabilitation to dilapidated and energy inefficient homes for low income families in economically devastated rural coalfield communities, primarily in the Fayette County part of the Central Appalachian Empowerment Zone. The work ranges from substantial rehabs to weatherization, roofing, windows, doors, and insulation. It helps establish leadership and community development.

New Page Housing
With Youthbuild Communities from colleges, faith-based work camps, and global volunteers, SALS is constructing a new housing development for low income families in the former coal camp community of Page, West Virginia.

Coalfield Housing
A program similar to New River Safe Housing that is primarily in the Fayette Country part of Upper Kanawha Valley Enterprise Community. It also includes work on abandoned homes obtained with tax credits through the West Virginia Neighborhood Investment Program and donations through the HUD Dollar Housing Program.

HOME Program
As a HOME program organization. SALS constructs homes and qualifies families for Financing through the West Virginia Housing Development Fund. Certified counselors assist families in preparing and processing their applications.

Housing Emergency Loan Program (HELP)
SALS assists income eligible families to become eligible for special loans through the West Virginia Housing Development Fund.

Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO)
As a certified CHDO, SALS is eligible to obtain funds through the West Virginia Housing Development Fund for special projects that assist the housing programs.

USDA-RD Rural Housing Service and SALS

SALS and USDA have a long and productive relationship with Housing Preservation Grant, Self-Help, and 502/504 Housing programs.

USDA has an impressive record for building strong relationships with lenders, home builders, community development organizations, non-profits, and housing finance authorities to provide better housing for very-low, low, and moderate-income individuals in rural areas. Last year, USDA invested $19.5 billion to help more than 148,500 rural families buy or make repairs and safety upgrades to their homes. Lisa Manley, a SALS Housing Specialist , explains that SALS contributes to this number by being a HUD approved Housing Counseling Agency, a USDA Loan Packager, and West Virginia’s only USDA Self-Help program.

In southern West Virginia, SALS has assembled an impressive area record with affordable rural housing for low income families. According to Director John David, SALS has rehabilitated over 200 homes, newly constructed 25, repaired over 1000, and rebuilt an apartment complex with 24 units. In 2017, SALS will deploy over 800 out-of-state volunteers coupled with its YouthBuild and AmeriCorps/VISTA programs, to make a difference in “constructing change from the bottom up”, with both young adults and the families served.

According to Vickie Smith, SALS Construction Manager, the immense economic contribution and the improvement of living conditions in the area is impossible to calculate.