Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation is continuing to open doors for South Mississippi's workforce as the nonprofit's first REACH Mississippi scholarship recipient closes on a home today.
For Harrison County Sheriff's Department Patrol Sergeant Craig Necaise, homeownership was a dream he didn't think he would ever achieve for his family of four. But Necaise is the first of 267 police and fire personnel, teachers and other public-sector employees who qualified for up to $40,000 in affordable housing assistance funds through the Gulf Coast Renaissance Corporation's revolutionary REACH Mississippi program's scholarship fund.
Necaise and his wife Mandie are scheduled to sign the closing papers at a Harrison County attorney's office this morning. The first-time homeowner said, "Today is a new beginning for me and my family. We are anxious to hold the keys in our hands and open the door to our new home."
He added, "Since Hurricane Katrina struck, it has been a long road to get to this point. And like many other families, the idea of buying a home seemed increasingly less likely. As soon as I learned about the REACH scholarship program through the sheriff's department, I realized this was a program that would change our lives for the better. It's not just an opportunity for me, as a county employee, it is a chance for my wife and children to have a home they can call their own."
"Today, on behalf of the board of directors of the Gulf Coast Renaissance Corp., I am proud to congratulate Sergeant Necaise and his family on the purchase of their new home," said Anthony Topazi, CEO of Mississippi Power and Chairman of the Renaissance Corporation.
Launched seven months ago, REACH (Regional Employer Assisted Collaboration for Housing) Mississippi, is an employee-assisted housing program designed to address challenges in the post-Hurricane Katrina workforce-housing gap. Because local counties, municipalities and school districts do not have financial resources available for the program, a scholarship fund was developed to offer financial assistance.
The $2.7 million scholarship offering was created primarily from the Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund. This money, combined with $8.3 million of matching federal funds will allow the Renaissance Corp. to distribute the scholarships, which were announced by Governor Haley Barbour at a press conference last December.
"Sergeant Necaise represents the dedicated, valued workforce in South Mississippi that deserves the opportunity to buy a home and create a long-term foundation for their families in our area. Through the REACH Mississippi program, its employee partners and this scholarship fund, we are making progress in rebuilding and strengthening our community," said Kimberly LaRosa, president and CEO of Gulf Coast Renaissance Corp.
Due to the REACH Mississippi, which has more than 60 employer partners, 746 South Mississippi employees in Pearl River, Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties are either pre-qualified or qualified for affordable-housing assistance. Fifteen Gulf Coast residents have already closed on first-time home purchases, and within the next 60 days, this number is expected to exceed 85.