WARREN — Dozens of longtime renters gathered at Enzo’s Restaurant on Wednesday to celebrate a new chance to own their homes through the Sunshine Homes program.

The event brought together residents and families who have waited years for a promise made in the 1990s to become reality.

The Sunshine Homes program started decades ago to help people rent homes with the option to buy them later. Many tenants have lived in their houses for 20 to 27 years, paying rent and hoping to one day own them. But until recently, that dream seemed out of reach.

That changed a few months ago after Ernestine Carmichael-Owens, a Sunshine Home renter since the early 2000s, spoke to council in July 2025 about her story of a promise to own her home that never materialized. Warren Mayor Doug Franklin said he had met with leaders from Sunshine Homes and 7 17 Credit Union to create a solution.

Franklin called it gratifying because it fulfilled a 30-year promise.

“It wasn’t meant just to be a roof over a head or a trap, but it was meant to be a path to homeownership,” he said.

Franklin said despite not being mayor at the time, he felt a moral duty to make it happen. He brought Sunshine Homes and 7 17 Credit Union together after working with them on other projects. He knew financing was the missing piece. “Probably within an hour, we had worked out a path forward with very favorable rates,” Franklin said.

Johna Scherzer, who works with the financing team, explained how it happened. “The mayor came in and said, we’ve got these renters that are in their home. The tenants are looking to purchase,” Scherzer said. “It was part of the original agreement back in the 90s.”

Sunshine Homes is now offering discounts on the home prices based on how long people have rented. This makes the cost lower. The financing group stepped in to help with loans at a special low interest rate. They first asked for 7.99%, but the team gave them 5.99% instead.

“Based on these people being in their homes for 20 years, they’ve earned that lower rate,” Scherzer said.

The loans last about three years, keeping monthly payments close to what renters already pay. This way, there’s no big jump in costs. After three years, homeowners will own their houses free and clear with no more payments. Franklin noted it’s unfair to ask for a 30-year mortgage after so long. “We were able to shrink that,” he said. The program credits tenants for being good stewards of the properties. It offers some down payment forgiveness and doesn’t require a strict credit score or financial background check. Instead, it uses time spent in the homes for evaluation.

About 40 tenants qualify for the program. Twenty have shown interest, and 10 to 15 are ready to move forward. It’s not rolled out in phases, but based on time in the homes and desire to own.

“Not everyone wants the responsibility of homeownership,” Franklin said. “So it’s a pretty flexible program.”

There’s an orientation process from Sunshine and 7 17 to educate and help them succeed. The goal is to help them become owners by Christmas.

Tammy Ware and Carmichael-Owens, both in the program for 25 years, are excited but a bit nervous.

“I’m nervous also, but I’m excited. It’s a blessing. It’s a long time coming,” Ware said. Carmichael-Owens added, “I am a little nervous of being a first time home owner… but I definitely want to be able to purchase the home.”

Carmichael-Owens was the voice credited with sparking action after she spoke at a city council meeting in July about the program. She thanked the mayor and council for making it happen faster than expected. But both women remember past promises that weren’t kept. “I was thinking it was not going to happen,” Ware said.