Warren tenants’ path to homeownership cleared
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WARREN -- Theresa Johnson never thought this day would come.
For 24 years, she has lived in a house in the 500 block of Tod Avenue SW paying rent to Sunshine Warren Homes. On Wednesday, she became the first of dozens of longtime tenants set to gain title under a program that fulfills a promise made nearly three decades ago.
"No, I never, no, never gave it much thought," Johnson said.
Her son had urged her to buy the house. Then one day, while paying her rent, Sunshine Director Melissa Phillips asked whether she wanted to purchase the home. Johnson was still traveling and taking cruises. A couple of days later, she said yes.
"It means a lot," she said of the house she has kept carefully maintained since May 1, 2002. "I really have peace of mind because I don't have to move to a senior citizen (place). I just have my power." She said she gives God the glory and thanked those who made ownership possible.
Sunshine Warren Homes, a nonprofit that manages nearly 200 single-family houses in Warren, Girard and Warren Township, was formed in the late 1990s with federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit financing. Original tenants were told they could buy their homes after a 15-year affordability period under a lease-to-own arrangement. However, complicated legal and funding issues blocked those sales for years.
When Phillips became director, she said the board made clearing the ownership path a priority. She said it took about two years to resolve liens from the state, city, banks and a paperwork error dating back more than a decade. Sunshine is structured as five separate companies each carrying multiple liens.
"We never questioned if we should implement the Homeownership Opportunity Program but rather how we could make it happen," Phillips said.
Staff, board members, attorneys, a title agency and financial institutions worked with Trumbull County Commissioners, Warren City Council, city administrators and Warren Mayor Doug Franklin to deliver clear titles.
Franklin, who attended the ceremony on Johnson's front lawn, backed the effort from the start.
"Although it was not ultimately implemented as originally envisioned, it is especially meaningful for those of us who stood at the ribbon-cutting for the newly built homes nearly 30 years ago to be here today, witnessing keys being placed in the hands of residents as the doors of homeownership are opened," he said.
The city helped clear obstacles. 7 17 Credit Union created a specialized loan that treats long rental payment histories as evidence of creditworthiness. Eligible tenants who had lived in their homes 20 years or more can buy at a below-market 5.99% rate on a three-year term.
Purchase prices start at the Trumbull County Auditor's appraised value and are reduced by a 2.5% credit for each year of residency, so buyers begin with equity. Monthly payments are roughly equal to or less than current rent and the loan is paid off in full after about 30 years of occupancy.
"These people lived here 20 or more years and paid their rent," 7 17 President and CEO John Demmler said of the automatic prequalification. "So I don't need to check their credit to see if they have credit worthiness." He called the arrangement atypical and a blessing for the community.
Johnson signed closing papers at 10 a.m.Wednesday morning with Franklin, Phillips, board members and others present. A ceremonial key handoff followed. Forty tenants are eligible, Phillips said, and about 22 are seriously interested. Another tenant is set to become a homeowner today on Bane Street SW.
For decades, Councilwoman Helen Rucker, D-at Large, recalled pressing officials to keep the original promise. She said she didn't want to leave office without being able to see it through. She credited Franklin and the partners who finally delivered.
Johnson still expects to stay connected to Sunshine.
Councilwoman Honeya Price, D-6th Ward, who called Johnson "like my second mother," said she encouraged her to seize the chance.
For her, the milestone is simply that after nearly a quarter-century, the house is hers.
The program ends Nov. 20, 2026. Sunshine said they're planning a celebration for participating homeowners.