Mission Moment
When Jerry Richardson was working as an actor in New York City and Los Angeles, buying a home was a dream that remained stubbornly out of reach. After switching careers and coming to Cornell for graduate school, he decided to pursue his goal. The pricey and competitive Ithaca housing market proved challenging, but INHS’s Community Housing Trust (CHT) offered the solution.
The CHT uses a special ownership structure to offer affordable homes to buyers with modest incomes. Jerry discovered the program when he spotted a for-sale sign on a downtown home. He enrolled in INHS’s Homebuyer Education programs shortly after. “I didn’t understand a lot of how the process works,” he explained. Jerry and his wife, Molly, who married recently, are now the proud owners of a CHT home in the historic Southside neighborhood of Ithaca.
Jerry and Molly experienced markedly different backgrounds with housing before they met. He had moved countless times, whereas Molly, a teacher, settled into one studio apartment for years. They both appreciate the financial stability of homeownership, and the space and amenities that a house offers. “We’re still not over having our own washer and dryer,” Molly laughed. “We often just look at each other and think, we’re so lucky.”
“I’m 50 years old and I spent a good chunk of my life going on and off food stamps,” Jerry added. “And now I’ve got this leg into the market where I’m no longer bleeding money to a landlord. I’m a homeowner, and I don’t feel that insecurity anymore.”
Routine Maintenance and Seasonal Tasks – An INHS Post-Purchase Class – April 22 (In-person)
