Invest Atlanta assisted Deshanae Benjamin in becoming a first-time homeowner while also helping her grandmother, Gail Abercrombie, remain in the home she’s lived in for more than 60 years.
Deshanae is a social worker who is always looking for extra resources to supplement her salary. And when it came time to purchase a home, Invest Atlanta proved to be just the resource she needed.
With help from the Invest Atlanta Down Payment Assistance Program and Atlanta Housing Authority incentives, Deshanae was able to layer assistance to buy a new construction house in Southwest Atlanta near the Westside Beltline and Pittsburg Yards.
“I participated in all the classes that Invest Atlanta offers and learned a lot about the homebuying process,” says Deshanae. “They also provided insights into the different developments happening around the city that helped me decide where I wanted to live. I thought buying a home would be out of reach for me, but Invest Atlanta made it affordable.”
While working with Invest Atlanta to buy her own home, Deshanae also learned about the Atlanta Heritage Owner-Occupied Rehab Program, which helps seniors on fixed incomes make essential home repairs. She jumped at the opportunity and walked her grandmother through the application process.
“This house means everything to me,” explains Gail, who has lived in her Edgewood home since 1963 and is known as “Momma Gail” in the community. “It’s the foundation to generations of family members. It’s my refuge, and I don’t want to live anywhere else.”
As part of the Owner-Occupied Rehab program, Gail received a new roof, a new hot water heater and a new porch – where she can often be found visiting with neighbors and passersby. To her surprise, Gail also had her property taxes paid for by Tyler Perry through the Invest Atlanta Senior Tax Relief Program.
Deshanae says she’s grateful for Invest Atlanta for not only supporting her own dream of homeownership, but also helping her grandmother remain in her community amid all the growth and new development. “She’s been there the longest and doesn’t want to feel pushed out,” says Deshanae. “Now her home ‘looks the part,’ and she feels like she still belongs.”
The possibilities abound in Atlanta. Learn how Invest Atlanta is helping homeowners like Deshanae and Gail by visiting the 2023 Invest Atlanta Annual Report.