The county board of supervisors is looking at ways of providingaffordable housing for low- to moderate-income families.

Fannie Brown, an affordable housing coordinator for AJFCCommunity Action Agency Inc., requested Monday that the boardconsider seeking two federal grants that would assist residents inmaking the down payment necessary to secure a home loan.

The program has proven successful in Adams County, she said,citing the creation of a 16-home subdivision financed with the aidof the federal grants and other AJFC programs.

Two federal down payment assistance grants available offeramounts from $100,000 to $250,000 based on how much the countygovernment requests, Brown said. One of the grants is limited to$10,000 in assistance per family while the other can be distributedas needed.

“They qualify based on income through federal guidelines,” shesaid.

Should the county apply for and receive the grants, Brown said,the county could choose to administer the grants themselves orallow the AJFC to distribute the money. The grants could only beused to match the down payments made by the home buyer. One of thegrants will match a down payment on a 3-to-1 ratio.

“We built a $90,000 home in Adams County last year, but becauseof the grants the home owners only had to finance $60,000,” Brownsaid.

Lincoln and Jefferson counties have been targeted for increasedactivity this year by the AJFC based on the turnout at a home buyerfair late last year. Lincoln County had one of the largest turnoutsfor the fair, she said.

The AJFC and their partners, including the Mississippi HomeCorporation, are currently assisting 26 families in Lincoln County,Brown said. In addition, 13 families have already completed thefinancial education phase of the program, where they taught how tocreate and live within budgets, the importance of credit and otherfinancial matters.

A second home buyer fair is scheduled for Lincoln County inMarch.

Although the AJFC has been around for approximately 35 years,Brown said, they only became involved as a community housingdevelopment agent through the Mississippi Development Authorityabout two years ago.