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Nonprofit turning houses into homes

Gary Dymski | Home Work

December 29, 2005

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Michelle Wacker was 28, single and looking to buy her first home.

"It was just crazy how I was spending all this money on rent, so I went to a bank to see about a mortgage," Wacker said. "I had a small job and I had a little money saved for what I figured would be a down payment. Then, after reviewing my application, the man at the bank laughed at me.

"I can't tell you how incredibly small that made me feel."

Wacker's savings wouldn't cover the closing costs, the banker told her. She had no credit history. "I always paid cash," she said. "I never needed a credit card." She had no bills. And she had no hope of being approved for a mortgage.

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Or so she thought. Frustrated, Wacker turned to Community Development Corporation of Long Island, a nonprofit housing group in Centereach. She had read an article in Newsday about how the organization was assisting first-time homebuyers. "I figured it couldn't hurt," she said.

Three years later, Wacker is the proud owner of a one-bedroom cottage in Rocky Point, built in 1924. "It's so small that if you do a cartwheel in it you'd knock yourself out," she said.

But it's hers, and she has CDC to thank.

The nonprofit offers dozens of programs, geared to homeowners, first-time buyers, and low-income and underprivileged families and individuals. The programs range from hands-on home repair instruction to financial guidance and even rental assistance.

Officials say the organization could help more than it does, but there's one major problem: Many prospective clients believe the nonprofit is only for the benefit of low-income people. "We're trying to distance ourselves from that concept," said Eileen Anderson, vice president of CDC's home-ownership program. "We have programs for low-income families, but we can help lots of others, too. Many times people we know we can help won't even contact us."

Anderson was among those at CDC who first stepped up to help Wacker. She guided her to a first-time homebuyer's course, which helped Wacker build a credit history, save even more money for a down payment and become eligible for a $5,000 grant at her mortgage closing. "She gave me hope," Wacker said. "Eileen sat down with me and told me there were programs that could help me, there was grant money for me. Till the time I sat down to sign papers at the bank, I didn't really believe it. But it was there, just like they said it would be."

Once Wacker, who was born and raised in Coram, moved into her cozy cottage, she found she needed more help. The kitchen and bathroom had to be renovated. Rotted wood flooring in both rooms had to be ripped out, and there were some electrical problems.

Back to CDC. Wacker enrolled in the home-repair and home-maintenance course. She learned how to do more than she'd imagined, with help from instructor Joan LaFemina.

"It was hands-on," Wacker said. "You see the stuff done on TV shows, but when you get in the real world, walls aren't plumb and square like on TV.

"Joan showed our class how to do so many things, from plumbing to painting. It was great."

Wacker ended up remodeling her kitchen and bathroom. She installed new kitchen cabinets, and in the bath, she did all the tile work and even removed the old tub. She got a little help from her father, a retired electrician who lives in Florida.

Ivy Wong's home in New Hyde Park didn't need as much work as Wacker's cottage. Wong, 63, simply was interested in learning how to make minor repairs. She found it difficult to hire contractors for small jobs, such as replacing a light switch or patching drywall.

After taking CDC's home-repair course, there's little need to make calls to a fix-it person. Wong can do plenty of things herself -- including replacing electrical switches and outlets, patching drywall, installing tile.

"I knew there were tools and I knew there were materials, like drywall," Wong said. "But I was always afraid to use them or to touch the materials. Now, I am not afraid. I can do things."

An auditor for an insurance company, Wong had to pay the full $80 materials fee for her 10-week course. A neighbor, who is retired and on a fixed income, paid a reduced fee of $25 to take the course. Charges and eligibility for similar programs are related to personal income. In the case of home maintenance and repair, fees are minimal because of sponsorship from the Roslyn Savings Foundation.

"I think the courses are great," Wong said. "You become not afraid, confident."

For the time being, Wacker is not enrolled in any courses at CDC of Long Island. But she's thinking of expanding her interests. She works at a small St. James company making orthopedic braces. She likes the work so much that she dreams of owning her own company one day. "And CDC has this small-business program," Wacker said, "so one day, maybe, just maybe."