Two apprentices in the Northeast Florida Builders Association have received grants to purchase homes.
Anthony Rogers, a 2004 graduate of the NEFBA apprentice program, has been in his new Southside home just a few months. He was assisted in the purchase of his home by the M.O. “Bill” Soforenko Affordable Housing Grant.
“Owning this home is a dream come true,” Rogers said. “I’m very grateful for the apprentice program and the grant.”
Rogers was a welder before he entered the NEFBA sheet metal apprentice program. He currently is employed by Thermodyne Services Inc.
Jason Stewart, a fourth-year electrical student, works for Allstate Electrical Contractors. He received a grant to buy his first home in San Jose Estates, a neighborhood in which Bill Soforenko was very active as a builder.
“Being able to buy this house has been a great opportunity,” Stewart said. “It just wasn’t making any sense to continue to pay rent when I could buy a home for the same amount of money or less.”
Stewart entered the electrical program upon graduating from high school. He learned about the NEFBA program through a friend of his mother’s who worked for Allstate.
Soforenko championed affordable housing. Much of his life centered on ensuring housing was affordable and available, allowing people with moderate incomes the opportunity to share the American dream of home ownership.
In his honor, the Northeast Florida Builders Association offers the Bill Soforenko Affordable Housing Grant to NEFBA apprentices.
“The job market is very competitive today, and we were looking for an additional way to take care of our own,” said Keith Ward, NEFBA training vice president. “These grants allow our family members a little better opportunity to become homeowners.”
The executive board started the grant program with a $5,000 contribution, which was matched by a NEFBA member. Additional funds are appropriated each year.
An obstacle to qualifying for a home loan is the down payment, said Laura Laseman, NEFBA training director.
“I don’t know of any other company in our area that offers anything comparable,” Laseman said. “We pair the apprentice with the available financing program for which he or she best qualifies. We want to put people in homes so we work with them to find the loan program that suits the student’s particular circumstances.”
Laseman said that sometimes a small amount of money stands between the borrower and the lending institution, and that’s where the Soforenko Affordable Housing Grant can make the difference.
Students who have completed a minimum of two years in the NEFBA apprentice program and recent graduates are eligible for the grants. The grant money can be used for any cost associated with the first-time purchase of a new or used single-family residence. The down payment, closing costs, points, origination fees and other similar costs can be paid with grant funds.
For more information about the apprentice program, contact Laura Laseman at (904) 725-4355, ext. 233.
The Northeast Florida Builders Association provides education, research, legislative representation, media relations, promotions and programs for its 1,500-plus builder and associate members. The Association is celebrating 61 years of service to members and to the community through various charitable efforts.