In 2006, Ashley Miller was eager to become a homeowner, but he was facing an uphill challenge. He worried that his income level might prevent him from getting quick approval for a mortgage loan. Further complicating matters was Ashley’s need for special housing accommodations. Two years earlier, while doing Christian outreach in South Dakota, Ashley was terribly injured during a skiing accident. Paralyzed from the waist down, Ashley knew any home he bought would need significant modifications to make it more accessible so he could live independently.
“Going online, I came across the Web site for the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. They had lower interest rates compared to the rest of the market. I quickly found that the PHFA staff was best going to understand my situation and provide assistance, if they could.”
In addition to two $5,000 grants that Ashley secured on his own, PHFA and Fulton Mortgage Company approved him for a new home mortgage, a no-interest loan for making the necessary home modifications during construction, and significant closing-cost assistance. The end result is a home that Ashley can afford, and which helps him achieve his dream of independent living.
Because it was built from the start to be accessible, the house includes such helpful features as a wheelchair-accessible shower, bathroom sink, and kitchen sink. The two-bedroom house also has wider hallways and “zero-entry” doorways designed purposely without steps. The use of pocket doors makes it easier for Ashley to maneuver his wheelchair, and a residential elevator gives him access to an office and garage in the basement.
Today, Ashley, his wife Laura, and baby Kaela are beginning a wonderful life together. It’s a storybook ending to one young man’s homeownership dream—made possible by a housing finance agency staff and lending partner that cared enough to develop solutions that would meet his unique personal needs.
“I feel that as an organization, PHFA was very helpful in trying to find programs that would best accommodate my situation. I also appreciated their friendliness, and the extra effort to walk me through the mortgage approval process.
“I’ve really been blessed with everything PHFA did, and every chance I get I tell people about PHFA.”
To learn more about Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency please visit https://www.phfa.org.
For more information on Housing Bonds, see our advocacy page.
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