The department doesn't plan to set a limit on the number of applications it will accept, according to community development consultant Shirley Wilkins. A deadline for applications has not been set.
Applicants must qualify for the Affordable Housing Homeownership Program, which requires, among other criteria, that applicants be first-time homebuyers and make less than 80 percent of the county's median household income. A single person, for example, would have to make less than $39,100 a year to qualify. A family of four could make no more than $55,850. The maximum income for households of up to eight is listed in the application package.
The program prioritizes applicants by a point system. For example, living and working in the Bluffton area is worth 50 points, while living elsewhere in Beaufort County is worth 12 points.
Interviews and completing a homebuyer education course are also required.
The homes have one to three bedrooms and are made to be energy efficient and environmentally friendly. The half-acre development has rain barrels and gardens, as well as edible plants.
Follow reporter Anne Christnovich at twitter.com/BlufftonBlogIP.
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