BRADDOCK, Pa. -- Phase two of the Braddock's Field Housing Development to build new, three-bedroom homes that will cost under $70,000 is under way.
It's part of a push to provide affordable housing for families in the area. Fourteen of the 15 homes already built in Braddock's Field have sold.
The groundbreaking for the second phase took place Monday -- one day after Congress passed a bill aimed at reducing the number of home foreclosures.
"It's a significant bill that's going to strengthen and keep foreclosures from destroying our community in the commonwealth," said Brian Hudson, of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency.
The bill gives struggling homeowners $300 billion in loans, along with a tax credit of $7,500 for first-time homebuyers, and provides billions of dollars for communities to fix foreclosed properties.
"That, in Pittsburgh, is a serious problem and has been since we had hard times 30 years ago when the steel mills closed. We still have residual, vacant abandoned properties to be gathered up," said Laura Zinski, of the Mon Valley Initiative.
Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato is in favor of the bill to ease the burden on homeowners.
"Let's give them a chance to renegotiate these mortgages to a level they can pay, stay in their home and actually pay off these mortgages," he said.
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