Hundreds of families lost their homes in the tornado that tore through Selma last year. If housing was an issue before, it became an urgent need following Jan. 12, 2023.
As a result, leaders in Selma are now rethinking how they can build smooth paths to homeownership for their neighbors. This comes in the way of restoring over 100 homes to a healthy, livable condition through the housing authority, educating residents on how to get a mortgages and even giving away the occasional home for free.
The last came to fruition on April 21.
Members of several organizations gathered in front of a house off of Broad Street that day to announce that one Selma family would receive the new-build home free of charge. With 3-bedrooms, 2-bathrooms, a front porch and wind-resistant architecture, the home was valued around $169,500.
“The City of Selma is grateful to partner with NACA, the Selma Housing Authority and the Black Belt Community Foundation to provide this extraordinary opportunity,” Selma Mayor James Perkins said in a statement. “We cannot wait to share our excitement with the winner.”
Meet the winning family
Drawn in a random lottery that Sunday, the winner is Tamicka Newberry, a 44-year-old Selma native and mother of three. The 2023 tornado displaced Newberry, her husband and her kids, and since then, they have been living in a North Selma apartment complex.
“We lost everything and then had to adjust,” Newberry said. “We just truly thank God because God made all this possible for us. We’re just truly blessed.”
In the last few weeks, the good news came in threes: Newberry got a new job, her daughter got married and they won the new home.
“It’s a brand new start,” she said.
Since the BBCF and the Selma Housing Authority are fully furnishing the place for Newberry, it’s not quite move-in ready yet, but the family is planning to move as soon as they can. Newberry is also taking a financial management class so that she can maximize the benefits of her new, free house.
“Unfortunately, systemic racism has left us with a biased way of attaining wealth in our communities, and so by having Ms. Newberry to own a home, right off the block, she has equity,” BBCF President Felecia Lucky said. “That’s how you begin to build wealth and communities, so that’s the goal.”
Other houses coming soon
Newberry’s home is one of 100 new, affordable homes that NACA is constructing in Selma. Four other homes are completed too, though their new owners will take on affordable mortgages through a partnership with NACA and Bank of America.
The rest of the houses will be doled out to Selma locals through a NACA housing lottery where selected buyers will pay an adjusted mortgage that is approximately 30% of their gross income with no down payments, closing costs or additional fees.
Selma Housing Authority CEO Kennard Randolph said his organization has provided 27 plots of land to NACA for the project, and it has purchased about 73 more to rehabilitate alone.
“This is unprecedented for housing authorities. Housing authorities typically don’t do community revitalization,” Randolph said. “We are becoming private landlords. We were already in the multifamily, but now, we are buying houses throughout the community, and the Black Belt Community Foundation is helping with those initiatives.”
Randolph also sits on the board for the BBCF, so when the foundation decided to get support post-tornado housing initiatives, he was the resident expert. After some discussions, the board committed about $700,000 to support the affordable housing efforts in Selma.
“We know that housing has forever been an issue here in the Black Belt region,” Lucky. “if you want to do good and leave a legacy for the work that you’re doing, this is a place to do it.”
Lucky asked that anyone who wants to help continue BBCF initiatives donate to the foundation online.
How to apply for a NACA home
While the first NACA home in Selma has already been given away, about 99 more will be coming available for purchase through the housing lottery.
In order to be eligible to purchase a home through NACA, potential buyers must first attend a workshop on homeownership. They are offered both in person and online. To find the most convenient workshop for you, visit NACA.com and sign up.
With more questions or concerns, potential buyers can contact NACA at services@naca.com or 425-602-6222.
Hadley Hitson covers children’s health, education and welfare for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work,subscribe to the Advertiser.