Linda Harris GROUNDBREAKING — Turning the first shovels full of dirt for a new, affordably-priced house on Fourth Street in Toronto were, from left, Toronto Councilmen Frank McEwen and Bill Lucas, Land Bank President Brian Scarpone, Jefferson Housing Development Corp Finance Director Kara Humes, Land Bank Director Tabatha Glover and Jefferson County Assistant Prosecutor Kelsey Weaver. Officials say the construction, funded with a grant from Welcome Home Ohio, is aimed at putting home ownership within reach of people “who don’t normally get a chance to buy a brand-new home.”

TORONTO — With their first all-new family home already on the market, the Jefferson County Land Bank has turned its attention to No. 2 — another three-bedroom, two-bath ranch, this one to be constructed in Toronto.

Land bank officials, Jefferson Housing Development Corporation and city officials gathered Thursday at the site, a vacant lot at 801 N. Fourth St., to break ground for the new construction.

“I’m very excited to be able to give back to communities for all the buildings that have been demolished,” Glover said prior to the ceremony. “We’ve demolished over 300 buildings since 2016 — to be able to give back by building homes, that’s a wonderful opportunity. It’s a great program.”

Glover said it’s all part of the Welcome Home Ohio program, which aims to bring home ownership within reach of those who might not otherwise be in a position to own their own home, particularly a brand-new one.

Welcome Home Ohio provides grants to land banks and other qualified agencies or nonprofits interested in revitalizing neighborhoods by renovating or constructing affordable single-family housing for income-eligible buyers.

WHO awarded the land bank $660,556 in fiscal year 2024, enough for it to build three new homes in Jefferson County. Working with Davis Homes, the first — on Logan Street in Steubenville — is finished and has been listed with Cedar One Realty.

Construction of No. 3 — at 823 N. Fifth St., Steubenville — also is slated to get underway this year.

“The 300 demolitions that we did, they’re just vacant lots. We’ve transferred the majority of them to new people, but they’re not producing anything — they’re just being used as extra yards or as lots. We’re able to build new houses and offer them to individuals that normally wouldn’t have the opportunity to purchase a brand-new house. Without this program, they wouldn’t be able to and that is what is so awesome about this program, the audience we’re targeting.”

The Toronto lot sits on a corner and is larger than the Logan Avenue property in Steubenville, so Glover said they’ll be doing one or two things differently with this one.

“The layout is going to be similar to Logan, it’s just the front porch is going to be different,” she said.

Toronto Councilman Frank McEwen said years ago the corner lot “had business, with some residential, on it and it deteriorated to the point that it had to come down.”

“Thanks to the land bank and what they’ve been doing, helping get things taken care of, we’re moving things forward with (making it a residential property again),” he said. “They were able to get grant money to build it, so it’s not costing us as taxpayers or the City of Toronto any money to be able to do it, and that’s (great).”

McEwen said the land bank is “up here, helping our community grow with residential property (that will) bring in more residents and help clean up areas where we’ve had to take down buildings and just make general improvements.”

Contractor Matt Davis told the group he expects to begin turning dirt next week.

“The house is going to be a little over 1,200 square feet, with three bedrooms and two baths,” Davis said. “It’s going to be slab construction so it will be all one level, easy living. We anticipate (breaking ground) next week, and we project the job to be completed sometime in August.”

He said it’s “a beautiful corner lot,” adding that “part of our exploration process here when we break ground next week (is) to find exactly what type of ground we’re going to be building on. Once we determine that, then we can go ahead and proceed with the actual construction of the house itself.”

JHDC Finance Director Kara Humes said the WHO program is aimed at “a demographic that doesn’t normally get a chance to buy a brand new home of this caliber.” Applicants must submit an application, be income-qualified and complete HUD-approved housing counseling to be prequalified for a mortgage.

“We’re going to help (interested buyers) through everything,” she said. “We can even introduce you to people to help get your credit improved. If this house isn’t one you are ready for, we can get you ready for some of the future homes that are going to be built with this with the land bank.”

Land Bank President Brian Scarpone said there’s more to come — a lot more. Glover has already applied for grant funding for six more homes in the next funding cycle, and they envision doing even more after that.

“We’re actually getting properties and building homes … and helping communities to be even more productive by building a home such as this one,” he said. “We’ve done that in Steubenville, we’re seeing that domino effect going on in Toronto, and (there will be) more to come.”

Scarpone said putting new homes in the hands of people who never dreamed they could be homeowners “will make a direct impact in communities.”

“Where they have an empty lot now they’ll have homes with a productive family being part of the community,” he said. “(We’re) not just tearing down buildings — that’s part of it, but the higher purpose with that land is to create a productive home or productive property, and even eventually facilitate new businesses.”