District 5 Resident Receives New Home through County Assistance Program

For Escambia County District 5 resident Luverne Bonner, the dream of having a brand-new home to call her own once seemed out of reach.

Now, that dream is a reality thanks to Escambia County assistance programs, which provided Bonner with a new home that she and her family can enjoy for years to come. 

After living in her previous home for over 25 years, Bonner said she experienced numerous issues with the house that became unmanageable and overwhelming, including electrical problems, major leaks, roof and flooring issues, and more.

In need of help, she applied for the Escambia County Neighborhood and Human Services Department’s Housing Demo and Replacement Program, which demolishes deteriorating houses and replaces them with brand-new houses for income-eligible residents in need. The program is funded through a grant from the State Housing Initiatives Partnership, or SHIP, program.

"It is incredibly rewarding to see lives changed for the better through county programs like this, which help greatly improve the quality of life for residents in need of a helping hand in our community," District 5 Commissioner Steven Barry said. "Thank you to our county staff for their hard work to make this possible, and congratulations to Ms. Bonner and her family on this exciting new chapter. I wish you many happy memories together in your new home.”

Bonner was joined by county staff, family and friends for a ribbon cutting to celebrate her official move-in day on Friday, April 4, when she received the keys to her new home.

Bonner said the new home is lifechanging for her, especially since she will now have a clean, safe space to host her children, grandchildren, and other family members.

“It means everything to me,” Bonner said. “With the old house, I really couldn’t have my kids or grandkids come stay with me. If they did, they couldn’t stay long, and I didn’t feel comfortable with them being here, because there was so much work to be done in the house.”

When her old home deteriorated to a point where she couldn’t safely live there anymore, Bonner said she was incredibly grateful to have a place to stay with her daughter until her new home was constructed. Without the assistance from Escambia County, Bonner said she would not have been able to move forward with making repairs or replacing her home.

“Now I can just be comfortable,” Bonner said. “I can just relax and not worry about things. It’s amazing  –  I just don’t have the words. I really, really appreciate it so much.”   

Additional assistance may be available for income-eligible homeowners in Escambia County. Limited funding is available, but eligible residents in need of assistance are encouraged to reach out for more details. For information about eligibility requirements and assistance programs for Escambia County homeowners, please contact the Neighborhood Enterprise Division at [email protected] or 850-595-1642.

Escambia County District 5 resident Luverne Bonner celebrates her new home with county staff, family and friends on Friday, April 4.

Escambia County District 5 resident Luverne Bonner with the key to her new home.

Neighborhood Enterprise Division Manager Garett Griffin and Escambia County Arborist Jimmie Jarratt join resident Luverne Bonner to plant a tree provided by Escambia County Natural Resources Management at her new home.