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CDCB operates seven housing and educational programs to meet the needs of Cameron County residents. Various Programs: Affordable Housing Subdivisions Program To meet the growing demand, and to spur large scale production of affordable housing, CDCB began its Affordable Housing Subdivision Program in 1996 with the Windwood Subdivision in North Brownsville on 48.16 acres of raw land.
As of September, 2005, CDCB has developed a total of eleven (11) subdivisions totaling 1,465 lots in Southern Cameron. These affordable family subdivisions have provided housing for homeownership for over 1,079 families (74% of all lots). CDCB maintains a three year inventory of raw land to be used for subdivision development. Rural and urban subdivisions are developed through raw land acquisition and infrastructure development, or the bulk purchase of newly developed lots. Each subdivision features a minimum of 5 floor plans, with varied elevations that provide 3 bedroom, 2 bath, with single car garage homes, as well as community parks and green spaces. Home prices are capped through CDCB’s negotiated sales prices with small local builders seeking to expand their production pipelines. At each subdivision, model homes are maintained to serve as an “on site” sales facility. Four area banks and the Rio Grande Valley Multibank currently supply CDCB with various levels of infrastructure, acquisition, and interim construction financing. Interim construction financing made available to CDCB is relent by CDCB to its subdivision homebuilder at CDCB’s pass through rate. Subdivision financing provided by the banks to CDCB totaled $10.8 million in 2004-2005.
To meet the housing needs of colonia residents, CDCB, in 1996, implemented a Colonia Redevelopment Program. CDCB has adopted a three part redevelopment plan to upgrade colonia housing stock that includes rehabilitation, reconstruction, and new housing construction. In 1996, CDCB was selected by the State of Texas to found and operate the Cameron/Willacy County Self Help Center to serve five (5) colonia areas - four (4) in Cameron County and one (1) in Willacy County . In 2002, five additional colonias were added bringing the total of colonias served to ten (10). Today, colonia residents can access CDCB’s Rural and Colonia Loan Program (RCLP) that offers families flexible underwriting based on disposable income. Developed in partnership with the Rio Grande Valley Multibank through four (4) of its stockholder institutions (JP Morgan Chase, International Bank of Commerce – Brownsville ; Wells Fargo; and Texas State Bank). Families receive 20 year loans, at a 3.5% interest rate, secured by a loan loss and payment reserve fund provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development Rural Housing and Economic Development grant program. The RCLP is a “benchmark” program in providing bank financing to colonia families earning less than 50% AMFI. Between January, 1996 and September, 2004, CDCB’s Colonia Redevelopment Program has assisted 204 families.
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The colonias of South Texas are considered some of the poorest areas in the United States. The 2000 Census found that the Cameron Park colonia outside of Brownsville, is the oldest and largest colonia in the United States, and was the poorest community (communities with a population of 1,000 people or more) in the country. In Cameron and Willacy Counties alone there are over 120 colonias identified by the Texas Water Development Board. 