Event aims to improve housing for 50 locals in 50 weeks

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Locals showed up in droves, packing the 50 in 50 housing improvement event on Monday evening.

WTAP has more on the goal of the event and the housing study that inspired the mission.

Organizations that help with construction, legal advice, weatherization, and more offered resources at the 50 in 50 housing event.

Event organizer Wendy Tuck said there were organizations there to help homeless people. “..., and they need shelter. They need to know where to go so we have Latrobe Street Mission and places like that.”

There were resources for people looking to buy a house too.

“We have a number of young moms who would like to own their own place. One mom just said she has $90,000 but she hasn’t found anyone to give her a loan. I said ‘go talk to the row of bankers and finances and realtors.’”

There were even resources for landlords who want to improve housing for their tenants.

“The city is here and they have a really good program for landlords, where they can get up to 15,000 per unit.”

Tuck, who is also a city councilwoman, said the event was inspired by the results of a housing study done for the city and county.

“We saw from the housing study that there is a big housing crisis from your very high end housing all the way down to affordable to no housing,” she said.

The study revealed that the area doesn’t have enough housing. Plus Tuck added that the city has an issue with having enough contractors. She said that the city hosted a roundtable discussion about a month ago to inform contractors in hopes that it encourages them to do work in the area.

Hence the name, the endgame of the event is to help 50 people improve their housing in 50 weeks.

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