| Updated: 2/01 10:44 am |
Published: 1/31 11:06 pm
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She just wanted a place to call her own, something she could customize, something rent-free. Candy Wright's story is not unique.
"I have four girls, one boy,” said Wright.
For years, she's bounced around town. Her credit wasn't in place to buy a home, so she'd pay up every month to her landlord.
"When you're renting, you're just giving money away,” said Wright.
Soon, a boarded up home in North Tulsa will be hers. Boards will be removed, and carpet will be rolled out. A credit application isn't what got her into the home instead, it was a letter she wrote to her pastor.
"He asked us to write him a statement on how we'd feel to be home-owners,” said Wright.
"The key to my ministry is to fix to the city one family at a time,” said Bishop Donald Tyler.
Tyler got a heck of a deal, his church was tasked with putting folks into foreclosed homes. Wells Fargo had nearly two-dozen homes in north Tulsa. They approached State Representative, Jabar Shumate.
"Last month Tulsa had 700 foreclosures, 67 percent were right here," said Shumate.
Bishop Tyler says he prayed long and hard about who he'd put in homes. Families aren't getting off for free: they'll pay him $100 a month, for five years. Most of that cash will go right back into their home.
"People pay for something, they appreciate it more,” said Bishop Tyler.
Wright couldn't agree more. Wright said she will be in her home by March. In addition to the homes donated, Wells Fargo gave $135,000 to go toward repairs.
