1010 Ford Street

Gulfport MS 39507

(228) 896-1945

Programs

HomeWorks! educates and supports low-income families to enable them to get a mortgage loan to purchase their first homes.  We provide education and individual counseling; walking with families throughout the entire process until they become homeowners—for some this has taken 2 to 3 years.  Since 1999 MHHD has helped first time homeowners purchase homes with a total cost of over $6 million.

SavingsWork (Individual Development Account) assists families to set goals and save towards them.  It also serves to remove the apprehension many low-income families have towards banks, which lessens the chance they will fall victim to predatory lenders.  Families are required to save monthly before we will assist them with homeownership.  Savings are matched according to income provided all criteria are met.

HomeOwners Association ensures their success by continuing to work with new homeowners for the crucial 5 years post-purchase.  We provide hands-on education on maintenance and other issues important to new homeowners.  We hold quarterly classes and publish a newsletter for homeowners. Post-Katrina we assisted our 64 homeowners with $150,000 in grant funds for expenses not otherwise covered.

EITC Program - Mercy Housing is the lead agency for the Earned Income Tax Program which operates eight sites for volunteer tax preparation in the three coastal counties.  MHHD collaborates with the IRS, National Tax Coalition and the Knight Foundation to recruit and train over 200 volunteers and to man the sites for filing returns. Over 1119 returns were filed this tax season with a $1,961,476 in refunds returned to the community.

MYTI - The Mississippi Youth Transition Innovation Program is a match savings program for youth with disabilities who wish to further their education, purchase a home or start a business. MHHD provides financial literacy and asset building training.

Katrina Rebuilding Project - MHHD has targeted two small cities, Pass Christian and D’Iberville to assist in the rebuilding following Hurricane Katrina. Those communities were selected because both communities received extensive damage from the storm, both had significant numbers of elderly and low-wealth families who have lost their homes, and because neither of those cities has received government housing monies in the past.

Katrina “Gaps” Project – Post-Katrina programs are geared toward community involvement in the process and providing services and information that allow families to regain shelter and the knowledge to participate fully in programs for which they are eligible.

Cottages for the Coast – Mercy Housing has partnered with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to donate Mississippi Cottages to low-income elderly and/or disabled individuals living in the six southern counties.

Family Meals on a Budget - A certified financial instructor teaches families how to shop and prepare nutritious meals affordably. Classes are in the Mercy Housing Office and include hands on lessons for food preperation.

We also have a relationship with Mercy Vocational High School. If you want more info. you can Google them at Mercy Vocational High School. They are a group of kids that have come down every year since Katrina and volunteered here. I will give you the video they created last year. We are allowed to use it if we want. Its a great video if we can.

For specific information please call (228)896-1945.