Special home purchase loan program available for teachers

Special to The Clinton Courier

Teachers in the Clinton Public School District or the Hinds County School District who are interested in purchasing a house are encouraged to investigate the Mississippi Employer-Assisted Housing Teacher Program.

The program is a special home loan program that is available to licensed teachers who render services in geographical areas of the state that are designated by the State Board of Education as having a critical shortage of teachers.  The program is authorized by MS Code §37-159-11 and is administered by the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE). Mississippi Home Corporation has been chosen as the contractor to provide support for this program.  A maximum loan amount of $6,000 will be available to eligible teachers to assist in paying closing costs associated with the purchase of a house.

Eligible teachers include any employee of a school board of a school district who is required by law to obtain a teacher’s license from the State Board of Education and who is assigned to an instructional area of work as defined by the MDE for the equivalent of a minimum of three normal periods per school day.

The teacher’s house must be situated in the county in which the school district, or any portion of the school district, is located. The amount loaned to any teacher will be converted to an interest-free grant if the teacher completes three years of employment in a critical shortage area.

More information, as well as a list of the areas approved as Geographical Shortage Areas, can be found at www.mdek12.org/OSF/AssistedHousingTeacherProgram. As of press time, additional metro-area school districts are also included in the current list.

For more information about the program, teachers may contact MS Home Corporation at 601-718-4642.