Block by Block looks for new homeowners

After a fall and winter of marking progress along certain flood-damaged blocks in Cedar Rapids, Block by Block is trying to find owners for the homes it has finished renovating.

“We've got eight to ten houses,” project manager Matt Mayer said. “Two are ready to go right now. We just need to find some homeowners.”

Interested potential owners can attend informational meetings at 7 p.m. Thursday and 2 p.m. Saturday at St. James United Methodist Church, 1430 Ellis Blvd. NW.

Mayer is walking through a two-story, three-bedroom home at 1305 Ninth Street NW. New carpets cover the floors and stairs before leading to a finished wood floor upstairs. The smell of fresh paint on the walls fills the home, which sits on a double lot.

The 1300 block of Ninth Street NW is one of the areas Block by Block has targeted since the flood of 2008 damaged so many homes. Mayer said any interested buyer for the rehabbed properties must be qualified for financing, but Block by Block also works with lenders to try and find people.

Mayer also said the people who move into the Block by Block homes must sign the organization's covenant.

“They will have to participate in events and neighborhood activities,” he said. “The neighbors here are excited to find homeowners for the houses.”

Mayer describes the finished property at 1305 Ninth Street NW as “essentially a brand-new home in the city of Cedar Rapids.” He said this home took four or five months of gutting, insulation work and heating to get it ready for the market.

He said the sale price for the property has not been determined.

Chris Earl, KCRG-TV