Photo: (Naples Florida Weekly) Dennis and Vannessia Harvey, front, with Lisa Carr and John Barlow

Housing Opportunities Made for Everyone has put out the welcome matt for its first H.O.M.E. Dennis and Vannessia Harvey and their teenage son have settled in to the Golden Gate house that was in foreclosure and sorely neglected until H.O.M.E. purchased and refurbished it for resale to qualified buyers like the Harveys.

    John Barlow, the businessman whose commitment to providing affordable housing by rehabilitating foreclosed singlefamily homes inspired the development of H.O.M.E., Inc., predicts that by summer, 12 more houses will be ready for sale to people working in service industries in Collier County.

      "We have competed the purchase of three additional foreclosed houses, and work should begin on renovations later this month," Mr. Barlow said, adding all three homes are in Golden Gate. "We're anxious to get started so we can get them ready for their new owners."

      Candidates for potential H.O.M.E. ownership include teachers, nurses, firemen, police, and skilled government, construction and service workers — in essence, people whose skills and services improve the quality of life for everyone in Collier County. "We want people like the Harveys to know about the opportunities coming for them," Mr. Barlow said.

     Both of the Harveys have lived in Southwest Florida for about 30 years. Mrs. Harvey attended grammar school and high school in Naples and graduated from the nursing program at Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology. She works as a medical assistant for Specialists in Urology. Mr. Harvey works full-time as a barber and part time at McDonalds. Their son, a sophomore at Naples High School, has already earned a scholarship for college.

Read the full article at Florida Weekly January 8, 2009