MEMPHIS, Tennessee — An Orange Mound home developer says COVID-19 is crushing his plans to rebuild his community.
We first introduced you to Dwayne Jones in February. He was building brand new homes in Orange Mound hoping to help revitalize the area.
Seven months later... Jones hasn't sold a single home and his plans to build 5 more are on hold, at least for now.
"I would love to see new houses built in this neighborhood, " said Joe, Orange Mound resident. Joe wouldn't give us his last name but has lived in this Orange Mound neighborhood for almost 20 years.
He isn't sure why the new home on the block remains empty.
"I really am surprised they haven't sold it yet. I thought they would have been sold and someone would have moved in," said Joe.
"We've had people for various reasons not get qualified or couldn't get the down payment assistance, so it has been sitting here idle for about 7 months," said Dwayne Jones, builder.
Last February, Jones gave us a tour inside one of the homes. He says about 40 people have been interested in the small one-bedroom homes, but the pandemic is causing potential buyers a lot of problems. Some have lost their jobs. Others, he said have not been able to take the required home buyers education classes- which is required to qualify for loan assistance because the potential buyers don't have internet and the classes are now only offered on line instead of in person. Another issue getting the proper appraisal which Jones says can be difficult in minority communities.
"A 2-by-4 costs the same in Orange Mound as it does Germantown but we can't get valuation because no one has done any new construction in the neighborhood," said Jones.
"I grew up delivering papers on this block here" Jones said he loves Orange Mound and has seen it deteriorate over the years, which is why embarked on this project.
"When you have home ownership people have buy-in they will take care of the yard do the maintenance they will do some things," said Jones.
Jones says he's not giving up his dreams to help turn this neighborhood around, but for now it is on hold, "I don't have the capacity to just built houses and let them sit up. "
Jones hopes as the economy and pandemic improve so will peoples finances and personal situations and the buildings will sell. In the future, he wants to presell homes so he doesn't get stuck with them.