NATCHEZ &045;&045; For Sharon Davidson, Thanksgiving was a special anniversary of sorts &045;&045; it had been one year since she had bought a three-bedroom home of her own.

&uot;It’s nice to have the extra space when my children and grandchildren are visiting. I mean, I love them, but I don’t want to be running over them,&uot; Davidson said with a laugh.

None of it could have been possible, she said, without a City of Natchez loan program.

That program helps those who haven’t owned houses in the last three years, have good credit and make up to 115 percent of the county’s median income pay down payment and closing costs.

But City Planner Robert Jackson said not enough people are taking advantage of the program.

In fact, of $250,000 approved by the Mississippi Development Authority, more than $200,000 is still left to loan through the program, whose loans are serviced by the Enterprise Corp. of the Delta.

&uot;I’m developing a marketing plan right now&uot; and speaking to community groups such as the Community Alliance to help spread the word about the program, Jackson said.

Through the local lender for the program, Britton & Koontz First National Bank, would-be homebuyers actually qualify for two loans, the first of which is for 80 percent of the home’s purchase price.

The second mortgage is for 20 percent of the home’s purchase price plus closing costs for down payment assistance.

The program is open to people who, among other things, have not owned a home in the last 36 months, have not filed bankruptcy in the past 24 months and do not own other real property.

By state law, participants cannot have household incomes exceeding $37,600, or 115 percent of Adams County’s median income.

Homebuyers can’t be people who have owned real estate in the last three years, and they must have sufficient credit.

Participants must also take an eight-hour mandatory homebuyer education course and pay a down payment of at least $500.

&uot;Lately, we haven’t been able to find eligible applicants, but we’ll keeping trying,&uot; Jackson said.

For more information, contact the City Planner’s Office at 445-7518.