NATCHEZ — Two Adams County families will receive new homes thanks to the HOME Investment Partnership Program.

The program, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, allocates funding for home reconstruction for qualified applicants.

“Qualified applicants are very low income families with homes that are in disrepair that is not economically feasible to repair them,” said Southwest Mississippi Planning and Development District Planner Allen Laird.

“A typical situation is an elderly family that their only income is Social Security and they are keeping their grandchildren at their homes.”

SWMPDD administered the application process for the Adams County Board of Supervisors.

Five families in Adams County applied, and two were selected. A total amount of $176,449 was allocated for the project.

Arthur and Rose Stumps were one of the two families selected for the program.

Rosie Stumps said when she applied for the grant she did so in faith — and it came through.

“Finding out, it was just breathtaking,” she said. “But I say, ‘Thank God.’ That’s all I can say.”

Board of Supervisors President Darryl Grennell said he was excited to see the grant being funded in Adams County.

“We have applied for these grants in the past, and there were numerous occasions in the past where we weren’t awarded the money,” he said.

“I thought it was a great program where they actually build a more energy-efficient home for these families.”

To qualify, the homeowners had to be able to prove they held the deed to the home, to be able to prove they had lived there for more than a year and had been paying utility bills in their name. Applicants also had to provide proof of six months’ income for every household member.

The new homes will be similar to those built by Habitat for Humanity, and will come with basic appliances such as a washer, dryer and refrigerator, Laird said.

Though they have gotten the word that the grants have been awarded, Laird said because the money is coming through a grant program, the timeline for construction on the homes would depend on when environmental studies and procurement processes could be completed.