22 Years Of Lies: Woman Wins Home She Raised Sons In

After 22 years of waiting, an East Austin woman has finally bought the home she raised her three sons in.

In 1998 a group of “East Austin urban settlers” participated in a rent-to-own program created by public housing officials in hopes of bringing stability to the neighborhood, The American Statesman reported. The tenants agreed to live in the city-owned homes and pay rent for 15 consecutive years if promised the opportunity to purchase the houses at a fair price.

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By 2013, Pamela Franklin was the last tenant from the program still holding onto her two-story home near Huston-Tillotson University. After over a year of fighting, a front page article by the American-Statesman, and a great deal of public outcry, a new deal was finally signed by both Austin housing officials and Franklin. The new deal will pass the home over to Franklin free of charge. They compensated her $76,000 to cover her attorney fees and even gave her back the $400 security deposit she paid over 20 years ago. Franklin won’t have to pay back any of the money for the home if she stays there for 10 more years. Franklin said this won’t be a problem for her, and she has no intention of leaving before 2025.

“The only way they’re going to take me out is in a pine box,” she told the American-Statesman. “I fought too hard for this.”

On top of that, the city spent $80,000 performing deferred maintenance on the house this summer. They updated the house’s electrical wiring and redid the roof, siding, bathrooms, and kitchen.

“I even have a dishwasher now,” Franklin told the American-Stateman.

See the full story HERE.