a dollar can't get you much these days but in Newark it could buy you a home Brick City today held the latest lottery round choosing residents for a new program aimed at increasing home ownership the city-owned properties need to be repaired or constructed but as Melissa Rose Cooper reports they only cost a buck and selected owners will get a lowest mortgage to help pay for it and the winner is El hard screams of joy after Latoya Harden realized she was one step closer to having a new home oh my gosh I was just shock complete shock right cuz you you dream about you pray about it you know you talk to your family about it you talk to your friends about it and then for it to actually happen it's it's a dream a dream come true Harden giving high fives with her son Corey right by her side as she proudly accepted the keys to her house in Newark sold to her for just $1 a lifelong new Yark resident Harden says she's looking forward to the future opportunities her new home will create within you know 5 or 10 years these houses could be worth a million dollars right cuz nework is on the rise you know so that's important Financial stability having a place for my son to always go even when you know I leave this earth he he's a student here in Northstar uh in Newark and and hard work pays off and that's important that's what's important we did it Harden is one of several residents who are now proud homeowners thanks to the newwork home ownership revitalization program Lottery the city partnering with the neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America to offer eligible longtime residents the chance to buy a city-owned property for as little as $1 they must commit to living the properties for a minimum of 10 years never been done before like this never been done so when you drive around new right you see they get house you see they get lost say who owns those and how can I own one of those homes and renovate it if it's vac it or put a new construction beautiful house on that property so newor is setting the National Standard for the $1 program we are doing this CU we need to we have to obviously homeowners in City gr at the same time deal with the bu that it's just the state New Jersey it's option get that done the program aims to raise home ownership rates among residents as roughly 78% are renters and so it's really important for us because that means three out of door people are renting but we want more people to own their house and build equity and have savings for yourself for your family to help your kids if you have them go to school or to be able to have um funds for retirement or any of those other exciting things if you want to do Harden is just thankful she'll finally have a home to call her own something we can hold from Generations on my family will be taking care of his family be taken care of and that's what was important to me to have that um you know to have the village start now and then be able to continue from Generations on n city officials say as more houses become available more residents will have the chance to get one through future lotteries for NJ Spotlight news I'm Melissa Rose Cooper [Music]