First-time homeowners: Nathan and Brianna Arentz, holding their weeks-old son William, recently purchased their Littlestown home thanks to a $10,000 zero-interest loan from the Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program administered by Adams Economic Alliance.

Amid competitive housing market, the Alliance hopes to give more Adams Countians a helping hand toward home ownership; additional applicants welcome

GETTYSBURG, PA (March 6, 2025) – Adams Economic Alliance announces three Adams County families have recently become new homeowners thanks to its Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program, which lends $10,000 per applicant to assist with down payment or closing costs. One of those new homeowners is Nathan Arentz, 25, of Littlestown.

“If we hadn’t gotten this loan, we wouldn’t have been able to buy the house—it was a make-or-break situation,” said Arentz, who purchased a two-story brick home he’d been renting for several years along Baltimore Pike.

“Nathan Arentz is the perfect example of why the Alliance created the Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program, thanks to funding from the Adams County Commissioners,” said Robin Fitzpatrick, Adams Economic Alliance President. “We recognize that working families and first-time homebuyers are often priced out of today’s competitive real estate market, so we designed a program that gives hard-working Adams Countians a helping hand in attaining the American dream of home ownership.”

Arentz, a first-time homeowner, tried going with conventional first-time homebuyer loans through the USDA and FHA, but he wasn’t eligible. One of the issues was the location of the home’s well, which was too close to the home to qualify for a federal loan program.

“That meant we’d have to go with a conventional loan, but I didn’t have enough money saved up for the down payment,” Arentz explained.

That’s when his mortgage company, Bay Capital Mortgage of Frederick, suggested he apply for the Alliance’s Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program. To qualify for a $10,000 loan, at least one person in the household must be employed by an Adams County employer. There is no monthly payment and zero interest. The loan can be used for a down payment or closing costs, and is to be repaid when the home is either refinanced or sold; the Alliance takes a lien against the property.

“It made all the difference,” said Arentz, who has worked for Michael Olinger Paving, Littlestown, for five years. The week after Arentz and his wife Brianna settled on the home and its 1.5 acres, they welcomed the birth of their first child.

“We welcome the chance to help more Adams Countians become homeowners, and we encourage more people to apply,” said Brady Rodgers, Adams Economic Alliance’s Director of Business and Community Outreach, who oversees the Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program.

“Some of the biggest advantages of home ownership include financial stability and peace of mind, allowing families to become more financially healthy by investing their hard-earned money into their home’s mortgage rather than rent payments,” Rodgers said.

For more information, or to apply to the Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program, contact Brady Rodgers at gro.ecnaillasmada@sregdorb or 717-334-0042, extension 104. Banks, real estate agents and Adams County employers are welcome to contact Rodgers for additional details, to spread the word to their clients and employees.

Adams County, like many areas across the country, has experienced a sharp rise in real estate prices.  The median cost of an Adams County home in 2016 was $250,000. In the fall of 2022, the median rose to $279,750 and by October of 2024, the figure surged to $319,900.

“When we launched the program in 2024, we had a goal of assisting 25 households become homeowners by 2025,” Rodgers said. “The housing market has become even tougher and tighter, but we remain optimistic that we can get close to that number, by awarding additional loans that will tip the scales in favor of more Adams County homebuyers.”

Recognizing the need for the program, the Adams County Commissioners awarded the Alliance $323,000 in seed money to launch the Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program. Funding originated from the federal American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), in response to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which the commissioners put into a grant program, the Adams Rescue and Recovery Fund (ARRF).

Additionally, the Alliance has partnered with @Home in Adams County, an initiative operated under South Central Community Action Programs (SCCAP) and supported by the Adams County Community Foundation, to establish the Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program.

“Attracting and retaining talent in Adams County is a challenge, due in part to the escalating cost of housing,” said Fitzpatrick. “But the Alliance is committed to stemming this tide for the greater good of both Adams County residents and employers, as the Adams County Homebuyer Assistance Program is designed as revolving loan fund that will continue to help new homebuyers for years to come.”

About the Alliance

The Alliance’s mission is to facilitate the future of Adams County through economic opportunities, productive partnerships and community-focused strategies. The Alliance’s vision is to cast the vision and lead the implementation of diverse and responsible economic growth to improve everyone’s quality of life in Adams County.

The Alliance’s value proposition explains the organization’s full mix of benefits and economic value to Adams County: Through the Alliance’s unique ability to access resources to fuel economic growth, its connection to bring stakeholders together, and solution-oriented approach, the Alliance delivers value to its stakeholders by connecting businesses with resources, providing advocacy on behalf of Adams County, sharing information across the county, and helping to attract, retain, and grow business in Adams County.  

The Adams Economic Alliance is comprised of three organizations, all created to help support the economic growth of Adams County: the Adams County Economic Development Corporation (ACEDC) which administers low-interest loans through the Commonwealth of PA as well as the federal Small Business Administration; the Adams County Industrial Development Authority (ACIDA) and the Adams County General Authority (ACGA), which are both involved in land development and issue bonds as additional financing tools.

For more information, see adamsalliance.org.

MEDIA CONTACT: KAREN HENDRICKS / HENDRICKS COMMUNICATIONS / 717-253-3553