COLUMBIA — Ty Pennington might wake up one Columbia family with his trademark bullhorn greeting: "Good morning!" ABC’s "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" is looking for Columbia families in need.
The Emmy Award-winning reality show sends its host, Pennington, and a crew of designers, contractors, builders and volunteers to the home of a family in need of a big surprise — a dream home makeover. The crew completes the makeover in the course of a week, whereas a typical makeover might take months.
“We’re ready to come to Columbia if we find families in need,” ABC casting producer Stephen Pleadwell said.
The chances of a family being chosen from Columbia, Pleadwell said, increases with the volume of nominations sent.
Pleadwell also said people can nominate neighbors or friends in need because some deserving families might not nominate themselves.
“People might not recognize their own needs,” Pleadwell said.
The deadline for nominations is May 1.
Families who are interested must own their single-family home and the property it sits on, Pleadwell said. To qualify, families must also show producers how the makeover will make a difference in and improve their lives.
“What we (producers) are essentially looking for is a family in dire need, as well as a home in dire need,” Pleadwell said.
If a Columbia family is chosen for a home makeover, producers will provide information about volunteering to work on the project, he said.
However, if the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition bus doesn’t make a stop in Columbia, there are other ways to get help for a home in need.
With funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Community Development Block Grant, Columbia's owner-occupied housing rehabilitation program provides loans and grants to help low-income property owners make home improvements they need.
Tom Latta, a community development coordinator, said the homes are improved to meet the standards defined by Columbia’s minimum property standards. The improvements help to meet all-city code requirements as well.