DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — Decatur is helping people reach the American Dream of homeownership and they’re cleaning up the city at the same time.

Decatur and their partners showed off their latest abandonment-to-rehab home on Wednesday. They have finished eight houses so far, including a four-bedroom house on W Forest Ave. The prices of these homes range from $70,000-$100,000.

Central Illinois Landbank Authority and Land of Lincoln Credit Union are helping turn these empty homes into livable ones. The Landbank’s executive director, Mike Davis, said they’re meant to go to families in Decatur.

Davis said he will turn buyers away who are looking to rent the property out and is excited to give people a chance to fulfill a lifetime dream.

“I can say every time I’ve done a sale, looking across the buyers, [a] number of buyers have had tears in their eyes and to them, being able to purchase a home like this, it’s a huge opportunity. It’s a life changing opportunity,” Davis said. “To look across at someone and see tears in their eyes, and they’ve given me big hugs, it means the world.”

The last four properties sold in less than a month. Open houses for the W Forest Ave. property and one on W Marietta St. are on March 30 from 2-4 p.m. A third rehab on E Hendrix Ave. will have an open house in April.