By Allen Howard
The Cincinnati Enquirer

LINCOLN HEIGHTS - When Al Kanters thinks of home ownership in Lincoln Heights, several village assets come to mind: suitable housing is available, and the town has a good location near Interstate 75.

The director of the newly formed Lincoln Heights Community Improvement Corp. will emphasize those points today in a home ownership expo, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lincoln Heights Center, 1171 Adams Ave.

Kanters said Lincoln Heights, located near I-75 between downtown and I-275, has a suitable housing stock to attract families back to what he calls the inner-ring suburb.

"I have found out that many people who were born and lived here left because of the lack of suitable housing stock. We intend to attract them back and others by showing them what is here."

Kanters said the expo will promote the sale of remaining lots in the Martin Luther King Estates.

"We are closing on seven lots with houses now," Kanters said. "We have 15 other lots ready for sale and we expect to have from eight to 10 more lots ready by the first of next year."

The estate was planned in 1992 and is located in the northeast section of the village. Prices for houses range from $50,000 to $120,000.

"It is one of the prettiest sections of the village," said Mary Jackson, 10140 Shivers Ct., near the estate. "I will be glad to see the other lots cleared and developed. Right now there are a lot of junk cars and debris in the undeveloped area."

The expo also will concentrate on the $14.1 million plan to revitalize a blighted area along the Steffen Avenue corridor which runs from I-75 on the east to Wayne Avenue on the west between Byrd and Simmons streets.

"The first phase in the corridor development is the new Health Center, corner of Mangham and Steffen," Kanters said. "The center will open Dec. 1."

Kanters said information about technical assistance on construction and mortgage financing, housing construction and renovation, and financial assistance programs will be provided by representatives from banks, government agencies and the real estate industry at the expo.

For more information, call 769-5465.

E-mail ahoward@enquirer.com