Guest Commentary | The path to homeownership starts with opportunity
A home represents more than four walls and a roof. It is where families put down roots, children grow up and neighbors become part of a community. Yet for a growing number of families, owning a home of their own can feel increasingly out of reach.
After more than 30 years working in affordable housing and human services, I have learned there is rarely one answer to a housing challenge. Every community is different, and understanding what families need starts with listening.
That is what I have been doing since joining Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties this summer: listening, learning and asking questions. I may be new to this community, but the challenges surrounding affordable homeownership are familiar. Housing intersects with hunger, homelessness, health care, education and other issues that affect parents, children, seniors, veterans and our neighbors throughout the region.
There is no single organization or solution that can address a challenge of this scale. But each of us has a role to play, and for Habitat, that role begins with creating practical pathways to affordable homeownership.
Habitat for Humanity is recognized internationally for building homes, and although it is a leading developer of affordable housing in Southwest Florida, the organization accomplishes much more than constructing houses. It is a faith-based organization that also builds communities and hope, partnering with families to achieve their housing and financial goals.
Habitat does not provide free homes; it provides families with affordable mortgages and safe, stable housing.
It provides a fresh start.
Florida Realtors reported the median sale price of a single-family home in Florida was $415,000 in August. Meanwhile, financial experts recommend a minimum 20% downpayment when buying a home, which equates to an $83,000 downpayment.
That’s not a reality given the affordability crisis, which runs up credit card balances and drives down credit scores, pushing homeownership even further out of reach.
Florida Policy Project recently published “Best Practices for Starter Homes,” a report finding that Florida is not building enough starter homes. In fact, the independent, non-partisan research group found that starter homes - which generally are around 1,500 square feet — only accounted for 10% of all new homes built in residential communities over the past decade.
Habitat recognizes these obstacles to homeownership, so our organization offers a three-fold solution:
(1) Habitat offers a robust program in which HUD-certified housing counselors offer one-on-one counseling and guidance to help families achieve financial stability, a critical piece of becoming a homeowner.
(2) Habitat caps monthly mortgage payments at no more than 30% of a household’s total income.
(3) Habitat isn’t building 3,500-square-foot waterfront estates with granite countertops, custom cabinetry and resort-style swimming pools… Habitat homes are safe, modern and efficient homes. For example, all 36 single-family homes in the recently completed McNeill Village in North Fort Myers ranged from 1,311 to 1,458 square feet.
To date, Habitat has built 1,950 homes in Lee and Hendry counties. In November, Habitat staff will join supporters and community partners to celebrate another 33 local families who have paid off their mortgages during the past year, an incredible achievement for families who are experiencing the results of financial fortitude and perseverance.
Each month, Habitat hosts Pathway to Habitat Homeownership sessions in English and Spanish that outline steps for local families to begin their journey to homeownership. For more information or to register for a workshop, please visit Habitat4Humanity.org/apply.
Everett McElveen is CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Lee and Hendry Counties, a faith-based nonprofit that partners with local families and individuals to provide decent, affordable housing through its Affordable Homeownership Program.