Affordable Housing

The housing finance system in the United States, despite some recent hiccups, has served us well helping to maintain homeownership rates of 60+% for many years. Suffice it to say, once you are in the system, it generally works as a mechanism to provide stable housing and also to build wealth over time.

I joined the homeownership ranks in 1982 when my wife and I purchased our first home in Lynchburg, Virginia. My parents helped us with the down payment and the previous owner provided financing at 12% interest which was much better than the market rates of 15%+.

I just came across a great research study produced by the Center for Housing Policy, the research division of the National Housing Conference, now led by Chris Estes, former executive director of the North Carolina Housing Coalition.

At Habitat, we are interested in breaking the cycle of poverty, not just providing a home.  Check out this research showing a great variety of opportunity around the country.  Unfortunately, our area shows very low income mobility opportunities due to a variety of factors.

I attended Habitat for Humanity’s annual legislative advocacy conference in Washington,  D.C. earlier this week.  Habitat has long held that our building houses alone will not get us anywhere close to eliminating substandard housing from the world, but that our building of homes plus a strong advocacy voice will be what it takes.

In Proverbs 31:8-9 we hear our call to advocacy:

“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.
Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.”

We have three criteria that all of our home-buyers must meet to be accepted into the Habitat program.  They are: 1) need for housing  2)  ability to pay  and 3)  willingness to partner.  These have long been a part of our Habitat’s successful selection criteria helping us insure that  a Habitat house will indeed be a blessing and not a burden.

"If you want to go fast, go alone.  If you want to go far, go together."  Chinese proverb

A key theme at Habitat on the Hill is the creative, albeit, sometimes unlikely partnerships that are developing due to reduced funding. This tightening of the belt is being faced at all levels -- from governmental agencies to nonprofits to the individual families served by Habitat affiliates across the country.  While the economic environment is challenging at best, there is a silver lining.