Habitat for Humanity: Housing help with partners
Habitat for Humanity
A home is transformational and builds the fabric of our community
Last week, I listened to a new Habitat homeowner share how building a home has changed his –– and his family’s –– life. It solidified in my mind that now more than ever we need to create and preserve all housing opportunities for our workforce.
“Building our Habitat for Humanity home means the absolute world to us. It means security; it means safety and stability but most importantly as young parents, it means we will never have to worry about knowing whether or not we will be able to put a roof over our kids’ heads,” Andy shared at the recent Difference Makers Build Day at Stratton Flats in Gypsum. It’s the same neighborhood where he and his family will soon call home.
Andy is a law enforcement officer for the town of Avon. Every day his positive attitude makes an impact on the community: He visits neighborhoods, plays with children, and is a first responder. Until recently, he wasn’t sure how he would continue in the career he loves in an area where he was raised, near grandparents and extended family.
Andy, like much of our workforce, struggled to find affordable housing, despite working full time. That all changed a year ago when he and his wife, Ale, learned they would be partnering to build their Habitat home in Gypsum.
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A home is life-changing. However, the average single-family home price in most Colorado resort counties has doubled since 2015. Average weekly wages in Eagle County in 2022 are $1,249. Since January 2020, the cost of home has escalated at a meteoric pace: the average sales price was $1,528,020 in January 2020; by August 2022, the price has risen to $2,374,660. The wage disparity is severe and keeps people from putting down roots here.
Habitat has seen first-hand the transformational impact owning a home has on families and on the community. We’ve also seen the homeownership gap widen. We’re prepared to help shrink the gap: In 2023, we will triple the number of housing starts from eight to 24. This is a leap for us but one we are excited to take on — so locals can stay here and raise their families here. On average, we receive 10 applications for every home available.
One of our partners, Eagle County government, is investing in locals and created Bold Housing Moves to help ensure our workforce can live here. Down Payment Assistance helps buyers with their down payment — up to 5%. The buyer contributes at least 1%. It’s combinable with other down payment assistance loans and the Buy Down program.
It’s so important to invest in the full housing continuum to create social and economic mobility — grocery store workers to dentists, doctors to educators are key to keeping a robust community. Having a safe and affordable rental provides peace of mind. Having the finances to rent a home can be a stretch, especially here in Eagle County. Many places require first, last and security deposits, which can be up to $10,000 for a home that rents for $3,500 a month.
Rent for Locals helps locally employed, full-time, year-round renters with money at the signing of a new 12-month lease within Eagle County. Applicants may receive up to two months’ worth of rental payments.
Why are these programs so important? A home is the foundation of everything. Habitat homeowners report being more engaged in their community when owning a home; they volunteer more; their children do better in school with fewer absences; there is money available to save and provide a better quality of life. Finally, homeowners report they, and their children’s, mental health is better.
These benefits many of us take for granted. But everyone should have the opportunity to thrive at home and create a safe space for their family. Just ask Andy, “It is a huge weight taken off our shoulders knowing that not only will we be able to provide a home to our children but it will be within a friendly community in which we can call our neighbors family.”
Elyse Howard is the director of development at Habitat for Humanity Vail Valley. As the local experts with more than 25 years’ experience building permanently affordable housing, we invite you to reach out to us. Do you have innovative ideas about how we, as a community, can create more housing and build brighter futures? Reach out elyse@habitatvailvalley.org.
