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Changing lives through affordable home ownership
Habitat for Humanity has served Washington's community for 40 years, tearing down the barriers of homeownership and rebuilding the American dream.
SEATTLE - With the median price of a home in King County reaching $850,000, homeownership has become increasingly out of reach for many families. To combat this barrier, Habitat for Humanity Seattle, King and Kittitas Counties has an affordable homeownership program to help individuals trying to buy a home.
The non-profit is putting the finishing touches on its largest affordable housing development to date. The Liberty Commons development in Columbia City is expected to be fully completed by the end of the summer, and some units remain available.
It comes as Habitat for Humanity Seattle, King and Kittitas Counties, is celebrating 40 years of service in the community.
Breaking down the cost of housing
The Liberty Commons development consists of 58 units, featuring a mix of studios as well as one- and two-bedroom condominiums.
"We sell homes for approximately half of what they otherwise would go for on market rate," said Colleen Clayton of Habitat for Humanity Seattle, King and Kittitas Counties.
According to Clayton, the affordable homeownership program is designed to bridge the gap for local residents who are priced out of the traditional housing market. Eligibility for the program is based on household size, and applications are open to anyone earning under 80% of the area's median income.
Turning dreams into reality
For future residents, the development provides permanent housing security that previously felt unattainable in the Seattle area.
"I never dreamed that it would be possible for me to own a home anywhere, let alone in Seattle," homeowner Martin Schwartz said while standing inside his upcoming two-bedroom unit. "Habitat figures out what you can pay and sets your payment at that, and the amount that I will pay means that we will stay here forever."
Schwartz currently lives in a one-bedroom apartment with his 9-year-old daughter. He said that moving into the new condo would allow his daughter to finally have her own room, where she plans to set up a reading nook with bean bags.
"It makes me feel that I am doing my duty and providing the best that I can for my kid," Schwartz said.
Impacting lives across the region
The project marks a significant milestone for the organization's regional staff, who work directly with local buyers to transition them into homeownership.
"This is such an impactful program, getting to meet different buyers of different walks of life, different stories," Clayton said. "A lot of them have shared that they never thought homeownership would be within reach, particularly in this area."
You can find out more about the program and qualifications on the homeownership program website.
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle reporter Shirah Matsuzawa.