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With the rising cost of living, high interest rates, and a lack of affordable homes, the “American Dream” is falling farther out of reach for more people every day. The Department of Housing Services recognizes these challenges and has been working to make homeownership a reality for families who couldn’t otherwise reach this goal.
One such family is Barbara's. "We are a family of six, three boys and a girl, and me and my husband,” she shares. “We have always been united, in both the good times and bad times. We support one another.” Barbara currently works in housekeeping as her husband is a welder. The couple’s boys are all grown up and married, and the daughter is attending high school.
Barbara first visited the department fourteen years ago, in 2011. “When we applied for public housing, we were in a tough position because my husband could not find a job, and the rent for an apartment was a lot,” she said. During that difficult time, a family member recommended that she apply to the Housing Choice Voucher program (also known as Section 8). Barbara says that she was hesitant at first; the waiting list was long, but she went ahead and applied.
One day, the department called to notify her of other opportunities in the public housing program while she continued to wait for a voucher. Barbara seized the moment. Three months later, they were able to move into a three-bedroom home they not only could afford, but they also really liked. Barbara describes how they took care of the home as if it were their own, the home their children grew up in.
Fast-forward 14 years, and the department launched Section 18 Disposition, a sale of 60 single-family public housing units to raise funds to increase the supply of affordable housing and ensure equal opportunity in housing for all. A key focus of this project was to sell the homes to current occupants like Barbara, so that families can realize the “American Dream”.
“We were excited about purchasing our own home,” shared Barbara. “There was a lot of back and forth for three years [when the sale was first announced]. We definitely showed interest.” Barbara loved her home. She wanted to keep their children in the same schools and continue being part of the neighborhood, the community, that they’ve also come to know and love.
And so, they were set on taking this step forward. Barbara and her husband took homebuyer classes and were part of Bienestar’s homeownership program. “We did our part,” said Barbara. “Living in public housing has helped us move forward, financially, and we did everything to stay within regulation.” The economic empowerment of affordable housing cannot be understated.
“We knew purchasing would be a big step for us and a big responsibility. However, we knew that if we moved somewhere else, we would have to pay for rent, which is like throwing away your money,” shared her husband. “Why not start saving money, work on our credit, and take our chance, and stay here?” he continued.
The family did just that, they saved money for four years. They were able to qualify for a loan, and Bienestar helped them on how to save and prepare for homeownership. Washington County was also able to help give them a discount on the house, including limited down payment assistance.
“Taking this step has provided a sense of calm,” mentioned Barbara’s husband. “I am not beholden to anyone. I deal with it on my own. A sense of peace for our family.”
We’re excited to celebrate the accomplishments of Barbara’s family – congratulations on the hard work paying off!
Stay tuned for upcoming stories from our tenants-turned-homeowners in future newsletter editions as more public housing participants go from being tenants, to homeowners.
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