To amplify Habitat’s Black Homeownership Initiative, Habitat for Humanity SKKC has launched a Debt Barrier Removal Program (DBRP). The overall ratio of Black homebuyer applicants is only 6%. Of those, 10% are denied. While the SKKC affiliate has long maintained a higher ratio of Black homeowners at 34%, it realized more needed to be done to help those impacted by historical redlining and institutionalized credit policies.
Excessive debt is often an obstacle to Black homebuyers, particularly first-time homebuyers. Habitat’s Debt Barrier Removal Program is aimed at removing that obstacle by paying off those debts and enabling the buyer to secure financing from a traditional lender. Habitat staff are collaborating with other community housing organizations, such as The Urban League, HomeSight, and Africatown to recruit qualifying candidates for the program.
Applicants referred to Habitat SKKC will be selected using standard criteria, with the final review point being their excessive debt. Once applicants meet the criteria for participation in Habitat home buying, their debt is reviewed and paid. Types of debt that might qualify under this new program include deferred student loans, tax liens or other government judgments, and others assessed on a case-by-case basis, such as medical debt, debts due to identity theft, etc. Their refreshed credit status allows lenders to finance the buyer.
The DBRP agreement adds a level of oversight to the traditional Habitat homebuyer process. Habitat staff simply monitor the homebuyer’s finances monthly to insure there are no changes in income or assets while their home is under construction. Debt Barrier Removal Program funding of $250,000 aims to support 5-10 households in Habitat’s 2022-2023 fiscal year.
Homebuyers participating in the DBRP contribute an additional 125 hours of sweat equity and sign their final agreement when their home is completed. The debt payment is built into the buyer’s affordable house payment. When the home is sold back to SKKC, the debt payment portion of the sale will be returned to the DBRP’s account to help future Black homebuyers.
Homeownership in the U.S. constitutes the largest component of median household wealth through intergenerational wealth transfer. The wealth gap created by generations of discriminatory housing practices has left Black families without the benefit of decades of real estate appreciation, which could be leveraged to help their children and grandchildren become homeowners, pay for college, or weather financial challenges.
The Debt Barrier Removal Program is another step toward chipping away at institutionalized obstacles to Black Homeownership, and it represents Habitat SKKC’s deep commitment to supporting Black families in the region. For more information on Habitat for Humanity SKKC’s new Debt Barrier Removal Program, please visit: https://buyhabitat.org/debt-remediation-fund/
Chris Grant, a 74-year-old Renton native, was worried about how he would pay for needed repairs on the home he’s occupied since 2006. His 40-year-old carpet was causing him breathing problems and some of the home’s exterior features were dangerously deteriorating.
The steps outside of his house had pulled away allowing rain to pour into his crawl space, and they were treacherously slippery. Rotting wood on the exterior of his home needed replacement to prevent further damage; and he could no longer climb a ladder to clean his gutters. “The prospect of fixing these problems was wearing on me for a couple of years,” he shared.
Procore
This summer, Chris became curious about Habitat for Humanity vans he saw at some of his neighbors’ homes, “Then, somebody left a Habitat flier on my doorknob, and I contacted Ms. Madison.” Madison Vernon, Habitat’sHomebuyer Selection Program Coordinator, walked Chris through the application process. Habitat staff and AmeriCorps volunteers started repairs on his home just a few weeks later. Chris was surprised at the speed of the process, only about six weeks from start to finish. “I was fortunate that my request went in at the same time they were working on my neighbors’ houses,” he said.
The Habitat/AmeriCorps crew did, indeed, apply efficiency in Chris’ Renton neighborhood. They worked simultaneously on his home and three others nearby, which allowed them to tackle similar and specialty projects on all four homes at once. Chris was pleased with the work they did on his home, from replacing rotting wood on the outside to closing a leak caused by a gap in his front steps and replacing that old carpet with laminate flooring. They even trimmed an overgrown bush that was encroaching on his house.
“The place looks like a million bucks now…all the way to the sidewalk,” he said. And much of that old worry is relieved. “Thanks be to God Habitat came around and took away a lot of that agony.” All told, the repairs Habitat staff and AmeriCorps volunteers applied to Chris Grant’s home would total nearly $9,500, which he received at a fraction.
Now a ‘lighter,’ Chris Grant can be seen photographing favorite scenes around his hometown… when he’s not cuddling with his beloved 4-year-old rescue pup, Coco.
To learn more about Habitat SKC’s Repairs program helping low-income individuals address critical home repairs while allowing seniors to “age in place” click here.
On Wednesday, December 14, Habitat SKKC’s Chief Advocacy Officer Ryan Donohue joined Patience Malaba, Executive Director, Housing Development Consortium (HDC) and Dan Bertolet, Director of Housing and Urbanism for Sightline for the panel discussion “Prioritizing Affordable Housing in the 2023 Legislative Session.” Moderated by Ross Reynolds this was the first in a series of online discussions on affordable housing led by Habitat SKC’s advocacy team. To watch the full event click here.
At HDC, Patience Malaba leads a consortium of over 200 members working throughout King County in cross sector partnerships to effectively address the affordable housing crisis. HDC’s mission is to develop resources that provide access to affordable housing for low-income people. Dan Bertolet directs Sightline’s Housing Program, one part of the organization’s mission to make the Pacific Northwest a global model for sustainability. Sightline’s offices in Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska work with the Seattle staff on reforming democracy, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and supporting sustainable forestry.
Both organizations’ missions dovetail with Habitat’s long-standing mission to build a more safe, affordable place for everyone to call home. All three panelists cited the recent Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) housing report as evidence that the state and county are significantly behind in housing production to meet current and future needs. When it comes to legislative action, all three will tackle changes to zoning laws as the critical first step in addressing the housing crisis.
Patience said HDC will support legislation to change zoning policies, “… but that doesn’t address all the equitability concerns.” Ryan echoed that notion. “Ending exclusionary zoning policies will be critical during this legislative session. We’re more segregated as a community today than we were at the end of redlining. In large part that’s because of the way we’ve used our land use codes.”
Dan referenced Sightline’s early focus on “Smart Growth,” which emphasizes the environmental side of development. Ten years ago, their focus shifted to make smart growth affordable. But the biggest obstacle to making that work was restricted zoning laws that said you can’t build housing near jobs. “So, we started examining policies and found the major culprit is single family zoning, which mandates detached housing on large lots.” Most cities, Seattle included, set aside nearly ¾ of their land for single family housing. Those zoning policies, passed in the 1950s, are not compatible with the current need for compact communities and multi-family housing production.
5 Key Takeaways from the Panel Discussion
The state of housing is bad. The region needs over 800,000 new units through the year 2050 to accommodate housing needs. Ryan Donohue: “Home affordability is out of reach for basically everybody – particularly those who’ve never owned a home before. The average home price in King County is $760,000 and $810,000 in Seattle, while Eastside costs are $1.4 to $1.5M. Current zoning laws exclude people of color from being able to access home ownership. Under current zoning laws, we cannot close the racial wealth nor homeownership gap.
The 2023 Legislative priorities to address the housing crisis form a 3-legged stool. Dan Bertolet: “In 2019 we started with a bill that would make ADUs easier to build; that’s the gentlest way to add density to a neighborhood.” Needed are additional zoning reforms, such as an ADU bill, a bill to allow lot splitting, a bill to remove parking requirements with new housing along with legalizing middle housing types and higher density building near transit hubs.
In the area of funding and subsidies, HDC supports a Real Estate Investment Tax (REIT) on $4 and $5M homes aimed at producing an additional $225 million dedicated to the State’s Housing Trust fund. On laws that protect renters, a Housing Benefits District Bill calls for $60 billion to create infrastructure in support of mixed communities built near transit throughout the State.
Governor Inslee’s proposed 2023 budget shows he sees this as The Year of Housing Patience Malaba: “The housing crisis cannot wait for slow or small action. If it’s done right, the budget should include hundreds of millions in permanent support of housing and housing stability.” The Governor’s proposed budget includes:
Bipartisan support for affordable housing legislation is possible, even in a polarized legislature.
Ryan Donohue: “It’s important to note that both caucuses are on record as saying we need to address the housing crisis. Separation occurs at ‘how’ to get there. We’ll likely see robust support for affordable housing funds, and it’ll be interesting to see where the totals land.”
Patience Malaba: “I do believe there is bi-partisan understanding that we are in a housing crisis. I still hope for the goodness of humanity. We need to continue to help people be in a place where there’s a gravitational pull toward collaboration.”
Dan Bertolet: “We are strategizing these bills to encourage Republican support. We have some history of bi-partisan success. The Apple Health & Homes Bill had bi-partisan cooperation.”
It’s going to take everyone to support these bills.
Ryan Donohue: “To overcome opposition, we’ll bring your voices to the table to talk as much as we can about these bills. Get involved and take action. Signup for Habitat Legislative alerts, HDC Legislative Alerts and Home WA alerts. There is significant hope.”
Patience Malaba: “HDC is working with community groups to strengthen coalitions and work with legislators on building consensus.”
Dan Bertolet: “Local representatives are often opponents of these bills. If you’re connected to your local electeds, get those who support these bills to talk in their favor.”
On January 31, 2023, Habitat for Humanity SKC will participate in a panel at the King County Affordable Housing Symposium taking place in person at the Crossroads Community Center from 9 – 11:30 a.m. Habitat Digital Event Series host Ross Reynolds will moderate a panel on Collaborating and Leading the Way for Housing Affordability. For more information or to register click here.
SEATTLE (October 18, 2022) – ADT is partnering with Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County to build safe, smart and sustainable affordable housing at its West Seattle build site. As part of that partnership, members of the ADT team gathered at Highland Terrace to volunteer their time and build alongside future Habitat homeowners on Oct. 22. Through part of its generous donation of $30,000 to Habitat SKC, ADT made possible the installation of energy-efficient heat pumps in all 12 Highland Terrace homes. Not only are these units more sustainable but will allow the new Habitat homeowners to save on their monthly energy bills.
Habitat SKC will install Mitsubishi Ductless Heat Pumps at Highland Terrace. These 18,000 BTU ductless split systems will provide year-round efficient temperature control, on average saving homeowners 20%-40% on annual heating and cooling bills compared to combustion-based systems. They will provide for a healthy breathing environment with advanced filtration to manage allergens and clean the air as it is pumped into the house.
Using an electric-based system is a more environmentally friendly option compared to combustion-based systems, while also providing protection from rising energy costs, as oil and natural gas-based heating systems saw a 30-50% increase in energy costs in 2021, compared to only a 6% increase for households that heat primarily with electricity. Additionally, the project is being wired for electric vehicle charging. This smart technology will allow each parking spot to be “EV Ready” for any future homeowner to plug in their vehicles onsite.
On the safety front, results of a recent Habitat survey of current Habitat homeowners, 92% reported some, great or a very great level of improvement in feeling safe after purchasing their Habitat home.
Located in the Highland Park neighborhood of Seattle, this community will give 12 families a place to live in an area with high opportunity. This new community is near Habitat’s other newly constructed development, Trenton, and numerous parks, including Roxhill Park, Milo Park, Highland Park Playground, and Westcrest Park, as well as public, charter, and private school options. Quick and easy access to all area amenities, including favorite cafe’s, restaurants, parks and roller rink with White Center & Westwood Village both just minutes away along with express bus lines to Downtown Seattle.
Homeownership is about so much more than a simple roof over one’s head. It’s also about community, which means finding a neighborhood that feels like home.
For Shukri Yusuf, who arrived in the Seattle area from Mombasa, Kenya at 12, West Seattle has been home since 2004. Over the years, Shukri got married there, had a son, and became a single mother in 2020. She remained in West Seattle throughout where she teaches in a neighborhood public school, living with her parents as she saved for a down payment on her own home.
The more she saved, though, and looked around Seattle for housing, the more she realized she was severely out-priced. She feared she would have to leave West Seattle, or even the state, if she was to find an affordable house for herself and son, Zayn. The idea of leaving her beloved neighborhood for a house she could afford in a place where she knew no one was a poor option and one she dreaded.
Shukri explored any and all possibilities in her search for a way to remain in the community and still have a home of her own. She considered getting a down payment grant for a condo, even though getting a condo anywhere close to her beloved West Seattle neighborhood was impossible. As she searched, she learned about Habitat for Humanity through the King County homeowner assistance website. With help from Habitat, she was able to purchase a newly constructed, three-bedroom home in West Seattle – the first home she’s ever owned.
Shukri and Zayn now live in their own home in the neighborhood they call Home. It’s just five minutes from the school where Shukri teaches. Zayn is growing up in a supportive community where he’ll have maximum opportunities to thrive. For Shukri, this means planting roots and growing herself in a safe place with friends and family to share life’s ups and downs. As she says, Shukri is finally Home.
“When you have a community that you connect with it can offer you support in all of life’s phases. I feel a part of the community that I have called home since 2004 and I feel supported through some of the tough times that I have experienced in the past … I see it as my duty to help and support others that need help in my school community.”
More than a house, a home of one’s own builds Community through a sense of belonging and pride in the neighborhood called Home. It’s a hidden legacy that comes with help from Habitat for Humanity.
