San Diego Habitat for Humanity is building six homes as part of an affordable housing project in National City that will be sold for no more than 30% of an applicant’s household income.
According to Data from the U.S. Census Bureau data, the average National City resident spent at least $4,000 over the 30% income threshold traditionally advised for housing costs from 2015 through 2019. San Diego Habitat for Humanity Director of Homeowner Relations Shayna Hensley said the City of National City was chosen for the project in part because the local government made the land available, but also because of need in the area.
On past Habitat for Humanity projects, homeowners’ monthly payments, which includes mortgage, taxes and insurance, has typically proven comparable to paying rent on an apartment in the area.
However, this particular project is slightly different from past builds, Hensley said because, although the city provided the land, the homes will be transferred into the San Diego Community Land Trust when they are sold, a new approach for the group that essentially keeps the homes affordable for perpetuity.
“This is the first time we’ve ever worked with a land trust but it means that these properties will forever be set aside as affordable housing. The way things are now, some new homes might start out as affordable housing but, if they are later sold on the open market, they can eventually be lost as affordable housing. This keeps that from happening because the homes can only be sold back to the Trust,” Hensley said.
The process works best in cities that are “interested in affordable housing,” Hensley said, often due to relationships with elected officials.
“When we’re able to work with cities that are interested in affordable housing, it’s usually because we have a good partnership with their mayor and when their council members have committed to their residents.
We’d like to go into those cities where we haven’t gone before,” Hensley said, which is “easier when cities have that desire to provide affordable housing”.
Previous Habitat for Humanity projects stretch from Oceanside to Imperial Beach, Hensley said, and they typically try to build as many homes as possible on available land. The non-profit organization has a Construction Superintendent who takes in volunteers on a daily basis and teaches them how to do the tasks that need to be accomplished that day.
Homeowner applicants are expected to participate in that program so they work under the direction of that Superintendent alongside the volunteers, essentially helping to build the home they will later call their own.
For this particular community in National City, potential homeowners needed to watch an orientation video before submitting their applications before the Aug. 2 deadline. However, Hensley said, anyone who missed that initial call to view the informational video can add themselves to the Habitat for Humanity mailing list to learn about future builds.
Applicants who do not make it into the program will still receive help, she said, such as referrals out to other resources.
“San Diego Housing Commission has a first time home ownership program; Citibank has low-income programs as well. Also, sometimes the reason people don’t qualify is their income needs to be higher or they have a lot of items in collections so we like to send them resources they can use to help improve their financial standing,” Hensley said.
Visit the Habitat for Humanity website at www.sandiegohabitat.org for more information.
