In 2012, I explored a myriad of housing options, ultimately seeking freedom, financial stability, space, community, and a place to call home. But during my search, I was met with skyrocketing rent prices, which discouraged me. Noticing my discouragement during a conversation, my mother asked, “Well, have you thought about buying a house?”. “A house?” I exclaimed. “Oh no, that’s for grown people.” Grown people. People who seemed like they knew what they were doing in life and had the resources to get it done. Essentially, that wasn’t me—or at least, that’s what I thought. Unsatisfied with my response, my mother further encouraged me to consider homeownership by driving me past Habitat for Humanity’s passive homes in the Deanwood neighborhood of D.C.
Fast forward to May 2013. I walked out of my office building, ready to leave work for the day, and checked my voicemail messages. It was Mandy Jansen, calling to say that I had been approved for Habitat’s homeownership program.
Freedom. That’s what that call bought me.
Financial stability. That’s what that call secured.
Space. That’s what I hoped for.
Community. That’s what I had sought after.
Home. That’s where my heart is.
Habitat DC-NOVA aims to make many more calls like this—calls that have the life-changing potential to provide the freedom, financial stability, space, community, and home that we all seek. As a beneficiary of this program, I can speak on behalf of current and potential homeowners: we want what everybody else wants. We don’t want less because we want more.
This year, marking 10 years since I purchased my home, I’ve had the pleasure of participating in a variety of events including in Habitat DC’s 25th Celebration publication, and speaking at the merger celebration of DC Habitat and Habitat NOVA in 2022. It’s easy to show up for an organization that has shown up for me.
Owning a home has allowed me to live out my core values: independence, creativity, volunteerism/service, and legacy, ultimately building generational wealth. Additionally, I’ve learned so much about myself personally. Since purchasing the home, I have tried to succeed in other areas of my life. As a recovering perfectionist, I realize that I don’t do my best work at the last minute. I do my best work when I have structure, order, accountability, and community.|
And this is what Habitat DC-NOVA, funded by extraordinary people like you, provides. It offers the structure, order, accountability, and community needed to succeed. Without understanding the homeownership process, having a template to follow, and frequent check-ins with Habitat staff, I might have been intimidated by what was to come and abandoned the homeownership process altogether.
For us, Habitat for Humanity has been in our corner. Hopefully, you will be too.
Sincerely, Christina