Keeping Homeownership within Reach of Families Who Never Thought It Was Possible
If you’ve ever been on the rental rollercoaster of uncertainty, you’ve likely never forgotten your first day of homeownership. Approaching your front door with keys in hand and realizing you were opening the door to your very own home. The feeling of joy, achievement, and security that came once you closed the door behind you. Feeling immense pride as you walked through your new home and imagining where you would place your new table, what color you would paint your kitchen walls and visualizing which picture frames would look perfect in the living room. I know this feeling, because as a child I watched my parents finally go from long-time home renters to homeowners thanks to a federally funded program for rural community first-time home buyers. I also get to experience it time and again as Board President for Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County.
For over three decades, Habitat Clallam has worked with community partners to build homes for families that were unable to reach homeownership through traditional means. Habitat’s special community-centered model allows us to build quality homes for less by working with like-minded local businesses who donate material and labor for free or at a reduced cost. We also organize volunteers to help with construction and seek private donations and government grants. This model allows us to fill a critical gap in affordable housing construction, keeping the dream of home ownership within reach. To date, our partnerships have allowed us to build 38 homes in Clallam County, spanning from Sequim to Forks.
A common myth I like to dispel is that Habitat for Humanity “gives away houses”. We do not. Habitat Clallam partners with qualified homebuyers to purchase their first home at fair market value. Our community donors, volunteers and business partnerships allow us to construct modest, well-crafted homes for less. Those savings are paid forward to future Habitat home builds so we can continue our goal to ensure everyone in our community has a safe place to live.
Habitat family partner applicants are selected through a “blind” process where their qualifications are evaluated, devoid of personally identifiable information. Among the things considered are: being a Clallam County resident for at least 1 year, earning less than 80% of the area’s median income (AMI), ability to qualify for the home loan, current living conditions, and willingness to undergo rigorous homeowner preparation. That preparation includes agreeing to 250 hours of sweat equity, financial education classes, first time homebuyer training, and courses on basic home maintenance and upkeep. This makes Habitat home partners some of the most prepared homebuyers on the market.
In 2024, Habitat Clallam broke ground on a 7.7 acre, 45-unit home build in Carlsborg and a four-unit townhome for veterans in Port Angeles. The Carlsborg build is named Lyon’s Landing in honor of Frances Lyon, who bequeathed over $854,000 to Habitat Clallam. This site is unique in that 20% of the homes will be made available for families earning up to 120% of AMI (about $66,108/year). Those homes will have a positive impact in addressing our county’s workforce housing supply deficit. Our Port Angeles veteran build will be home to four veteran families who served our country honorably. Sequim VFW Post 4760 has been a major partner to Habitat Clallam as a donor and helping to identify qualified veteran applicants.
Despite our efforts, affordable housing continues to be one of our county’s top priorities. Many of our lower income families, young couples just starting out, and older families tired of renting are struggling to find affordable housing in Clallam County. Along with many others, they are being completely priced out of the area. A 2023 report by the Washington State Department of Commerce estimated a need to build over 1 million new homes in our state over the next 20 years to keep pace with population demands. Over half of those homes will need to be affordable to the lowest income levels. In Clallam County, Commerce estimated that a total of 5,847 new homes need to be built, with over half of those made affordable to buyers making up to $55,886/year (80% of the county’s AMI).
It’s estimated that Clallam County added approximately 150 housing units in 2023—far short of the construction cadence needed to keep pace with Commerce’s 20-year estimated need. Added to that challenge is the cost of transporting building materials to rural locations, increasingly strict energy codes, and prevailing wage requirements for public works projects that are often higher than those found in the Seattle Metro area. This combination makes it challenging for private developers to build homes at the rate our county needs.
The challenges to filling our affordable housing deficit are as undeniable as the life-changing effects of homeownership. For many, a home is their single greatest asset. Homeownership is also a useful tool to build generational wealth and stability for generations to come. Studies have shown benefits to homeownership include better health, increased academic performance, a decrease in stress and an overall positive outlook. These are key quality of life factors that make for happier families, productive employees, better students and more community-minded parents.
In 2006, a young family partnered with Habitat Clallam to purchase their first home. They grew up in Sequim, attended local schools, and married as high school sweethearts. They worked hard in the community, purchased their first home with Habitat and raised three successful children. This year, that family will make their final mortgage payment. And thanks in part to the stability of homeownership, their youngest child is about to graduate from the same high school as their parents and siblings. This story is dear to me because it dispels another myth: that Habitat home partners are not from our community or that Habitat homes are only for certain groups of people. Current and future Habitat family partners are from our community, and you likely already know them. They work as healthcare professionals and in service industries, are first responders, teach at our schools, hold faith leadership roles, and many other jobs that are vital to our county.
As we begin 2025, Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County is excited to accelerate affordable homeownership opportunities for many more families. We look forward to continued partnerships with businesses like Interfor, who donate framing lumber for construction and Hermann Brothers who donates topsoil. We also partner with Port Angeles Grocery Outlet, who fill cupboards with donated food and housewarming essentials, and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, who has donated free or reduced-cost labor and services. Additionally, we partnered with local governments to help us find a way forward when challenges arose. When coupled with our dedicated, staff, volunteer, and support community, we are well-positioned as an essential part of the affordable housing solution. We invite you to join us in our mission to keep homeownership within reach for families who never thought it was possible!
Mark Hodgson
Board President, Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County
Norm Pederson, Mark Hodgson (center), and Colleen Robinson at Habitat on the Hill 2025
Mark just returned from Habitat on the Hill 2025, a 3-day legislative conference for housing advocacy. Through impactful discussions and direct interactions with lawmakers, Habitat Clallam is taking important steps toward realizing our mission of a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
