TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — The city of Tallahassee has two new partnerships to building affordable housing in the next year.
The Big Bend Habitat for Humanity and Tallahassee Lenders Consortium the city is helping get 13 homes built.
In the past three years, the city has sponsored 11 homes through habitat for humanity, which is meeting a growing need in our community.
"The homes are for low-income first-time homeowners," Nicole Everett, President of the Big Bend Habitat for Humanity, said.
She said the city is giving the nonprofit $195,000 and three city lots to build the homes on.
The nonprofit has been able to build new homes in the past costing between $120,000 to $130,000.
According to Zillow, the median price of a home in Tallahassee is $183,800, which is a 7.5% increase in the past year.
"So many of our residents are being priced out from being able to afford a home," Curtis Richardson, city commissioner, said. "We see that with the increase of homelessness in our community, so much of that is because people can't afford housing."
The city is also donated 10 lots to the Tallahassee Lenders Consortium to build housing.
Through the Tallahassee land trust program this will significantly lower the cost of a new home.
"When you talk about affordable housing," Karen Miller, Executive Director Tallahassee Lenders Consortium said. "I don't want people to think you're necessarily talking about people that are poor."
Her organization works with Habitat for Humanity to help people apply and receive affordable housing.
"We work with them on their credit to be able to get credit ready to seek financing," Miller said.
In the past year, Miller said they've been able to help more than 690 people seek housing.
"They can people a teacher. They can be a police officer. It's anyone who is working and they want to know they can afford the mortgage each month," Miller said.
If you're in need of assistance, you can reach out to TLC at 850-222-6609 extension 100, or visit their website by clicking here.
