Habitat for Humanity Plans Affordable Housing in Texas

As those hoping to receive approval on a Texas mortgage are faced with higher and higher prices in the state, plans for affordable housing are at least in the mix.

Austin Habitat for Humanity Inc. has received $100,000 to buy property for the purpose of building homes for lower-income workers.

Under the matching funds, granted by the Travis County Housing Finance Corp., the nonprofit will buy eight properties in Travis County. It will build houses on each property for eight of its clients.

“This new partnership with the Travis County Housing Finance Corp. will save our homebuyers thousands of dollars,” says Michael Willard, Austin Habitat for Human executive director. “The low-income families we serve aren’t able to afford paying full land costs plus materials.”

The annoucement follows a recent proposal for affordable housing in Houston.

Since 2001, the nonprofit has seen land prices increase by 400 percent in areas where it typically builds.

“Partnering with Austin Habitat for Humanity allows Travis County Housing Finance Corp. to leverage its resources and assist more families into quality housing,” says Sam Biscoe, county judge and president of the finance corporation, which was created by the Travis County Commissioner’s Court in 1980 to help those hoping to afford a reasonable mortgage in the state.
Austin Habitat for Humanity was established in 1985 to build quality homes for low-income families. It provides zero percent mortgages on its new homes.