Homestead Community NON-PROFIT ORG. Land Trust News is a Homestead Community Land Trust U.S. POSTAGE quarterly publication of 2017 E. Spruce Street Seattle, WA 98122 PAID Homestead Community SEATTLE WA Land Trust, a membership- PERMIT NO. 1052 based 501(c)(3) non-profi t creating permanently affordable home ownership opportunities in Seattle. HCLT Contact Information 2017 E. Spruce Street Seattle, WA 98122 tel: 206-323-1227 NEWS Creating and stewarding permanently affordable homes in Seattle Fall 2006 Issue No. 26 email: [email protected] web: www.homesteadclt.org equity and appreciation. Plus, when you partner with HCLT Homestead CLT Board Meet Angel Dawson, Becky Andrews to purchase your first home, you can feel good, knowing Johan Grimsrud HCLT’s new Homeownership that a family down the road will have the same opportunity. Megan Hyla With new funds ready, and new provisions which allow our Dove John Program Manager buyers to purchase condominiums, maybe it’s time to turn Will Kemper your dreams into realities. I look forward to helping you Jerry Marcy achieve your dreams for homeownership. Peter Nevin Jenna Smith A housing market out of Staff Sheldon Cooper, Executive Director balance Angel Dawson, Homeownership Program Manager Letter from Sheldon Cooper, HCLT Executive Director s home prices have increased much faster than Aincomes in recent years, affordability has rapidly 145th. With 2 bedrooms and a bonus room, 1280sqft, “a declined. This is true even for the middle class. Right now huge yard with twin pine trees for Miles,” hardwood floors, a Angel Dawson, MSW a household making $74,300 (the median income) with fireplace, energy efficient windows and great neighbors they Homeownership Program Manager $10,000 in savings finds themselves $150,000 short of afford- “really lucked out.” The family now lives within walking g ing a $400,000 home (the King County median price)! The r o distance of the local high school and Madison pool, and say . he cost to live in Seattle is higher than ever. Last housing affordability crisis has now penetrated deep into the t they are still discovering things about their neighborhood. l middle class. c Tyear alone, home prices went up more than 20%, “Our agent did everything he could to make the offer attrac- d while income remained relatively constant. This is nothing As always, the situation is far more difficult for modest a tive, and as the house was being sold by the Seattle Housing e income households. Households making $50,000 (still con- t new. Seattle housing prices have increased steadily for the g s Authority, it was appealing that the house was becoming n sidered a good income by many), with a $10,000 savings, can e i last 50 years. And with prices falling in other parts of the k m permanently affordable as part of the land trust.” r country, the Seattle market is leveling out at best. So this only afford a $165,000 house without assistance. o When asked what’s different about being a homeowner, a Currently, the King County housing market is only offer- h is great for people who bought here ten, or even two years p @ Willow said, “it’s scarier.” She told a story about taking the e ago. But what about the rest of us? Are we stuck in an end- ing adequate homeownership options to households mak- e o f first bath in her new tub and thinking “someone needs to fix r ing $115,000 a year or more. The rest of us are stretching f less cycle of rent increases, while paying off other people’s n i that grout in the tub… and then thinking…oh, that some- & mortgages? Has the dream of homeownership become unat- like never before to buy a house. Individual “stretching” o e t one is me.” When something happens you are responsible. l tainable for working families? What about our children and strategies include working a second or third job, borrowing r b i There’s no landlord to call. But responsibility is also free- o grandchildren? At this rate, by the year 2056, only million- unaffordable loan amounts, and “driving to qualify”, leading s 7 dom, and they’ve already painted the walls and can “re-paint s aires will be able to crack the impenetrable Seattle housing households to purchase in lower cost areas far from employ- 2 e c whenever we want.” They have lot of ideas for slowly im- 2 market. ment centers. c 1 - proving the home, including converting the garage into more a That’s why I’m proud to be working toward a solution. Each of these approaches has negative impacts on individ- 3 o 2 livable space. In the meantime, they shared that Miles loves r I worked as a homeownership counselor in Oakland, CA, ual households. More time consumed by work and commut- t 3 - their new home. “All summer he’s been enjoying the yard e where I helped lots of families buy homes. But as time pass- ing leaves less time available for family life. High monthly 6 m for as long and as often as he can.” When asked what they 0 es, prices keep skyrocketing, and purchasing becomes less payments erode the ability to save, force tradeoffs between would tell other families considering the program, Willow 2 housing and health care, and leave households vulnerable to o and less feasible for working people. As the new Homeown- said families should be realistic. “Even with a program like t ership Program Manager with HCLT, I can support families losing their home through foreclosure if they hit a bump in P this, owning a home in Seattle is becoming a nearly impos- V to make homeownership affordable now, and create a legacy their financial road. S sible dream. This might be the last shot for many families R of permanently affordable housing stock in the community. Households stretched thin also negatively impact our who want to live in Seattle and own their own home. But Currently with up to $90,000 in down payment assistance, communities. Less free time means less involvement in local with HCLT you are able to give it a shot; and when you do, the HCLT Advantage program can ensure that your family community affairs, less involvement in children’s lives, in be prepared for a miracle.” has a monthly payment that is comfortable, while building schools, and less volunteerism. Escalating housing prices Homestead Community Land Trust News issue 26 page 2 Homestead Community Land Trust News issue 26 page 3 lower owner occupancy rates and increase speculative real estate investment, which diminish community control and Comings and goings Taking Control of Your Credit increase displacement of modest income residents. “Driving to qualify” is driving our regional traffic and transportation eptember has brought change to HCLT. After nearly Score problems, as people commute further distances to work. Sthree years as our Homebuyer and Membership Foreclosure rates are climbing and predatory loans are grow- coordinator, Quinnie Tan has moved on from HCLT to take a When you apply for a home loan, a cell phone, insurance ing in market share. The costs of our inflated real estate position with the Seattle Office of Housing. During her time and even some jobs, your credit report will be reviewed. Be- market extend far beyond those who struggle to pay the with HCLT, Quinnie was instrumental in growing HCLT fore you apply you should understand your credit, because it mortgage, cope with higher tax bills, or see their ability to from 1 to 10 homes, helping aspiring buyers become pur- is so important. Then you can control how it reflects on you. buy a first home slipping away. chase-ready, improving communications with our members, One important but little-understood aspect of your credit Instead of being stretched until we break by an out-of- and much more. At the Office of Housing, Quinnie will work report is your credit score. HCLT Homeowners: Mike and control housing market, we need another option. Homestead on multi-family rental projects, as well as support the Hom- Each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Willow Community Land Trust creates stable affordable homeown- eownership staff. While her skills and style will be missed Trans Union) calculates your credit score based on your ership for those priced out of our high cost market. In the in the office, it is always good to have another person at personal credit history. Approximately 30 individual factors Willow and Mike refer to themselves as “transplants” process, we are helping rebuild a civic foundation that will the Office of Housing who is well-versed in community land are used to determine your credit score. Credit scores can even though they’ve both been in Seattle almost 15 years. support us all. trusts and the community benefits they bring. And while range from 300 to 900. Generally, scores of 620 and above Mike is a high school teacher in Ballard and Willow is a Angel Dawson has quickly assumed the helm as HCLT’s new are considered acceptable for standard financing options. mother, writer and actor. When Willow was pregnant with Homeownership Program Manager (see Angel’s intro above), There are five broad areas that credit bureaus look at Miles (now 3-and-a-half), the couple tried to look for a home Quinnie will still be helping out as HCLT’s volunteer Web- in calculating your credit score. Each area accounts for a they could afford on the open market. They were looking HCLT Advantage: An Update master.