Habitat for Humanity of St. Johns County is changing the game when it comes to affordable workforce housing.
Since its inception in 1992, Habitat St. Johns has been committed to creating safe and affordable housing options for St. Johns County residents. For the last decade, it’s been addressing a pervasive issue in the local landscape — affordable housing for St. Augustine’s workforce.
And Habitat St. John’s approach is working. As the organization celebrates its 34th year, it’s also celebrating a significant milestone: nearly 80% of Habitat St. Johns homeowners are still in their homes.
“We are incredibly proud to see so many Habitat families turn these houses into lasting homes,” said Malinda Everson, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of St. Johns County. “Our workforce is the backbone of this community, yet homeownership is becoming increasingly out of reach for many hardworking individuals and families. Between rising home prices, higher interest rates and increasing costs overall, buying a home can feel impossible for many working professionals. What many people do not realize is that they may qualify for a Habitat home and the opportunity to achieve affordable homeownership.”
With the housing market exploding in St. Johns County, Habitat St. Johns has expanded its efforts to support the area’s workforce. With the median St. Johns County home starting at around $550,000, many workers and young professionals are being priced out.
Habitat homes in their newest neighborhood, Volusia Woods, are between $248,000 and $278,000, and homeowners can earn up to $86,160 a year and still qualify. Since its founding in 1992, Habitat St. Johns has built 185 houses and served 553 people. The organization’s houses have truly become homes, with 78% of people still in their homes since 1992, 86% since 2010, and 100% since 2020.
One of those homeowners is Shavon, who purchased her Habitat St. Johns home in 2008 and just recently paid it off. She’s been a bus attendant for the St. Johns County School District for 23 years, and when she applied for the Habitat St. Johns program, she was raising three kids as a single mom. Now, she’s celebrating a lifetime of successes — her two daughters, one a teacher and one a nurse, are out on their own, and her son is just months away from moving out and beginning his career with a commercial driver’s license.
“I really enjoyed the Habitat program — it’s great,” says Shavon. “I helped build my home from the ground to the roof. And now I own the property; my house belongs to me! The Habitat program made life more affordable for my family and me. We didn’t have to be stressed about expenses or deal with the difficulties of renting. I raised my kids in this house, and now they’re starting their own lives. Habitat helps families succeed in life.”
Habitat for Humanity is a global nonprofit housing organization working in local communities across all 50 U.S. states and in approximately 70 countries. Through community partnerships and volunteer involvement, Habitat for Humanity builds innovative housing solutions, working towards a world where everyone has a decent place to live.
Habitat for Humanity St. Johns County is located at 7 Hopkins St. in St. Augustine. Learn more at www.habitatstjohns.org and follow along on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
