The Dickson Family

With homeownership comes responsibility. For Courtney, though, the responsibility is a golden ticket out of cramped conditions. She is eager to provide a home for herself and her daughter.

“I tried looking for a house in 2020, but the housing market is insane,” Courtney said. “I was quoted $1300/month for a 2-bedroom apartment. How am I supposed to afford that?” she added in disbelief. Courtney earns enough to disqualify her from any government assistance … but not enough to make the jump to homeownership on her own. Despite this reality, Courtney refuses to go backward. “It’s scary to think that I would need to make less to qualify for any assistance. I don’t want to do that,” she said.

To make ends meet, Courtney and her daughter live with relatives more than 30 minutes away from where they work and go to school. The home is nice, but crowded, and Courtney is ready to find her own space. They currently share a room that is barely big enough for both of them. “Our room is a 9×10 shoe box. We’ve shared a bed in there for several years,” Courtney described. Her daughter also lacks space to grow, with common areas of the house often doubling as playrooms.

As a last-ditch effort, Courtney applied for Habitat’s Homeownership Program. She was approved in August, 2022, and was elated to hear the news. “I had almost given up hope,” Courtney said, “This happened at the perfect time. I just assumed this was our life. I really thought we were just stuck.” Now, Courtney will start the difficult yet rewarding journey to homeownership.

Beginning to imagine their new home, Courtney is eager to have more space. “I’m excited to have a living room that is not also a playroom,” she said. “And I’m excited to not share a full-size bed!” Her daughter is equally excited to have her own space, declaring that the first thing she will do is paint her room the color of her own choosing.

This new home represents new-found freedom for the mother and daughter. To make it their own, Courtney wants to bring a few pieces of her childhood with her; specifically, a tree that reminds her of her grandfather. “My grandfather buried a blue spruce tree in his backyard when I was little, and I would love to get that tree and have it in my yard now. Maybe plant one for my daughter, too,” Courtney said. She also dreams of carrying on a tradition from her grandmother by preparing a homemade cake (in their own kitchen!) for her daughter’s next birthday.

The Dicksons’ future house is much more than four walls and a roof over their head. It represents the freedom to choose their own paths, and to have a space that is truly their own.