The Greater Denton/Wise County Association of Realtors is raising funds to support a first-of-its-kind project for Habitat for Humanity of Denton County.
Low-to-moderate income families will soon be able to apply to qualify for one of 35 affordable houses located in a single subdivision called Habitat Village.
The 8-acre development project in Denton broke ground on April 19. The goal is to help combat rising homelessness in the area and a shortage of affordable housing.
The first phase of the project is approximately $2 million, $1 million of which has already been raised by the nonprofit. Each house will cost $160,000 to build, according to Habitat.
In addition to building these homes, the project also includes establishing the infrastructure of the neighborhood, including streets, sidewalks, utilities, the proper drainage requirements, and everything else needed to support a neighborhood of 35 homes.
The homes are built by volunteers alongside the families who will own them, and families will choose from six floor plans and three different elevations. Selected homeowners place down payments of $1,000 and have 30-year mortgages that are interest-free, according to Habitat.
The project was initially kick-started with money raised from North Texas Giving Day in 2020. Later in February 2021, the Denton City Council voted unanimously to approve the Habitat Village Planned Development
“It’s kind of the first of its kind in affordable housing, and the Greater Denton/Wise County Association of Realtors does a ton of great things for a ton of different causes,” said Tori Wilson, a member of the association. “We wanted to do something really big and we had heard about this village. We thought, ‘What if we raised enough money to pay for the very first home that’s going to be built in that village?’”
The association had its first fundraising party, which they call “Party with a Purpose,” in 2021. They have held four in total and have raised over $165,000, which is enough to cover the first home in the village.
“In the future, when they start actually building the home, we’re going to have build days and continue to help support them in whatever way we can,” Wilson said. “Affordable housing is an issue. It’s harder to find affordable homes and the program that Habitat has makes affordable housing a reality for many families. We’re just excited to be a part of it and continue to help and support it.”
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