family and current housing
Like so many Habitat future homeowners, Jasmine is pursuing homeownership to achieve personal goals: owning a home by age thirty and providing a safe, stable home for her children. “No one in my family owns their home,” Jasmine explained. “I want to be the one to change that.” After leaving home at eighteen, Jasmine and her family spent approximately eight years in a SMHA (Stark Metropolitan Housing Authority) property. That rental home had many structural problems which persisted over the years they lived there. Eventually, a faulty furnace led to frozen pipes that burst and badly damaged the rental. This was the final straw for Jasmine who was already discouraged by the increasing rent that accompanied each advancement and pay raise at work. In the fall of 2017 Jasmine decided to temporarily move her family into her mother’s rental home so she could save towards purchasing a home or acquiring a better rental. Although grateful to her mother for sharing her home, Jasmine never expected how crowded the home would become as other family members also moved in. At the time she applied to Habitat, there were 12 people living the three bedroom rental! Ready to give her children a home of their own and hearing positive reviews about Habitat from friends, Jasmine contacted Habitat to begin the homeownership program herself. “I have a few friends who went through this program and absolutely loved it,” said Jasmine. “It seemed like a good decision for me to join, too.” When asked about her children, Jasmine spoke words of pride and praise over both her daughter and son. Ja’Nia is twelve and loves to read. Her mother says her sweet spirit can make anyone feel like the most special person. Dwight is a special kid himself. The ten-year-old is described by Jasmine as exceptionally genuine with the ability to make friends with anyone. This sweet family is beyond excited to embark on their journey home together.
a bright future
While Jasmine eagerly awaits the completion of her future home, she will be busy investing hours of sweat equity towards the home’s zero-interest mortgage. Part of her sweat equity will involve eleven weeks of House2Home education classes preparing for the maintenance and financial aspects of being a homeowner. She will also assist at the Habitat ReStore and on the worksites of others in the program until her house breaks ground. In addition to completing sweat equity hours. Jasmine works hard to provide for her family financially. She has been employed with a local financial institution for three years and enjoys interacting with customers. Although balancing family, work, and Habitat can be a tall order, she is excited and proud to be pursuing her dreams. When asked what she looks forward to most about being a homeowner, Jasmine responded, "Having something that is mine and a place that my children and I feel safe. My kids will have something that I can leave for them even after I’m gone."
