Catholics for Housing (CFH)

Catholics for Housing (CFH) provides a variety of affordable housing opportunities for low to moderate income households, including homeownership. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) seemed like a perfect opportunity to help individuals and families who might otherwise be shut out of the housing market become homeowners. CFH was awarded just under two million dollars and proceeded to purchase and rehab foreclosed properties in Prince William County to be resold to income eligible applicants.

Sarah came to my office convinced she wanted to be a homeowner. She is a single mother of 4 teenage children who teaches chemistry at Bishop O’Connell High School, her alma mater. After taking Sarah through the program step by step and showing her the town home that was in the midst of rehabilitation, she was convinced this program would work for her. Sarah completed the application process, was approved for a loan and when the rehab work was complete she closed on her new home.

In Sarah’s own words, “Catholics for Housing did all the hard parts for me and I received all the benefits. I save over $500 a month from what I was paying for rent and recently realized that one floor of my 3 level, 4-bedroom townhouse was bigger than my entire apartment. I now have a yard for our dog and a great community pool. I cannot thank Catholics for Housing enough for giving me the opportunity to own a home and more for going beyond what a typical organization would do and really caring about my family.”

Since Sarah purchased her home, CFH purchased and rehabbed nine additional homes and has sold five more of the homes with two more to be closed in early 2012. Of the eight sold or committed, five have incomes less than 50% of the area median income.

These new homeowners all felt that owning a home was only a dream – CFH helped their dream come true. Donate to CVC# 8055.

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