Families all across the United States are paying too high a price to cover the cost of their home.
Rents and homeownership costs are skyrocketing, while wages are not keeping pace. Far too often, families struggle to make ends meet. Everywhere you look—cities, suburbs, rural areas—the stability that home should bring remains out of reach for too many families.
At Habitat for Humanity, we know that a family should never have to spend more than 30 percent of their income on a home. But consider that today over 18 million U.S. households pay half or more of their income on a place to live. That is unacceptable.
That means that 1 in 6 families are denied the personal and economic stability that safe, decent and affordable housing provides. Instead, 1 in 6 families are forced to make impossible choices.
Safe homes. Nutritious food on the table. Health care. Access to good schools. Reliable transportation. Which would you choose?
Habitat knows the complexities that surround the cost of home. We also know the struggle, stress and pain of far too many families in our communities. And we know that those with the fewest resources are forced to make the hardest choices. We have to take a stand and declare our commitment: No family should have to pay more than half of their paycheck to cover the cost of home.
Over the next five years, we commit to mobilizing our local Habitat organizations, our partners, our volunteers and community members across the country to find the solutions and help create the policies that will allow 10 million individuals to meet their most basic needs.
Everyone deserves to build the foundation for a strong, healthy future for themselves and their families — no matter where they live or how much money they earn. Every family deserves the chance to thrive.
Help us make that possible. Help us make the #CostOfHome something we all can afford.
