The City of Takoma Park and Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland have partnered to provide affordable homeownership opportunities in the City.
“Habitat is fully renovating a property on Garland Avenue and creating a duplex consisting of one 3-bedroom home and one two-bedroom home that will be offered for sale to eligible applicants,” according to a press release.
Applications are available now and can be downloaded from Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland. Hard copies of the application can also be obtained at Habitat ReStores, as well as the Takoma Park Police Department and the lower lobby of the Takoma Park Community Center at 7500 Maple Avenue (enter from the Maple Avenue parking lot).
Completed applications must be submitted by mail only and postmarked no later than March 20, 2021. Questions about the Garland Avenue Project may be emailed to Donna Clayburn, Family Services Manager at [email protected].
According to the City’s website, The Creating Affordable Homeownership Opportunities project “began when the City of Takoma Park assigned its Right to Purchase to Habitat to buy the Garland property in November of 2020. The City also provided $200,000 from the Housing Reserve Fund to invest in the development of affordable homeownership opportunities.
“This project is a demonstration of how Missing Middle Housing typologies can be incorporated into established single-family neighborhoods. Splitting the property into two units helps to drive down the development cost per unit and ultimately the sales prices for each home. The property is also within one mile of a future Purple Line stop further emboldening the need to create, restore and preserve affordable housing opportunities, ensuring that all residents can access our public infrastructure investments.
“Habitat will completely gut the home and rebuild it like new. The rehab will include a focus on sustainability starting with participation in the City of Takoma Park’s initiative to forego the use of fossil fuel in homes by abandoning the existing gas service to the home. This will be the first example of gas abandonment in the City in residential development. HFHMM will also incorporate an energy efficiency standard in its building practices, including continuous spray foam insulation for the entire envelope of the structure drastically reducing air leakage. Habitat will also install water sense fixtures, LED lighting, smart thermostats, and Energy Star mechanical equipment and appliances.
“Once the project is complete, Habitat will sell the completed units to individuals living and working in our community but unable to afford a home through the traditional market. Habitat provides an affordable mortgage, ensuring that borrowers are not cost burdened. Providing access to affordable homeownership is critical for our communities so that families can build generational wealth. By providing homeownership opportunities for families at more income levels we can work to break down the racial wealth and ownership gaps and build more equitable communities.”
Graphics courtesy The City of Takoma Park & Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland