St. Johns Housing Partnership Works Hard to Make Every Month Home Ownership Month in Northeast Florida

National Homeownership Month highlights the value of homeownership in every community, it’s not just about new homebuyers, but sustaining and preserving existing homes as part of that American Dream. National Homeownership Month also emphasizes the need to address barriers to homeownership, such as affordability, access to financing, and discrimination in housing.

“A huge part of our mission is to enable existing homeowners to remain in their homes by reducing maintenance costs and improving accessibility, as well as building new affordable homes for first-time home buyers,” noted SJHP Executive Director Bill Lazar.

There is a growing demand for emergency repairs—fixing deteriorating roofs, leaking pipes, unsafe floors, electrical issues, and mobility challenges are every day calls for help. Many of those calls are from seniors living on fixed incomes who cannot keep up with rising costs including property insurance, but their homes are the least expensive and most independent way to live.

“We are immensely proud of our rehab program. Thinking holistically about what is needed to preserve each home for the next generation is the key. We want to ensure every homeowner has a safe, accessible, and affordable place to live. The number of people who need help is growing; we are always looking for additional resources to assist” added Lazar. In addition, SJHP is a 501c3 charitable organization and leverages all donations through long-standing partnerships that leverage materials and volunteers.

 Weatherization is an important part of the SJHP mission. Reducing energy consumption for low-income families, particularly for the elderly, people with disabilities, and children, helps stabilize their financial future.

For families on fixed incomes who cannot afford the critical repairs necessary to remain safe, housing repair programs are crucial. For over 26 years the SJHP has relied on community partnerships to make a difference.

Recently, SJHP developed new homes for six first home buyers. Each home is green certified with electric bills that are projected to average less than $100/month and have drought tolerant landscaping to reduce water consumption. All new buildings are certified green by the Florida Green Building Coalition.

“It is a beautiful home. The home is sealed tight, well-built and my utility bills are low. There were no other options. I love it here,” said Anita Farkas who had her home built by SJHP.

Marlee Tompkins a single mother of two, was finally able to buy her first home with the help of the SJHP and the HOP down payment assistance program from Florida Housing Finance Corporation. She is a weatherization Energy Auditor/Quality Control Inspector with SJHP.

“We went from never imagining owning home to building our first home and. It was a wonderful experience. It is a green home and energy efficient, so our bills our super low,” said Casey Burns.

The St. Johns Housing Partnership relies on private donations from individuals, community groups and corporations to provide their vital services to homeowners. The State Housing Initiatives Partnership program (SHIP) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) are responsible for funding both rehab and new construction efforts.

Founded in 1998, the St. Johns Housing Partnership is committed to developing and preserving quality housing while providing support for residents with low and moderate incomes, the elderly, disabled and Veterans.

SJHP leverages all donations through long-standing partnerships that provide materials and the “peoplepower” necessary to implement our vital services. SJHP is a 501c3 charitable organization. Many projects are funded by private donations from individuals, community groups and corporations.

For more information contact the St. Johns Housing Partnership at (904) 824-0902, email  [email protected] or visit www.sjhp.org.