It Starts with a Yellow Door

It Starts with a Yellow Door

Janice’s home isn’t built yet, but one thing is for certain: it would have a bright yellow door that makes a statement before you even step inside.

“I want a yellow door,” Janice said. “It makes a statement when you come inside.”

Alongside Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, Janice is building a brand-new home where she will be free to paint and decorate however she wants, starting with the color of the door. 

Before partnering with Milwaukee Habitat, Janice looked for homes on the open market. Like so many others, she found that rising home prices had put traditional homeownership out of reach. Since 1990, home prices in the US have increased six times faster than wages, making it significantly harder for first-time buyers to purchase a home (Source / Source).

That’s when she discovered Milwaukee Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program through a Facebook post. She applied and is now on the path to owning her first home.

After growing up in a home that her parents owned, Janice wanted the same for herself and her family.

“That [influenced me],” Janice said. “It’s something that was of value, that you can leave to your kids.”

Janice, who has four adult children and eight grandchildren, is already dreaming about future family gatherings such as summer sleepovers.

“I host sleepovers [for my grandchildren],” Janice said. “The ones from Atlanta are coming up for the summer and the other ones will want to come over too.”

Not only does Janice want to own a home to provide a safe and comfortable space for family, but she also wants something she can call her own.

“I want something that’s my own and that I can do what I want to do,” Janice said. “I can fix it up. It’s something I get to cherish and look at.”

That vision includes an entertainment area in the basement and a dedicated space for her growing shoe collection. More than anything, she is looking forward to the peace and privacy of owning her own space.

“Where I’m renting, if my neighbors are smoking in the kitchen, I open my cabinet and smell their smoke,” Janice said. “That will be a big difference compared to the Habitat home.”

As she envisions closing day, Janice shares: 

“It’ll be exciting to me. I’ll probably be smiling ear to ear. I did it. It really happened for me. It’s going to be something I’m proud of and I’m invested in.”

For Janice, this home means peace, space for her family, and the simple joy of making it her own, starting with the front door.