Local Mom Leads By Example

We’re back with another edition of Good News Tues to spread a little joy from our Habitat family to yours. We’re all in this together. Here’s hoping this brings a little light to your day. 

Local Mom Leads By Example

“My mom always told me you can do anything a man can do,” says future homeowner Sherona. “I put that in my head and know I can.”

As a single mother of three, Sherona lives by that strength and wisdom her mother passed down. She currently is working two jobs to provide a good life for her children. She noted that it isn’t always easy being a single parent, but setting an example for her kids is what’s it’s all about. By working hard to accomplish her dreams, she’s teaching her children how to be self-sustainable. Sherona is now working hard to do something she didn’t know would ever be possible: become a homeowner. 

For the past ten years Sherona and her family have been renting the same east side apartment. This year, her landlord told her that because of the pandemic, her rent would be going up from $865 to $1000 per month. 

“I want to save more money for the future,” she said. “But I can’t save what I want to because rent is so high.”

Sherona is not alone. A study of US renters found that families who spend more than 30% of their income on housing have on average less than $10 in savings. When you consider that one in three Milwaukee families are currently spending half or more of their income on housing, it’s not difficult to see why so many in our community see significant barriers to homeownership.

Habitat exists to provide a hand up, not a hand out, for hard working families like Sherona’s. When met with barriers to homeownership like large down payments or the inability to access affordable loans, Habitat opens the door. The average mortgage for a brand new Habitat home is $600-$800 per month. So, for significantly less than what she’s paying to rent, Sherona will be able to buy a brand new home. On top of that, she’ll be able to save and invest in her family’s future. 

She’s always wanted a single family home that she could put her personal touch on. When she moves in, Sherona can’t wait to landscape the yard with beautiful flowers. She’s also looking forward to decorating the walls of her future home. Right now, the landlord won’t let her put so much as a nail hole in the wall to hang pictures. While she respects her landlord’s wishes, she did put one picture up on the wall. A picture that reminds her of the strength and wisdom to work hard and pursue her dreams. A picture that keeps her motivated as a single parent. A picture of her mother.