Habitat Choptank is one of 14 affordable housing initiatives in seven states that was awarded funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta (FHLBank Atlanta) in 2022, and it’s the only project funded in Maryland. The grant is through FHLBank Atlanta’s Affordable Housing Program and will support Habitat Choptank’s ambitious project on Wells Street in Cambridge by supporting a portion of the costs associated with constructing eight single-family affordable homes for ownership. BayVanguard Bank, a local bank and member of FHLBank Atlanta partnered with Habitat Choptank, making it possible for the grant application to move forward and is also providing a construction bridge loan to Habitat Choptank to assist in financing the construction costs.  Grant funding provided by FHLBank Atlanta will be paid out over the next two years as these new affordable homes are sold.

Seven of the eight homes will be constructed with two stories and will include 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a first-floor bedroom and other features that would enable homeowners to successfully remain in their homes as they age.  Habitat Choptank homes are targeted toward income qualifying buyers earning between 35 and 65% of the Area Median Income in Dorchester or Talbot Counties and are built to be energy efficient and to last.  Features of these homes include:  concrete and brick front porch and steps; GAF architectural shingles (50-year transferrable warranty); prefinished Hardie plank siding (extended color & material warranties); laminate hardwood flooring typically (20-year warranty); ceramic tile floors in the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room (30-year lifespan); fiberglass doors and vinyl windows; energy star heat pump water heater reduces utility bills; improved insulation and air sealing reduces utility bills and improves comfort; and, conditioned crawlspace controls temperature & humidity for improved energy efficiency.

The 2019 Housing and Market Analysis prepared as part of the Cambridge Neighborhood Revitalization plan looked at the economic challenges driven by the lack of safe, affordable housing stock. This plan revealed that “Nearly one out of every four Cambridge households (24%) was severely housing cost burdened in 2017, paying more than 50% of their income on housing costs. More broadly, approximately 46% of all Cambridge households are considered cost burdened paying in excess of 30% of their income on housing expenses. Preservation of an affordable rental housing stock, and homeownership opportunities for the entire income spectrum will be important as upward pressure on prices is likely to continue in Cambridge.”

Habitat for Humanity Choptank plays a vital role in a community such as Cambridge, empowering low-income households to improve their housing conditions so that their dreams for the future, a future for themselves and their families, can become a reality. The organization’s core values help to make that happen:  sweat equity, financial education, and counseling are keys to their success along with partnering with local and state government, community foundations, nonprofit organizations, and individual members from the community who lend their time, talent, and support to work alongside local families as they strive to achieve homeownership or undertake emergency and necessary repairs on their homes.

The Habitat model has been working for 30 years with the organization having a foreclosure rating of less than 2% after building 102 homes.  All this work drives important social and economic outcomes as stable housing has a tremendous impact on family and community health, improved education outcomes for children and increased financial stability and opportunity. In addition to these benefits, building and repairing homes also stimulates other sectors of the economy – driving additional spending and creating more local jobs.

If you are interested in owning your own home on Wells Street in Cambridge, visit habitatchoptank.org to learn more about Habitat Choptank’s homeownership program and to complete the inquiry form.

Wells Street in Cambridge will soon be a thriving neighborhood of safe, affordable, and energy-efficient homes.

About Habitat Choptank

Since 1992, Habitat Choptank has made homeownership possible for 102 families and has completed critical health and safety repairs in partnership with over 300 qualifying homeowners in Dorchester and Talbot Counties. By building and rehabbing homes, Habitat Choptank helps families achieve better health, financial freedom, independence, stability, and security. Visit habitatchoptank.org to volunteer or apply for homeownership or home repair.

About Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta

FHLBank Atlanta offers competitively-priced financing, community development grants, and other banking services to help member financial institutions make affordable home mortgages and provide economic development credit to neighborhoods and communities. The Bank is a cooperative whose members are commercial banks, credit unions, savings institutions, community development financial institutions, and insurance companies located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. FHLBank Atlanta is one of 11 district banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System. Since 1990, the FHLBanks have awarded approximately $7.3 billion in Affordable Housing Program funds, assisting more than one million households. For more information, visit fhlbatl.com.

About BayVanguard Bank

BayVanguard Bank is a Maryland headquartered, full-service, community bank founded in 1873.  BayVanguard provides the full range of banking products and services with a flexible and responsive delivery.  For more information, visit www.BayVanguard.com.

Habitat for Humanity Choptank is looking for two energetic and service-oriented individuals to fill their AmeriCorps positions. If you’re interested in personal and professional growth, learning new skills, and community service opportunities, Habitat Choptank and AmeriCorps might be for you.

The Habitat Choptank AmeriCorps positions are full-time, involving 40 hours per week for 10 ½ months. These roles offer a great opportunity to make a lasting impact in the lives of others while investing in your future and building knowledge, skills, and connections. These positions will focus on the home repair, homeowner services, home purchases, and homebuyer aspects of Habitat Choptank.

These positions will build and maintain the pipeline of homeowner and homebuyer families by leading efforts to recruit and educate qualified families for both homeownership and home repair opportunities. These roles involve recruiting homeowner and homebuyer family applicants and serving as their point of contact as they go through the application process. Together with a family selection committee, you will help select homeowner and homebuyer families for a variety of housing projects, including new home construction, repair or rehab of existing homes, and weatherization projects.

Mimi Sanford began her year of service with Habitat Choptank and AmeriCorps after graduating from Brown University in spring 2020. She spends her time with Neighborhood Revitalization Outreach and the Repair Program, working both in the affiliate office and on the repair crew’s job sites. “I am able to participate in many different projects and do a wide variety of work,” says Sanford. “I have learned how to fix a kitchen sink, how to build a new community resource from the ground up, and how to keep children engaged during community events so we can talk to their parents about what Habitat has to offer. While some of these experiences were unexpected—like crawling under a house, for example, or letting little girls braid my hair while their parents learned about sustainable homeownership practices—I have enjoyed every minute of my time at Habitat Choptank.”

Sanford plans to continue her education after her year of service. She is in the process of applying to the University of Maryland’s Master of Community Planning program. While 40% of Habitat for Humanity/AmeriCorps volunteers go on to work with a Habitat affiliate in some capacity after their year of service, others attend graduate school, join the workforce, or seek other service opportunities.

In addition to learning new skills and gaining valuable experience, the AmeriCorps program offers several benefits, including a living allowance of $16,300 for approximately 10 ½ months of service, the Segal Education Award of $6,345 upon successful completion of service, health care benefits and enrollment in the Employee Assistance Plan, personal and medical leave, possible forbearance or deferment of qualified student loans, childcare benefits if applicable, and worker’s compensation insurance.

Applicants must be a US citizen or a national or lawful permanent resident, be 18 or older, and have a high school diploma or GED. For more information, call 410-476-3204, email [email protected], or visit www.HabitatChoptank.org. To apply, send your resume and cover letter to [email protected].

About Habitat Choptank

Since 1992, Habitat Choptank has made home ownership possible for 94 families and has completed critical health and safety repairs in partnership with over 263 qualifying homeowners. At present, seven homes are under construction in Dorchester and Talbot Counties. Income qualifying homebuyers are offered access to affordable mortgage financing in order to purchase a new construction or rehabbed home from the nonprofit’s project inventory.  After completing “sweat equity” hours, attending pre-homeownership classes, and meeting debt reduction and savings goals, these individuals and families will purchase homes that they helped construct and assume the full responsibilities of homeownership including maintaining their home, paying property taxes and repaying their mortgage over 30 to 33 years. Habitat accepts applications for its homeownership and repair programs throughout the year.