Welcome to the Lawrence Community Housing Trust.
Tenants to Homeowners (TTH) combines "Real Estate" with "Affordable." If you can afford a monthly housing payment of $750-$850 (includes taxes, insurance and the TTH lease fee), the Lawrence Community Housing Trust Program may be for you. Also, as the first Energy Star builder in Lawrence, our Energy Star-rated homes total appx. $100/month in utilities. For more information, read about The Lawrence Community Housing Trust program. Check out our homes for sale or current projects to see what we're working on! Would you like to receive our quarterly home maintenance newsletter? E-mail Hayley at hmtravis@gmail.com with the subject line "Newsletter," to join our mailing list. At any time, call us at 842-5494. We're happy to answer questions!
Upcoming Events:
Friday, June 25, 2010 - Public Open House at 1245 New Jersey, the "Greenest Affordable Home in Kansas." Time to be announced closer to event date.
Saturday, September 11, 2010 - Free First Time Homebuyer Workshop, 9:30am-1:30pm at the United Way Center, 2518 Ridge Court. Please click here for a map and complete listing of 2010 workshops.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Why affordable housing? Accessibility & Energy Efficiency How do I use this program?
Why Affordable Housing?
We're so glad you asked. Why does Lawrence, KS need an affordable housing program? Overall, real estate values have skyrocketed and, well... Salaries have not. In fact, Lawrence has the second-highest cost of living in Kansas. Even with the market downturn, Lawrence's average 2009 home sale price was $191,583 (McGrew Real Estate). What if you can finance only $105,000? Such a home in Lawrence is older and less energy efficient, requiring more maintenance and repairs... And more money.The Lawrence Community Housing Trust lowers the purchase price for those who are otherwise qualified - who have the good credit, low debt and savings for a mortgage loan - but whose incomes aren't quite high enough for the Lawrence market. In exchange, these new homeowners agree that when they resell, they sell at a formula price that allows them to earn equity while keeping the home affordable for the next buyer. The money it takes to lower the purchase price is not given - it is invested for the community - an investment that becomes more and more valuable.
Why is homeownership worth the investment? For one thing, homeowners tend to be more involved in their community and in the upkeep of their property. Also, regardless of income, children whose parents or guardians own their homes have measurably reduced behavior problems and score higher in math and reading compared with their peers in rental housing, according to 2001 findings from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.
Accessibility & Energy Efficiency
We are now building the "Greenest Affordable Home in Kansas" on 1245 New Jersey, an extremely energy-efficient dome house designed by SIPsmart Building Systems, Inc. Thanks to The City of Lawrence Development Services Division, Douglas County Bank, Factory Direct Appliance, Ferguson Enterprises, Frigidaire, Home Depot and Mother Earth News Magazine for supporting this green project! Click on this link to YouTube to see a time-lapse video of construction on this dome house!
All new construction is at least visitable to those with mobility impairments, and universally accessible when possible. To reduce energy costs, we began building all-electric, energy efficient homes in 2005. In October 2007, we completed the first Energy Star rated home in the city of Lawrence. We built 8 Energy Star homes in 2009- equal to:
- Eliminating emissions from 3.92 vehicles
- Saving 23, 712 lbs of coal
- Planting 6.48 acres of trees
- Saving homeowners $3,576 in utility bills
All new constructions are Energy Star certified. Read about how we build.
How do I use this program?
There are two parts to buying a house with the Lawrence Community Housing Trust program. First, you need to be income eligible. Second, you need to be able to get a loan from a lender that participates with our program. Lenders will look at your credit and your ability to afford the monthly payments, just like they would look at any other prospective home buyer. Please read all about the program for the full details on buying an LCHT home.
