Brunswick County Habitat for Humanity work to increase Black homeownership

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) – Nationally, homeownership continues to grow but home buying hasn’t increased for all Americans.

In Brunswick County, Habitat for Humanity is working to increase Black homeownership.

Brunswick County Habitat for Humanity has joined a national initiative to increase homeownership among the U.S. Black population.

Kate Gentle with BCHH helped start the local initiative.

“We decided to make the initiative ourselves in Brunswick County to bring awareness to the gap,” she said.

The gap between Black and white homeownership is currently at its widest in 40 years, according to Gentle.

“Black homeownership has barely changed, I think it’s changed like 1%, and that’s fifty years ago,” she said.

Dinah Butler owned a home nearly 10 years ago, but mold took over and rendered the house unsalvageable, now, she’s about to be a homeowner once again.

Butler, qualified for a habitat home, something she never thought could happen, and will close on a three-bedroom home in a few weeks

“It was nobody but God that worked it out for me, to get this home,” she said. “So I really appreciate it, It’s not given to you, you got to work for it.”

She will close on a three-bedroom home in a few weeks

Butler will have a mortgage but she’ll also pay off the home partially in sweat equity, working off 300 required hours at the Restore owned by Habitat for Humanity.

Butler said, having to earn her home brings her pride and joy.
“Anything you get to have to work for it,” said Butler.

According to habitat for humanity, Black applicants are more likely to be turned down for mortgage loans than White and Asian applicants, spend a bigger portion of income on rent, and hold student debt, as well as higher balances.

According to gentle, they joined the initiative of the dominant demographic who applied for the program.

“We have 50 to 75 percent of our homeowners or applicants are Black,” she said.

The non-profit is waiting on additional grants they’ve applied for which will be used towards resources to educate the community on affordable housing inequalities in the community.

According to Habitat for Humanity, the latest population projections suggest that by 2030, 41 percent of North Carolinians will be a person of color.

To Learn More About Habitat for Humanity And How To Get Involved click here.