HOME OWNERSHIP
Owning a home has been the primary means for American families to build equity and multi-generational wealth.
Prosperity begins with getting a piece of the pie and passing it on you the next generation. Yet most low-income households in Chaffee County are priced out of the housing market and forced to rent. Instead of paying somebody else's mortgage, families want to gain financial equity through ownership. The Chaffee Housing Trust's shared-equity homeownership program gives families access to an additional rung on the ladder to the American dream. The CHT also makes a “Commitment to Community” by stewarding these permanently affordable homes as a community asset retained in perpetuity for future generations.
Once a home is in the CHT inventory, it is permanently dedicated to housing low-income families with a monthly mortgage payment that is typically less than rents. Each family that owns the home builds some equity while enjoying the stability and security of having their own place. Local businesses benefit from having reliable employees who can also participate in the social fabric. The community benefits from having a tier of homes that will always be affordable to working families. Thanks to the Community Land Trust model, the CHT provides a win-win for all.