FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 3, 2024
Media Contact:
Suzanne Jalot
910.399.7563 x115
Is homeownership still the American dream?
WILMINGTON, NC – June is National Homeownership Month celebrating the value that owning a home brings to families, communities, and neighborhoods. But that American dream feels out of reach for more and more families. A recent national report put New Hanover County in the top 5 toughest markets for homebuyers in the nation.
“With low housing supply, increased housing costs, and high mortgage rates, now more than ever it’s critical to preserve the affordable housing that already exists and that’s exactly what we do,” said Andy Jones, CEO of WARM NC.
WARM NC provides free home repairs to those who can’t afford it. Housing is an important social determinant of health. If families are forced to spend too much on housing, they cannot pay for other necessities like food, medicine, and transportation.
“When homeowners are forced to choose between paying for groceries or paying for home repairs, it’s easy to understand how home repairs can fall by the wayside,” explained Jones.
Whether the damage is from a storm or hurricane, or simply because a homeowner could not afford regular maintenance, WARM volunteers perform urgent health and safety-related repairs and accessibility upgrades so families can be safe at home.
Preserving a home that is affordable to a low- or moderate-income household is generally less expensive and more cost-effective than new construction. It also prevents that home from being lost to the market and displacing a family that otherwise would be forced to relocate.
Stable, safe, and affordable housing is critical to our community and WARM NC believes everyone deserves to be safe at home.
About WARM NC
WARM NC’s mission is to repair, rebuild, and make homes accessible; and to inspire service, generosity, and hope. Urgent repairs address threats to safety, health, and accessibility. By rebuilding homes in disrepair or damaged by severe weather, WARM is preserving affordable housing for the community and supporting our homeowners’ goals to remain self-sufficient and live with dignity and independence. Repairs are provided at no cost to homeowners who qualify.
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