GUEST EDITORIAL
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Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County is not just about building houses; our organization is deeply committed to enhancing the wellbeing and vitality of our community.
In the heart of Central Florida, Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County is not just about building houses; our organization is deeply committed to enhancing the wellbeing and vitality of our community. With a focus on creating or maintaining safe, affordable housing options, we are dedicated to improving the health of residents while also contributing to economic growth. In Osceola County, we recognize the unique challenges our community members are facing, and we strive to find solutions.
We do this through a multifaceted approach, which includes counseling, preservation, education and working for policy change.
Counseling—we are proud to have received certification from the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as a local Housing Counseling Agency.
This milestone marks a significant achievement in Habitat Orlando & Osceola’s mission to support people in Osceola on their path to safe, affordable housing. We utilize our certification to extend our impact through one-onone housing counseling and guidance to those interested in purchasing a home or maintaining their current home.
Achieving HUD certification has enabled us to expand our support for the Osceola community. Our free first-time homebuyer workshop and housing counseling guides families through every aspect of their homeownership experience, covering financing, home maintenance and ownership. A certified housing advisor is available at our Osceola office, providing both in-person and virtual sessions. This resource is accessible to anyone interested in home ownership, including those pursuing a conventional mortgage beyond the scope of the Habitat Homeownership program.
Preservation—Keeping people in their affordable homes is also a top priority for Habitat Orlando & Osceola. We do that through a partnership with the City of Kissimmee to do critical home repairs for homeowners in the city. Call 407-518-2156 for more information or to apply.
In addition, Habitat Inspects is our new program that provides tools to uncover home maintenance issues and critical home preservation obstacles. Qualified applicants can receive a free voucher for a wind mitigation inspection ($150 value) that can help you make your home safer and could help you save money on your home insurance. The inspection examines your homes resistance to wind and hurricane damage and identifies potential issues.
Through Habitat Inspects, we also offer a disaster preparation and home insurance class that covers disaster preparedness tips, how to file a claim with a home insurance agent, ensure your home is hurricane ready with tips from a licensed home inspector, and more.
Education—assisting our community members in becoming the best homeowners they can is integral to our mission. It’s why we created Habitat U, 10 classes that provide the knowledge and skills necessary to becoming a successful homeowner or maintaining your home. The topics range from estate planning and disaster preparedness to home insurance and predatory lending. Habitat U can also be helpful for young adults beginning their journey into independent living as we offer financial literacy classes framed around budgeting, credit and savings.
With over half of Osceola being a part of the Hispanic community, we have recognized the need for Habitat U classes to be taught in Spanish. Each quarter, there will be classes exclusively in Spanish so we can empower more individuals and families to achieve long-term stability We are looking for more Spanish-speaking facilitators so we can further expand our class offerings in Spanish.
Additionally, we offer a First Time Homeowner Workshop in Osceola and virtually, allowing us to go in-depth with prospective homeowners about various topics from financial readiness and working with realtors to down-payment assistance and home titles. I am proud of the initiatives we have set in motion in Osceola County, but I know there is more to be done in curating solutions to the wicked problem of affordable housing. To learn more about the services we offer, visit HabitatOrlando.org.
Catherine Steck McManus is president and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater Orlando & Osceola County.
