Fauquier Habitat for Humanity

Here at Fauquier Habitat, we believe Home is the key to a better future. Shelter is not a privilege — it’s a human need. Decent, affordable, accessible housing plays a key role in a family’s education, health, wealth and well-being. Read on to hear how life improved substantially for Aretha and her children once they were able to purchase a Habitat home.

Home is the key to well-being

Wide doors and hallways, low cabinets, railings in the bathroom, a ramp on the front porch. For Aretha, the accessibility features in her Habitat for Humanity home “make a big difference” for her and her two children, 23-year-old Devin and 22-year-old Zacaya. 

All three of the family members are disabled. Aretha has cerebral palsy and uses a walker, and Devin and Zacaya both have a rare degenerative muscular condition that requires them to use wheelchairs. Their four-bedroom home gives the family the space and independence to thrive, but it wasn’t always that way.

Before partnering with Habitat for Humanity, they were renting a small two-bedroom apartment unfit for a family with mobility challenges. Though Devin and Zacaya used walkers then, frequent elevator outages forced the family to climb several flights of stairs to reach their third-story apartment. Aretha feared the day when Devin and Zacaya would need to use wheelchairs and be unable to access the apartment.

Building a more accessible home

Aretha was searching for a larger, ground-level apartment to rent when a friend suggested she explore homeownership opportunities with Habitat. Soon after she was accepted into the program, she began building her house alongside volunteers who traveled from out-of-state to support her dream of homeownership.

Aretha says she was overcome with emotion and pride when she and her kids first opened the door to their very own home. “It was the best feeling in the world. I was able to show my children that they can do anything. Just because you’re disabled doesn’t mean you can’t get it done.”

A recent Habitat home on its foundation. All Fauquier Habitat homes prioritize accessibility.

Thriving in a comfortable and spacious home

The family’s Habitat home was designed with accessibility as a priority. The kitchen is spacious and has low, easy-to-reach cabinets. The bathroom is wide and equipped with hand railings near the toilet and shower. Each family member has their own bedroom. A smooth ramp leads up to their front door. The home also has no carpet, allowing Aretha, Devin and Zacaya to freely maneuver their wheelchairs and walkers from room to room.

The home’s adaptability and space offer the family more independence. Aretha says from the day they moved in, Devin and Zacaya have loved having their rooms. It’s their own space for Zacaya to paint and Devin to play video games — hobbies they’re passionate about that also improve their motor functions.

Accessibility and affordability with Habitat

If she hadn’t partnered with Habitat, Aretha says they likely would have moved in with family members and potentially sacrificed accessibility for affordability. Instead, Aretha pays an affordable mortgage for a comfortable, accessible home in a neighborhood she adores.

“Here, they  be independent,” Aretha says. “They can be more mobile. They can go outside. They can use the restroom on their own. This home is the key to independence and freedom for my children and me."

A recent Habitat home is installed on its foundation.

Why Support Home is the Key? Simply put, home is the key to a better future. Shelter is not a privilege — it’s a human need. Decent, affordable housing plays a key role in a family’s education, health, wealth and well-being. However, not every household has the same opportunities to succeed. Homeownership is a key driver of American household wealth. But structural inequality in the U.S. housing market has widened homeownership disparities compared to when the Fair Housing Act was passed in 1968.

In Fauquier County, where the average price of a three-bedroom home is almost $600,000, homeownership is unattainable for many, including our teachers, firefighters and police officers. The delays and cuts occurring within the federal budget further affect rural communities like Fauquier and Rappahannock Counties, which rely on USDA and other federal agencies for down payment assistance and low-interest financing. 

A big "thank you" to everyone who has contributed to the campaign so far; we really appreciate it! There's still more to be done -- support Fauquier Habitat today to make it possible for local families to access affordable homeownership!