GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — A Sumner County family donated land for a Habitat for Humanity development that will house six families in one, two, and three-bedroom homes surrounding a shared green space on two-thirds of an acre.
With the average home in Sumner County now costing around $425,000, Habitat for Humanity is taking a new approach to making homeownership possible for families who earn too much to qualify for assistance but not enough to buy in the current market.
Kate Ritchie, CEO of Habitat for Humanity in Sumner County, helped develop the project.
"So currently in Sumner County, it costs about $425,000 to purchase a house here. So we wanted to address the issue for those that make too much to receive any assistance but not enough to plant roots here," Ritchie said.
The development will be walkable, with access to nearby resources.
"It is walkable, so you know, you can walk to the grocery store if you want to," Ritchie said.
Ritchie said the rising cost of construction made the donated land especially significant.
"Back before 2020 you could buy land, build a home for about $120,000 and now it's costing $100,000 just for a lot, so that kind of puts things in perspective of how quickly the cost to build has risen just within a few years," Ritchie said.
Applications opened Aug. 1, and about 20 have been submitted so far. Prospective homeowners must qualify in three areas.
"You have to qualify in three areas, which is: willingness to partner, ability to pay, and need," Ritchie said.
Families accepted into the program will go through classes together.
"And they all go through classes at the same time, so they all will absolutely know their neighbors before they move in," Ritchie said.
Construction is expected to begin soon, with homeowners moving in by December 2027. Habitat for Humanity says sponsorship and volunteering opportunities are also available.
For information on how to apply click here.
For more on how to become a sponser or volunteer click here.
Are you a Sumner County family struggling to find an affordable home? We want to hear your story. Watch the full report above to see how this Habitat for Humanity community came together — then share your experience or questions directly with our reporter at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com.
In this article, we used artificial intelligence to help us convert a video news report originally written by Kim Rafferty. When using this tool, both Kim and the NewsChannel 5 editorial team verified all the facts in the article to make sure it is fair and accurate before we published it. We care about your trust in us and where you get your news, and using this tool allows us to convert our news coverage into different formats so we can quickly reach you where you like to consume information. It also lets our journalists spend more time looking into your story ideas, listening to you and digging into the stories that matter.
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