As a resident of Beacon Ridge, Lashunda Snowden saw firsthand the work that DHIC does to help make affordable housing a dream come true for local residents. In her two years living in the community, she became passionate about helping to improve the neighborhood, and she eventually joined the resident leadership team as part of the Neighborhood Ambassador program.
While in that role, she volunteered at events, helped facilitate a community art project, and solicited feedback from her neighbors about what types of themes should be included in the community mural. It was during this time that she started thinking about trying to buy a home for herself.
Though the idea of homeownership had once seemed out of reach for Lashunda Snowden, she was always motivated to rise above and make it happen. Having filed for bankruptcy following a divorce, she wasn’t sure if she could qualify for a mortgage, but she was determined to do everything in her power to purchase a home for herself and her two young sons. And she felt like the timing was right. Living at Beacon Ridge had helped put her in a better financial situation and she had received a stipend for being a Neighborhood Ambassador.
She says, “It would have been easy for me just to assume that the bankruptcy would prevent me from buying a home, but I figured I had nothing to lose by trying.” After being denied by a few lenders, Lashunda regrouped and explored other options, including Habitat for Humanity, an organization that held a special place in her heart.
“When I was a teenager, my mom bought a Habitat house. I remember all of my siblings and I helped build it and my mom, who still lives in the house today, paid it off after 22 years. It was an amazing resource for her and it encouraged me to look into buying a Habitat house for myself,” she explains.
It was then that Lashunda learned that she could absolutely qualify to buy a home since it had been more than three years since filing for bankruptcy. From there, she quickly got to work on completing her 200 sweat equity hours as required by Habitat for Humanity. Part of that requirement was taking the DHIC Homeownership Center’s “Bringing Home the Dream” Workshop.
Of course, Lashunda was already familiar with DHIC, but the workshop was even more informative than she expected. “The course had so much information about different lenders, how to get approved for loans, and helpful tips for navigating the buying process. After getting my certificate, I was excited to tell my friends about it because I know it can help them buy homes too,” she says.
One of the things that motivated Lashunda while she was working towards purchasing her house is that she knew moving out of Beacon Ridge would open up an apartment for someone else. “Of course, I was excited about having my own house, but I was also happy to be moving out because I wanted to give another family the opportunity to realize their dreams. Moving into Beacon Ridge was a stepping stone on my path to homeownership. I hope people can see themselves in me and realize that living in a DHIC community can be part of their path to homeownership as well,” she says.
Though it wasn’t always easy, Lashunda’s hard work paid off and she closed on her new townhome in Raleigh on July 29, 2022, just over a year from when she initially applied through Habitat for Humanity. “There were days when it all seemed overwhelming. But I kept reminding myself that I can do anything I put my mind to and I looked for ways to find joy in every moment, good and bad. I knew that if I didn’t give up, I’d come out stronger because of it and I did! If I can do this, I know anyone can; but you have to seek out the resources like Habitat and DHIC that can help you make it happen,” Lashunda explains.
Now, having lived in her home for a few months, Lashunda feels a sense of pride and accomplishment every time she walks in the front door. But, more than that, she feels at home. She goes on to say, “When you walk in the door, you can feel the sense of love and laughter here. I added some of our family values to the stairs and that’s one of the first things that you see when you walk inside. It’s a constant reminder of how much God has blessed me and helped me get to where I am today, and it just makes me feel so thankful.”
