On March 1st, Habitat for Humanity in the Roanoke Valley officially turned over the keys of two homes to Family Promise of Greater Roanoke, in a first-of-a-kind joint effort between Habitat-Roanoke and another affordable housing non-profit.
In July 2022, the City of Roanoke awarded competitive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant funds to Habitat-Roanoke to construct two single family detached houses for Family Promise to use as short-term rental housing for clients and their families transitioning out of homelessness. The housing is a long-term investment by the City of Roanoke to increase the health and economic resilience of its citizens by providing opportunities for housing stability sought by its most vulnerable residents.
Started as a nonprofit in 1997 (under the name Roanoke Valley Interfaith Hospitality Network), the mission of Family Promise is to empower homeless families with children to achieve sustainable independence through a community-based response. Habitat’s ARPA grant is an example of that community response. The idea of a tri-partnership between Habitat, Family Promise and the City of Roanoke was the brainchild of Karen Mason, Habitat’s Executive Director. Why? Because Habitat’s mission is to show God’s love by bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope.
Considered one of the city’s premier affordable housing developers, who better to help a like nonprofit minister to families in need, than Habitat-Roanoke? Each of the houses will have a 20-year period of affordability and will thus be rented to qualifying low-income or extremely low-income Roanoke residents vetted and managed by Family Promise.
The respective Boards and leadership of Family Promise and Habitat are pleased to have participated in this tri-partner venture. Habitat looks forward to replicating like models of this kind in the future, including a second similar project with Blue Ridge Independent Learning Center, which will receive two homes from Habitat-Roanoke at the end of March.