Keeping homes “simple and decent” key to affordability
Editor’s note: “How we build a better world” is a regular series of articles taking a closer look at the methods and principles of enlightened charity that make our affordable housing ministry work so effectively.
While The Fuller Center for Housing does not provide free housing or give away homes, our houses are much more affordable for partner families to own and repay. In fact, the zero-percent-interest mortgage payments Fuller Center homeowners pay in the United States are often far less than what they would pay for a one-bedroom apartment in the same city — even when property taxes and insurance are included.
There are several reasons for this. First, Fuller Center covenant partners do not charge interest on mortgage repayments, allowing those payments to go into a fund that helps other families receive the same hand-up. Also, volunteers and donated or discounted materials help rein in construction costs — especially at a time when building costs in the United States have soared.
One of the biggest reasons we are able to maintain affordability, however, is that Fuller Center homes are not extravagant. We believe everyone deserves a simple, decent place to live on terms they can afford to repay. Those seeking large dream homes with luxury features such as high-end flooring and specialty windows are not our clients.
Instead, we most often partner with working-class families who have steady jobs but cannot qualify for or afford traditional interest-bearing mortgages. We also work with veterans, seniors, and disabled homeowners who have sufficient steady income to make repayments that keep the program sustainable in their communities.
For hard-working families who feel like the American dream is slipping farther out of reach, Fuller Center homes become dream homes. They may be simple, but they are also safe, energy-efficient, attractive, and stable — the kind of homes that give children a strong foundation to grow and thrive.
And simple, decent homes can still be beautiful.
Our partners in Pignon, Haiti, build some of the most beautiful homes anywhere in the Fuller Center world. For families moving from flimsy and unsafe shacks, these homes can feel like mansions — and their gratitude reflects that reality.
In Madagascar, one of the poorest nations on Earth, our partners keep building costs around $3,500 per home, making ownership possible even in a country where about 75 percent of the population lives on less than $2 per day. Yet these are still beautiful, safe homes filled with thankful families.
In places like El Salvador, The Fuller Center has helped build entire communities of simple, decent homes — some with more than 100 houses. These neighborhoods include clean water, sewer systems, and safe electricity. And because the homes are modest and affordable across the community, families often develop a stronger sense of connection and shared pride.
When you support The Fuller Center, you are not lifting families from poverty into expansive luxury homes. You are, however, giving them a hand-up into homes they are proud to own — homes that provide a stable foundation for future generations to thrive.
And for that, we are deeply grateful.
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