A recent report written by The Metropolitan Center states that the availability of decent affordable workforce housing is at a point of crisis in the Florida Keys, and that the Upper Keys have less of it than any other part of the county.

And that is where Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys comes in. After a long and detailed qualification process, which helps keep Habitat’s foreclosure rate well below the national average, Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys is happy to announce that they will be partnering with local families to receive one of the Holzman Homes, a five-plex. The families, Jill Baker and son Jackson, Marian Guastavino and daughter Resa and son JR, Christopher Snider, and Robert and Tracy Oliver and son Jared, have lived in the keys for many years and have deep roots here. All are locally employed.

“These are perfect examples of the types of families that we are here to help. All the families are working hard and doing everything you are supposed to do, but they would never be able to move out of the substandard or public housing that they were stuck in and buy a home in the Keys.”

Habitat is able to sale their partner families homes for around $150,000. By partnering with Habitat for Humanity of the Upper Keys, the new home owners will be required to put down a small down payment and perform 500 hours of work on their own homes. They will receive a 0%, no profit, mortgage from Habitat for Humanity for the actual cost of the home. All Habitat homes are deed restricted to remain ‘Affordable’ even if the original owners eventually sale it.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering to work on any of the upcoming building projects who has never signed up to volunteer before can do so by either calling Habitat at 305-453-0050 or by using our website.