With Time Comes Resilience: Cassandra’s Homeownership Story

Cassandra has faced a series of housing challenges over the years, from difficult roommate situations to rising rent costs. At one point she alternated between living in her car and staying with a friend.  

As a single mom who works in early childhood education, Cassandra dreamed of a stable home for her children, aged 17 and 9 months. But finding affordable housing had become increasingly difficult, with many apartments requiring three times her monthly income in savings to even apply. 

In 2024, Cassandra was encouraged by a coworker to apply to Tacoma Habitat’s homeownership program. About a year in, she welcomed her second child. Balancing the demands of a newborn alongside paperwork, program requirements, and daily responsibilities quickly became overwhelming. At one point, the process felt too heavy, and Cassandra stepped away feeling discouraged and disconnected from the dream she had been working towards. 

Still, Cassandra’s determination never fully disappeared. After a few months, she found the motivation to continue with the Habitat homeownership program and completed the remaining steps, including sweat equity hours, financial counseling, and the final paperwork needed to move closer to homeownership. 

In May, Cassandra closed on her brand-new Habitat home, officially becoming a first-time homeowner. To celebrate this incredible milestone, Tacoma Habitat hosted a home dedication attended by friends, family, volunteers, and donors who gathered to support Casandra and her family. Her new home was filled with people celebrating her perseverance and the hard work it took to achieve this moment.  

With her nine-month-old crawling, Cassandra hopes to spend lots of time in the yard with the baby. “I am very excited about the yard,” she says.  

She is glad that many of her neighbors are also Habitat homeowners, which gives her a sense of community. 

“I’m excited to have a place I can call home, where it is stable, and all the work I put into it will be mine,” says Cassandra. “There is pride and happiness in putting work into something you can call your own.”