skilled workers who will carry its mission forward. “We operate four main lines of business,” says Joe Hansbauer, President and CEO.“We build new homes for first-time buyers below 80% of area median income, run a critical home repair program, operate six ReStores, and manage our construction training program. All of it connects back to creating safe, affordable homeownership opportunities.” A GROWING MISSION Over the last several years, Habitat Cincinnati has expanded far beyond its traditional roots. Once producing about 15–17 homes annually, the organization built 23 new homes last year and expects to maintain production in the mid-20s before nearly doubling output to 40–50 homes per year through new land development initiatives. The nonprofit is also completing around 200 critical home repairs each year for existing homeowners — work that enables low-income families to stay in their homes safely and affordably. At the same time, Habitat is taking on a new challenge: acting as a land developer, designing small subdivisions and multi-income neighborhoods that integrate affordable housing with market-rate homes. “We’re growing into a wider land development operation,” Hansbauer explains. “That shift will allow us to scale our production and think about community-level impact — not just individual homes.” CINCINNATI’S HOUSING CRISIS That growth comes at a critical moment. Like many American cities, Cincinnati faces an acute housing shortage driven by decades of under-building and population growth. “Our problem isn’t skyrocketing demand so much as insufficient supply,” Hansbauer says.“We need more units of all kinds — market-rate and affordable — but the ‘starter home’ just doesn’t exist in the private market anymore.” Homes under 1,400 square feet with modest prices, once the entry point for first-time buyers, have largely disappeared. Developers, constrained by labor shortages and high material costs, focus on projects with higher margins. The result is a market where even middle-income families struggle to buy, and where renters are increasingly priced out. “It’s harder than ever for families to get into homeownership,” Hansbauer adds. “That’s where Habitat comes in — bridging the gap for those who can sustain a mortgage but can’t break into the 43 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 12, ISSUE 11 HABITAT FOR HUMANITY GREATER CINCINNATI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx