Atlanta Housing Authority and a United Way IDA program helped Yolanda become a homeowner.
Armed with what she has deemed her "house bible"—a do-it-yourself manual from The Home Depot, Yolanda Johnson is finding liberty in painting her son's room. The notion of "do it yourself" had a starkly different meaning when she became homeless a few years ago.
After her son Anthony was born, Yolanda had no money to continue paying rent for her apartment. For the next six months, she and her newborn bounced between her boyfriend's and her close friend's place. Knowing that this was not how she wanted to raise her child, Yolanda applied for Section 8 housing through the Atlanta Housing Authority.
The Housing Authority placed Yolanda and her son in a home in Magnolia Park, a mixed-income community in a rehabilitated area. Though a roof was now over their heads, Yolanda was determined to buy a home of her own.
"Once you're in a rut and you're down, you're at your lowest point. I knew I had to make things right for my son Anthony. He was my motivation," Yolanda recalls.
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Yolanda entered the homeownership voucher program and took real estate classes with the Atlanta Housing Authority. She received additional support from the United Way IDA (Individual Development Account) homeownership program, a matched savings account program designed to provide financial education, promote citizen involvement and foster asset accumulation for low-to-moderate-income families seeking to purchase their first home.
After five years of saving and fixing her credit, Yolanda applied for a home loan. She was approved by two different lenders. In October of last year, Yolanda purchased her very own townhouse.
"I appreciate the support of the Housing Authority and United Way. Without their continuous encouragement, I wouldn't have gotten through this process," Yolanda explains. "It's a blessing to be where I am today."
Today, Yolanda plans to decorate and paint a room for Anthony, her bright and active six-year-old. With the right guidance, she can enjoy doing it herself.
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