Habitat for Humanity brings new neighbor to Clay Street
Jessica Parker graduated from Annapolis High School 10 years ago. She worked hard and landed a job as a budget specialist at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health.
She, like many in her generation, was a boomerang child — off to college, then back home. She wanted to buy a home rather than rent but did not know where a hefty down payment would come from.
Then, a year ago, she found Habitat for Humanity of the Chesapeake.
And Saturday, with 4-year-old daughter Eden in tow, Jessica Parker was handed a ceremonial key to her new home, a recently renovated home on Clay Street in Annapolis. She’ll actually move in after settling on the house and other details by February.
Her new home is the 24th home Habitat for Humanity has done in the Clay Street neighborhood — 12 renovation and 12 new construction. Those are among the 127 homes the organization has found owners for in Anne Arundel County.
There are more county projects in the pipeline. Habitat is building eight homes in Curtis Bay and hopes to build another 10 on acreage it recently acquired in Severn.
Potential habitat owners are screened based on income, employment history, credit, the need for housing and a willingness to pitch in. Each candidate must put 250 hours of sweat equity in their home project or other Habitat homes.
Habitat families get a 0% interest loan in order to make sure the home costs no more than 30% of their income.
Most families choose from among several potential homes to become their own. They pick one, and a couple of backups. But not Jessica Parker.
She explained it to the dozens gathered to welcome her to her home.
“I had been trying to become a homeowner ever since my daughter Eden was born four years ago. I had tried first-time homebuyer programs in Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties. I was looking
on Zillow and elsewhere but did not know where I was going to get $25,000 down.”
Then her mother saw Habitat for Humanity was having an open house for potential homeowners, and they decided to go.
“We were looking at the houses they had posted, and I thought I recognized one of them. ‘Look that’s the pink house on Clay Street’, I told my mom,” Parker said. “That is my house.”
Parker explained she was told there was a place on the lengthy application to note a particular house.
“I could not find a place on the application to do that, so I wrote 123 Clay Street on every page, just so they would know,” Parker told the crowd packed into her new living and dining rooms during ceremonies Saturday.
And that started the process. Habitat staff presented Parker and her daughter with a Bible and a ceremonial key to the house, plus a wreath for the front door during the Saturday event.
Mayor Gavin Buckley congratulated her and thanked her for her hard work to get to this point, noting her taking ownership helps solidify the revitalization of the Clay Street corridor.
“From a community standpoint, it is crucial for neighborhoods to have properties occupied by homeowners,” Buckley said. “A few generations back, homeownership was achievable for hard-working families, but it is challenging today in this housing market.”
“Your efforts lift up our city and make it stronger. Not to mention your tax dollars,” he said, which go to provide the services all enjoy.
State Sen. Sarah Elfreth welcomed Parker to her new home and related she was raised by a single mom, who, if not for affordable child care and housing, would not have been able to remain in the workforce to raise two daughters.
Parker thanked God, then her mother, and the Habitat staff who had worked with her and guided her, and then all the volunteers.
Much of the volunteer force who worked to renovate the Clay Street home came from the Anne Arundel Faith Coalition and list of local parishes and congregations: St. Anne’s Parish, St. Mary’s Parish, St. Paul Lutheran, Wood Memorial Presbyterian, Harundale Presbyterian, Ark and Dove Presbyterian, Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis and First Presbyterian Church of Annapolis.
But then little Eden stole the show. Once she got her 4-year-old hands on the microphone, she took charge explaining to the crowd how her Elf on the Shelf had taken a tumble earlier in the day, thanking people attending, and more.
When the keyboardist in the corner was about to lead all in song to close the ceremony, Eden learned the song was one she had learned in church.
Before the accompanist could play the opening chords, Eden, mic in hand, lit into “This Little Light of Mine” to the delight of those gathered who hurried to catch and keep up.
And she did let it shine.
And the joy of the holiday season filled the room.