Fauquier Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit that works to make safe, affordable homeownership a reality for individuals and families in Rappahannock and Fauquier Counties. As the only developer in the region that builds affordable homeownership opportunities, Fauquier Habitat provides first-time homebuyers earning between 30 and 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) access to a homeownership market they would have otherwise been locked out of.
As part of the broader Habitat for Humanity network, Fauquier Habitat brings together future homeowners, volunteers, and community partners to build new homes and improve existing ones. Families who partner with the organization help build their own homes alongside neighbors and volunteers, while also gaining the tools and education they may need to support long-term stability.
We recently caught up with Fauquier Habitat staff to ask them a few questions about their work.
Q: What are some of the current projects or initiatives you’ve been working on?
“We are currently working on completing 13 homes in Warrenton’s historic Haiti Street community. These are a mix of 1-bedroom to 4-bedroom homes, all along a corridor two blocks away from Warrenton’s Main Street. All of the homes will be built to Universal Design standards, meaning they will have enhanced accessibility features that match different family makeups and mobility/physical ability levels. These homes are also all ENERGY STAR-rated, which helps [keep] homebuyers’ bills lower and keeps their systems – HVAC, washer/dryer – functioning longer. We believe in using high-quality materials and have also experimented with different construction types; some of these homes are modular builds, and some will use panelization. As our homebuyers gear up to close on these homes, we are excited to welcome them officially to the neighborhood!”
“Additionally, it is our 35th year of service, and we are celebrating all year long with fun volunteer opportunities like our ‘Planting and Building for the Future’ Day in early May, where we will team up with Master Gardeners from the Fauquier 4H Extension and with construction volunteers to plant flowers and veggies and to build a deck for one of the new houses! We also have several fundraising campaigns and events coming up, including our 35th Anniversary Breakfast on August 24th. It’s also Habitat for Humanity International’s 50th anniversary, so we have even more reason to honor our past milestones and look forward to all that the next 50 years (and beyond) will bring!”
Q: As a VHA member, how are partnerships and/or coalitions important in your work?
“We’ve just wrapped up an exciting Legislative Session, working in tandem with VHA and CHC (the Commonwealth Housing Coalition), as well as working on national legislation on Capitol Hill. We’ve seen the difference these memberships and coalitions can make, and in recent years, we have founded and spearheaded a regional Affordable Housing Coalition (AHC) for Fauquier, to keep the Northern Piedmont region that much more engaged in advocacy efforts. We are grateful for the partnerships these coalitions have yielded thus far; nothing gets completed in a vacuum, and we are all the better for working together!”
“[And] being a member of VHA has such resounding, positive effects on our work. From leading, coordinating, and educating member organizations on advocacy efforts during Session, to providing thoughtful, substantive data analysis all year long, being a member organization offers us so many opportunities to engage with fellow housing agencies and partners. We can’t emphasize enough how important and endlessly relevant VHA’s work is, and how key their efforts are to keeping housers all over the Commonwealth informed, organized, and cohesive. Thank you, VHA!
Q: What do you believe to be the most rewarding or valuable part of your affordable housing work?
“There is no better feeling than when a family gets to move into their new home! It’s also wonderfully rewarding to see families engaging with their new neighbors and actively working to make their homes ‘theirs,’ and make their neighborhoods brighter, safer, and more beautiful to live in. That’s what we are all about, and what we hope to do for generations to come.”
Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share about your organization’s work?
“Affordable housing takes ALL of us, and advocacy takes many different forms. So, if you haven’t already, now’s the time to get involved! If you’d like to connect directly with us, please email us at info@fauquierhabitat.org.”
Connect with Fauquier Habitat for Humanity:
(Upcoming events)
- Website: www.fauquierhabitat.org
- Email: info@fauquierhabitat.org
- Instagram: @fauquierhabitat
- Facebook: @fauquierhabitat
- LinkedIn: Fauquier Habitat for Humanity
