The Impact of Homeownership: An Evaluation of a Community Homeownership Program in Central Texas

Background and Purpose: Affordable housing is a pressing issue facing many Central Texas residents as the population has increased at a rate of 2.8% since 2010. Two counties, Hays and Williamson, are ranked among the top 10 fastest growing counties in the nation. This growth is expected to continue, and with it, barriers to homeownership will persist. Research supports that homeownership is beneficial for overall wellbeing (e.g., health outcomes, education opportunities; community engagement) for individuals and families across socioeconomic statuses and ethnic backgrounds. Programs which promote homeownership especially for lower socioeconomic households are needed, as is research supporting their efficacy. This paper presents an evaluation of a community homeownership program which offered an affordable housing option. Findings provided a better understanding of the impact of homeownership on individuals. The research questions are: How does homeownership through a community program impact homeowners? How does homeownership impact health and wellbeing, economic stability, and neighborhood safety?

Methods: Participants completed a survey developed by the researchers which assessed three domains: health and wellbeing, economic stability, and neighborhood safety and belonging. Four survey items were informed by the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Financial Literacy questionnaire. Three open-ended questions were included to give participants additional opportunities to share their experience. The draft of the survey was reviewed by the community organization for understandability, accessibility, and to ensure the questions aligned with the program. Participants were members of the homeownership program and completed the survey in English or Spanish. The research team sent emails and letters to 75 eligible participants. Survey data was gathered using Qualtrics, and 42 surveys were completed. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS for descriptive statistics and paired t-tests and non-parametric tests for perceived differences in wellbeing before and after participation in the program. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results: Homeowners reported a significant improvement in their health and wellbeing (e.g., increase in overall health; access to affordable and nutritious food; mold- and pest-free housing), economic stability (e.g., feeling confident about finances; saving for retirement; less likely to borrow money), and feelings of safety, security, and neighborhood belonging (e.g., trusting neighbors for help; feeling comfortable spending time outside) after participation in the program. These finding were also reflected in the qualitative responses. The most common themes emerging were: the program provided stability for families, a positive financial impact, a sense of ownership in their lives, and gratitude.

Conclusions and Implications: Results indicate that participants’ lives improved across health, economic, and safety domains following homeownership through the community program. Further research is needed to identify if other changes in participants’ lives had an effect on this result. Overall, findings emphasize the efficacy of this program and support advocacy for similar programs across the nation. Findings also highlight the benefits of collaborative research (through the partnership between the research team and a community organization) to include the experiences and suggestions of those who directly work with the participants and the participants themselves.