We understand the significant challenges that exist to support affordable housing in urban, suburban and rural. Universal challenges include limited access to financial services, challenging appraisals, poor infrastructure, home overcrowding, substandard or blighted housing stock, and higher-than-average poverty rates. Affordable housing is essential to the stability, economic development, and viability of all both urban and rural communities. Systemic and institutionalized barriers along with the need for education and technical training has made homeownership in these areas more difficult for underserved buyers. Moreover, there is not enough new affordable construction to meet demand resulting in a lack of housing stock for first-time buyers.

Our model is specifically designed to advance homeownership in underserved communities. It enables us to act as a catalyst for collaboration across the housing ecosystem and the community that ultimately results in an increase in – and preservation of – affordable homes in the program communities. Our LEVELpath and LEVELed programs, along with our partner resources and financing solutions, benefit lower-income households and advance local economies.

We begin our work by being invited into communities by local leaders and community organizations who want to partner with LEVEL to grow homeownership.  We then examine the community and measure their social infrastructure and physical assets to determine a framework to support LEVEL’s programs. If there is sufficient support, we then proceed to our Asset-Based Community Development  (ABCD) process.