CHICO, Calif. – A local realtor is looking for help from the community to get her new non-profit up and running so it can house people struggling to put a permanent roof over their heads.
When Alisha Simpkins isn’t busy working at Keller Williams Realty.
She is putting the finishing touches on her new non-profit called “Single Moms to Homeowners.”
“This organization helps single parents become homeowners. We pay for their closing costs and we pay up to 50 percent of their down payment,” said Alisha Simpkins, founder of the non-profit.
According to US Census Bureau, 83 percent of single-parent households are headed by mothers. And because of that fair housing advocates say they are more likely to experience homelessness than other types of families.
“It breaks my heart. It’s the reason that this program was founded because I was one of those statistics,” Simpkins said.
She and her brothers were evicted at an early age.
“I was a senior in high school pregnant and homeless living in my car,” Simpkins said.
Her teenage brothers went to go stay with friends – but when she found out they were sleeping on cold floors she had to apply for government housing to get all of them a better home.
“And I will never forget getting the first yes actually went through 50 no’s,” Simpkins said.
Simpkins wants to make it much easier by saying that every $50,000 it’s able to raise they can help between 5 and 10 single parents become homeowners.
“It would probably be about a $300,000 home and in Chico that usually needs work,” Simpkins said.
So they are counting on building relationships with contractors or people who may not want to put their homes on the market.
“The homes we can match with these people with our non-profit organization they are able to get a tax benefit out of it,” Simpkins said.
She is determined to not only help the parents but their kids.
“I believe that through generosity, that it will forever change the trajectory of the children’s futures,” Simpkins said.
Below are the qualifications to apply for this program.
- You must have custody or guardianship of at least one minor child or special needs/medically dependent child who lives with you 50% (or more) of the time
- You must get pre-approved for a loan/mortgage by a lender approved by this program
- Primary Residence
- The home must be your primary residence.
- The Home must be located in Butte, Tehama, or Glenn County.
- You must be a first-time homebuyer or have not owned a home in the last 3 years as a solo owner on title.
- Your income must be at or below county loan limits for conforming, conventional, FHA loans.
- The home price must be within Cal FHA limits.
