Next City, May 23, 2024, A Unique Community Land Trust Making Homeownership Affordable In Richmond
When Michael Haggins’ credit score disqualified him for a mortgage preapproval in 2021, he was crushed.
A single father who grew up in Richmond, Haggins dreamed of owning a house in his hometown where his two sons could play freely. A shortage of just five credit score points — plus systemic inequities and a national housing crisis — left them all living with his mother.
But today, Haggins is the proud owner of a home in Church Hill, thanks to Richmond’s Maggie Walker Community Land Trust (MWCLT) and its pioneering model for creating permanently affordable housing.
