Pathway to Home Ownership

A single mother with four children — one away at college, one at Princeton High School (PHS), one in Princeton middle school and one (with a chronic illness) in Princeton elementary school — lived in HIP housing for one year. Although the mother had a good job, she was in debt and faced eviction from a local Landlord. She was determined not to compromise the children’s educational opportunities and pursued all efforts to stay in town and keep them in the Princeton schools. By moving into an HIP home, the family was able to stay in town as the son graduated from PHS and enrolled in Princeton University. While living in HIP’s transitional housing, a board member who is also a financial planner, worked with the mother intensively to help her resolve her debt and clear up her credit. Having long dreamed of home ownership, with her improved credit she was able to purchase a modest duplex unit in Princeton. The son went on to graduate from Princeton University and earn a law degree at Georgetown University.