HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — More people are choosing to move to the Rocket City and more developments are underway.
Some local organizations are concerned there aren't enough affordable places to live.
Jeremy Foulks, the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley says, "it is a crisis in the Huntsville metropolitan area, Madison, Limestone County, for affordable housing, for low to very low income families. There's a serious lack of it."
And Sherry McFerrin, the Housing Director of Huntsville's Family Services Center shares that individuals who are seeking housing counseling are, "worried, they're receiving notices from their landlord stating that their rent is going to double in a couple of months and they're panicking."
They both say they've seen a growing need for affordable housing here in the community.
"We have a lot of families that call us and what they're doing is they're couch surfing, they're breaking their families apart," Foulks said.
Currently Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley has 555 Madison County families on the waiting list to apply for a 'habitat' home.
The organization is currently averaging building 10 homes a year.
And just as Foulks mentions rent prices have gone up, so has the cost to build these habitat homes.
"What we're looking at is for a three bedroom, two bath home, next year or the next fiscal year starting July, is just under $140,000. This past year, we were budgeting at $110,000," Foulks said.
McFerrin encourages people to reach out to the Family Services Center as a resource, "when I do my one-on-ones with them, I stress the importance of credit, stress the importance of fixing whatever it is you need to fix in the time that you do have."
Foulks also encourages families in need to reach out to Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley and hopes Huntsville businesses, contractors and other organizations come together to help with this issue.
"What we need is continued community support, more people coming together and being behind this effort. We need more advocacy on this issue, both on a local, state and federal level for the need for affordable housing."
The Huntsville Family Services Center will be providing free training in preparation for the purchase of your first home on Saturday, March 25th from 10am to 4pm. To register, send an email request to homebuying55@gmail.com
And Habitat for Humanity of the River Valley will soon begin their 'Women Build 2023' project and they are currently looking for volunteers.