Community Frameworks

Jessica's Story and Feature on BKAT

Mark & Deb's Story

Mark and Deb became homebuyers through Community Frameworks’ Kitsap Homeownership program in 2022, utilizing funding from Kitsap County and Washington State Housing Trust Fund to provide 20% of the home’s purchase price as deferred Down Payment Assistance, and homebuyer education and counseling through Community Frameworks’ trained counselors.  This is their story in their own words:  

“Our housing situation before using [Community Frameworks’] program was us renting and wanting to buy, but the market [was] too expensive for us to find anything that would meet our needs.  Our rent was already higher than we felt comfortable paying … which made it difficult for us to save for our own home, and [our landlord] was ready to raise our rent $400 more... We’re grateful for this opportunity for us to purchase a home … right at the perfect time!

… Community Frameworks’ down payment assistance program helped us to be able to buy this home.  Otherwise, we most likely would not have been able to be qualified for the loan.  We are very grateful … Because we were homeowners in the past and because of our age and having gone through a lot of financial difficulties … [we] already learned a lot in the past, but this [homebuyer education] course was a good refresher for us… which alleviated some of the stress… We can see how [this course] can be really helpful for those who are doing a traditional home purchase and are going into it for the first time. 

The main thing that we benefited from with the pre-purchase counseling was making financial goals. … Being self-employed … it has always been difficult for us to have a budget because of how our income changes from month to month … We have been trying our best to manage it better the past few years and haven’t really spent much on ourselves outside of our needs, … so it’s going to be nice to actually be able to save ... for things that we want now that our mortgage is more affordable!

… Downpayment assistance … helped us to be able to get this house!  [Community Frameworks] has been a pleasure, and we greatly appreciate [the team] and this program for helping us to get this house :)”

~ Mark and Deb, 2022 Kitsap County Homebuyers

Our Down Payment Assistance Lending program offers affordable homeownership opportunities within Kitsap County, Washington – matching qualified limited income homebuyers with significant down payment assistance, and affordable monthly mortgage payments. Our homebuyers often pay the same or less monthly to own their own home than they had been paying in rent – now with the freedom to make their home their own.

Our Homebuyer Education & Counseling program creates informed buyers who understand the homebuying and lending processes, and have created a sustainable budget.   We are a HUD-approved Housing Counseling Agency with a HUD-certified counselor. 

Community Frameworks is also proud to be one of nearly 250 organizations within the NeighborWorks® America’s Network. This network of highly effective community development nonprofits connects Community Frameworks and the communities we serve with national resources and a full range of other important benefits.