TRAVERSE CITY — The last two families crossed the threshold to complete the New Waves Community Housing Project of 13 single-family homes.
Partner organizations, Habitat for Humanity Grand Traverse Region and New Waves United Church of Christ, welcomed the families Wednesday with a ceremony for new homeowners and gifts of quilts, embroidery and Bibles.
The families, the Kamps and the Dugans, shared their struggles and dreams on the road to homeownership.
Julie and Aiden Kamp had known each other since preschool and had been together since they were 16. When they were 18, they found out that Julie was pregnant.
Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with a severe medical condition called hyperemesis gravidarum, and learned it was potentially life threatening. After the birth of their son in 2024, the Kamp family discovered that Julie was medically at risk if she were to give birth again. They decided to adopt a child.
In addition to the news, the family was down to one income as Julie could not work.
For context, the median household income in Traverse City in 2024 was $74,087, while the median home value was $415,400, according to the United States Census Bureau.
The gap between wage and home cost made drawing height hash marks on a wall impossible, Aiden Kamp said.
“For the first two years our son was born, it was sad because we kept having to move because rent was getting more expensive — you see these movies, and everybody has lines of how tall their kids are growing ... we never really got that."
However, after they connected with Habitat for Humanity through their adopted daughter’s cheer team, they applied for housing and eventually got their house.
As young parents, the Kamps were big on not just giving their children a home, but also stability.
“We’re still very young and just to know that we’ll never have to worry about moving again ... it’s everything,” Julie Kamp said.
For the Dugan family, the path to homeownership was very different.
Jaclyn Dugan used to work with Habitat in Illinois before she came to Traverse City. However, after her divorce, Dugan and her two daughters were left house-hunting.
After she reached back out to Habitat, she was able to volunteer to build her own house.
“There's been lots of work that we've come and helped with, which has been really kind of tables-turned for me,” Dugan said.
Illinois has a median home value of $265,500, — about $150,000 less than Traverse City homes.
What makes the homes affordable is Habitat for Humanity’s business model. The model these homeowners pay for is a fixed rate based on the household’s annual income, in addition to whatever mortgage they can get.
“We believe 30% of their income is affordable,” Habitat for Humanity CEO Wendy Irwin said. “Anything above that, then that's where all the donors and all the other programs fill that gap in.”
Irwin summarized how she felt about the ceremony and being able to give the keys to the homeowners.
“I'm addicted to a happy ending, and every time I see the smiles and the faces and that strength, stability, and self-reliance that we've had the opportunity, the privilege, the honor to contribute to; It keeps us going,” Irwin said.
However, despite these two happy endings, it uncovers a deeper problem for the working class, especially in the Grand Traverse region.
“This is a desirable community, but the market rates are too high for an average family to be able to afford,” Irwin said.
So the organization, and future homeowners build something new together.
With their fight for affordable housing continuing, Irwin said their next project is in Kalkaska County.
“We have eight houses that we're building there, town-home style,” she said. “That'll be completed within a year.”
