From Rising Rent to Real Roots

Welcome home, Safiya – a public charter pre-K teacher and the proud owner of a Whittier Townhome.

Moving to Tulsa from Iowa in 2019 was a big change for Safiya, but one she fully embraced. Since then, she has grown to appreciate Tulsa’s rich history, culture, and community. But in that time, the rising cost of rent led her to Green Country Habitat for Humanity.

“When I first came to Tulsa, rent was about $800,” Safiya shared. “Now I’m paying $1,200 for the exact same apartment.”

Safiya knew she needed a change but wasn’t completely sure about homeownership. That changed after going through Habitat’s Homebuyer program. Now, her advice to future homeowners is simple.

“Buy from Habitat,” she says. “As I went through the classes, equity hours, and spoke with homeowner services, I became even more confident in my decision to go through with buying a home.” 

As a new Whittier Townhome owner, Safiya is looking forward to making the space her own, exploring more of Tulsa, and sharing her home with her family.

Special thanks to MapleMark Bank for making affordable homeownership possible.

Habitat believes that everyone deserves a place to call home. Apply or share our home purchasing opportunity with others: