A Proud PH+ Homeowner!

My name is Tiffany Westley and I am a proud People’s Housing Plus (PH+) homeowner. This nonprofit organization is about building generational wealth and that is exactly my experience. Owning my home means I am creating equity for my family, and I can use it to leverage more opportunities for my 15-year old daughter and myself.

Let me briefly tell you my story.

One day during the pandemic I was surfing Instagram and I saw a cute house that Home by Hand [one of the organizations that merged in 2023 to become PH+] had posted about. I looked a little closer and thought, “Oh, it’s affordable and in an historic Black neighborhood.” That’s all it took to get me started. I called the number listed, spoke with Erica Toriello, PH+’s Director of Homebuyer Services, and she walked me through the process.

Part of the journey was finding the right house for me, which turned out to be a three bedroom, two bath newly constructed home in Pontchartrain Park. And to ensure I was ready for this life change, I took homeowner training classes, and then the real challenge began, which was getting an affordable mortgage.

I’m not going to lie; securing a mortgage was stressful. But Erica was with me every step of the way: encouraging me, holding me accountable, and celebrating any victories with me. The biggest win, of course, was when I got the keys and moved into my new house with my daughter, and, yes, Erica was there.

That was about a year ago, and life is better.  Today I own a home with an affordable monthly payment, I no longer have to worry about the rent increasing, and I recognize that this house is more than just a wonderful home; it’s an investment. Someday, my daughter will be able to use it to possibly get her own home, I could rent it out, and then even move to New York City for a few years. That’s my dream!

I keep in touch with PH+, and because they don’t just sell you a house and walk away, I know that I will be taking advantage of their stewardship programs like the one on wills and succession planning. I consider my relationship with PH+ to be ongoing, and I couldn’t recommend them more to others trying to purchase that first home, whether that’s a traditional purchase or a community land trust home.