Thanks Shannon for your time. So tell us in what part of the First Coast do you reside now and how long have you lived there?
I live in St. Augustine, Florida. I first moved to Northeast Florida from Massachusetts in 1993. While Boston will always be the place I truly feel is “home,” I love living in and serving this special community in Northeast Florida.
When did your NFP start? Who does your NFP serve and where?
Ability Housing’s roots go back to 1992, when a group home to serve adults with cognitive disabilities opened under the name Grove House. In the decades since then, our mission has expanded well beyond one humble home to a strategic focus on developing, renovating, and managing multifamily housing for people who simply can’t afford market-rate rent. Today, almost 1,000 families in Northeast, Central, and Southwest Florida have a quality home with Ability Housing.
Why was this NFP started and who and how does it benefit?
Our organization started to fill a need in the housing market for individuals who struggled to find a home, and that continues to be our focus. Originally, that focus was completely on serving adults living with a disability. From there, we expanded our service to households experiencing or exiting homelessness. As the housing need has evolved, so has Ability Housing. We now also serve individuals and families who are priced out of the market-rate rental landscape — such as fixed-income seniors, single parents raising children on one income, and working families that fill vital roles in our society that just don’t pay enough to keep up with increasing housing costs. Our vision as an organization is a society where housing is a right, not a privilege, and all individuals have safe, affordable housing in vibrant communities. We ALL benefit when our neighbors have a roof over their heads, a door to a place they can call their own, and the security that comes with having their most basic need for shelter met on a permanent basis.
From the outset, what was your mission/vision?
Our mission is to build flourishing communities where everyone has a home. From the outset our passion has been creating communities that are the springboard for our tenants’ success, however, they define that for their household. We provide services to foster our residents’ resiliency and increase their self-sufficiency.
What percentage of the budget is dedicated directly to those who benefit (vs indirect costs )?
According to our 2022 audit, 96% of our expenses were on program services.
Who are your main sponsors, grants, and supporters and what kind of community support do you receive (in kind, etc)
Our largest sources of support are federal and local grants; we also have strong support from local foundations and companies.
How many employees (or volunteers) make it happen at [we’ll insert your NFP name}
We currently have 17 employees.
Can you share a few outcomes and a story of a participant who benefited …
Tammy’s healing journey demonstrates that compassion and community can alter the trajectory of someone’s life. Her story begins with a rough childhood, always feeling like part of the background. After an accident where she experienced the peace and safety paramedics bring to trauma victims, Tammy decided to change her career path. When reflecting on her twelve years as an emergency responder, Tammy said, “I miss working as a paramedic. To be the person to help someone and have them trust you with their well-being is an honor. It was a blessing to be able to be there for people when they’re scared because I know what that’s like.”
Unfortunately for Tammy, she was forced to quit working because of medical issues. A Lupus diagnosis eventually led to her having to go on full disability. Increases in medical expenses and the rising cost of living left Tammy facing housing instability.
“No one would hire me because I am 100% disabled, and if I go to work, I’ll lose my status and lose my healthcare. You can’t live on disability, and there’s just not enough affordable housing.” – Tammy
She experienced homelessness on and off for three and a half years, constantly fearful while living in a tent. While living outdoors, she got sick and almost lost her leg and foot. A local church whose soup kitchen she had been attending offered to help her with a temporary camper while her foot healed. During this process, Tammy shared her story with a member of the church who, unbeknownst to her, works for an organization that is a community partner of Ability Housing. This woman told Tammy that she would make a couple of phone calls, and one of those calls brought her to Ability Housing.
“Everybody at that church was amazing. I told God, ‘I can’t do this anymore. You need to help me or I’m going to die.’ Two months later, I was housed, and I had people who cared about me. You don’t even know how grateful I am for Ability because I couldn’t afford to live anywhere with my income.” – Tammy
When asked about what she sees in her future, she had this to say, “I would like to volunteer and meet with other homeless people to see if I can encourage them and show them that there’s hope. I understand what it’s like to be terrified and feel like nobody cares. Sometimes you feel like you could die tomorrow and nobody’s even going to know. It’s a lot easier for people to open up when they know you understand what it’s like.” For the first time in nearly four years, Tammy can live beyond the next 24 hours. She started making long-term goals again and looks forward to saving up money to visit her children and grandchildren in Colorado.
“It’s nice to have my own space where I can feel at home. I make to-do lists each day to remind myself that I’m accomplishing something. I want to take advantage of the opportunity I’ve been given.” – Tammy
How has Covid affected your NFP?
The COVID pandemic affected our organization in multiple ways. In the early months, it led to many of our residents losing their jobs or seeing their paychecks decrease dramatically due to lockdowns and the effect that it had on the economy. It was a scary situation, especially considering several of the families we serve already live paycheck-to-paycheck. I’m proud to share that we worked with all of our residents to make sure nobody lost their housing due to an inability to pay.
The long-term impacts are more complex, and we continue to navigate them today. First, Florida saw a dramatic population increase during the pandemic — putting further strain on an already tight housing market. This rapid in-migration then led to a flurry of investment activity in the state’s real estate market, further increasing costs for both renters and those trying to develop affordable housing. Third, the lingering financial impacts from supply chain disruptions, increased costs of construction materials, and higher interest rates have changed the way we approach financing new projects.
However, if there’s one silver lining, I can say with certainty that the need for affordable housing is much more broadly understood and appreciated now. I hold out hope that the shared challenges we all experienced elevated our collective compassion. Ability Housing is not deterred by the impacts we’ve experienced; frankly, they’re not unique to our nonprofit or any organization in the development space. If anything, the challenges of the last few years further solidified our commitment to our mission.
How do you advertise your NFP?
We use a variety of tools and platforms to share information about our work, including our website, social media, newsletter, and frequent outreach to media outlets to share announcements. Our team is also highly engaged with our peers in the nonprofit, business, and social services communities, through organizations like the JAX Chamber, Urban Land Institute (ULI), the Nonprofit Center for Northeast Florida, and local/statewide working groups focused on housing matters.
What would it be if you could offer one piece of advice for someone who’s just starting a NFP?
I have two pieces of advice, and I think they’re equally important.
First, you have to surround yourself with a great team. That applies to your staff, board of directors, community partners, volunteers, and advisors. A small group of mission-aligned people can make a monumental difference.
Second, never give up — unless that is the right thing to do. If the cost to continue a fight outweighs the potential benefit, whether that cost is financial, emotional, or political, weigh your options carefully. (This is where having a great team comes into play; strong advisors will support you in making hard decisions!)
Personal hobbies or interests? Family?
My family includes my husband, Roland, and two sons, Ryan and Cameron. I am most happy when I am spending time with my husband and son. My work is incredibly stressful and consuming, so when not working I enjoy quieter activities, going to the beach, taking a road trip to someplace new, and watching an interesting documentary.
What’s the best thing for you about living on the First Coast?
The beach, I am a water person and it brings me great peace. But, without a doubt, the greatest part of the First Coast is the people. There truly is something special about how people in Northeast Florida connect and care for each other — particularly in the nonprofit community. I love the collaborative spirit of coming to work each day, knowing that the motivation I have toward our mission is matched by my colleagues in this special sector.
What impact does affordable housing have on individuals and families?
When you’re constantly worrying about how you’re going to pay for rent, utilities, food, and other basic needs, you can’t think ahead to next week, next month, or next year. It’s an incredibly hard way to live. Our residents are some of the most resilient people I have ever met and am privileged to serve.
Because our rents are far lower than the market rate, residents can achieve a sustainable quality of life that brings all of their essential needs into a better sense of balance. We often find that residents will stay with us for a few years, get their financial footing, and then move on to market-rate housing or purchase a home of their own. Meanwhile, some residents will stay for several years. We’re proud to be able to provide this service. It’s a true honor to be able to alleviate the financial stress that comes with struggling to find a home you can afford.
How can people support your work?
Financial contributions are certainly appreciated, but beyond donations, our greatest need is more people willing to advocate for affordable housing to counter the “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) movement.
One of the greatest challenges we face is a lack of understanding about how affordable housing benefits entire communities. Well-constructed and maintained affordable housing is linked to lower crime rates, stable (and in many times, increased) property values, and better educational and attainment outcomes for residents.
What is Ability Housing’s focus for the next few years?
We recently completed a new strategic plan, which will guide our work through December 2026. It focuses on two overarching goals: ensuring sustainable resources and community engagement for the fulfillment of our mission, and elevating our workforce and operational capacity for optimal performance. In plain terms, that means we’re focusing not just on what we do, but how we do it. In the coming years, you can expect to see us focusing intently on growing our portfolio so we can serve more families; strengthening our advocacy and impact communications; and diversifying our funding revenue to make sure our work is sustainable, no matter what market conditions we’re facing; and investing in our workforce and operations. It’s an exciting time for Ability Housing. Be sure to follow us online and on social media to stay updated on our progress.
Is there anything else that you want to tell everyone reading this?
The service we provide has many names: workforce housing, affordable housing, attainable housing, and sometimes, permanent supportive housing. But the most important name is, simply, “home.” And for the almost 1,000 households we serve each day, that’s the one that matters most.
How we address Florida’s housing crisis signifies what — and who — our society values most. We invite you to join us in building flourishing communities where everyone has a home.
Where and how can folks learn more about your NFP? Links to your website?
https://abilityhousing.org/
https://www.facebook.com/AbilityHousing
https://twitter.com/AbilityHousing
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ability-housing/
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Dinah manages nonprofit accounts onboarding and content. She loves the beach and dogs
