From Sacrifice to Success
Vivian Duran • March 31, 2021
Mohammed and Faten contacted Interfaith Housing Alliance in September 2019, wanting to know more about the Purchase Repair Homeownership Program.
Mohammed and Faten contacted Interfaith Housing Alliance in September 2019, wanting to know more about the Purchase Repair Homeownership Program. Faten’s close friend, Denise Taylor, had shared her wonderful homeownership experience with IHA. Denise came to IHA in July 2014 and told Faten how much Carol Riggles, Homeownership Program Manager, provided great guidance and assistance with qualifying for USDA-RD 502 Direct Loan and IHA’s Homeownership Program. Hearing Denise’s great experience gave Faten hope for her homeownership dream to come true. What truly sparked Faten and Mohammed's interest in the program was the very low interest rate and the fact that they were able to make repairs to a home to gain equity.
Mohammed and Faten’s journey has been far from easy. Immigrants from Baghdad, Iraq – they felt they had no choice but to leave their country because it became too dangerous to stay when the war started. Mohammed and Faten met when they both worked as journalists in Iraq. Mohammed had completed 4 years in college to become an attorney but found employment at a TV station as a reporter. Faten was a teacher for fine arts who became a journalist working on parenting stories. Working for the same TV station, they fell in love and got married.
Faten got contracted with a US company working with American Troops completing reports on Iraq immigration. The 5-mile commute to work which should take 10 minutes took over 3 hours due to security check points having to inspect each car for devices and bombs. It was just too scary and stressful for Faten. Faten then got threats to be killed. Her employer offered to protect her as she worked in a green zone, but Faten was fearful to have those people follow her and kill her family and her. Luckily, Mohammed had just received an offer from an Egypt TV station who saw his TV reporting in Iraq and wanted to hire him.
They left as refugees and lived in Egypt for 5 years. Mohammed and Faten got approved to go to the US right after. They have been living in the United Stated for now 11 years and are very thankful for being able to live in this amazing country feeling safe, stable, and happy. Mohammed and Faten had to start from zero again when they arrived in the US. Having to live in apartments was very hard since they were raised in single family homes. The last apartment they lived in, they struggled with horrible maintenance. Leaks in the bathroom ceiling and constant pest issues. Several pieces of furniture and beds had to be thrown away numerous times. Mohammed and Faten’s goal and dream was to give their kids a safe and healthy single-family home.
It was a process to get their green cards and have stable and reliable income to qualify for USDA-RD 502 Direct Loan. Mohammed and Faten received their certificate of eligibility to start officially shopping for a home on September 22, 2020. Their Realtor and Board Member of Interfaith Housing Alliance Inc., Patricia Galloway, showed them numerous homes and finally submitted an offer on their dream home October 14, 2020.
Mohammed and Faten promised their kids they would make the home look nice since they thought it looked creepy at first. The most important part for them was the location of the home, the schools, and the layout of the home. The first time they saw the home, they told themselves, they can take out the carpet due to Faten’s severe allergies, they can paint the walls and were eager to finish the approved repairs by IHA and USDA-RD.
Lana, Mohammed and Faten’s daughter, was excited to share she helped paint. With a big smile she shared this was the first time she had her own room with privacy and beautiful view of mountains. Taym, Mohammed and Faten’s son, was happy he can finally have his own bed and enjoys making it. Lana and Taym enjoy playing in the playground set and running in the big yard. Now, their goal is to convince their parents to get a dog.
Mohammed and Faten feel blessed and thank god for everything. With a lot of patience during the process and maintaining positivity, they thanked everyone who assisted with the process to make their dream become a reality. Faten now truly feels calm and safe knowing her children have a place to call their forever home. Faten stated “I can see my children grow up here and go off to college. This home is for them.”
By: Vivian Duran
Gary Free grew up in Brunswick, MD. The first time he saw the Residences at Railroad Square, he knew he would love to live in the apartments. Now all he can think to himself is, “I am living here!” Gary said the day he signed his lease he was so happy! He has a picture hanging in his apartment that says, “You’re Home.” Gary looks at it often and says to himself, “I am!” He finally feels at peace. Gary feels his home is nice! He also feels one of the ways of living at Residences of Railroad Square is that he now has everything he ever wanted, asked for and needed. The only thing he feels is a concern is that most of the time he gets lonely. His goal is to try to meet people. He says, “I’m a very friendly person.” Gary says his experience living at the Residences at Railroad Square has been rather good. If he has any concerns he can talk to the office staff. He feels it can’t get any better than this!
With excitement and anticipation, I watched the groundbreaking on June 29, 2023, with my assistant Vickie and IHA’s Supportive Services coordinator, Sandi. By the middle of September 2023 concrete walls were being set up. We watched as the roof was completed; then the windows and doors were installed. We impatiently waited for the day we received permission to see the inside of the Residences of Railroad Square property. Finally, on September 25, 2024, we had the privilege to tour the inside of this beautiful property. On the weekend of September 27, 2024, the IHA property management team along with the CEO Jodie, held a two-day in-person application event. The owners of First Stop Brunswick generously donated their space at 2. E. Baltimore Street. That lease up kick off generated 56 applications. Over the next three months, ninety more applications were submitted. Each applicant came with their own story which stirred our hearts. No matter how different their stories may have been, they all had the same wish, a place to call home for Christmas! On November 5, 2024, the first resident signed their lease and on December 23, 2024, the last empty unit was filled! Not only were we able to fulfill these residents' Christmas wishes but it also filled our hearts with joy!
In November 2024, IHA was awarded a $20,000 grant from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. This grant supports IHA’s three workshop series: Credit Café ; Financial Freedom Bootcamp ; and Ready, Set, Go… Home! In Credit Café, participants work specifically on improving their credit. Financial Freedom Bootcamp builds critical foundational skills for financial success. Ready, Set, Go… Home! walks participants through the entire homebuying process from start to finish. IHA also received a $1,574.37 designated grant from The PNC Homeownership Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These pass-through funds will directly support low- to moderate-income (LMI) households in achieving homeownership in Frederick County. In December 2024, IHA was awarded a $29,498 grant from the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT). MAHT is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization. This grant program is a valuable resource for the advancement of affordable housing initiatives and will provide operational assistance to IHA’s affordable multifamily community in Cumberland, MD. In January 2025, IHA was awarded a $2,500 grant by The Natelli Communities Charitable Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These unrestricted funds will support IHA’s work across the multiple counties served by our programs and affordable rental communities.