In September, Landed announced our partnership with the Bay Area Host Committee and the College Football Playoff Foundation to create a Down Payment Giveaway for Educators in the Bay Area. Three public school teachers and/or staff members will each receive $25,000 that they can pair with Landed's down payment program, other existing down payment programs, and/or their own financial contributions to help them own homes in the San Francisco Bay Area, where median home prices rank among the highest in the country.
On Wednesday, November 28, we came together with our friends at the College Football Playoff Foundation and the Bay Area Host Committee to surprise the first winner of our Down Payment Giveaway for Educators. First thing in the morning, students and teachers at East Palo Alto Charter School gathered in the courtyard to surprise elementary school teacher Stephanie Hardinger with $25,000 in down payment support – money she will be using to put down roots and purchase her first home with her family.
“Housing is huge in my context here at our school,” said Stephanie. “It’s huge for our families and our staff. It’s a regional issue that’s having a big impact, and everybody involved with education is touched by it one way or another. For me, as a teacher, this is going to be really awesome to be able to put down roots here in this community that I love and to be able to stay here long-term and not have doubts about ‘what if we need to move and the rent goes up again?’ I’m still kind of in shock, and I can’t believe that this is happening. It’s going to have a huge impact on my family and my ability to stay here with my kids.”
The Hardingers will be combining the $25,000 grant with Landed’s down payment program in order to purchase a home. Landed offers up to $120,000 in down payment funds to help public school, university, and college educators and school employees achieve a 20% down payment.
View the video and pictures below to see Stephanie's reaction to our surprise! To learn more about the Down Payment Giveaway for Educators, visit landed.com/extrayard.
