HOME SWEET HOME
AN AMERICAN DREAM COMES TRUE IN THE NORTHWEST VILLAGE
by Aleem Ahmed, Age 16

For many of us, having a roof over our heads is part of our everyday lives—often taken for granted. But for many, housing is extremely hard to afford. That’s why the City of Auburn is creating the Northwest Village (NWV)—so that low-income residents can also have a place to call home.
Having a home is an American dream. In the earlier days of our nation, westward expansion was fueled by the desire of millions of people to build new homes and raise their families. Buying or building a home is one of the biggest investments people make in the quality of their lives, and for many, the Northwest Village is bringing the American Dream closer to reality.
NWV is located in (you guessed it) Northwest Auburn, north of Glenn Avenue and west of Donahue Drive. Although a long way from completed, this new subdivision will feature a projected 29 three-bed, two-bath homes. At 20 percent less than the price of an average Auburn house, NWV offers many families the opportunity to become proud homeowners.
Although NWV will benefit the entire community in numerous ways, only certain persons are eligible to purchase homes in the subdivision. According to Mr. Todd White of the City of Auburn, “The distinctive difference in these homes is the entire setting is designed for homebuyers that are low to middle income citizens of the City of Auburn…by this I mean no more than $49,350.00 per year for a family of four.” The mission of the development is to create homeownership opportunities for families and individuals who may otherwise not have a chance to purchase a home.
The Northwest Village is a win-win situation for the entire Auburn community. According to Mr. White, “All the new owners in a subdivision have the opportunity to have a positive impact on their surroundings that extends beyond their immediate neighbor.” When NWV is completed, it will give almost thirty low and middle-income Auburn residents a place to call home, bringing an American Dream to reality.