For four Hillsborough County families, the dream of homeownership has become a reality thanks to Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough and a network of community partners dedicated to addressing the region’s affordable housing crisis.
During a series of home dedication ceremonies this spring, four mothers and their children received the keys to new homes in Windhorst Commons, Habitat’s 23-home affordable housing community in Brandon. Each family arrived with a different story, but all shared a common challenge: rising housing costs that made stable homeownership seem increasingly out of reach.
For Megan Grufman, a single mother of two, the dedication marked the end of years spent living in overcrowded conditions with extended family. After rent prices made independent housing unaffordable, Grufman and her children moved in with her parents. Grufman shared a room with her 11-year-old son, David, while her 17-year-old daughter, Melanie, slept in a makeshift space in her grandmother’s room.
Now, the family has a home of their own thanks to Habitat’s 2025 Real Estate Build, sponsored by the Suncoast Tampa Association of REALTORS.
“There were so many times I didn’t know how we would ever get ahead or have a place of our own,” Grufman said during her dedication ceremony.
Just days earlier, Devan Mitchell and her 15-year-old son, Stephen, celebrated a similar milestone. The billing specialist had spent years navigating rising rents and maintenance issues in rental housing while trying to provide stability for her family.
“This home means everything to us,” Mitchell said. “It means stability, safety and hope for my son and me.”
Mitchell’s home was made possible through a partnership between Hillsborough County and Habitat for Humanity. The county invested $1.4 million toward construction costs and materials for homes in Windhorst Commons, along with an additional $600,000 for infrastructure improvements including roads, utilities and sewer lines.
The need for affordable housing has also affected families like Natalie Sanchez and her 6-year-old daughter, Sariah. As a remote retention specialist, Sanchez spent years balancing work and motherhood while struggling with the financial pressures of escalating rental costs.
Through Habitat’s affordable homeownership program and support from home sponsor Central Bank, Sanchez now has an affordable mortgage and a permanent place to raise her daughter.
The family’s dedication ceremony marked one of the earliest milestones in the development of Windhorst Commons, which was specifically designed to provide affordable, disaster-resilient housing for working families and veterans.
For Paris Johnson and her children, Galaxy and Deavi, homeownership means something beyond financial stability — it means permanence.
Johnson, a billing and funding specialist, had watched her rent climb by more than $600 per month since 2019. Despite the financial strain, she worked through Habitat’s homeownership program, completing financial education classes and hundreds of hours of required sweat equity.
“We’ve always made every rental feel like home,” Johnson said. “But this is the first time we can truly settle in without worrying about having to leave.”
Her home was sponsored by Ajax Paving, whose volunteers joined Habitat supporters in celebrating the family’s achievement.
Habitat homeowners purchase their homes through affordable mortgages designed to fit family budgets. In exchange, participants complete financial education courses and contribute sweat equity hours, often helping build not only their own homes but those of future neighbors as well.
According to Habitat for Humanity of Tampa Bay Hillsborough CEO Tina Forcier, the impact of homeownership extends far beyond the walls of a house.
“A home changes everything for a family,” Forcier said. “From a child’s confidence in school to a parent’s peace of mind, affordable homeownership creates opportunities that can last for generations.”
Windhorst Commons is being developed as a hurricane-resilient neighborhood featuring homes equipped with storm shutters and built to withstand Florida’s challenging weather conditions. The community will eventually include 23 homes.
As construction continues through early 2027, additional families will join the growing neighborhood, each bringing their own story of perseverance and determination. For more, visit www.habitathillsborough.org.
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