Children May Benefit Most: Everyone Gains from Homeownership

The next school year will be better for 11-year-old Esay Badalyan, says his mother, Arpenik Sisakyan. Esay and his two sisters are bright and like to study, but for years they have shared a dim, one-room, dirt-floored basement with their parents and aunt. In the cold Armenian winter they must all stay inside.

“They read out loud—very loud—when they study, but they can’t all three do it at once,” said Sisakyan, with a broad smile. This year they’ll be able to study in privacy. With the help of neighbors and volunteers from other countries who participated in two Habitat Global Village teams, the family completed their house in July.

The benefits of homeownership are well known to Habitat affiliates around the world.

“We have always had anecdotal evidence describing ways that a simple, decent house changes people’s lives. Now we have access to academic research that backs up those stories with solid data. This research proves the impact of homeownership on individuals, communities and families. The data on the benefits for school-aged children are especially encouraging,” said Shari Campbell, Ph.D., director of Habitat for Humanity University.

Long-term U.S. studies of children of homeowners show that they score nine percent higher on standardized math tests and seven percent higher in reading. They also exhibit fewer behavioral problems. Dr. Donald Haurin, an Ohio State University professor, presented the study results as part of the Habitat for Humanity University Lecture Series. He cited other research that shows a higher level of emotional support in homeowner families. Homeowners are also more likely to care for their property and to participate in community life, he said.

What does this mean to Habitat for Humanity?
It shows the importance and urgency of our mission of eliminating substandard housing by building simple, decent houses with families in need. It shows how Habitat’s housing ministry could tip the scales for thousands of children so that they can grow up in stable homes and lead productive lives.