For Every Home, 22 Families Are Waiting

For every home Habitat for Humanity of Collier County was able to fund and build last year, approximately 22 local families inquired about the opportunity to purchase it.

It’s a number that puts the need for affordable housing options in Collier County into perspective. But it’s more than just a number. Behind that statistic are working families who want what so many of us want: a safe, stable place to call home and the opportunity to build a future here.

For many, even a steady income is no longer enough to make that possible.

The average income of a Habitat Collier homebuyer is $66,886. Meanwhile, the average rent for a three-bedroom home in Collier County has reached $2,581 per month, requiring an annual income of almost $103,000 to be considered affordable.

That gap is why the work happening today matters, and why there is still so much more to do.

September brought an exciting milestone as the first families purchased homes in Las Palmas, Habitat Collier’s newest community, located in North Naples. As more families move in, what was once a construction site is beginning to come to life as a true neighborhood.

Each of those new homeowners represents years of planning, preparation and partnership. They also represent what is possible when a community comes together around the belief that the people who work here should have the opportunity to live and build their lives here, too.

As those families settle into their new homes, Habitat Collier is also looking further ahead.

Through Together, We Build, a $100 million campaign, Habitat Collier is preparing now to ensure affordable homeownership opportunities for the next 1,000 families. Thanks to early supporters, $70 million has already been committed toward that goal.

The campaign is about more than funding the homes immediately in front of us. Land, infrastructure and construction costs continue to rise, making it increasingly important to plan ahead. The cost of land and infrastructure alone now averages approximately $140,000 per home in a new Habitat community—all before a single block, board, or nail is purchased to build the home itself. Securing resources today allows Habitat Collier to invest in land and future communities, plan with greater certainty and get ahead of rising costs.

This fall, Habitat Collier is sharing the campaign more broadly with the community. Helping us mark that milestone is a $100,000 grant from Bank of America through its 2026 Neighborhood Builders® program, providing an early boost as we invite the wider community to be part of what comes next.

Together, We Build is an investment not only in the homes being built today, but in Habitat Collier’s ability to keep affordable homeownership within reach for local families well into the future.

And there are many ways to be part of that work:

• Make a gift. Every donation helps Habitat Collier plan, build and create affordable homeownership opportunities for local families.

Give at HabitatCollier.org/donate

• Give a gift that builds. Habitat Collier’s annual Giving Guide returns this holiday season with symbolic gifts representing the materials and items that go into a Habitat home. From building materials to entire rooms, it’s a meaningful way to honor someone on your holiday list while supporting affordable homeownership right here in Collier County. Coming to HabitatCollier.org in late November

• Volunteer. There are plenty of ways to lend a hand, whether you want to help build a home, volunteer in our ReStore or put your time and talents to work in other ways. No experience needed and opportunities are available for individuals and groups.

Learn more and register at HabitatCollier.org/volunteer

• Celebrate with us. Join Habitat Collier on Saturday, November 14 at 10am, for our next home dedication at Majestic Place (10204 Royalty Way Naples, FL 34114). Dedications are open to the community and held on the second Saturday of each month through April and offer an opportunity to celebrate alongside new homeowners, volunteers, donors and neighbors as families prepare to begin their next chapter.

Find upcoming locations and details at HabitatCollier.org/events

Twenty-two families for every home we were able to build last year is a reminder of how much work remains. But every family who purchases a home is also proof of what is possible.

Together, we can keep building until more of those families have the opportunity to call a home their own.