We bought our first house right behind the Duffeyroll at the south end of town in 2008 for less than $200k. It was a classic starter home with two bedrooms, one bath, two living spaces and a decent yard, front and back. According to Zillow, that house is now worth $470k, which is far from what I would consider a starter home price. We bought our current home near the Gothic Theatre for $550k in 2017. Zillow values that house at $773k a mere six years later. And it’s not just the cost of housing that first-time home buyers are up against here, it’s the inventory too. There’s hardly anything available for sale, or rent for that matter.

This is what drove my sister (a high school teacher) and her husband (a valet a Swedish) out of the area a few years ago. They simply couldn’t afford it. They now live outside of Cleveland where they are able to make ends meet on their salaries.

Little did we know in 2008 that we were buying in the right place at the right time. A year or two later and we might not have been able to get into the housing market at all. At this point, I wouldn’t be able to afford to buy the house I’m currently living in.

We love Englewood and we want to spend the rest of our lives here. This love for our city is starting to rub off on our kids. It’s pretty special to watch our 7-year-old, for instance, walk into a City Council meeting or a local restaurant and say hello to familiar faces. I’m not sure what our children’s futures hold but I wouldn’t be surprised if they try to raise their own families in or near Englewood.

This is why I’m a part of Englewood CAN, a grassroots organization in Englewood who believes in attainable neighborhoods. This isn’t for us. We’re already here and established. This is for our kids, the next generation of Englewood residents, employees, electeds, and neighbors. I believe we can make Englewood attainable, affordable, and beautiful for our kids.

To learn more about Englewood CAN, visit attainableenglewood.org

Nathan Hoag

Englewood