A Reluctant, Grateful New Homeowner

I had long given up on the dream of owning a home when a Bridgeport apartment fire in February had me on the move for the fourth time in 10 years. After a minor collision that totaled my car, I moved into a second floor apartment above Jack Cassidy’s Irish Pub in Pottstown. 

Then my luck began to change. 

Through my housing advocacy and networks, I learned about Mosaic Community Land Trust in Pottstown. Their dedicated group had recently listed their second property for sale – this one on East Second Street. The lucky future owner of this fully refurbished rowhome would benefit from having their monthly mortgage payment (plus taxes, insurance, and interest) capped at 30% of their income. 

Executive Director Tracy Purdy reported that few people were applying for the house and local advocate Doug Slick also encouraged me to apply, so I did. Through a competitive process that included a “blind” ranking of applicants based on a number of attributes and credit-worthiness, I found myself in the second slot. Soon after that, I learned that the top applicant had dropped out. 

So, if I could secure a mortgage, the 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath rowhome with a finished attic could be mine to purchase. 

Unease 

Until about three years ago, my annual income had never crested above $50,000. Before beginning my career in state government, my professional pursuits included journalism, grocery and produce manager gigs, as well as other retail and warehouse jobs. The idea of owning a home as a single guy made me nervous, to be truthful. What if a major appliance or system fails? You are now the landlord, along with the weight of property taxes. 

Nevertheless, a quick review of my monthly rent trajectory over the past decade finally gave me pause….

• Ardmore, 2015: $735 per month 

• Phoenixville, 2019: $900

• Bridgeport, 2022: $1,050 

• Pottstown, 2025: $1,200 

Planting Roots 

I wanted to set my personal anchor, and Pottstown makes sense. The Mercury was the backdrop for my first full-time job in Pennsylvania after college (following a two-year adventure working in Arizona). As Rep. Joe Ciresi’s current chief of staff, I started working on his campaign in 2016. I’m surprised that it took me this long to move to Pottstown. This borough has all the amenities I want, without the pretentiousness or boredom of previous places I’ve called home. Pottstown truly is a community. 

Without a doubt, my “side work” of affordable housing advocacy planted a seed of interest and led to a chance meeting where I learned about Mosaic CLT. A previous blog post explained how land trusts work. 

Closing time 

As I approached our settlement date of Sept. 26 (on King Street at Liberty Bell Abstract, next to the Mercury), I visited Kimberton Whole Foods in Douglassville to pick up a few items. The independent retailer of natural and organic foods was one of my previous employers for about four years. 

Like some retail stores, you can “round up” your bill to support different organizations each month. As luck would have it, Mosaic is the featured September non-profit (only at the Douglasville location). The cashier, after asking if I’d like to round up, added: 

“Mosaic supports a network of community gardens in the Pottstown area and helps preserve affordable housing.” 

I responded with a grin. “Yes, they helped me buy my first home. Thanks for your support!” 

Montgomery County’s First-Time Homebuyers Assistance also deserves a heart-felt shout out for assisting with closing costs (to the tune of $10,000). With the tremendous gratitude I feel for this opportunity, I can now “preach the gospel” of community land trusts in Pennsylvania and advocate for their replication. If only everyone working in essential jobs like grocery had a fair shot at homeownership that would be a good start.