Columbia has seen rent continue to rise even as rent prices have cooled in other parts of the state and country. Columbia experienced a 5.6% year over year increase from 2023 to 2024, compared with a 0.8% increase in St Louis City, a 1.7% increase in Kansas City/Jackson County and a 1% increase nationally. 



Over the past five years, Columbia rent increased 24.4%, compared with a 19% increase nationally. Average Columbia rent is now $1,368. Home buyers are also seeing continued rising prices. In July, the average price for homes sold reached a new high of $416,048, up 19% from last year according to a recent report from the Columbia Board of Realtors.

Despite higher home prices and fewer starter homes on the market, rising rent is pushing more people to try for homeownership. Read about the hopes and plans of a young renter family and Love Columbia’s homeownership program success in this issue.

Cost Burdened Renters Press Toward Homeownership

Angela and her husband, Quentin, graduated from our Extra Mile financial coaching program while living in one of our transitional homes. They worked hard to improve their finances such that they could move with their daughter into a two-bedroom apartment that rented for $798 per month. After successfully renting for a year, they signed another lease, this time at a monthly rate of $861.

The rising rent has prompted Angela and her husband to set a new goal: to own their own home. “We don’t want to continue to pay more in rent every year," Angela said. "We were told to expect an increase next year to $932.”

Angela shared that she and her husband loved the consistency of the Extra Mile financial coaching program and benefited from the patience of their coach.

“When we made a poor choice one week, our coach encouraged us not to give up, but learn from the setback," Angela said. "Now we are pressing on to eliminate debt and raise our credit score." She is encouraged by their progress and her husband’s recent job promotion. They also plan to invite her father to move in with them so his income can help them qualify for a home loan. We will continue to walk with them every step of the way and could not be more proud of them!

Homeownership Class Participation Surges

Love Columbia offers classes and counseling to prepare prospective first time home buyers for homeownership. Sherry Wyss, one of our HUD certified housing counselors, provides pre-homeownership classes to help participants understand what they need to do to get their credit score and overall finances in order to start their journey to buy their first home. She also provides a class for those ready to buy that focuses on learning about the home buying process. This class includes volunteers across industries: lenders, inspectors, real estate agents, appraisers, insurance and agents. Kenny Mohr, the Boone County assessor also provides information on property taxes.

The homebuyer class and follow up counseling certifies participants for City of Columbia first time homebuyer down payment assistance, if they meet income, credit score and housing price eligibility requirements. Information is also provided about other down payment assistance options.

“Class participants tell me the high price of rent is the number one factor pushing them toward homeownership,” Sherry said. “These classes provide hope, guidance, and map out the process for first time homebuyers.”

In 2024 so far, 20 people have attended the pre-homeownership class, 59 people have attended the first time homebuyer class, and 20 people have become new homeowners with four more closing in October.

Rosa: Finding A Home through Faith and Perseverance

Mark Briley, Anderson Homes Foundation Director of Client & Community Relations, Sherry Wyss , Love Columbia Financial Coach and Certified HUD Counselor, Rosa Bonabana, with two of her children: Gracie and Moses, Jacob Garrett, Bell Bank Mortgage Loan Officer, Mary Clark, Love Columbia Volunteer Coach.

Rosa Bonabana was recently able to secure permanent and stable housing by purchasing a home for herself and her family. Purchasing a first home is quite a feat for anyone in our current housing market and certainly remarkable for a single mother who was living in a refugee camp in Africa only eight years ago.

Rosa grew up in the Republic of Congo, but due to the ongoing military conflicts there, she was forced to join hundreds of thousands of other people to flee their homes and live as refugees. Rosa fled the Congo and spend 12 years in a refugee camp in Uganda. She came to Columbia, MO, eight years ago and immediately got involved in the community, joining Christian Fellowship Church and enrolling her kids in Granny’s House and Jabberwocky programs.

Rosa rented a home and worked hard in manufacturing jobs. A little over a year ago, her life was upended by the housing crisis we are experiencing across our nation. The owners of Rosa’s rental home sold the property and new owners decided not to renew her lease. Rosa subsequently struggled to secure decent housing that would meet her family’s needs and fit her budget. Rosa and her family had to relocate twice in the past year, but she managed to keep working full-time and saving money toward her dream of buying a home. Through Love Columbia’s homeownership program, she raised her credit score and got her finances in order just at the right time to purchase one of the first three homes built through Anderson Homes Foundation.

As Rosa’s life was unfolding across the globe in Africa, another life was unfolding here in Columbia that would be used to bring us to this place of homeowner celebration today. Russ Anderson grew up on Blue Ridge Road here in Columbia. He was raised by a single mother who worked hard to make ends meet for their family of five. Russ inherited his mother’s work ethic and desire for families to have what they needed to flourish. He developed and grew Anderson Homes into a successful business that has and continues to build some of the most beautiful homes in our community. He felt strongly that homeownership was the best way to help a family build wealth for the present and future generations and wanted to make this possible for Columbia families with barriers to achieving this dream. Russ and his brother-in-law, Mark Briley, heard about Love Columbia’s homeownership program for first time home buyers and how difficult it was for our graduates to find homes in an affordable price range. In response, they set up a foundation and found three families willing to put up the money to build three starter homes his company would build and sell without charging the builder’s fee. Three families, including Rosa’s, are now enjoying the American dream of homeownership in brand new homes they could afford.

Anderson Homes Foundation has now purchased three more lots and broken ground to start the second round of their partnership with Love Columbia to see home buyer program graduates purchase beautiful, affordable homes.

The lives of Rosa Bonabana and Russ Anderson look very different on the surface, but there are common threads that have tied them together. They are both motivated by their faith and willing to persevere through challenges to achieve their goals. What a blessing and inspiration  to our community they are!

Anderson Homes breaks ground on next three Anderson Homes Foundation houses.

Announcements + Upcoming Events

Love Forward Homes Groundbreaking

Join us for a groundbreaking event Thursday, October 3 at 9:30 AM to celebrate our new transitional homes that will be located at 1221 E. Ash St., Columbia, MO 65201. We invite you to join us for light refreshments following the groundbreaking.

2024 Boone County Housing Summit

Boone County and the City of Columbia are hosting a housing summit October 24, 2024. The summit will bring our community together to learn about local housing-related plans and determine next steps to address affordable housing. Please, come share your thoughts and help shape the future of housing in Boone County! Additional details in the flyer below.

Love Columbia Howdy's Car Show

Join us tomorrow, Saturday, September 28, in The Crossing Church parking lot, (3615 Southland Drive, Columbia, MO 65201) for a car show from 10:00AM-2:30PM! Car registration opens at 8:30 AM, food trucks will be on site, a free car maintenance class will be led by Howdy Matheny at noon, and the prize ceremony begins at 2:00 PM. This event is free to all spectators and $30 to register your car into the show! 

To learn more visit: lovecolumbia.org/carshow

Love Columbia Job Fair

Love Columbia is hosting a job fair this Wednesday, October 2, from 3:00-5:30PM at Love Columbia (1209 E Walnut St). Connect with employers from Boone Health, MU Health Care, Missouri Psychiatric Center, and BlueSprig Pediatrics. Acquire job listings and career opportunities from local assisted living and skilled nursing facilities. Love Columbia Staff will be on hand to help you complete the application process and support you in your job search! 

To learn more visit: lovecolumbia.org/events/job-fair

Third Annual Charity Wine Walk benefitting Love Columbia

Join us on Thursday, October 10, from 4:30 - 7:00 PM at 630 E Green Meadows Rd, Columbia, MO 65201 and enjoy wine tastings from 12 different wineries, as well as select food pairings and live music while exploring the participating businesses.

Event tickets are $30. Funds from ticket purchases support Love Columbia, and as a participant you will receive a 12oz stainless steel insulated wine tumbler. 

Learn more and purchase your tickets today:  secure.qgiv.com/event/thirdannualwinewalk/