Blog: On the future of housing partnerships in Pensacola

Posted June 11, 2026

At Pensacola Habitat for Humanity, we are keenly aware of the obstacles that face our community regarding access to safe, affordable housing. Every day, our staff works diligently to help homebuyers priced out of the traditional housing market achieve the stability and security that affordable homeownership brings. This is a mission that we are able to achieve because of the tremendous buy-in we receive from our community: the donors, sponsors, volunteers, and supporters across sectors and all walks of life, uniting in this shared purpose.

The recent release of the City of Pensacola’s 2025-2026 Resident Satisfaction Survey has highlighted and drawn extra attention to the high cost of housing in Pensacola, demonstrating the importance of solving this issue. As part of the survey, respondents were asked to rank the top two priorities amongst a list of key City initiatives. The highest-ranked reply, at 20%, was addressing the high cost of housing. Reducing homelessness, with 19%, was the second highest. The full breakdown is below.

Source: 2025-2026 Resident Satisfaction Survey, City of Pensacola, May 2026

We understand the challenges facing not just Pensacola but cities and communities nationwide, and we strive to tackle these critical issues. Over the years, Pensacola Habitat for Humanity has developed a robust partnership with local government agencies including the City of Pensacola, and these relationships have proven to deliver meaningful progress in our shared objectives.

Working closely with civic partners across Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties has resulted in many successes in the last few years, with perhaps the most significant “win” coming with the Northwest Florida Community Land Trust (NFCLT). This innovative shared-equity model removes the burden of the cost of land from the homeowner, allowing for lower-income buyers to achieve homeownership. Rather than pay for the land, the buyer owns the home and leases the land on a minimal-cost 99-year ground lease. These homes are also designed as permanently affordable – meaning any future buyers would also need to be income-qualified.

For the NFCLT to work, it needs access to land for these homes to be built on. Local government agencies have been a crucial supporter of the land trust, donating lots and partnering with Pensacola Habitat on special programs aimed at helping homebuyers purchase homes in otherwise inaccessible parts of Pensacola. Most recently, Pensacola Habitat, in partnership with the City of Pensacola and the Home Builders Association of West Florida, developed the Blueprint to Homeownership program. This program supported three new homeowners and served as a reflection of how partnerships between civic, corporate, and nonprofit organizations can affect real change. Those properties, as part of the NFCLT, will become part of a growing, permanent stock of affordable homes.

The success of Pensacola Habitat’s mission depends on the support and buy-in of local government. We are fortunate to work closely with many such partners in our shared vision of a community where everyone has access to affordable homeownership opportunities. We look forward to leading the charge in finding solutions that residents seek, and hope that the innovative new programs and options we provide help improve resident satisfaction scores around affordable housing in Pensacola.

Together, we build stronger communities.