Help Me Save the Home I'm Working to Buy

Hi everyone,

I never imagined I would be in a position where I needed to ask for help like this, but my family is facing a housing crisis, and I am doing everything in my power to keep the home we've worked so hard for.

Since September 2024, my four children and I have lived in a rent-to-own home with the dream of eventually becoming homeowners. For nearly two years, we have made this house our home. We've built our routines here, created memories here, and invested our time, energy, and resources into a future we believed would lead to homeownership.

What makes this situation especially heartbreaking is that we are not at the beginning of that journey. By this coming September, we will have completed approximately two years of payments, with only about one year remaining before the home would become ours under the agreement. We have worked incredibly hard to reach this point, and the possibility of losing everything so close to the finish line is devastating.

Recently, I experienced financial hardship while transitioning into a new job, which caused me to fall behind on my payments. Because of these recent financial struggles, my landlord has moved to terminate my lease and has expressed her intention to sell the property to someone else rather than allow me to continue toward ownership through the rent-to-own agreement.

I want people to know that asking for help was not my first option. I reached out to county agencies and applied for emergency rental assistance programs that may have helped resolve the past-due balance. Despite my efforts, those resources were unable to assist because participation from the property owner was required and my landlord declined to move forward with the process. After exhausting the options available to me, I am turning to my community for help keeping a stable home for my children and preserving the opportunity to complete the rent-to-own agreement.

After consulting with an attorney, I have been advised that bringing my account current is critical to protecting my ability to remain in the home and continue pursuing my rights under the agreement. To do that, I need to quickly raise enough money to cover the overdue rent, late fees, and any court-related expenses that may arise.

This situation is especially difficult because I am raising four young children. My youngest child has ongoing medical challenges that make stable housing extremely important. Maintaining a consistent home environment is vital for our family's well-being, and the thought of being displaced during this time is overwhelming.

I recently started a new job and am working hard to regain financial stability. My income is improving, and I am committed to meeting my obligations moving forward. I am also setting aside as much as possible from each paycheck to put toward the outstanding balance. However, as a parent supporting four children, I still have essential expenses that cannot be postponed, including transportation costs, car payments, insurance, utilities, food, and other household necessities. While I am doing everything I can to contribute personally, the amount needed to become current within the required timeframe is more than I can realistically save on my own.

This fundraiser is not about avoiding responsibility. It is about overcoming a temporary setback so that I can protect my family, keep our home, and finish what I have spent years working toward.

The funds raised will be used for:

• Past-due rent

• Late fees associated with missed payments

• Potential court filing fees and related legal expenses

• One additional month of rent paid in advance to create stability and prevent falling behind again

My goal is to raise $4,000. This amount would allow me to cover approximately three months of rent, accumulated late fees, and help with any court-related expenses that may arise. Reaching this goal would allow me to become current on my obligations, protect my family's housing, and continue toward owning the home we have spent years working to make our own.

I understand that people want to know their support is going toward a genuine need. I am willing to provide documentation privately, including information related to the rent-to-own agreement, payment history, notices I have received, and my efforts to obtain rental assistance. Transparency is important to me, and I want donors to feel confident that their generosity is helping a family facing a real housing crisis.

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to keeping our home and preserving the future we have worked so hard to build. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser with others would mean the world to us.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for any support, kindness, encouragement, or prayers you can offer during this difficult time.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Sunshine Lang