TAMPA, Fla. — After years of working two jobs and saving money, an east Tampa single mother is celebrating a milestone she once thought was out of reach — becoming a homeowner.
Deniseshia Numan purchased her first home through the City of Tampa’s Infill Housing Program with the help of multiple down payment assistance programs coordinated by the nonprofit Solita’s House.
The home carried a sales price of $270,000. Through a combination of public and private funding, Numan’s mortgage was reduced to about $55,000, resulting in a monthly mortgage payment of just over $780.
The financing package included $40,000 through the City of Tampa’s DARE program, $96,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, a $6,000 mortgage loan from Solita’s House, and a final $35,000 contribution from Warrick Dunn Charities.
“I might be disabled, but I don’t let that define me,” Numan said.
The 35-year-old, who has a hearing impairment, said buying a home represents years of determination and sacrifice for herself and her children.
“I feel like a weight is off my shoulders like I’m becoming successful, I feel proud, I feel courage,” she said.
Solita’s House CEO Aidza Antonio said the organization helped Numan layer multiple funding sources to make homeownership affordable.
“It’s important to know what your city and your counties are doing with those government dollars,” Thomas said. “This is how you get someone to the realization of homeownership.”
Thomas emphasized that financial assistance alone does not guarantee homeownership. She said buyers must still meet lending requirements by maintaining steady employment, building savings, and establishing good credit.
Numan’s real estate agent, Angela Fullwood, said the transaction highlighted the discipline required to purchase a home.
“Until closing, you can’t go make big purchases. You have to save. All your ducks have to be in a row,” Fullwood said. “For her, that sacrifice that she made, being a single mom and deaf and hard of hearing, we were determined.”
In addition to financial assistance, Warrick Dunn Charities furnished Numan’s new home as part of its long-running program that helps first-time homebuyers transition into homeownership.
“You just got to trust God. When it’s your time, it’s your time,” Numan said.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Solita’s House, a Tampa-based nonprofit that provides financial education, housing counseling, and homeownership assistance programs designed to help families build long-term wealth.