Ten years ago, the median listing price of a house in Eugene, Oregon was slightly above $200,000. Today, the median listing price of a house has spiked up to more than $325,000. 
Seeing this issue continue to grow as time goes by, Annie Leadingham, the marketing manager of Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane, decided that it was time for a change. 

After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in sustainable community development, Leadingham worked for an advertising agency named McCann Erickson in Los Angeles, only to leave the job after learning that the company was creating scud missile advertisements for the Iraq War.
“It didn’t feel right to me, so I wanted to do more for my fellow community members,” said Leadingham.

After leaving McCann Erickson, Leadingham began a new journey working at Warner Brothers, only to experience sexism in the workplace and to have her educational background questioned due to her lack of experience.

Eight years ago, Leadingham was touring Eugene, Oregon, and it has turned into her current home. She now works at Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane, a nonprofit that works towards affordable homeownership. 

“I had to completely reinvent my life. I had to start at the bottom as a volunteer, and I worked my way up to director of development and marketing.” 

When asked about the weight of the housing crisis, Leadingham described it as “crushing, it is crushing all of us.” Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane focuses on providing affordable mortgages and financial stability for “the missing middle”: those in the 40-80% of the Area Median Income (AMI). According to Lane County Human Services Division, in 2023, a household size of four in “the missing middle” had an annual income of between $30,000 and $67,450. The rise in housing prices only adds more strain to low-income families. 

The Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Central Lane, John Barnum, states that housing has become less affordable in the last few years where “many people are very close to being unhoused just by missing a paycheck.” In addition, the housing crisis is not just limited to Lane County; the entire country is in this battle. In Barnum’s opinion, this will be a long-term problem for “the next twenty to forty years.”

The housing crisis can often make people feel helpless when there isn’t a clear solution. But Leadingham and Barnum believe it’s important for the public to get involved in their community: attend public meetings, volunteer, donate, and much more. Change is slow, but a bucket of water gets filled one drop at a time. And Habitat for Humanity makes a difference, one home at a time.