Grace Fitzgerald has called Henrico County home for most of her life, from her time as a student at Henrico County Public Schools to her now-established career as a school counselor. It was only fitting that Henrico was the place where she became a first-time homeowner — and Henrico helped her do it.
In April, the Pocahontas Middle School counselor became the first Henrico County Public Schools employee to close on a home as part of the county’s Employee Home Purchase Assistance Program, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors last June and began accepting applications later last year.
“When we were leaving and the keys were handed to me, it really hit me. I was like, oh my goodness, I own this, this is mine,” said Fitzgerald, who recently moved into her new home with her 3-year-old French bulldog, Sampson. “My dad and I opened the door, and I said, ‘This is my home!’ There was lots of dancing.”
Pocahontas Middle School counselor Grace Fitzgerald pets her dog, Sampson, in the backyard of her new home. She purchased it with a forgivable loan from Henrico's Employee Home Purchase Assistance Program.
The Employee Home Purchase Assistance Program was devised to address a shortage of affordable housing throughout Virginia and the rest of the United States.
According to Redfin, the median home sale price in Virginia in Sept. 2020 was $354,400. As of April 2024, that number is $458,300, representing a 22.7% increase. This surge is impacted by factors such as the rise in inflation, stagnancy in the number of homes being built and lingering effects from events like the 2008 financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The program, which included an initial investment of $2,000,000, makes homebuying more affordable for eligible employees through a forgivable loan, worth up to $25,000, to go toward a down payment. These loans, coupled with ongoing pay raises for county and HCPS employees, are already making homebuying dreams come true.
Each year an eligible homebuyer remains an employee of the county and occupies their Henrico home, 20% of the loan is forgiven. This means after five years, the loan is 100% forgiven, bridging the affordability gap for those who have an established career — in teaching, transportation, facilities or any other eligible full-time position throughout the school division or county government — but may have felt priced out by the market.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for our employees,” said Nancy Jones-Oltjenbruns, HCPS’ assistant director of human resources. “This is a program that not only benefits our teachers but our support staff as well. When we rolled out the program, we were overwhelmed by the number of employees who saw the need for a program like this, and we’re glad we’re here to help support their future.”
Fitzgerald graduated from Mills E. Godwin High School after attending Harry F. Byrd (now Quioccasin) Middle and Gayton Elementary. She went on to study psychology at Christopher Newport University before beginning her professional career in Northern Virginia in business and hospitality roles.
Motivated by the rising need to address children’s mental health, she attended Longwood University to earn her Master of Education degree before kicking off her career at HCPS as a counselor at Highland Springs High School — a full-circle moment.
“I knew I wanted to work for Henrico County because I love this county,” she said.
She worked at Highland Springs for over three years before transitioning to Pocahontas Middle two years ago, closely working with students through the ups and downs of the pandemic at both schools and guiding their wants, needs and ambitions on a daily basis. You could find her expressing her love for the Green Bay Packers and Taylor Swift while lending her helping hand.
While this career change was deeply fulfilling on a personal level, it didn’t come with the promise of exceptional wealth. She comfortably made enough to rent an apartment, but the possibility of buying her own home seemed far off, at best.
She lived with her parents in the West End for a period of time while she worked at Pocahontas, a luxury that allowed her to be close to the school and save some money. However, a potential leap into being a homeowner was daunting amid an unprecedented housing market and the other expenditures that come with everyday life.
“In education, we don’t necessarily think we’re going to be able to purchase a home just based on our income or based on our circumstances,” Fitzgerald said. “This opened up opportunities I did not know existed.”
Employees, such as Fitzgerald, were eligible for the loan based on factors like service time (one or more continuous years of employment), contract status (full-time, permanent employment) and good standing within their department. It's only available for first-time homebuyers, with restrictions based on total household income and the value of the home being purchased — a full list of requirements and application terms can be found at https://www.henricoschools.us/page/home-assistance-program.
Grace Fitzgerald's dog, Sampson, rests on the couch next to a Taylor Swift-themed throw pillow.
Through her closing and move, she continued her hard work at Pocahontas Middle, reinforcing the relationships with students and fellow staff members that made her fall in love with HCPS all over again. She presented the school’s career day for the first time, and she’s currently guiding everyone on the final stretch of the 2023-24 school year before planning begins for this fall.
She’ll get to do so within the comfort of her new home, thanks to a big boost from the Employee Home Purchase Assistance Program.
“Honestly, it feels like the county believes in me and they’re investing in me, and it feels very validating that they want me to grow and prosper in my own personal journey,” Fitzgerald said. “Because of that, I’m able to give back even more to the school I’m working for.
“I’m still processing that it actually happened. I feel very, very, very fortunate.”
As more applications are processed, more HCPS staff members of all ages, experiences, departments and backgrounds are expected to close on their first Henrico County homes. It’s a boon for all of those employees who have contributed and grown within HCPS, as well as any prospective employees who are considering a career with the school division like Fitzgerald did several years ago.
“We just want to help people foster their possibilities, their vision, their goals, and we want to do what we can to assist them,” said Jones-Oltjenbruns. “I was so excited when we got the word that [Fitzgerald] was approved and that she would be one of the first individuals to receive this forgivable loan. I know this is going to make a big difference in her life and hopefully in her family’s lives as well.”
You can find more information about the Employee Home Purchase Assistance Program and all the benefits offered by Henrico County Public Schools on our Careers page at https://www.henricoschools.us/page/careers.
Dylan Garner is a communications specialist with Henrico County Public Schools. He can be reached by email at cdgarner@henrico.k12.va.us.