Habitat gives homes to six families

Six needy Queens families were given the keys to their new homes in Jamaica this past week thanks to the tireless efforts of Habitat for Humanity-NYC.
Over 2,000 volunteers worked side-by-side with each family to build these single-family, two-story homes complete with a front and back yard and basement. They are specifically designed to be environmentally friendly and save the families up to 30% on energy costs.
Congressman Gregory Meeks, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, and State Senator Ada Smith attended the March 25 dedication ceremony.
“People all over the world talk about the American Dream,” said Congressman Meeks. “This is it, people coming together to help each other. Together we can make sure that tomorrow is better than today.”
Under the Habitat for humanity “Sweat Equity” model, each homeowner must contribute 300 hours of work into the building of their home per adult living in the household. This includes necessary work like sheet rocking, tiling, laying floors and painting homes. The work is taken in lieu of a financial down payment.
Each home is treated like a condo and the family is given an economical mortgage with resale restrictions.
“Every year we accumulated money but the costs would always be more,” added one home recipient, Emmanuel St. Louis. “I kept getting better jobs with more pay, but it keeps slipping out of our fingers because of the cost of housing.”
St. Louis, his wife and their six children will move into the Habitat home on 170th Street.
“These homes represent a part of Habitat-NYC’s long-term commitment to Jamaica,” said Roland Lewis, Executive Director of Habitat-NYC. “It is especially meaningful to build on our success in a neighborhood where we have such close ties and in a community that has such dire need for affordable housing opportunities.”
Eighteen similar homes have been built by Habitat for Humanity-NYC over the last 7 years.
“Hundreds of thousands of city families desperately need affordable homes,” said Lewis. “Habitat-NYC is part of the solution - but we are not the solution. Today, we look forward to a new future for our families in Jamaica.”