7 local families move into Habitat homes
The holidays arrived early for seven Broward County families this year.
Habitat for Humanity of Broward placed each family into new homes at a recent dedication ceremony, attended by its partners and city officials, in Hallandale Beach.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter in their lives,” said Perry Ecton, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Broward.
“Merry Christmas,” said Hallandale Beach Mayor Joy Cooper, as she presented each family with a ceremonial key and a certificate of the hours they’ve logged in sweat equity. Habitat for Humanity requires each homeowner to work 400 hours building their home and in its ReStore facility.
The families were very deserving, said board member Bob Leider. The seven families were selected from a pool of 850 applicants.
“We teach them everything they need to know to be effective, successful homeowners,” said Antonio Brown, Habitat for Humanity director of family services.
The reality of owning a permanent residence was slowly sinking in for Mercedes Meana, a single mother that has spent two years living with an aunt.
“I can say, ‘I have a home,’” she said.
After Meana’s mother died of cancer in March, she moved into a hotel with her 7-year-old daughter, Sasha, while her 14-year-old went to live with her father.
“It’s hard to rent and buying is not even an option,” Meana said. She works as a customer service representative at a rental car company. With some rents for a one-bedroom apartment as much as $1,000 per month, Meana said she just can’t afford it.
“This is a weight taken of my shoulders, to have a home,” she said. “I feel very blessed.”
The seven-unit Heritage Pointe Townhomes is Habitat for Humanity of Broward’s largest project to date. The Hallandale Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the city worked with Habitat for Humanity to expedite the process, said Kenny Brighton, the group’s director of development.
“This particular project went really fast and smooth,” he said.
Coneia Floyd, representative for the Heritage Pointe homeowners, thanked Habitat for Humanity.
“Without them it would not be possible to be homeowners,” Floyd said. “It’s been a long journey for everyone involved, but we made it.”