HOMEOWNER SPOTLIGHT

My name is Tammy and I am a Habitat homeowner.

I have lived in my house for almost 6 years now. When I first moved into my home in October 2005, I was not real familiar with the neighborhood nor did I know anyone. My house was the very first Habitat home to be built on Blackstone Avenue.

The house next to mine was basically an eye sore. There were roaches in the house, mice and stray animals living under the house in the crawl space.

Within the first 4 years, the homeowner moved out of state. The empty house became a dope house by the absent owner’s sons. Drug deals being made in the driveway and on the road in front of the house. People were coming and going all hours of the day & night. People climbing in the back windows, etc. It was awful.

Finally, after numerous calls to the police; the owner made his sons stop coming around. Now the grass wouldn’t get mowed for months. The snakes were overbearing. A couple of birds got into the house through the broken window and died in the window sill. It embarrassed me so much that I stopped having company over.

So, I called the Habitat for Humanity office to tell them the place had been abandoned and was a danger to our street. I asked if there was anything they could do to get rid of it. They said they would approach the owner to see if he would sell for a reasonable price.

When I found out that Habitat had bought the property, I was so relieved that finally there will be a decent home built. No more of the promiscuous behavior, drug trafficking, animals, and bugs.

I just want to thank Habitat for all that they have done & all that they continue to do to improve the lives of others.

Tammy Sorensen

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry, working in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged.