Every year, the same moment arrived. The lease renewal would land, and Juliet would brace for a question she could never answer ahead of time: how much higher would the rent go this time?
Juliet is a full-time single mom of 3 children, ages 14, 11 and 9. For years, the four of them rented a 3-bedroom condo in an older neighbourhood, in the same community where they still live today. The building went up in the early 1980s, and it showed its age. Systems broke down. Space was tight, and getting tighter as her children grew.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty and limitations when renting,” Juliet says. “I was very anxious around the time when the lease was being renewed. I always expected the rent to go up.”
She wanted more for her family. She wanted room for three growing kids, a place that worked, and a future no lease renewal could threaten. She wanted to build equity instead of paying into someone else’s building. On a single income, that goal kept sliding out of reach.
“I knew that as a single income household, I was priced out of the possibility of ever owning my own place,” she says. “Having my own place and being in a position to build equity was a huge goal that felt very much like a dream for a long time.”
Then she applied to Habitat for Humanity Edmonton.
She expected the application to be complicated. It wasn’t. “It was surprisingly very simple and quick,” she says. The approval was something else entirely.
“It felt like a dream had come true. I started 2025 not knowing what the future held for us. By April 1, 2025, we had already moved into our new home.”
She still remembers seeing the home for the first time. “I was in awe that I not only got to own a home, but a new home,” she says. “More importantly, it was the look on my kids’ faces. They couldn’t believe this was ours.”
That feeling did not wear off. Her children were so visibly excited in those first months that even people close to the family remarked on it.
The practical changes came quickly. The home has efficient systems that don’t constantly break down. The garage gives them storage. Everyone has space. But Juliet describes the biggest change as something that happened inside her.
“It felt like a quiet but powerful shift, from hoping for stability to actually living it,” she says. “I feel more confident, more secure, settled, and more aware of what home truly means to me.”
Ask her where she would be without this home, and her answer is direct. “I would certainly still be living there, trying to figure out how to get us out of there, knowing that I cannot afford to do so. Now, I can focus on other things like my career development, my children, and work on retirement goals.”
Homeownership has not ended Juliet’s relationship with Habitat. She volunteers, giving her time to the same community-driven work that opened her own front door. “I’ve always wanted to give back to my community in some capacity,” she says. “Volunteering with Habitat, which is rooted in community building, has allowed me to continue to give back to my community.”
Ask her what home means, and she doesn’t talk about square footage or finishes. “Home is wherever my loved ones are. A space that brings me peace and comfort. It’s where I can recharge, reflect and feel grounded after everything life throws at me.”
Her hope for the years ahead is simple: that this home keeps being a place where her family feels grounded, comfortable, connected, and like they belong.
To the volunteers, donors and partners who made her homeownership possible, Juliet offers this: “We are deeply grateful for your kindness and support. Because of you, lives are being changed, turning hope into reality.”
And when she’s asked for one phrase that captures how she feels about her home, she has it ready.
“Where new memories begin.”
Your story could be next. New homes are now open for application, and you can apply today: hfh.org/available-homes
