As Liyu sat in her apartment in the spring of 2024, she looked around her surroundings with frustration. Her daughter, Lidet, sat at her desk in the corner of the living room completing her homework, while her son, Meba, tried to navigate the cramped kitchen. Although a small greenspace sat behind the apartment, Liyu knew that her second son, Robel, who is on the autism spectrum, needed close supervision when playing outside. Toys were scattered throughout the three small bedrooms and the carpet, which covered the entire apartment, remained stubbornly dirty despite Liyu’s best efforts. Her dust mite allergy made cleaning it a daily battle, and no matter how hard she tried, it always appeared unclean. Looking around, Liyu thought about how desperately she wanted a home that would fit her family’s needs – somewhere safe and stable.
It wasn’t long until Liyu decided that enough was enough. She began searching for a new place to live, but her excitement at the prospect of a new home quickly became disappointment. Recently laid off from work and with her husband’s job based on commission, saving enough for a down payment on a home was impossible. With the little savings they had, it was difficult for Liyu to find a home that wasn’t old and run down, and she found herself continuously viewing apartments that were not much better than their current living conditions. In the end, Liyu was stuck in the rent cycle.
It wasn’t until Liyu heard of Habitat’s affordable homeownership program that her luck began to change, and although her initial application was denied, her friends encouraged her not to give up and to apply again. Her second application was a success, and just seven days after applying, she was calling her husband to let him know the good news.
To say every member of the family was excited to move into their home is an understatement. Liyu almost couldn’t believe her eyes at the size of the home, and her daughter was jumping around, unable to contain her excitement. Now, her oldest son is proud to have his own room and space that he can call his own, and Liyu sees him gaining confidence each day, regularly inviting his friends over after school to visit. Liyu has noticed that her daughter no longer spends all day watching TV, and instead spends her time downstairs reading books and making art. All the children enjoy their spacious backyard, where Liyu no longer needs to worry about their safety, and can supervise them from the kitchen window. For the entire family, there is now more room, and the family has separate spaces for the children to play, to store items, and to relax. Liyu is most proud of her clean house, which she is able to easily maintain, and can’t wait to start gardening next year.
To Liyu, homeownership means peace of mind. Now, she is confident and secure, and she feels accomplished. She is eternally grateful for Habitat’s support and does not have enough words to express her gratitude. She encourages anyone interested in owning a home to apply today.
