Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity breaks ground on two new houses in Dover

DOVER — The Central Delaware Habitat for Humanity held a joint groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for a pair of homes on 37 and 39 S. New St., moving ever closer to 50 homes built under the Restoring Central Dover Neighborhood Revitalization Plan.

Habitat tasks itself with building affordable homes for low-income families like the two celebrated Wednesday. Once the families complete the program, they earn an opportunity to purchase the home at a 0% interest rate, and the mortgage is subsidized until it is affordable based on a family’s income.

Though many requirements to buy a habitat home are the same, like steady credit, habitat also has some other requirements, like 250 hours of “sweat equity,” or volunteer hours, for every adult who will be living in the home.

Building the home from scratch affords the potential owners some options too, like the color of their siding, the finish of their cabinets, some of the lighting, and more.

According to Central Delaware Habitat CEO Tim Bailey, it will cost the organization around $230,000 each to build both homes, which they will sell from $170,000 to $190,000, based on the family’s affordability.

Both families were thrilled with the opportunities they earned through the nonprofit.

“My family always told me I wouldn’t have a house, I wouldn’t be nothing, So, I’m so thankful that God blessed me with this house,” said Tanya Waller, who will be living in one of the homes with her daughter Klise. “This means so much to me, for my children to have a home. I never thought I would have a home.”

“To be honest, the last almost two years have been a struggle. Living in that mobile home changed a lot. We were there for like five years, and it really started to run down,” said Hyeisha Armstead, who will be living in the home with her two daughters and h “Trap” 1:10, 4:10, 7 and 9:50 p.m.; er grandson, the mother of whom passed away in a motorcycle accident five years ago.

“I said I wanted to own my own home by the time I was 40 years old. I just turned 40 in February,” she added.

At the groundbreaking, Mr. Bailey discussed the Neighborhood Revitalization Plan.

“There’s an initiative started several years ago called Restoring Central Dover. It was a strategic plan for the area, and part of that strategic plan was an injection of affordable homes,” said Mr. Bailey. “So, we’ve played the primary role in that ... through guidance, partnership, resource sharing, and things like that with Neighborgood partners.”

The new homes are the 46th and 47th, and Mr. Bailey says Habitat is responsible for 40 of the total.

“There’s no other program like it that’s serving this low of our income range,” Mr. Bailey added. “So I would just say to anybody reading or listening to this, support your local habitat.”