The September 13, 2018 edition of the Newburyport Daily News reported on the September 11 forum on affordable home ownership held at FRS and sponsored by our Justice Action Ministry and Pennies for Poverty. The Daily News noted that the session was a part of a continuing conversation about homelessness and housing insecurity in greater Newburyport.
The forum featured the perspective of a home owner, Roxanna Mota, who purchased a home built and made affordable by the Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity. Mota said that she was a single mom of two energetic boys. They lived in a small, cramped one-bedroom apartment that was in poor repair. Her rent took about 75% of her monthly income. Because she met the criteria set by Habitat, she was offered a Habitat home. She had to show a need for decent housing, the ability to cover housing costs of about $800 to $900 a month (or about 1/3 of monthly income), and the willingness to contribute sweat equity—volunteering to help with the construction of her home or help Habitat meet its mission in other ways.
“I loved to be there every Saturday until we finished the house. When they gave me a date of closing my heart was pounding! I signed my papers and when they gave the key in my hand you don’t know the feeling! Every time I think about it I want to cry,” Mota said.
Randy Larson, Habitat executive director, briefed the group on seven new homes to be built in Salisbury. The ground is just broken and Habitat expects a move-in date in about 18 months. Larson encourages FRS to form a “build team” to volunteer on a regular basis. He also welcomes individual volunteers to join teams that get together on Thursdays or Saturdays. The first step to volunteer is to contact Habitat volunteer coordinator Sonia Kuenzig at 978-681-8858 or visit Habitat’s web page.