Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley (HFHIV) dedicated a new home to Heather and Jonathan Valenzuela and their five children on Saturday, August 5th 2023. The ceremony was attended by officials from County of Riverside and the City of Lake Elsinore, family, friends, Habitat staff and supporters.
“Today’s home dedication represents the collective efforts of Habitat for Humanity, two local municipalities, countless volunteers and donors and a truly deserving and hard-working family,” said Tammy Marine, HFHIV CEO. “Our program provides a ‘hand up, not a hand-out’ to those struggling to overcome financial and accessibility barriers, especially in this challenging housing environment. By providing a pathway to homeownership, the Valenzuela family will overcome the challenge of high-cost rent while bridging the gap onto financial stability and generational wealth. By building this house, we’ve built a future for a young family.”
The family had been renting a two-bedroom townhouse before being selected for the Habitat Homeownership Program. The Valenzuelas were chosen from a pool of many applicants all seeking the opportunity of obtaining affordable homeownership in Southern California. Eligible applicants undergo a comprehensive application process demonstrating need, willingness to partner, and ability to pay. Following a fair but competitive selection process overseen by a Family Selection Committee, the Valenzuela’s were selected to partner with Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley for this newest home. “We are so grateful to Habitat for Humanity for giving us this opportunity,” said Heather Valenzuela. “We have been working hard to save for a down payment, and we never thought we would be able to afford a home of our own. This home is a dream come true for our family.”
The new home is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house with a two-car garage. The Valenzuelas devoted more than 500 hours of sweat equity in the build, as all Habitat homeowners are required to help in the building of their homes.
The build was made possible by numerous public and private entities, including Habitat for Humanity, County of Riverside, and the City of Lake Elsinore. Additional sponsors were US Bank, Bank of America, Milgard Windows and Doors, 951 Construction and Inland Empire Survey & Engineering.
“There is an affordable housing shortage being felt throughout California and it is through the dedicated efforts of partners like Habitat for Humanity that we, as a community, are moving the needle on this important issue to ensure that local families are able to turn the dream of home ownership into a reality,” said Riverside County Supervisor Karen Spiegel. “I was thrilled to join in the dedication celebration and to help welcome the Valenzuela family into their beautiful new home.”
The home is one of many projects that Habitat has been working on, with more affordable home ownership opportunities projected for the near future.
About Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley
Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley is a nonprofit organization that works to build affordable homes, communities, and hope. Habitat provides low income housing, home repair and home preservation services for families in the Inland Valley region. Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley is dedicated to eliminating substandard housing locally, as well as globally, through constructing, rehabilitating and preserving homes; by advocating for fair and just housing policies; and by providing training and access to resources to help families improve their housing conditions.
To learn more about Habitat for Humanity Inland Valley, visit our website at www.habitativ.org.