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Lifestyles

Friday, June 12, 2009 9:36 PM

What’s it like to own a Habitat for Humanity home?

By LINDA BROWN, Ask a Professional

Jennifer Robinson didn’t have to ask anyone if she could plant yellow flowers and pink rose bushes in her front yard.

“We built the kids a sandbox out back because we could without having to ask,” Robinson said with a wide smile and breathy little giggle. “That’s one of the differences between owning a home and renting a house.”

Robinson, D.J. Welsh and their sons Dalton, 9, and Kabe, 6, have had three years to discover a multitude of differences home ownership makes since moving into their Habitat for Humanity-built home in Ottawa.

“Before we moved in here, we were living in this awful little mold-filled place,” Robinson said. “It was a little two-bedroom rental and it was really cheap rent.

“I knew it was awful, I just didn’t realize how bad it was until Kabe was born. He was sick all the time and soon developed asthma. Eventually we were all sick; D.J. and I had headaches every day.”

Robinson suspects it was the raw sewage collecting in the basement from a leaky toilet pipe and black mold growing down there that was making her family sick.

The family’s situation seemed hopeless, Robinson, a hair-stylist, said, until the day Kay Pederson, a Habitat volunteer, came into her salon.

That was the day her family discovered hope.

“Kay came in to get her nails done and she was talking about Habitat. The salon owner told me I should apply for a house,” Robinson said.

“I was pretty sure D.J. wouldn’t want to because he has too much pride, but we talked about it and he knew how bad our situation was.”

As stipulated by the Habitat rules for families whose applications are accepted, Robinson and Welsh put in the required 300 hours of sweat equity.

“Actually, it was way over 300 hours,” Robinson said.

“We did the majority of everything we knew how to do. I’m a little anal so I painted the entire inside by myself.”

Welsh, a framer by trade, helped frame the house. He also installed the kitchen cabinets and countertops.

“Whirlpool gives Habitat for Humanity a refrigerator and range for every home they build,” Robinson said.

“D.J.’s boss gave us the over-the-range microwave and the dishwasher as a housewarming gift.”

The Robinson-Welsh home isn’t fancy. The boys share a bedroom and the family of four shares a single bath but it’s well-built and it belongs to them.

The yard is neatly trimmed and the carpets are clean.

“That’s what I remember most about moving here with the boys,” Robinson said. “They could finally roll around on the carpet without me yelling to get up off the floor. At our old house, I could never get the carpets clean no matter how many times I shampooed them.”

Along with sweat equity, Robinson and Welsh also had to attend a variety of classes to prepare them for home ownership. The required budgeting class still is paying off.

“We were literally living pay check to pay check before,” Robinson said.

“Out of the three budgeting methods offered, we chose the envelop system. After a while, we decided to get another checking account just for paying the bills.

“It’s worked out great. We even took our first vacation in 10 years last month.”

The Ottawa affiliate of Habitat for Humanity supports their building projects, in part, with an annual golf tournament.

This year’s fundraiser at the Ottawa Country Club is scheduled for July 11 with flights at 7 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Sponsors, volunteers and players are still needed. For more information, contact Dale Fox at (785) 248-6309.

“Having this house, it’s meant the world to us,” Robinson said, her voice thick with emotion.

“I honestly believe my baby would be deathly sick by now if we’d had to stay where we were. He’s getting better here and hasn’t had an asthma attack at all this year.”

Linda Brown is marketing director for The Ottawa Herald. E-mail her at lbrown@ottawaherald.com.

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What’s it like to own a Habitat for Humanity home?

By LINDA BROWN, Ask a Professional

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article | Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.

E-mail this story to a friend | Print this article |
Enjoy the convenience of home delivery of The Ottawa Herald.