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Homeownership Ends Years of Frustration For One San Antonio Family

Sandra Coleman and her four children will soon celebrate the completion of their new home as Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio holds its first house dedication ceremony of 2010 at 10 a.m. Saturday.

“Just look at me,” said Coleman, choking back tears and trying to explain what owning her own home means to her.

Coleman moved to San Antonio from Mexico about 16 years ago and explained that is has not always been easy to make ends meet, especially since divorcing her husband.

Although a teacher in Mexico, Coleman’s teaching certification was not valid in the U.S. and she quickly found that her salary as a teachers’ assistant was not adequate to support herself and her four children. It was after a year of struggling that she made the decision to move back in with her ex-husband until she could find a way to make it on her own. She describes the situation as “maddening and frustrating” and hard on her children because of the tension in the household.

“My goal has been to get this house,” she said. Coleman applied to the program and spent two years clearing up credit issues before finally beginning construction on her home.

“I said, ‘tell me what I need to do’,” she continued, tearing up again.

“She’s a real trooper,” chimed in her 14-year-old eldest daughter, Samantha. “She’s so much happier now.” Samantha added that she and her siblings are ready for their own home as well.

“It means I can finally have my life and be free in a more peaceful home” Samantha said, hugging her mother. “It’s going to feel like a home, not a house.”

After clearing up credit issues, Coleman actually entered the program and began working on her required 300 hours of “sweat equity.” She actually completed almost 340 hours of working on her own home and the homes of her neighbors. She’s been working full time and attending college at night. Recently, she found out her school district will now honor her teaching certification and looks forward to taking a teaching position next year.

“This is very typical of Habitat families,” said Family Services Coordinator Mary Anguiano. “They work very, very hard to make their dreams of homeownership come true. They don’t come to us looking to be given anything. I think many people think we just give these homes away. We just provide an opportunity to these families. They do all the work.”

Coleman, and the 9 other families represented in Saturday’s dedication, are purchasing their homes on a 0-interest, 20-year mortgage.

Earning only 25-60% of the area median income, these families would not otherwise be able to purchase a home through a traditional mortgage route, Anguiano explained.

Coleman and her daughter will represent the families with a speech during Saturday’s ceremony, which begins at 10 a.m. in HFHSA’s Palo Alto Community. The public is invited.

Directions: Take IH-35 South (towards Laredo), exit #149 (Highway 16). Turn right on West Villaret Road (5th stoplight), turn left on Palo Alto Road (at dead end), turn right on Aragon Drive. Turn left on Maria Isabel. Turn right at Twining. Follow the parking signs and look for the stage.