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Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio to Begin Construction on Eight More Homes

Laura Escobar of San Antonio has always been independent. When the struggles of single parenthood forced her to rely on her grandmother for a place to live, it was tough.

“It is hard knowing that I don’t have a place to call my own,” the single mother said recently. “It is like I am not independent.”

Escobar and her daughter, now 5, have lived with her grandmother since 2008. That will soon change as the Escobar family is one of eight who will begin construction on their new Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio homes this weekend and move into them by year’s end.

“I will be there,” she said of Friday’s start date. Her home is being sponsored by KCI, a medical technology company that has provided funding and will provide volunteers to build the house. This is the seventh HFHSA home to be built by the company.

“I really appreciate them from the bottom of my heart. There are not enough words to say how thankful I am.”

She is equally as thankful for the requirements of the Habitat program, mainly the “sweat equity” she has been required to complete. She has already completed more than 240 of the 300 construction and classroom hours required by the program.

“I know I am going to be more appreciative and value my home. And when it needs repairs, I’m going to be on it right away,” she said, explaining she really enjoyed the home maintenance class provided by HFHSA. “I am very excited and proud of myself.”

Once construction ends, Escobar will purchase the home she helped build on a 0-interest, 20-year mortgage.

Other sponsors for these eight homes include Tesoro, Wells Fargo and The Terry Lynn Poerner Charitable Foundation Fund of the San Antonio Area Foundation, San Antonio Lutheran Cluster and Friends of Habitat, Knights of Columbus – Archdiocese of San Antonio Chapter, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and St. Thomas Episcopal Church, and a Community Build house being supported by St. Brigid Catholic Church, Windcrest UMC, Sunset Ridge Church of Christ, Universal City UMC, Colonial Hills UMC, Trinity UMC, St. Gregory Catholic Church, St. Jerome Catholic Church, St. Vincent De Paul Catholic and Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church.

These eight homes are being built in HFHSA’s newest community, Coleman Ridge. 24 will be completed by year’s end.

For information on volunteering or becoming a sponsor, call HFHSA at 210-223-5203.

Directions: Old Pearsall Road and Loop 410; from downtown San Antonio, take 35 South (toward Laredo) to 410 North; take Exit #2 (Old Pearsall Road); turn Left and go under bridge; take the first right onto Excellence Drive; follow the parking signs.

About Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio: Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio is an ecumenical, Christian organization working with families in need to build simple, decent and affordable homes without interest or profit. Habitat families are required to put in a minimum of 300 hours of “sweat equity,” meaning they help build their own home, the homes of their neighbors and they attend home ownership education classes. In turn, they purchase their homes on a 0% interest, 20-year mortgage. Their payments average about $400 a month, or about half the fair market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in the city. HFHSA plans to build 55 homes in 2011. HFHSA was founded in 1976 as the first U.S. affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International. The organization has built 713 homes in its 35-year history.