News

Program Helps Single Mom Start “Taking Care of Business”

First House Dedication to be Held in Coleman Ridge Community

Looking around the busy Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio construction site and smiling at dozens of volunteers helping to lay sod and plant a tree in her soon-to-be front yard, Lisa Mercado of San Antonio lets out a big sigh.

“It’s all starting to sink in,” she said with signs of tears showing in her eyes.  “I’m going from not having a place of my own … to this.”

Just one year ago, Mercado, a single mom of three, took herself out of “Section 8” after many years of receiving rental assistance.

“I said ‘you know what ... it’s time to figure out what I’m going to do.’  … I started taking care of business,” Mercado said.

Mercado will join 23 other families at 10 a.m. Saturday as the first 24 homes in HFHSA’s new Coleman Ridge Community are dedicated.  Each of the families helped build their own home and the homes of their neighbors and will soon purchase their homes on a 20-year, interest-free mortgage.

“I drove in today with nothing but tears,” she said, voice cracking.  “I’ve come a long way.  It’s been a real long road for me.”

Mercado now focuses on the positive and her future in her new Habitat home.

“I told my kids a long time ago, before I leave this earth I am going to leave them something,” she said.

That “something” is her new Habitat home.

“I should have done this year’s ago, but I guess that God knows when you are ready ... this is the time.”

Mercado’s home was sponsored by the San Antonio Ecumenical Genesis.  The group provided the funding and volunteers to help make her home possible.  Mercado worked side-by-side each weekend with the volunteers, completing more than 350 hours of sweat equity.

Other sponsors for the 24 homes include:  KCI, Tesoro, Wells Fargo and the Terry Lynn Poerner Charitable Foundation of the San Antonio Area Foundation, Bishop Tom Flanagan and the Knights of Columbus – Archdiocese of San Antonio, St. Thomas Episcopal Church/St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church/St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Coker United Methodist Church/Woodland Baptist Church, Citi, American Bankers Association, Bank of America, South Texas Lutheran Cluster/Friends of Habitat, donors honoring Bill Lytle and a community build house sponsored by Broadway National Bank, Trinity Baptist Church and University United Methodist Church.

This dedication marks 737 homes built by the organization in its 35-year history. 55 were built in 2011.

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; turn Right on 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.