Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

New Habitat for Humanity Home -- with a little help from the pros

Wall raising on the new home on Orchard Street
Alex Crichton
Wall raising on the new home on Orchard Street

Habitat for Humanity is partnering with a local construction company to help build a new family home on Orchard Street.

Home Leasing Construction is providing supervision and skilled builders who will work alongside Habitat for Humanity volunteers and the new homeowner, to build the house in the JOSANA neighborhood.

It's the first Habitat build of its kind in Rochester.

Nelson Leenhouts is chairman and CEO of Home Leasing Construction.

"I think it's an opportunity for us to give back to the community," he said.

Marquita Anderson with one of her three children at the site of her new home
Marquita Anderson with one of her three children at the site of her new home

Habitat President and CEO Matt Flanagan says the future homeowner, Marquita Anderson, is completing 300 hours of sweat equity and educational classes.

"She's got to do her sweat equity.  She's taking her classes, she's working on her down payment so she can buy the house from us.  And she'll be out here, getting that sweat equity," he said.

That's 300 hours of sweat equity, one of the prerequisites to owning a Habitat for Humanity home.

Anderson, who has three children, is also working two jobs and is pursuing a teaching degree at the College at Brockport.

But she says she's ready for a new chapter for her family.

"We are so blessed to have something to finally have something that's are own.  To turn that key to that door and know that this is our place and we don't have to share with anybody if we don't want to," she said, laughing.

After a wall raising ceremony, work continued on the home.

Anderson is hoping to move into her new house in the fall.

Here’s a very grateful Marquita Anderson talking about her new home: