Habitat for Humanity breaks ground for two new homes in Sarnia

Liz Nead was feeling a little overwhelmed Wednesday at the sod-turning for the new home Habitat for Humanity Sarnia-Lambton is building for her family.

Work is set to begin this month on two semi-detached homes on Emma Street in Sarnia.

Nead, her four children and a grandchild, will live in one of the homes, and Farajallah Alzuhbi, who came to Sarnia from Syria, will live with his family in the other.

“I don’t know what to think, honestly,” Nead said.

She first connected with Habitat for Humanity six years ago about the possibility of being one of the families for which it builds homes. The families provide “sweat equity” by volunteering with the charity, as well as making affordable mortgage payments.

“You can’t find anything anywhere,” Nead said about struggling to find safe, affordable rental housing. “It’s so expensive. And if you find something, it isn’t deliverable.”

David Waters, CEO of Habitat Sarnia-Lambton, said the two new homes are expected to be built by the end of November.

“I can’t even imagine it, honestly,” Nead said about moving with her family into her own home.

“It will be ours,” she said. “Nobody can take it from underneath you.”

Najah Shuqair, a translator for the Elzuhbi family, said they feel fortunate to be moving into an affordable home from Habitat for Humanity and were excited to meet their new neighbors at the sod-turning.

“The Elzuhbi family are so happy and excited to have this newly built house and cannot wait to live there,” Shuqair said.

The homes on Emma Street will be the 77th and 78th built by Habitat for Humanity in Sarnia since its first home project in 1994, said Martin Vrokyk, chairperson of the group’s local board.

“Across the past 28 years, 76 families here in Sarnia and Lambton County have had the opportunity to live in safe, affordable, appropriate housing because of the efforts of Habitat donors, Habitat volunteers and this incredible community,” he said.

The land on Emma Street was donated by the city, Waters said.

That’s rare for the charity which usually needs to buy lots on which it builds homes with the help of volunteer construction crews.

“Of course, that cost is increasing dramatically,” Waters said. Where Habitat once spent $20,000 to $50,000 for a building lot, it’s now spending $50,000 to $150,000, he said.

The project also is set to receive $100,000 in federal funding from the National Housing Co-Investment Fund.

Each of the homes on Emma Street will have five bedrooms to accommodate the large families, Waters said.

The project is being dedicated to the late Maurice McAuslan, an 11-year Habitat for Humanity volunteer who died last year.

“He came to our build sites religiously, Monday to Friday, like it was his full-time job,” Water said. “We’re forever grateful.”

Demand for Habitat for Humanity homes remains high, Waters said.

Next year’s project is expected to be construction of several tiny homes at a site on Christina Street, he said.

Habitat currently is finishing work on a home in Forest and that project is expected to be completed by the end of this month, Waters said.

Earlier this year, Habitat for Humanity Sarnia-Lambton was honored by its national organization when it received an extended impact award for its handyman program.

“We’re serving more families every year,” Waters said.

The program provided home repairs for 411 families in 2022, which was up 89 per cent from the year before.

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