Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia celebrates its largest-ever simultaneous home dedication
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The housing crisis in Philadelphia continues with some people waiting for years to get an affordable home. Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia is working to fill the gap.
The nonprofit celebrated its largest-ever simultaneous home dedication.
Tenaja Hammond could hardly contain her excitement as she was handed the keys to her new $265,000 three-bedroom home.
"I'm ecstatic!" Hammond said. "I got my house!"
She's among six people who cut ribbons on their new homes on Page Street in North Philadelphia Saturday afternoon. They're buying their homes from Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia, a nonprofit that provides subsidized housing to first-time homebuyers.
"We ensure that they pay no more than 30% of their income on housing," Corinne O'Connell said. "So, these mortgages will be about $450 or $500 a month."
O'Connell, the CEO of the organization, says the affordable housing shortage in Philadelphia is a persistent problem.
"We are doing information sessions right now for our next group of 11 homes that we're building right now. We've had 416 people expressing, like submit an application, 416 and we're building 11," O'Connell said. "So that gives you one data point for how big the need is for affordable home ownership."
Hammond told us how hard she worked to get to this point, taking more than a dozen of homeownership education classes.
"It's time-consuming. I had to take away from work," she said. "I took pay cuts. I mean, I struggled. I sacrificed. But I made it work."
Hammond says owning this home is especially meaningful because she helped build it.
Sweat equity was one of the requirements of the program. She spent more than 100 hours doing construction while working full-time.
The 37-year-old is a cook at Lincoln Financial Field and has her own catering business. Now, she's planning to open a restaurant.
"I stand here today and I tell you guys, don't give up. Fight for what you want," Hammond said. "It is there. Whatever you want, no matter how big or small it is, you can get it."
In the comfort of her new three-bedroom home, she's determined to keep climbing toward success.