Finally, a Place to Call Home

Habitat Greater San Francisco Dedicates New Homes in San Francisco

The Hoang Family

October 25, 2008 - Tai Hong Hoang and Li Fen, along with their three children and his brother, Alex, lived in a small studio apartment in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. The living conditions were substandard and unsafe. While Alex slept on a small bed in the closet, the children slept with their parents on the studio bed - where the family also ate its meals on most days. Drug activity in the street below prevented the children from going outside to play. However, on October 25, 2008, Tai Hong and Li Fen started a new life as they received the keys to their new house on De Long Street in San Francisco.

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The ceremony was part of the dedication event marking the completion of the final three homes in the De Long development. Two additional families received their keys at the event, including the Li family and the Zheng family, from a total of 16 Habitat families on De Long Street in San Francisco and Daly City.

With donors, civic leaders, volunteers, construction workers, AmeriCorps members, and many others in attendance, dedications are one of the most anticipated events at Habitat for Humanity, celebrating the homes and community that are built through the Habitat program.

"Our future home will be a haven of hope and love for our growing family," said Hoang.

The Li Family

"My family and the other partner families finally have a place we can call "home," said Mandy Li, whose parents, Yi Zhong and Xiao Ling, sister Tina, and brother Calvin lived in a small single-bedroom basement unit of a San Francisco home for nine years.

Featured speakers included Doug Shoemaker, Acting Director, San Francisco Mayor's Office of Housing; Ophelia Basgal, Vice President of Civic Partnerships and Community Initiatives at PG&E; and Wendy Haller, Market President of the Mission-Coastal Market at Wells Fargo.

In addition, homeowners from the earlier phase of the De Long Street development welcomed the new families to the neighborhood. "You all must be filled with excitement, happiness and pride of moving into your home," said Denise Miyajima. "Well, I just want to let you know that feeling does not go away! Every time I turn the key and open my door, the feeling still hits me: 'This is OUR HOME!"

The Zheng Family

The dedication was also a celebration of the Habitat spirit and a reminder of how far the families have come through the Habitat homeownership program. "It's incredible when we can come together and celebrate something so wonderful," said Phillip Kilbridge, Executive Director of Habitat Greater San Francisco. "With all the news about the mortgage meltdown, Habitat is the exact answer to that. We're doing it right! We're creating an avenue of success for our partner families."

Speaking to the families, Kilbridge noted: "You have all embraced the spirit of Habitat for Humanity. You've worked hard to build your own home and the homes of your neighbors, and you have diligently attended homeownership workshops. All of us here want to welcome you to your new homes."

Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco's homeownership program allows families working in service, manufacturing, retail and other sectors to live near their jobs in safe, decent and affordable homes. The Habitat for Humanity philosophy encourages self-help by providing a "hand up-not a hand out." Partner families earn 40-60 percent of San Francisco's median income and contribute 500 hours of "sweat equity" to help build their own homes. Habitat houses are sold to them at no profit and financed with affordable, zero-interest mortgages structured never to exceed one-third of their monthly income.

The De Long Street development in San Francisco, consisting of 12 single-family homes, was begun in 2005 and constructed in three phases on surplus land purchased from BART. The homes integrate renewable solar energy to lower utility costs for the homeowners. Solar photovoltaic panels were installed on the roofs through a partnership with Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which provided a sponsorship of $180,000 for the development as part of its Solar Habitat program.

"We are very proud of these families and of these sustainable homes," said PG&E's Basgal. "I hope the families will have quite a treat the next time they open their PG&E bill!"

The De Long Street development started with Habitat for Humanity San Francisco prior to its merger in August with Peninsula Habitat for Humanity. Across the border in Daly City, another four homes were built previously on De Long Street by Peninsula Habitat. The completion of phase III of the De Long Street development represents the first dedication celebration of the merged organization.

Additional photos of the dedication available at www.facebook.com/habitatgsf.
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