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2nd Habitat for Humanity home dedication held for displaced Madera family
The City of Madera and Habitat for Humanity Greater Fresno Area (Habitat) held a joint news conference August 30th to officially hand over the keys of homeownership to Habitat’s 2nd family in the City of Madera.
The home is part of a larger 5-unit housing development at Washington Avenue and Malone Street. The City of Madera donated the land and pledged up to $300,000 in down payment assistance, or $60,000 per low-income homebuyer. The home being dedicated is a 3-bedroom, 2-bath with 1,369 sq. ft of living space and is fully equipped with solar and energy-efficient appliances.
During the ceremony, keys were presented to the Alvarez family. The family of four consists of Cristina (mom), her son Cristian, his wife Christa, and their son Alexander who is 1 year’s old. Cristina has worked as a full-time insurance agent with Relation Insurance since 2008, and her son Cristian works as a cashier for 76 Gas through Central Valley C- Store. The family was forced to relocate after receiving a 60-day notice to vacate after learning that their landlord had put their house up for sale.
The family had been looking for a place to live for months and had come up empty-handed. After failing to secure an application for a home through a private lender due to stipulations requiring a cash down payment of roughly 30% of the total sale price, the Alvarez family turned to Habitat for Humanity and the City of Madera for assistance.
To be eligible for the program, families must go through a thorough needs evaluation, qualify for an affordable home loan, and put in at least 500 hours of sweat equity. Having completed all of the above, the Alvarez family is thrilled to now begin moving into their new home.