Press Release

Construction began on two more affordable Habitat homes in Fullerton

Families stood side-by-side to raise the first walls on site that will eventually be home to nine Habitat homes

Santa Ana, CA, April 29, 2009 - Volunteers and families raised the walls for Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s fifth and sixth homes in Fullerton on West Valencia Drive on Saturday, April 25, 2009. The Cruz and Leos families were selected to ultimately purchase these two new homes and were on site to work on their homes and greet all supporters.

Fullerton residents Catalina Gomez and Armando and Berta Raygoza were on site to help their future neighbors -- the Cruz and Leos families -- raise the walls to their new homes. Gomez received the keys to her Fullerton Habitat home in January 2008 and the Raygoza’s received the keys to their Fullerton Habitat home in January 2007.

"We are excited and happy to be able to buy our first home," said Patricia Cruz, Habitat program family. "We were surprised to see all of the volunteers who came out early in the morning on a Saturday to build our home. It feels good to know people are still helping others."

These two new homes will be followed by the construction of five more affordable Habitat homes in Fullerton. The eleven homes and small private park for the Habitat homeowners and their families are part of a renovation of this Fullerton neighborhood.

NOTE: PHOTOS AVAILABLE

About Habitat for Humanity of Orange County

Celebrating 20 years of changing lives and changing communities in Orange County. 130 houses built in Orange County
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, headquartered in Santa Ana, CA, is dedicated to ending substandard housing and building strong communities in Orange County. Habitat uses non-government donations of funding, materials, professional services and volunteer labor to build simple, decent homes which are sold to qualified low-income families for a 1% down payment, closing costs, and a zero-interest mortgage. Mortgage payments are recycled to build more Habitat homes. Habitat families contribute 500 hours of "sweat equity" to the program by building their own home, helping another Habitat family build a home, or working in some other area of the Habitat organization. Habitat for Humanity families and volunteers have built 130 homes in Orange County since 1988, and are currently building eight homes in San Juan Capistrano.

27 homes to be built in San Juan Capistrano
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County’s Habitat for Heroes and Foundations for Families™ development of 27 homes at the end of Calle Rolando will be built in phases.  Framing for the first four homes began on July 2, 2008.  The second four homes were framed on October 3, 2008.  Funding for the land on which these homes are being built was donated by the City of San Juan Capistrano Redevelopment Agency.  Funds for building these homes have been generously donated by The HTN Foundation; Bank of America; the Orange County Realtors Partnership, which consists of the Orange County Association of REALTORS®, Laguna Board of REALTORS®, and Newport Beach Association of REALTORS®; an anonymous donor;  the Steve Tisch Foundation; Toshiba America Business Solutions; the Presbyterian Partnership; St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point; Hyundai Motor America; the Van Cleve Foundation; and more than a thousand other local donors.

300,000 houses built worldwide
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County is an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, an ecumenical Christian housing ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat International has built more than 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for more than 1.5 million people. Habitat for Humanity International is currently the 16th largest homebuilder in the United States, according to Builder OnLine magazine.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, please call (714) 434-6200 extension 229 or visit our Web site at habitatoc.org.

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