Nen’s Story

“I am looking forward to having our own space where we can just be a family,” says Nen, Habitat Victoria’s newest partner family. You can hear relief in the resilient mother of three’s voice as she reflects on her new beginnings in Habitat’s Homeownership Program.

When the owners of Nen’s rental home provided her notice that they were moving back into the home, Nen and her three children found themselves subject to a rental market they could no longer afford. With no other options, the family of four had to move back into Nen’s childhood home with her parents. Although the family has been grateful for a place to live, the grandparent’s home is unsuitable in size for the family. “Because we intended this move to be temporary, the closets weren’t emptied when we moved into the home. Our belongings don’t fit in the home, so almost all our personal items are in a storage locker,” says Nen. “My daughters are squished in and don’t have any personal space.”

Soon after moving in with her parents, Nen quickly discovered a new rental market with skyrocketing prices compared to nine years ago. Like many families in our community, Nen realized that despite having a great job, she could not afford to live here. Nen’s commitment to her children and providing them with a secure future drove her to seek other options for housing. That’s when a colleague suggested she apply for a Habitat home. She initially inquired over a year ago, but after learning more about the program from another Habitat homeowner, she decided to apply. “When we found out we qualified for a home, we cried tears of joy because we were so excited,” says Nen.

Habitat caps monthly mortgage payments at 30% of a family’s gross income to ensure houses remain affordable for homeowners. “The cost of renting right now would be my entire income plus savings, so my Habitat payments being capped at 30% of my income is phenomenal. That will make a massive difference in our income stability,” says Nen.

Nen looks forward to creating a brighter future for her family in her new Habitat Home. “I have a great job, but I'm a single parent, so we have only enough money to live. I could never think very far into the future,” says Nen. “This will give us a new sense of stability, knowing we won’t have to move from our home.”

In addition to moving into their own space, Nen and her children will join an incredible community with 9 other Habitat families at our most recent build: a 10-unit multi-family complex in North Saanich.  “We have never lived in a community with lots of kids, so I am excited for my children to experience that because that is how I grew up, and it was amazing!” says Nen.

As part of the partnership with Habitat Victoria, homeowners are asked to complete 500 volunteer hours. A portion of these hours can be done by friends and family, and Nen has received an overwhelming amount of support from her network in completing these hours.  “30 people have volunteered for me, and probably another half a dozen have offered. Many of them are from my workplace, and it has felt incredible to have that many people at work appreciate me enough to step in and help,” says Nen. “Another dozen of them have been family and friends. It has been amazing to see that outpouring of people that are willing to jump in.”