Olga Martinez said her new home in Dacono came as a result of people working hard to make her dream of having a permanent place for her and her two children to live.
“I am so grateful to everyone,” Martinez said Saturday at a dedication of her Habitat for Humanity home. “I thank everyone who helped my family. I know this is God showing his generosity through you.”
Martinez spoke through an interpreter to about 50 people who brought gifts and well-wishes. Among them was The In-Between’s Executive Director Tim Rakow. Martinez has been a participant in the transitional housing program run by The Inn Between since May 2018, Rakow said.
The transitional housing program provides safe, stable and affordable housing for families and individuals facing homelesseness in the Longmont area. The program supports people living in the St. Vrain Valley area who are working more than 30 hours a week and make at least 40% of the area’s median income, according to In-Between.
Typically, transitional housing lasts 24 months but the organization makes exceptions in circumstances like Martinez. When Martinez qualified for the Habitat St. Vrain program, The Inn Between extended her stay in the transitional housing to make the whole process seamless, Rakow said.
“This is why this program exists, to help people like Olga reach her housing goals,” Rakow said. Rakow said Inn-Between workers came out during the construction to help in the building of the three bedroom, two bath home.
“We put in a little bit of sweat equity in this home,” Rakow said. “I am so excited for her.”
Habitat homeowners contribute 250 hours of sweat equity towards their homes, in addition to meeting certain financial requirements and attending courses on budgeting, home maintenance and more to ensure that potential families are committed, said Habitat For Humanity Executive Director David Emerson.
“There are a lot of misconceptions about getting to live in a Habitat home,” Emerson said. “Everyone who has qualified for a home, has done so after a lot of work. Olga deserves this.”
Correction: The Inn Between's name had a spelling error which has been corrected.
