Reconnecting People | Once a property has been restored, Urban Homeworks works to connect neighbor to neighbor to create a livable, robust community with a strong sense of home. The result is a rich exchange between households that reweaves a sense of community through day-to-day activities.
From House Lift to Home Life
Entertaining 5 childr
en between the ages of 7 and 13 in an apartment requires superhuman abilities. Chris and Cassandra were more than ready to own their own home.
Two years ago, the family moved to Minneapolis from Kansas City, Missouri. After the move, Cassandra, a nurse, and Chris, a bus driver, found themselves stuck in an apartment in south Minneapolis. There weren’t any parks nearby, and they were paying high rental costs. After working for a year with Urban Homeworks to enhance their credit through the homebuyers’ program, they were able to purchase the home of their dreams and space for their kids to grow: the home once lifted 5 feet above ground.
Cassandra loves her new home. “We can do things as a family. My son has a place for his basketball hoop, and my daughters can ride their bikes. The neighborhood is quiet, and our neighbors are nice.”
The family’s property (once elevated three feet off the ground, read the story) is a part of the PROJECT:Reclaim program, so the mortgage payment is less than the rent that they were paying for their old apartment. “The house is the biggest blessing, period, because it is ours. Everything is brand new, and now, we can do the things we’ve always wanted to do.”
The redemptive redevelopment of both this home and the couple’s financial framework has empowered Chris and Cassandra to live out the dreams they’ve always envisioned. Their presence has enhanced the sense of security and depth of relationships that can now exist for all of the neighbors on Irving Avenue.
