For years, Yonas lived in a small one-bedroom apartment in Denver. It was the only home he knew since moving from Eritrea, East Africa, 27 years ago. When his wife Shewit joined him in 2018, the space became even tighter. Their two children, Bdal and Sessy , were born into that apartment—but it was far from ideal.
“The apartment rules were very strict,” Yonas explained. “The maintenance was not good. It was not clean, and not suitable for raising kids.” Despite working hard—both Yonas and Shewit are employed at a local grocery store chain—the rising cost of rent and lack of space made it difficult to imagine a better future.
Yonas had a family member who bought a Habitat for Humanity home years ago, but he hadn’t thought about the program in a long time. That changed one Friday afternoon when he went to the library, determined to research housing options for his family. There, he met a Realtor who reminded him about Habitat’s homeownership program. That same day, Yonas filled out the paperwork to apply.
Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver’s homeownership program is designed to help families escape the cycle of rising rent prices and find lasting stability. As part of the program, Yonas attended classes on financial literacy and homeownership, and completed sweat equity hours—volunteering on build sites and contributing to the community that would soon become his own.
At first, the family considered homes in Littleton, but the location felt too far from their work and extended family. Then they heard about Mountain View Community Homes in Aurora. “It’s close to our family,” Shewit said. “I knew it was right. We kept driving by the house during construction, dreaming about when we would live here.”
They visited the site when only one duplex was complete, and their future home was still just a dirt lot. But they stayed hopeful, knowing what was ahead.
Today, Yonas and his family live in a spacious, welcoming home at Mountain View. “We are so happy here,” he said. “We finally have space and stability.”
Their children now have room to read and play in private, and the clean, safe environment is a major change from their previous apartment.
“We’re not just throwing money away anymore,” Yonas added. “This home is a long-term investment. If we decide to sell it years from now, we’ll be able to get something back.”
Their journey is a testament to what’s possible when opportunity meets determination. Thanks to Habitat and the support of the community, Yonas, Shewit, Bdal, and Sessy have found not just a house—but a home.
“We finally have space and stability.”
– Yonas, Habitat Homeowner
