Bonnie, Russell, and Shane have all shared a two-bedroom apartment in Lewis Center for seven years. Bonnie and Shane are both disabled, and the three of them dream of owning their own affordable accessible home in Delaware County. In their free time, they all enjoy gaming, watching movies, cooking out, and attending holiday events and conventions. Bonnie looks forward to decorating for Christmas again, something she hasn’t been able to do in years.

Although Bonnie is retired and Russell is still working, they continue to find themselves unable to afford a place with proper accessibility and enough space to meet their needs. Bonnie spent 40 years working in senior living before retiring in 2023, while Russell works in the grocery industry. Even with their hard work and careful budgeting, rising rental prices and the lack of accessible housing have made it impossible to find a safe and stable place to call home.

Their current rental has been a challenge - they are cost burdened, space is extremely limited, and much-needed maintenance is often ignored. “It feels like we’re crammed into a place that was never meant for us,” Russell explained. “We’ve had to keep a lot of our belongings packed up because there just isn’t enough room. Even with two of us paying, the rent makes it impossible to save or get ahead.” For Bonnie and Shane, accessibility is another major concern, as the steps leading up to their current apartment make it difficult for them to come and go as they please. “We thought we’d try applying for Habitat’s homebuyer program and maybe we would get lucky,” Bonnie said.

Upon learning of their acceptance into Habitat’s homebuyer program, all involved expressed relief and hope. “We were extremely happy and overjoyed to learn of our acceptance,” Bonnie shared. “We’re ready to get started. I’m looking forward to learning new skills and information that will help me take care of our new home.” For Russell, the program provides more than housing. “When finding out that we were accepted, it was such a relief that there is now a ray of light in an endless darkness,” he said. “Not just the idea of owning a home but helping build it is more meaningful than just renting another hole in the wall.”