Oxnard, CA — On Saturday, September 15, Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County will celebrate the completion of its 55th and 56th new homes. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 10:00 a.m. with introductions and opening remarks, followed by a formal house dedication and blessing, house tour, photos, and refreshments. The homes are located at 271 and 281 W. Stroube Street, Oxnard CA, 93036 (corner of Stroube Street and Detroit Drive).

Habitat offers a “hand up”. At Habitat for Humanity, we believe that everyone everywhere deserves a decent place to live, and we empower families who are willing to work hard to achieve their dreams of homeownership. First-time homeowners, Blanca Cuellar and Maria Deciga have worked hard to achieve homeownership and stability for their children, each completing more than 250 hours building their home and attending financial management and home maintenance workshops.

“We recognize that building and preserving affordable housing in Ventura County is a collaborative effort,” said Stacy Swanson, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County. “We are so grateful for our partnerships in neighborhoods across Ventura County to make homeownership a reality for low and very-low income families. We aspire to improve and preserve our neighborhoods to ensure continued affordable housing opportunities and sustainable communities.”

Our heartfelt thanks go out to all of the donors, sponsors, volunteers, and partners who made this possible! The City of Oxnard donated the property to Habitat for Humanity after Riverpark construction commenced and the parcel (previously a holding basin) was declared excess property. The late Ernie Whitaker, long-time Oxnard Housing Authority Manager and friend of Habitat was instrumental in facilitating the land donation. Two beautiful homes were built by Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County in partnership with partner-families, Blanca and Maria, the St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church “Habitat to the Max” Ministry; hundreds of experienced and new volunteers; Habitat’s dedicated Wednesday crew; and 2012 Women Build sponsors, AMEEN, an Amgen Afinity Group, Lowe’s of Oxnard, Monsanto, Terri Freidin; Tebo Tile and Stone, and Zebra Technologies. This year’s homeowner education classes were taught by local professionals who volunteered their time to share their expertise. They are Selina H. Medina, Jay Ducan, Pierre J. Rodnunsky, Eddie Stolsig, Howard Horwitz, and Joslyn Tillar.

If you plan to attend the September 15 event, or would like more information, please email vickien@habitatventura.org or call (805) 485-6065, x200.

Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County
Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County strengthens communities and fosters hope by bringing people together to build simple, decent houses in partnership with those in need. Homeowners are selected based on their need for housing, ability to repay a zero-interest loan, and willingness to partner with Habitat for Humanity. Because Habitat’s loans are no-profit, they are affordable for low-income family partners. Homeowners’ mortgage payments build additional houses through the Fund for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County, a locally-run and locally-funded affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, has provided homeownership opportunities for 56 Ventura County families and repaired over 500 homes since 1983. For more information about Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County, please visit www.habitatventura.org.

Habitat to the Max Ministry (House Sponsor)
Habitat to the Max is one of the outreach ministries at St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in Westlake Village. The ministry’s mission is to sponsor affordable housing, working in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Ventura County, and to provide safe and decent housing for low-income families living in substandard housing. The first Habitat to the Max house was completed by volunteers in 2007 in Oxnard, followed by a duplex dedicated in 2009 in Oxnard, a single-family home dedicated in 2011 in Piru, and one of the two single-family homes on Stroube Street in Oxnard.