Three Generations Overjoyed to Take Occupancy of Their Very Own Home NAIOP Northern Ohio volunteers are proud to have been part of the volunteer work force. CLEVELAND, Ohio – When Benjamin Rugahura arrived in the United States in 2007 with his wife, children, and grandchildren, he was just grateful to be out of a refugee camp in Burundi, Africa. He and his wife quickly found jobs, and with the help of The Joseph House, were able to find a small rental house. And then they found Cleveland Habitat. The Rugahura family of six has worked with Cleveland Habitat over the last twelve months to meet all of the requirements in the home ownership process and will be accepting the keys to their four bedroom, two bathroom home on White Avenue this Saturday, February 7th. “This is a family who exemplifies the spirit of Habitat home ownership and the American dream of success,” said John Habat, executive director of Cleveland Habitat. “The moment we started working with them, they were overjoyed at the thought of being able to own their own home. They fulfilled their required sweat equity as a family, putting in 250 hours of work on the home itself, attending financial management classes and home ownership workshops. We are expecting this dedication to be a very emotional and exciting event.” Habitat homes are completely refurbished, including new heating, plumbing and electrical systems, kitchens as well as new roofs on many of the homes we work on. The homes also have landscaped front and back yards, new or refurbished porches and perimeter fencing. Cleveland Habitat’s zero-interest mortgages enable families to quickly build financial security through growing equity in their homes. Most families are able to pay off their mortgages in 10-15 years.
