Courtesy photo.
SAN MIGUEL — After 14 months of hard work, the big day finally arrived for eight San Miguel families with dreams of home ownership.
Thanks to Peoples’ Self-Help Housing’s (PSHH) Owner Builder Program, and a lot of elbow grease, eight low-income families received the keys to their brand-new homes during a ceremony on Wednesday, September 27 in San Miguel. After USDA Rural Development inspected the homes, PSHH President & CEO John Fowler, Board Members, staff and other guests were present to help welcome the families to their new homes and congratulate them on this momentous accomplishment.
The new homeowners were overjoyed to see this exciting dream come true, and knowing that they built their homes with their bare hands made the achievement that much more satisfying. Under the supervision of PSHH, eight owner builder families worked together to perform 65 percent of the construction labor, which includes forming the foundations, framing, window and door installation, interior finish and landscaping. Contractors performed the specialty work, including plumbing, heating, air conditioning, electrical, drywall, stucco and installation of tile roofs.
“Watching families who have just put so much time and energy into building these houses finally reap the reward never gets old,” said PSHH President & CEO John Fowler. “We’re honored to be able to work side by side with dedicated individuals who show up every day and put in the work it takes to see this physically and emotionally demanding project through to the finish. This program is all about people coming together to build something special that will improve the future of our community.”
To become part of PSHH’s owner builder program, these low-income families had to qualify for this opportunity and learn the necessary financial and construction skills to build their new homes. The three and four-bedroom, single-story homes range from 1,173 to 1,486 square feet and feature two baths and two-car garages. The homes are outfitted with energy-efficient components and exceed current energy efficiency requirements by more than 15 percent.
The owner-builder labor “sweat equity” reduced the cost of the homes and eliminated the requirement for a down payment. USDA provided the construction and mortgage financing.
About PSHH: Founded in 1970, PSHH is an award winning non-profit organization that develops affordable housing and community facilities for low-income households and homeownership opportunities for working families and special needs populations, such as seniors, veterans, the disabled, and the formerly homeless. With nearly 1,200 self-help homes completed and over 1,700 rental units developed, PSHH is the largest affordable housing developer on the Central Coast, with offices in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara. For more information on Peoples’ Self-Help Housing, visit www.pshhc.org, email communications@pshhc.org or phone (805) 781-3088.