Tears came to Rosa Felix’s eyes when she got ready to speak to the audience gathered in front of her new home Tuesday morning on Ocean Avenue in Jersey City.
They came out for the dedication of the first home completed by Habitat for Humanity of Hudson County, a branch of the international organization that since 1976 has built over 200,000 homes around the world. The organization was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in Americus, Ga. The Hudson County branch was formed in 2004 as Habitat for Humanity of Greater Jersey City.
Felix thanked all for the new home that she, her husband Nelson and their three children moved into recently.
“Thank you Habitat for making our dreams come true,” Felix said. “Keep making more houses for more families.”
‘Thank you Habitat, for making our dreams come true.’ – Rosa Felix
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Families interested in living in a Habitat for Humanity home must volunteer at least 400 hours toward building a house as well as pay off a low or no-interest mortgage. Also, according to current Habitat for Humanity of Hudson County president Jean Quinn, families qualify if their previous home was “inadequate” and have to show good credit.
Habitat for Humanity plans to build homes in Kearny in the next year or so, according to Santos Murillo, executive for the Hudson County branch.
Tuesday’s event was also attended by local officials, including Mayor Jerramiah Healy and City Councilwoman Viola Richardson, who lauded the construction of the homes in her ward saying it got the “best, first this time.”
A home of their own
The Felix family lived in the Jersey City Heights area for over 15 years as renters. Nelson Felix said he and his wife started looking for a home in different areas of Jersey City five years ago.
“We would see houses for $350,000 to $400,000, which was too much for us,” said Nelson Felix, who works in the Kearny warehouse for Vitarroz Foods.
About three years ago, Felix said he found out about Habitat for Humanity of Hudson County. Now, he said “he had no words to describe” how he felt seeing his new abode completed in August after a year of construction.
The Felix’s home is one-family, with 1.5 bathrooms, three bedrooms, living room, dining room, laundry and back yard, which he said he plans to pave over since the ground is difficult to grow anything in. And they plan to be part of the neighborhood for a long time, because there is a 20-year mortgage on the house.
The house next door to the Felix’s is presently seeking a buyer, since the family originally designated has found itself in debt, according to Quinn.
The homes are not the only development on that specific block of Ocean Avenue. Richardson said that as a member of the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency’s board, she will encourage the agency to acquire an abandoned apartment building on one side of the homes and a fire-damaged storefront on the other side to be redeveloped to compliment the homes.
For information about the available Habitat for Humanity home in Jersey City, visit habitathudsoncounty.org
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.