How 'terrible' living conditions are turned into a 'once-in-a-lifetime' chance in Hingham

HINGHAM − When her world began to turn around, Jasmine Owens and her sons, Andre Owens-Butler, 18, and Jordan Owens-Ayala, 12, had been living in Plymouth in an 800-square-foot, vermin-infested apartment with lead-laced tap water that was not drinkable.

The monthly rent was $2,200.

Last year, Owens began looking for some type of affordable housing and soon focused on South Shore Habitat for Humanity. Applications to buy one of two new houses being built in Hingham were announced; she found out she met the nonprofit's qualifications.

She had a reliable work history. A good credit rating. The ability to pay a mortgage. She made it through the first review of potential buyers and was invited to visit Whiting Street in Hingham to look at the initial construction, just studs at that point.

"Yes! I'm super-interested," she said.

About the same time in East Weymouth, the walls also started to open up for Sarah and Brendan O'Donnell and their 7-year-old twins, Briley and Connor. The family was living in a 750-square-foot apartment, paying about $1,700 a month.

The twins shared the larger of two small bedrooms; there was a living room, a tiny kitchen and a bathroom, and barely a backyard. They'd had break-ins and other issues. A friend knew what tight quarters they were in and told Sarah about the Habitat for Humanity housing assistance program. Like Owens, she applied.

Both made the final cut, the two people chosen out of 25 applicants to buy the Hingham homes with significant assistance. They pledged 250 hours of their own "sweat equity" and the partnerships culminated as the homes were dedicated Aug. 27.

It was a milestone and a turning point they never thought they would see.

Habitat offers 'a once-in-a-lifetime chance' in Hingham

"We have gotten a once-in-a-lifetime chance to build our future home as a family," Sarah O'Donnell said. "And our twins have space to grow and become themselves."

Jasmine Owens said, "The opportunities that are now accessible to my children will be so instrumental to their future success. The peace and safety and privacy and just the area, hiking nearby, water everywhere, closer to my mother, a huge support system. In every way, our lives are for the better now."

The joyful, if quiet, event comes as three of the four young people are going off to Hingham Public Schools. The oldest, Andre Owen-Butler, who wants to become a doctor, is on his way to University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

"My kids finally get to have their own room and now get to see their individuality a little bit more," O'Donnell said. "I'm so excited to see how they are going to design their room."

As the houses were dedicated, some two dozen volunteers and supporters from Habitat and Hingham celebrated with cookies, gifts, hugs and enthusiastic self-guided tours, wearing booties to protect the floors of one of the houses. The two families expect to move in in a few weeks. The landscaping will be done shortly.

These are Habitat's fourth and fifth houses in Hingham.

"These two families needed housing. The conditions they were living in, the rents they were paying, it was terrible," Beth Lyons, executive director of the South Shore Habitat for Humanity, said.

No longer afraid to drink the water

"Now these families will be able to own a home and go to a great school system and live in a safe place and not be afraid to drink the water. When we see some of the places that people rent, it is very disturbing. It is very hard to find good rentals in Massachusetts."

The Habitat mission of bringing more affordable housing to the state is based on partnerships with local businesses and civic groups that donate money, labor and materials such as roofing, a kitchen, insulation shades and lighting.

The 1-acre land for the two Hingham houses on Route 53 near Derby Street was donated by the town through the Hingham Affordable Housing Trust.

Lyons said the Hingham project was an $800,000 undertaking because crews first had to tear down a 64-year-old Cape house. Habitat received $100,000 in in-kind donations.

Families apply for the housing partnership and Habitat looks at their housing needs, their ability to pay a mortgage, if they have a low debt ratio and other indicators. If they meet those requirements, a team goes to see their home to make sure there is a need.

Each adult member of a family buying a home must spend 250 hours of volunteer work on the construction, in addition to the down payment on the house. Children's good grades in school also count for hours.

In the two Hingham houses, five of the 15 initial applications qualified and the Habitat board chose the two families it felt had the greatest need. The ones not chosen were encouraged to apply for the next project, which will be completed in Cohasset in the summer of 2024. The project after that will be in Easton.

At the dedication, Kathy Swanson, of the Hingham Democratic Town Committee, said the group wanted to do "meaningful work for the community" and that Democrats across the state have made affordable housing a priority.

'People love working with us'

Tamar Schiess, of Duxbury, Habitat's director of development, said each new Habitat house has some 500 volunteers who work on it in some way.

"People love working with us," Schiess said. "It really is a transformational experience. People take it for granted that they have a nice place to live and it's not until they volunteer like this that they understand the plight of others. So it really is a wonderful experience."

The two houses on the 1-acre lot are at 302 and 304 Whiting St. Each has three bedrooms and 1½ bathrooms.

Hingham has already met the state requirement that says 10% of a city or town's housing must be designated as affordable, but Lyons said Hingham is still dedicated to increasing affordable housing.

The two new Habitat homes are being sold for $260,000 each in Hingham, Lyons said. The new owners' housing costs will be less than 30% of their annual income. The two houses will remain affordable in perpetuity, Lyons said.

The average value of Hingham homes is $900,000.

Most of Habitat’s homebuyers make about 60% to 80% of the area’s median income.

At the dedication, the Habitat team presented each family with gifts including a toolbox, a crocheted blanket, dolls and a children's painting by a former site supervisor.

The Rev. Steven M. Aucella, pastor of New North Church in Hingham, blessed the homes, which he said "were built by many skilled, motivated people all around us here. Our thanks to all who helped bring this project to fruition."

Bob O'Neill, president of the South Shore Habitat board of directors, thanked everyone "for their hard efforts and generosity in getting this project to completion."

South Shore Habitat for Humanity has been creating housing for 37 years and now has 65 homes in 22 communities.

The businesses and organizations that contributed to the two Hingham homes included: Anderson Insulation, Bellew Tile, Burkhardt Bros. Moving & Storage, Cape Cod Lumber, GAF, Gary James Engineering, Granite City Electric, The Home Depot, IBEW Local 103, Levelor Blinds, Manet Contracting LLC, The Norfolk Cos., Oak Development, Owens Corning, Ryan Building Supplies, Skinner Overlook, South Shore Energy Raters, Troupe Waste and Recycling, Units of Southeastern MA, Viola Roofing, Whirlpool Corp., Wilkinson Cos. and J.E. Contracting.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Transforming lives of families and Habitat volunteers who build homes