Builders Blitz 2021 sees two houses built in Silver Pines Pointe community in five days

Hannah knows the meaning of the word “struggle” all too well. This first-generation American was born in a refugee camp after her family emigrated from Vietnam to give Hannah a chance for a better life. After earning her BA at Stetson and Master’s at UCF, Hannah found herself unable to qualify for a mortgage. Sharing a cramped apartment with her two sisters, Hannah was running out of options.  

Minunga has been chasing the dream of homeownership for 20 years, but rising housing costs and skyrocketing rents kept that dream out of reach. As her rent continued to rise, this 43-year-old professional became unable to afford her apartment and had to move back in with her mother. She missed her independence but wasn’t having much luck changing her situation.  

These two women will soon become first-time homebuyers, thanks to our annual Builder’s Blitz. Each year, Habitat Orlando & Osceola partners with local builders to build a house in just five days. This year, with the Covid-19 pandemic putting even more pressure on the need for affordable housing, we went for broke and built TWO houses from the ground up – still within the five–day timeframe of Builders Blitz.  

Day 5: Hannah stops by Pulte Homes house

Hannah and Minunga jumped in with both feet, joining Park Square Homes and Pulte Homes in a whirlwind of digging, hammering, plastering and painting. They got to see their dreams take shape each day on the job site during Builders Blitz.

For Hannah, it was a dream three generations in the making. 

For Minunga, she finally has the peace of mind and stability she’s craved for many years.  

Both women struggled to navigate the waters of Central Florida’s affordable housing crisis before charting a new course with Habitat Orlando & Osceola. Today, thanks to their own determination and the generous help of our partners, Hannah and Minunga finally have places to call their own.