Four houses in three days, Habitat for Humanity raising the roof

Windsor, Ont. -

Building crews are framing four houses in three days for Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex.

Habitat officials say they made a commitment to house four more families in Ford City by Christmas. The Windsor Essex Home Builders Association (WEHBA) is lending a few hands.

“What you would have seen this morning, was basically holes in the ground,” says Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex executive director Fiona Coughlin. “And now by the end of this weekend, you’re going to see what looks like houses.”

Habitat for Humanity volunteers get started on building new homes in Ford City in Windsor, Ont. on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor)

About 40 volunteers are helping with the work.

“Getting dirty. Playing in the mud,” says president of the WEHBA Vince Lapico. “Doing what needs to be done for these houses to be done for these needy families.”

Lapico tells CTV News the COVID pandemic has impacted those struggling with housing much harder than any other sector. 

Habitat for Humanity volunteers get started on building new homes in Ford City in Windsor, Ont. on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor)

“Lumber has been very volatile.” Lapico says supply and demand continue to keep material prices high. “There’s been a lot of ups and a lot of downs and backups again. COVID really put a damper on things, and then forest fires put a damper on things, and then a snow storm in Texas put a damper on things.”

The WEHBA presented a $1,200 golf-tournament donation to help support the builds.

“We are very grateful!” says Josaphat Rwamihigo, who will be moving into one of the homes along with his wife and five children. He says this will change their lives forever.

Habitat for Humanity volunteers get started on building new homes in Ford City in Windsor, Ont. on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor)

“Everyone needs a home right? Everyone needs a place they call home. And to have a place of your own, and your five kids! It’s so very, very important!”

Rwamihigo is volunteering at the construction site. Habitat for Humanity officials say they encourage future homeowners to help with the building process if they can, or volunteer at the Restore, or in some other capacity.

“One of the things that’s really important to us is that we work together,” says Coughlin. “We don’t build for, we build with. All of our partner families put in 500 hours of volunteer work either on their houses, in the restore or some other way that they can help.”

Habitat for Humanity volunteers get started on building new homes in Ford City in Windsor, Ont. on Friday, Sept. 24, 2021. (Chris Campbell/CTV Windsor)

It will be a busy weekend for the local Habitat chapter.

More than 100 luxury designer items will be auctioned off online this weekend with proceeds going towards current and future Habitat builds.

Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex also celebrates 25 years in the community on Saturday.

Habitat for Humanity Windsor-Essex has built 67 homes the region since 1994, with a goal of having nine underway this year.