Success Stories

Forever, Home: Iulia Z.

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Every home has a story, and as Habitat SKKC celebrates our 40th anniversary in 2026, we’re excited to share the stories that have shaped the past four decades. Throughout the year, we’ll be highlighting legacy family stories from across our history — stories of partnership, resilience, and hope that remind us why this work matters.

When Iulia Z. and her family arrived in Seattle in February 2005, she wore a homemade fur coat and hat her mother had created especially for her move from eastern Europe. At the airport, where she was overheating in the crowds, Iulia saw people wearing far fewer clothes and was struck with the feeling that she had no idea where she was or what she was doing. The culture shock she experienced as a new immigrant to the United States took time to overcome, but Iulia’s persistence and strong will helped her to not only acclimate to a new city, but to make it feel like home. 

Iulia was born and raised in Moldova, a small country between Romania and Ukraine. She had a very happy childhood with a large extended family, including lots of aunts, uncles, and cousins. However, things took an unprecedented turn when the Soviet Union collapsed. In the early 1990s, her parents, who were engineers, ended up out of work for an extended amount of time and then got sick. With her parents spending months at the hospital, Iulia had to grow up abruptly. There were times of extreme poverty while her parents were in the hospital, to the point of not knowing when the next meal would come.  

While she is not deeply attached to her homeland, she cherishes childhood memories and stays in touch with dear friends and family. Given an opportunity to leave after winning the diversity visa, she immigrated to Seattle with her ex-husband and son Nicolae. They were granted the visa on her son’s first birthday. They were allowed four suitcases, two of which got lost in the move.  

It was just the three of them seeking a fresh start with very limited resources. Iulia felt lucky to connect with a kind local family who picked them up from the airport, fed them, gave them beds, and guided them through the process of settling in. By day three, they had a car. By day six, her ex-husband was employed full time. Friends co-signed for their apartment, which she now understands was a big commitment. She feels grateful to the community who supported them through this major life transition. 

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Despite their quick acclimation to a new country, there were hurdles that prevented them from achieving their ultimate dream of homeownership. Iulia thought her family could buy a house from the open market, but the 2008 financial crisis changed everything. Their income dropped, and buying a house seemed unattainable. She learned about Habitat SKKC from friends she met through her son’s daycare. They had applied and were selected for a neighborhood in Snoqualmie. Motivated by their friends’ experience, Iulia’s family applied to Habitat in 2010 and were selected, a phone call she remembers as one of the best in her life.  

The home dedication was emotional for Iulia, and after receiving the key to her new home, she went alone to clean and prepare for move-in day. Those first months in her new home were a rollercoaster of emotions and busyness as she worked full-time and cared for a new baby. When life finally slowed down, new feelings emerged. Iulia explains, “I was going around the house washing the walls, the doors, and the windows. I kissed the carpet. I was that emotional. It was a moment of disbelief, like, oh, this is all mine.” 

They have now lived in the house for 16 years. 

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Today, Iulia is a higher education professional. She worked at a small technical college for years and now works at one of the largest colleges in the state. In her role, she touches every course and program and believes higher education is the most important social lift available. “I deeply care about the impact of my job. I was given an opportunity and therefore I want to pass it on,” she adds. 

Nicolae is now 22, and he graduated with an associate degree and zero student loan debt. He is figuring out his next steps while working full time and living at home. He is still close with the friend he made in daycare who lives in another Habitat neighborhood; Habitat’s community often extends beyond physical boundaries. Her daughter Vera is 16 and in the 10th grade at a local high school. They also have a dachshund who has been with them for two years. The dog has a strong personality and keeps everyone on their toes.  

Iulia enjoys hosting small, intimate gatherings at home, which has a view of Mount Si. Her favorite space is the kitchen, which is small but handy. Cooking puts her in a positive mindset, and she often thinks about the people who helped build her home. She explains, “When you cook, you get into a very specific mindset. You don’t want to be angry, you just want to think good thoughts about family and friends and the community. It’s been 16 years, but almost every day I remember those people who helped us build our house, who touched those walls, who donated money. Everyone has a lot of things they could do in their life, yet somehow people choose to go out and spend their time and funds to help strangers. That made such an impact on our lives. So, while I’m cooking, I think about all those people to whom we owe so much.”  

During COVID lockdowns, she felt grateful for the house, which provided security and space for her work and the kids’ schooling. They rearranged furniture and adapted, finding comfort in their home and its access to nearby trails. Their home provided solace during those uncertain years, a feeling that remains with Iulia now. 

She reflects, “I have a great sense of deep emotional security. This is our place, and the stability and safety that is provided to my children, to my family, is priceless. I keep thinking that if I didn’t have this house, my life would look so different. If not for Habitat, I absolutely would not be able to afford a house on my own, and who knows how my life would be? This is a sense of stability. This is a sense of peace. And I’m just so grateful we have it.” 

A Frequent Helper Gets a Helping Hand: Lawrence M’s Repair Story

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Lawrence moved to the region in 1978 from Cleveland, Ohio, where he worked as a telephone installer. He relocated to get away from the harsh winters. Lawrence enjoys living in the Pacific Northwest and is not bothered by the cloudy weather. He adds, “I’m more optimistic. When people say, ‘The sun’s not shining,’ I tell them the sun’s shining every day if you look past the clouds. That’s what life is about.” 

After moving, he continued working in the field, designing high‑capacity circuits and completing central office inventory. During the last 12 years of his career with the phone company, he traveled across the country to take inventory of equipment in central offices and remote locations, including mountain sites and climate‑controlled vaults buried underground. 

Lawrence has two children, both living in Washington. His son has worked in the development of specialized medicines, and his daughter graduated college with honors in language studies, taught English in Japan through the JET Program, and now raises her two young sons. 

In retirement, Lawrence spends much of his time helping other people. He assists friends and family with car repairs and household projects such as small electrical work, plumbing, and drywall. When he is unable to help, he tries to refer people to someone who can. He sees this as a way to continue using the skills he developed throughout his career. 

In addition to volunteering, Lawrence bakes cakes in his spare time. He runs a small home‑based baking operation from his basement, where he built a workspace with a sink, refrigerator, and oven. Some of his specialties are rum cake, orange liqueur cake, piña colada cake, and a banana split cake made with multiple layers and icings.  

While Lawrence has an active lifestyle and many hobbies, ongoing issues with his right knee made it difficult for him to walk up and down stairs and maintain his balance. This made accessing his front door more difficult and led him to Habitat SKKC. He has visited Habitat stores for many years to buy materials for his many projects, but though he had long been familiar with Habitat SKKC’s work, he had never used our services until recently. 

Through Habitat’s repair program, the team built him a ramp, and additional repairs were completed, including replacing leaking plumbing between his toilet and the main vertical stack and replacing the deck boards and the front steps of the “fixer‑upper” Lawrence purchased nearly 30 years ago. The ramp construction took approximately two weeks. Never one to sit by while others work, Lawrence assisted with parts of the project. While the repair team worked at his house, he prepared meals for them, including barbecue ribs, chicken, salads, and baked items, as a way of thanking them. 

Over the years, he completed extensive repairs himself, including removing debris, replacing flooring affected by dry rot, refinishing floors, repairing rim joists, installing drainage, and rebuilding structural elements. He described the Habitat repairs as “A difficult job. I was trying to figure out ways to do it, but it was not something I wanted to tackle, and I thought Habitat will assist me with that.” 

The repairs to Lawrence’s home reduced his stress and improved accessibility. He has since built a handrail for a neighbor facing similar challenges. He sees the repairs as beneficial for his future as his knee issues continue. He doesn’t only think about his own life, but those of his friends and neighbors who have difficulty using the stairs. He adds, “The ramp has made me feel a lot more comfortable when people come to visit.” 

Forever, Home: Tahania P.

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Every home has a story, and as Habitat SKKC celebrates our 40th anniversary in 2026,  we’re excited to share the stories that have shaped the past four decades. Throughout the year, we’ll be highlighting legacy family stories from across our history — stories of partnership, resilience, and hope that remind us why this work matters.  

Transitioning from a Habitat homeowner to a Habitat employee is a journey that only one person has embarked on in our 40 years as an affiliate. Tahania overcame an unforeseen tragedy that shook her marriage but never broke her resilient spirit. After becoming enmeshed in Habitat’s homeownership program and building lasting relationships there, it wasn’t long before she felt called to help others experience the lifechanging power of owning a home. 

Tahania first became a homeowner when she was 19 years old. She and her husband were high school sweethearts in Ellensburg and had been married for 13 years with three daughters, before addiction drastically changed the course of their lives. Her husband’s drug problem resulted in their divorce and sale of their family home. Tahania adds, “My whole life crashed. My husband’s life crashed.”  

Picking up the pieces of her life, Tahania moved her kids into a rental in Ellensburg. The house was a garage converted into a small two-bedroom home, and she had three growing kids. Having been a stay-at-home mom while raising her daughters, she also had to quickly find a job. She became the office manager at a local coffee roaster, where she stayed for the next 15 years, and once she established job security, she turned her sights next to finding a home that could better accommodate her family. 

“Something clicked in my brain: Look into Habitat to get a house. I did, and God willing, they had open applications about a half a year after I was looking into it. I turned in my application and went through the whole process. Lots and lots of people applied. I was chosen for another interview. They came and looked at my house. I prayed, crossed my fingers, and they chose me,” Tahania remembers. 

The homebuying process proved to be manageable and accessible, thanks in no small part to the people who helped Tahania along the way: “The folks that were here at that time were all volunteers. After I was chosen, I really clung to them and became good friends with them. The whole process was like an extended family. To this day, I still go to dinner with the old president of the Board and construction manager.” 

Tahania’s eldest daughter Danyell remembers the building process of their home fondly, recounting, “We were there watching our mom installing the floors, I leaned against the wall with a blanket and a book light and read Harry Potter to my sisters.” 

Once they moved into their new three-bedroom home in 2010, Tahania and her daughters immediately felt the improvement a larger house provided them. They rescued a half German Shepherd, half Border Collie shortly after moving in and were able to host people in their home again. “It was like the old days again, when my family and friends had a place to come over to,” Tahania remembers. 

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During the summer of 2021, Tahania had been home from her work at the coffee roaster due to Covid, but she knew it was time to get back to work. To help out, her daughter searched job postings and sent Tahania the link to the open Kittitas Repair Project Superintendent. Prior to her time at the coffee roaster, Tahania had worked in construction for about five years and before that, she worked for a company that refurbished and built brand new swimming pools and hot tubs. She loved the hands-on aspect of those jobs. 

When she received the listing, she thought, “Are you kidding? That is my dream job.” 

She immediately visited the office and introduced herself. The area director at that time came right up to her and said she remembered Tahania from her time as a homebuyer. Tahania felt automatically welcomed, both in that moment and when she was hired shortly after and began working for Habitat SKKC. 

Tahania has the special ability to draw on her lived experience whenever she introduces people to Habitat’s work: “When there are people on the fence about applying for the repair program or for homeownership, and they meet me and hear my story, I think they feel like they trust me. It’s so exciting to tell them I’ve lived in my house for 15 years. You know, it’s awesome and it’s worth it.” 

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Her daughters Danyell, Taylor, and Sarah were 13, 11, and nine respectively when they moved into their new home. They share fond memories of time spent together in the living room, where they had enough space to host birthday parties and family game nights. When anyone had a friend over for a sleepover, they all sat together as a family to watch movies.  

Danyell said, “My favorite memories have been endless birthday parties and my mom cooking holiday dishes. She does such a great job of hosting and making everyone feel welcomed when they step through the door.”   

They’re now all college graduates and remain in Ellensburg, close to Tahania. Sarah attended Central Washington University and is taking a gap year before applying to law school. Celebrating her college graduation from CWU in the front yard of their house was a fun way to commemorate her big achievement. Tahania’s other two daughters are both elementary school teachers. Danyell is also a mother to Mia, and both of them currently live with Tahania. 

Tahania enjoys having three generations under one roof, adding with a smile, “My other daughters are jealous and want to move back in.” 

Welcome Home: Habitat SKKC Celebrates Completed Miller’s Creek Neighborhood

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On Saturday, April 4, 2026, Habitat SKKC welcomed its newest partner homeowners and families to celebrate the completion of the new Miller’s Creek community in Burien. The event, part of Habitat for Humanity International’s Home is the Key initiative, brought together families, partners, volunteers, and supporters to mark the milestone completion of 40 homes during Habitat SKKC’s 40th anniversary year. 

This project is part of an ongoing commitment to creating abundant affordable housing across King and Kittitas Counties. Miller’s Creek will be added to Habitat SKKC’s portfolio of homes utilizing the land trust model, maintaining permanent affordability for future generations. If a homeowner chooses to sell their home, Habitat SKKC ensures the home remains affordable for the next income-qualified buyer. 

At the neighborhood dedication, over 170 people gathered to hear from a lineup of speakers that included Habitat SKKC CEO Brett D’Antonio and Habitat for Humanity International’s (HFHI) Amy Dunham, who both reflected on the need for collaboration to address the housing crisis. Dunham, HFHI’s Chief Communications Officer, put it succinctly: “One in three humans wake up without a safe, decent home. Partnership is how we address this problem.” 

During his speech, D’Antonio thanked all the community, governmental, and corporate partners who helped make this neighborhood a reality, again acknowledging how crucial our network is to bringing these projects to fruition. He also remarked upon the relationships that have already formed between homebuyers: “Miller’s Creek is more than a neighborhood. It represents forever homes for 40 families. Everyone moving into Miller’s Creek has already begun building a sense of community within Habitat and, more importantly, with each other as neighbors.” 

During his remarks, Burien’s Deputy Mayor Hugo Garcia reminded the new residents of Miller’s Creek that he is not only an elected official, but also their neighbor. Garcia reflected on his adolescence in Burien and how he wouldn’t have risen to his role as Deputy Mayor if it hadn’t been for the stable home he grew up in. He ended his remarks to the Miller’s Creek community, “You chose Burien, and Burien is glad you’re here.” 

New Habitat homeowner Tiffany F. shared her deeply personal story of facing homelessness when mold was discovered in her home. After she and her children lost nearly all their belongings, Tiffany’s resilience led them to Habitat SKKC and turned her into a first-time homeowner. In her speech, she triumphantly addressed the other Miller’s Creek residents, saying, “To the other families here: We are not just neighbors. We are a community. We share a unique bond because we understand what it means to fight for stability and to finally achieve it.” 

Before Ali Sheibani, Director of Homeowner Services at Habitat SKKC, led the dedication of the neighborhood, he reflected on the journey that turned homebuyers into owners: Preparing their finances, volunteering with Habitat, getting to know each other at “Meet Your Neighbor” events, and taking homeownership workshops. He added, “They have been a part of our growth just as we have been a part of theirs.” 

Growth is evident in the 40-unit Miller’s Creek neighborhood. In the early days of Habitat SKKC, home dedications were held for a single house instead of an entire neighborhood. Back when the affiliate completed its first home, the construction goal was to finish another 40 houses over the next 20 years. Fast forward to the present day at Miller’s Creek: 40 built homes from the ground up in under two years!   

The rest of the event gave guests the opportunity to meet fellow Habitat supporters, volunteers, and staff. They also had the chance to explore the new neighborhood and tour two model units. That sense of community was immediately recognizable as new neighbors mingled after the program while their kids laughed and ran around the playground donated by Symetra. Neighbors from the houses nearby Miller’s Creek joined the festivities, helping the new neighborhood blend seamlessly into the one already established there. 

Critical Repairs, Lasting Impact: Hopie’s Habitat SKKC Repair Story

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Hopie and her husband Enrique have lived in Kent for more than two decades, having bought their home when his work brought him to the area. Originally from the Yakima Valley in sunny Central Washington, Hopie found adjusting to the Puget Sound weather difficult at first. Over time, she grew used to the rain and settled into life in the region. 

Before retiring, Hopie worked as a caregiver in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. Her husband worked as an alcohol and drug counselor. In retirement, Hopie spends time with her community and family. For more than 20 years, she and several other women in her neighborhood have played dominoes together. While some of the original group have moved away or passed on, two of the original players remain, and the group now meets every two weeks at the senior center in Kent. 

Hopie is the mother of eight children: six sons and two daughters. Her family, including numerous grandchildren, is spread across several locations, including Tacoma, South Seattle, Arizona, the Yakima Valley, and Idaho. 

Hopie first learned about Habitat for Humanity’s repair program through a newspaper several years ago. At the time, she and her husband were experiencing problems with a leaking roof. She applied to the program, and after some time, they were accepted.  

While the roof repair was the original need, the work ultimately extended beyond that. Habitat completed a new roof, installed a new water heater and a new furnace heat pump, added a range hood over the stove, replaced fans, repaired the stairs, remodeled the bathroom, fixed closet doors, and repaired the front door. Hopie described the work as beautifully done and expressed deep gratitude for the improvements. 

The repairs were completed through two different programs through Habitat, CAPABLE and Critical Home Repair. The work took approximately six months, beginning in late fall and continuing through winter, with crews returning to finish what weather initially delayed. Additional repairs, including the bathroom work, were completed after she qualified for the second program. Hopie has recommended the repair program to others and has even encouraged family members to apply. 

Since the repairs were completed, Hopie has noticed clear improvements in her quality of life: “With all the work, our light bill has come down quite a bit and our heat is better. Our stairs are very sturdy; we’re not afraid to go down them anymore. Everything is wonderful.”