Olexia S. is a resilient and inspiring homeowner who carved the life she wanted through hard work and dedication, including buying her first home through Habitat SKKC. She grew up in Colton, California, an economically depressed small town near San Bernardino. Her great-grandmother owned a duplex there, and Olexia and her mother lived in the back half for most of her childhood. She didn’t like living in her hometown and moved away as soon as she could. She relocated to Seattle in 2002, drawn by its foggy, rainy weather, which she preferred over the extreme heat of her hometown, and she felt at home immediately upon visiting and soon found an apartment.
After a stint working in retail, Olexia’s experiences caring for family and volunteering with developmentally disabled children inspired her to pursue a career in social services. She started working at the front desks of a shelter and two low-income residential buildings, later becoming a business manager at one of the buildings.
“I proved that I had the ability to work with a wide range of people, I don’t judge anyone, and I take the time to listen. They really saw my skills. I still remember my supervisor and mentor, Bob, saying, ‘I can teach you how to do the paperwork. I can’t teach you how to work with people.’ Since I already had that skill, he promoted me and then taught me the basics of how to be a business manager. I was grateful for that opportunity,” she reflects.
Once her work life settled, she came to appreciate the city’s underground art and music scenes and its eclectic mix of people. She adds, “The queer community was very welcoming and felt like instant family.”
Olexia began her current role at Catholic Community Services in March of 2025, an organization she worked at in the past and where she now enjoys reconnecting with familiar faces. She appreciates the flexibility and ability to work from home, which helps manage her disabilities and reduces health flare-ups. At work, her caseload predominantly consists of homeless individuals, so she provides resources and referrals for housing, advocacy, and support. A few of her clients are housed, and for them, her focus is on maintaining housing stability.
In addition to being a full-time employee, Olexia is also a full-time student. She recently graduated with a BA in psychology and is starting an online master’s program in mental health counseling with an emphasis on trauma. Her goal is to become a licensed mental health counselor.
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Inspired by her great-grandmother, Olexia always wanted to be a homeowner: “My great-grandmother not only designed and had her dream home built, but she was the owner. I loved what she had, and I always thought there was a lot of security in owning and being able to rent out part of it for supplemental income as you get older.”
Olexia learned about Habitat’s condo project in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood through a supervisor and applied right away. The approval process required her to address some credit issues, but Habitat and the lender guided her through each step.
She has now lived in her Habitat home for two and a half years. She appreciates the quiet, suburban feel and enjoys knowing her neighbors. Homeownership has given her security, creative freedom, and the ability to save money. She enjoys personalizing her space, such as painting rooms, removing closet doors, adding plants, and installing matching flooring in the bedroom. Having an in-unit washer and dryer and an elevator has been life-changing for her.
Olexia values the sense of community among residents and occasionally shares meals or groceries with neighbors. Her living room doubles as her workspace, and she loves relaxing in her bedroom with her four cats. She appreciates features like natural light and proximity to her favorite spots on Broadway.
She encourages anyone considering Habitat SKKC to apply, emphasizing the organization’s support and education for first-time homeowners. She believes Habitat SKKC makes the homebuying process feel less intimidating and provides resources that traditional homebuying often lacks.
Olexia says, “A lot of people don’t know about the down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers, where Habitat is right up front with that. I couldn’t imagine doing this on my own. That would have been terrifying because I would have jumped right into the fire. Having access to resources and more knowledge about what it’s really like to be a first-time homeowner makes it feel less scary.”