Repairing Safety and Health for Durham Families

November 2, 2022

Our Critical Repairs Program provides vital maintenance services for non-Habitat homeowners across Durham, like Kiana and Danita, who otherwise would not be able to afford the necessary work. Addressing critical health and safety issues keeps families in the homes they already own, preserves the stock of affordable homes in Durham, and costs less than building a new affordable house.

Kiana was worried. A single mother of two young children, she had worked hard to purchase a home in south Durham for her family. But problems were beginning to pile up. She’d discovered that her home was damaged from water leakage and termites, and a recent break-in had left her unable to properly secure her back door.

Before Critical Repairs work.	After Critical Repairs were completed.

Even with her full-time job Kiana could not afford these urgently needed repairs. So she reached out to Durham Habitat’s Critical Repairs Team. Thanks to financial support from our community, our team was able to complete the vital repairs to Kiana’s siding and back door. Now, the family lives in a safe, healthy, comfortable home with a renewed sense of security.

Our Critical Repairs Team also helps many of Durham’s older lower-income homeowners who want to age in place with dignity, like Danita. She loves her west Durham home. It’s served her well for more than 20 years. Then health challenges struck. Danita had a stroke, then battled cancer. She didn’t have the income or energy to make repairs to her HVAC unit, her roof, and crumbling back stairs to the outside. Once again, thanks to donor funding, our Critical Repairs Team could spring into action. Now Danita has a comfortable and safe home where she can rest and heal.

Your Turn:

Last year our Critical Repairs Team completed 61 projects! But right now there’s a 2-year waiting list for these services. We could do more repair projects and reduce that waiting time, if only we had more funds. You can help, with a donation today.