After 25 Years, Habitat Homeowner Deanna Celebrates Paying Off Her Home

Written by Jeffery Woodard

Twenty-five years ago, Deanna was a single mother raising two young children while moving from one rental home to another, searching for stability she couldn’t seem to find.

Today, she is now able to claim a home as hers.

“I walked in there and was like, ‘This is my house,'” Deanna said. “I felt very proud of myself, very happy that I was able to accomplish what I set out to do.”

Her journey with Habitat for Humanity of McLean County began in 2001 after she learned about the organization through a meeting at the Bloomington Public Library. At the time, she was living in Section 8 housing with her two kids.

Construction on her home began in July 2001, and just five months later, she moved in.

Like every Habitat homeowner, Deanna completed her sweat equity before and during the construction of her home.

“It was work,” she said. “You can’t sit back and expect it to be handed to you. You have to work for it.”

Balancing construction hours with work and raising two children was not easy. Finding childcare on Saturdays often seemed unrealistic until Deanna learned that the hours of the person watching her children could count toward her sweat equity requirement.

Her employer also stepped up, organizing a volunteer group of coworkers to help build.

“I had like 15 or 20 of my coworkers out there, and I was able to get their hours. That helped me.”

Even after breaking her foot during construction, Deanna refused to stop showing up.

“I was still out there every Saturday doing my sweat equity,” she said. “It’s just how bad you want it. I wanted it bad. Nothing was going to stop me.”

Before becoming a homeowner, Deanna and her family were frequently on the move.

“The minute the rent goes up, okay, I’ve got to find another place,” she said. “When you’ve got kids, you’ve got to worry about the neighborhood, what school they’re going to go to.”

“‘Mom, just keep me in one school. Can you do that?’” She recalled her daughter asking.

Owning a Habitat home changed everything.

“It was more [of] stability. They’re not going anywhere. They’re going to this school. They’re going to make friends.”

For Deanna, home isn’t defined by physical aspects.

“I always feel like it’s the people that make it the home, not necessarily the building itself.”

Still, homeownership gave her family freedoms they never had while renting.

“My kids were able to decorate their rooms the way they wanted to. If my son wanted to put a hole in the wall, which he did a couple times, I could say, ‘It’s okay. We can fix the wall.'”
Instead of worrying about landlords, security deposits, or restrictions, she could simply tell her children:

“‘Hang up whatever you want. It’s our house.'”

Although she moved in just days before Christmas, that first holiday remains one of her favorite memories.

“It didn’t have a lot in there because I moved in on December 14, and ten days later it was Christmas. We got to decorate a tree, put up Christmas decorations, string lights, and the kids got their own rooms.”

For the first time, her children had space that truly belonged to them.

“My son was able to put his toys in his room, and my daughter could put her toys in her room,” Deana said.

Over the years, affordable homeownership has given Deana something she says can’t be measured.

“One hundred percent security.”

As housing costs continued to rise, she was grateful her monthly payment remained affordable.

“I didn’t have to worry about losing my house. I wasn’t stressing about where I was going to live tomorrow.”

Her children grew up with a yard to play in, a driveway for basketball, and a neighborhood where friendships could last.

“They were able to bring their friends over. They had a front yard and a backyard. It’s wonderful to have a house.”

Recently, Deana reached another major milestone: paying off her Habitat mortgage.

“I didn’t know my house was paid off yet.”

The moment represented another goal achieved after years of determination.

“Now I’ve met the other goal of paying it off.”

More than anything, homeownership represents freedom to Deanna.

“It’s actually my home now. I have more control. I can remodel it, I can stay here and enjoy it. It’s my house.”

Deanna encourages future homeowners to stay committed, meet every deadline, and remember that Habitat is a partnership.

“Work, work, work. Never stop.”

“Habitat is very good at meeting you halfway. But if you want to sit back and let Habitat do all the work, it’s not going to happen. Help Habitat, and Habitat will help you.”

Deanna also encourages others to support Habitat for Humanity through volunteering or donations.

“I think it’s a wonderful organization,” she said.

What stands out most to her is knowing the support goes directly toward helping families build better futures.

“I feel like with Habitat, it’s going where it needs to go.”

After 25 years in the home she helped build, Deanna says she has no plans to leave.

“I’m going to stay here, live in my home, and enjoy it. It’s my house.”