Midwest City family finds new home

Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity helps three generation family move into new home

By Jeff Harrison
Midwest City Beacon

An apartment was getting too cramped for a Midwest City family.

Tabitha Reed shared a two-bedroom unit with her two young boys and mother for about 10 years.

Now they have a house of their own.

Tabitha, her mother Anita Reed, and her two sons Kyle and Jordan last week received the keys to their new home from Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity. They were joined by other community partners for a dedication celebration at the Midwest City house.

Tabitha said she has worked hard during the past several years to pay off bills and get her credit in good standing so she could fulfill a promise to her sons that they would have their own home.

“We lived in an apartment for 10 years and when my youngest boy was born my oldest asked me for a house,” Tabitha said. “I said give me three years and you would have one. And we made it happen.”

She shared a room with her children for years, so having their own rooms would be a change.

“One of my little fears is that they would have never had their own room or window or anything,” she said.

Tabitha can say she helped build her house. Applicants are required to put in 100 hours of sweat equity by helping build their own house or volunteer in other areas.

“My blood, sweat and tears went into this because I smashed my finger a couple of times,” she said. “It sounds amazing when I tell people that actually helped build my house.”

Anita also helped with the house and others.

“I worked on this house and another house, and I loved it,” Anita said.

Central Oklahoma Habitat Chair/CEO Ann Felton Gilliland said the organization believes everyone deserves a safe, decent and affordable home for themselves and their family, and through Habitat’s New Home Construction program, limited-income individuals and families may be able to purchase a new, affordable and quality home at cost and without a down payment.

“This is a great program to allow limited-income families to get into home ownership because we don’t charge all the closing costs, so it makes it more affordable,” Felton Gilliland said.

Each of the houses takes about four months to build. The Reed’s house was built on a vacant lot in a neighborhood in Midwest City.

Rebecca Kendall, family services administrator for Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, commended Tabitha and Anita for their hard work.

“These ladies have worked hard for it to make it all happen,” Kendall said. “It’s been a lot of dedication and years to make their dreams come true.”

To qualify, applicants must earn between a minimum gross household income of $45,000 per year to a maximum of $90,850, depending on the size of the family. The average monthly mortgage payment on a Habitat home is $1,500. The average cost of a Habitat home is $165,000. For qualification requirements, go to https://cohfh.org/get-qualified/.

For more information, call (405) 232-4828.