NAPLES, Fla. — The largest donation Collier County Habitat for Humanity has ever gotten will help more families move into affordable homes.
FOX 4's Bella Line shows us around the future Majestic Place neighborhood.
Watch Bella's full report below:
"The promise of hope that this holds is really life-changing," said Lisa Lefkow, the CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Collier County.
Life-changing help made possible by the Collier County Habitat as they build 109 new single-family homes in south Naples.
With the help of one Naples family, they are working to bring the American dream of homeownership to Southwest Florida.
"Sometimes folks are paying better than 50, 60, sometimes up to 70% of their household income, just for their housing expense," said Lefkow. "So coming to this moment where we're adding new homes and making those available for hard-working families is really critical."
However, it hasn't come without setbacks for this nonprofit.
"The costs are challenging, and never has it been more challenging than today," said Lefkow.
Lefkow says rising costs have made it difficult to continue their work and she says these may very well be the last single-family homes they can afford to build.
"Cost of land in Collier County, of course, is just through the roof as we're competing with other big developers, for-profit developers, the cost of infrastructure has escalated beyond anything that we envision," said Lefkow.
Thanks to a local family who has been around the organization for a while, on Tuesday they announced a $5 million contribution towards the cause. Lefkow says it will help families like Mercedes Vargas', a widowed single mother.
"Surreal! It doesn't even feel real you know," said Vargas.
Vargas and her kids will be moving into the Majestic Place neighborhood in the spring.
"I work for the school systems, and I wouldn't want any other job. I love where I work and who I work with, and being able to stay right here in the same town, and, you know, allowing my kids to go through our education too, it means everything," said Vargas.
Lefkow says some homes will be ready for families as early as January 2025, plus they have other projects around the county in the works.
