Celebrating 6 New Homeowners
Six new Habitat homes in Albany’s Arbor Hill neighborhood
“I tell you that this is truly a dream come true,” Octavia Windom-Wiggins said as she spoke in front of the large crowd. “And I cannot wait to close on my house. When I tell you, let this speak to the beauty of the people that came together, community starts from within.”
On June 20, 2024, two of our newly completed houses on Manning Boulevard filled up with community members excited to tour the projects and celebrate with the new homeowners. The completion of these 6 homes marks 170 safe, affordable houses built by Habitat Capital District since 1988.
Octavia along with five other local families will become first-time homeowners in Albany within the next couple of weeks. These families worked side by side with Habitat volunteers, staff and local subcontractors to build the houses.
Octavia testified that she has worked hard to provide a good life for her twins as a single mother. She has earned multiple college degrees and has worked as a dental hygienist for five years, but still found that homeownership was out of reach until she learned about Habitat for Humanity. “I applied, I got it, I cried.”
And the best part, Habitat was building new houses in the neighborhood she grew up in. “I learned a lot about life in this neighborhood and it just meant a lot to me to be able to have a piece of it to be able to pass on to my daughters to be able to flourish and use this as an amazing, amazing first step,” Octavia said.
As the event came to a close, children played in the front yards while neighbors exchanged stories and congratulations. The evening was filled with hope and promise, symbolizing not just the conclusion of a building project, but the beginning of new chapters for these families.
Project information
The six new single-family townhomes feature 4 bedrooms, 1.5 – 2 bathrooms, an open first-floor layout with kitchen and living space, a deck off of the first floor and a full walkout basement. The homes are located on Manning Boulevard, just blocks from North Pearl Street, Livingston Avenue, Arbor Hill Elementary School and the Ten Broeck Triangle.
All homes are constructed to meet the energy efficiency requirements established by EPA's ENERGY STAR Residential New Construction program. These requirements include features such as high-quality insulation, advanced windows, efficient heating and cooling systems, properly sealed ductwork, and energy-efficient lighting and appliances. Additionally, all six homes are completely electrified, using a high-efficiency electric heat pump that provides both heating and cooling.
The project was designed by TAP, Inc. and used construction financing from the Community Loan Fund of the Capital Region.
The construction of these homes was funded in part through a transformational investment of American Rescue Plan Act funds through the City of Albany. The $3.79 million award is helping fund the construction of 100 new affordable homes in the City of Albany. Additional project funding included grants from New York State’s Downtown Revitalization Initiative, Albany Community Development Agency, Federal Home Loan Bank of New York and the Touhey Homeownership Foundation. The land was donated by the Albany Housing Authority.
The homes are part of the Albany Community Land Trust, a nonprofit organization governed by ACLT residents, neighbors, and community representatives. Community Land Trusts help build individual and community assets through shared equity homeownership, which enables CLT homes to remain permanently affordable and for land to remain in community control.
“These six new homes have been a long time coming, born of a vision for collaboration between the Albany Housing Authority, Albany Community Land Trust and Habitat for Humanity. We are so grateful for this successful collaboration to build six new Habitat houses near the beautifully redeveloped Ida Yarbrough apartments and so close to Albany’s bustling downtown. Together with our partners, we are demonstrating what is possible when we work together to ensure that everyone in our community has a safe, affordable and sustainable place to live,” said Christine Schudde, Executive Director at Habitat for Humanity Capital District.
Albany Housing Authority Executive Director Chiquita D’Arbeau said, "The Albany Housing Authority is proud to partner on this collaborative effort and help provide affordable housing options for our community. We know home ownership is a key to establishing financial stability. These six new homes, located near the Ida Yarbrough Apartments, create a significant opportunity for first time home buyers, and they are just the beginning. We are excited for the continued partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Albany Community Land Trust, the City of Albany and other community organizations as we work towards creating a safe and sustainable living environments for all residents of Albany."
Albany Community Land Trust President Aprecia "Preem" Cabey said, 'We're excited that 6 more families will become homeowners in Albany! The Land Trust appreciates the partnership with the Albany Housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity Capital District for bringing the resources together to make these homes affordable. The Land Trust model helps keep those subsidies with the home making homeownership affordable for future generations.'
