Habitat For Humanity holds home dedication for families in newly finished homes on Nassau Street

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Habitat For Humanity celebrated four families who now have a permanent place to raise their families, something they’ve put time and effort into.

“Our belief is that housing a basic human right,” President and CEO of the Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville Dan Rosensweig said.

He says the challenges each project presents are well worth it.

“Building affordable housing is really hard and what keeps us going day after day,” he said. “When it looks like we’ll never get over the finish line, we know that at some point in the future, we’re going to be celebrating with these amazing families.”

That’s exactly what happened on May 15. The houses on Nassau Street are now complete and the families are moved in. Habitat held a celebration to help welcome these four families into their new homes. Rosensweig says the new neighbors share more than just the same street.

“There are native Charlottesville families now, there is a family who relocated from Afghanistan who recently became American citizens,” he said. “They are coming together to become a community, not a collection of homes, but a community sharing their destiny together.”

“I have four neighbors, they are very good neighbors but this whole thing, the new house, new address, everything is great,” new homeowner Sheer Ali Abdul Rahimzai said.

He was born in Afghanistan and recently gained United States citizenship, so an American flag flies proudly outside his new home. He says the stars and stripes gave him everything.

“I love this place,” he said. “I love the city. There’s very great people in this area and Charlottesville.”

Five out of six Charlottesville city councilors as well as City Manager Chip Boyles were on hand to help welcome these new families into their homes.

Copyright 2021 WVIR. All rights reserved.