ROANOKE, Va. – It’s a rainy day in early March, and student volunteers from UNC Greensboro are spending their spring break helping to put some finishing touches on the latest WSLS Home for Good project, in association with Habitat for Humanity.
“It’s gone really well,” said Lyn Caldwell, who has overseen the build. His job is to keep the mostly volunteer crews on task and to guide the homebuilding process.
The home grew out of a lot on Campbell Avenue, not far from the tall buildings in downtown Roanoke. Just months ago the lot was overgrown with weeds.
Now it’s about 1,700 square feet of space just filled with new house smell.
“We have a little bit of trim work left. A few odds and ends, towel bars, toilet, toilet, paper hangers, final cleanup and that’s about it,” Caldwell said. He said crews still need to build a ramp to a utility shed in the backyard and add the railings along the front porch.
The property will become home to Elhaj Baya and Rouaa Rahmaoui, first-generation Americans from Morocco. The couple has been married for six years. It took a lot of effort for Rouaa to join Elhaj after he moved to the United States in 2007, first living in New York and later Martinsville, before settling in the Star City.
“You have a chance to do what you want to do, and this is a great opportunity,” Baya said when asked why he wanted to live in the United States.
Baya became an American citizen in 2011, and Rahmaoui in 2023. They said they felt Roanoke was where they wanted to put down roots.
“I fell in love with the city because it’s not a big city, it’s not a small city. They have everything. And I love it,” Rahmaoui said.
Homeownership seemed out of reach until they found Habitat for Humanity. The program was a good fit. It allowed them to put in sweat equity and acquire a low-interest mortgage. Habitat also offers classes on budgeting and home ownership.
“Building a house for someone that couldn’t go out and buy a house the traditional way. For me is a blessing,” Caldwell the lead builder said.
“At the end of the day, they still have a mortgage. And they’re paying that mortgage,” said Habitat spokesman David Tate. “And Habitat then takes that money and invests it in the next house to help the next family,” Tate said.
Barring unforeseen circumstances, WSLS and Habitat for Humanity will turn the keys over to Elhaj and Rouaa on March 27.