Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity

A lot has changed in one year for Momodu Kemokai and his family. The single father of five daughters, who works for U.S. Bank in St. Paul, moved to Woodbury last year after Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity selected him to be an owner of a new town home at the Garden Gate development on the eastern edge of town. The move was a big one for Kemokai, who was previously raising his daughters, ranging in age from six to 19, in north Minneapolis.

“When we lived there, I was always worried,” he said. “I didn’t even want them walking down the street. Now they live in a nice neighborhood and have lots of friends to play with. I’m not afraid to let them go outside.”

Kemokai is just one of dozens of new Woodbury residents who have moved to the city in recent years via Habitat for Humanity’s home ownership program, which allows families with lower incomes to purchase homes at an affordable mortgage rate.

Last month officials from Habitat for Humanity and representatives from Centex Homes officially opened eight new Habitat for Humanity Homes at Bailey’s Arbor. The new homes make Woodbury the third largest concentration of Habitat for Humanity homes in the Twin Cities. Only Minneapolis and St. Paul have more.

Habitat has been a great asset for the city over the years, said Woodbury Mayor Bill Hargis who was on hand when the homes were dedicated July 21.

“We’ve had some good success with Habitat and a lot of that has to do with their model for success,” said Hargis. “We want livable communities and we were aware of Habitat and welcomed them to our community. They have a model that is something I like, because it’s based on that American vision of giving someone an opportunity to make a better life.”

Part of that opportunity includes what Habitat for Humanity officials call “sweat equity,” which means Habitat home owners spend an allotted amount of hours helping volunteers to build their home. It’s a model that is central to the Habitat theme, said Sharon Rolenc, a public relations specialist for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.

“If there is a message to be delivered about this program it’s that these homes are not a handout,” Rolenc said. “Our families are working families who are purchasing their homes. We build market rate homes that we make affordable based on the family income. It’s a program that is designed for people who are working hard and want to provide a good home for their family.”

Since Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1985, more than 600 families have purchased affordable homes through the organization.

Woodbury has seen more than 40 affordable homes added through Habitat. Eight more are scheduled to be constructed in the Bailey’s Arbor development and they should be ready for new owners by next year. 

Forming a community

Momodu Kemokai, who moved to the United States from Liberia in 2000, said he is grateful for the opportunity Habitat for Humanity and the city of Woodbury provided him to purchase his home in the Garden Gate neighborhood. 

“When I came here, I wanted to find a place to raise my daughters where they can be safe and have a good education,” said Kemokai, who in addition to his 40-hour work week is pursuing his master’s degree in organizational management at Concordia University, St. Paul. “People ask me where I live and I tell them Woodbury. They say ‘you must be rich.’ That makes me laugh. 

“I think it’s a great idea the city is trying to accommodate diversity. They’re giving people from different economic backgrounds a chance to share in their dream for the community. And we’re making the best of it.”