Space of their own: Growing family teams with Habitat for Humanity to build home in Chesapeake

Sofia Allizem is looking forward to September when she and her husband become new homeowners and their children will have a backyard to play in. That’s when Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads volunteers will be putting the finishing touches on Allizem’s new house in Chesapeake’s Deep Creek area.

Allizem, and her husband, Morad Belkharaz, currently live in a cramped two-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment in Virginia Beach. They have two children, 9-year-old Yasser and 6-year-old Ikram, with a baby girl due in June.

Their apartment has mold and peeling paint, and cigarette smoke filters in from the adjacent apartment.

“Yasser has asthma, and the smoke was so bad I took him to the ER several times,” Allizem said. “It’s been really bad, especially while I’m pregnant.”

In addition, there are no laundry facilities and no space for the children to play.

Thanks to the efforts of Habitat SHR, the family’s new home, at 1036 N. George Washington Highway in Chesapeake, will have four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large backyard.

Volunteers from TowneBank, the 2023 construction sponsor for all builds in the region, assist Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads on a site in Suffolk. Kareese Roberts watches Lauren Rush as she drills a nail into the front porch. (Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity SHR)

The family was selected from a list of 198 qualified applications, according to Frank Hruska, executive director of Habitat SHR. The nonprofit seeks to provide safe and affordable housing. Those who qualify must have good credit scores, a stable job history, and fall within certain income limits. Applicants must also contribute 200 volunteer hours on their home.

The nonprofit organization plans to build four houses this year. Each home takes about four months to build, and about 95% of the labor is done by volunteers, according to Hruska.

“If you put your own sweat in, you’ll be a better homeowner,” Hruska said. “We like to say we give hand ups, not handouts.”

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Habitat SHR is looking for teams of women and business sponsors for Women Build Weeks, which takes place May 1 through May 12, leading up to Mother’s Day. The event, which began in 1991, seeks to break down barriers, and empower women to take an active role in their community by learning new skills. No experience is necessary and teams typically work a 4-hour shift either in the morning or afternoon. Lunch and a T-shirt are provided.

Habitat SHR is looking for teams of women and business sponsors for Women Build Weeks, which takes place May 1-12. (Courtesy of TowneBank)

Allizem moved from Morocco 18 years ago and is now a U.S. citizen. She is a cybersecurity student at Tidewater Community College and her husband is employed as an HVAC technician at a local shipyard.

“When I found out about Habitat homes six years ago, I knew nothing about it,” Allizem said. “We didn’t apply, because we did not have enough income, but now we are doing better.”

She doesn’t get to see her parents very often, but is looking forward to their next visit.

“We’ll be able to have guests in our new home,” she said. “The next time my parents visit from Morocco, they’ll be able to stay longer.”

For more information or to volunteer, email Habitat SHR at info@shrhabitat.org.

Eric Hodies, ehodies@hteam.net