Chrissy and Cameron entered the Homebuyer program initially because, as Chrissy said, “I always wanted to have a home and a place that is ours. It was my dream.” But simply getting to the program took time.

Chrissy initially looked into a partnership with Cape Fear Habitat in 2010, after her house burned down. “I lost everything, including my father,” she said. In the difficult time following the fire, Cameron, Chrissy, and their five children moved into a rental house. As they adjusted to their new normal, they decided to wait to apply.

Their situation was complicated in 2018 by Hurricane Florence. When the evacuation order was issued, Cameron and Chrissy initially left before the storm. But then they realized that they did not have the means to stay away, and they drove back to their rental house on the night the storm made landfall. When they got home, the power was out—the entire city was completely dark–and a tree had fallen across the entryway of the house. They had to climb up the tree to enter through an upstairs window.

When they entered the house, they discovered the roof was damaged, and water had flooded the ground floor. The family lived in a tent in the yard for two weeks while the house dried out. Ultimately, the damage to the rental house was extensive, and because the landlord refused to make repairs, the condition of the house deteriorated over time. “There was a giant hole in the bathroom wall from the water, and a 4X6 piece of the ceiling fell on my head. Cameron had to replace the subfloor with plywood in our bathroom himself. It was the only bathroom we had for five people.” Living for five years in the storm-damaged house caused health issues for the family as black mold developed, but rising rent costs made it seem impossible to afford another place. Eventually, the landlord sold the property and demolished the house.

Cameron and Chrissy are now renting an apartment with three of their children, while two of their children have grown and have left home. The rent in their current apartment is twice what they were paying in the storm-damaged house, but their partnership with Habitat gave them the leverage they needed to pivot toward homeownership. “It changed our lives,” said Chrissy, “We were accepted into the program on the first try, but that was because I knew someone who had been through it, and I had help in knowing what I had to do to get ready to apply. I did a lot of work to get ready.” Cameron and Chrissy cited the Homeowner Services financial education program as a game-changer for them. “I didn’t know what a budget was, and now we have one, and it’s working,” said Chrissy. “If you would have told me a year ago that I could have money left to save at the end of the month, I would not have believed it.”

Construction began on Cameron and Chrissy’s home in November 2024 as part of CEO Build. “We are really doing this. We’re getting ready to be in our own house,” Cameron said. Through their partnership hours, they have built homes with other people who will be living in their neighborhood. Chrissy explained that belonging to a community was something she was looking forward to. “We are literally working side by side with our neighbors. To me, that’s a big thing. When we finally get moved in, we are going to know everyone there, and we can support one another.”

As construction continues and the move-in date approaches, the family is excited to have a place to call home, but continue to encourage others to join the Homeownership program. Chrissy said, “There need to be more advocates out there to help people. I was on the waiting list for housing assistance for thirteen years. I never got it. I recommend to anyone who feels like there is nowhere else to go, they should apply and just see.”