SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A new affordable housing subdivision is complete in Sanford, where six new families will have a place to call home.

This is the first subdivision built by Habitat for Humanity in Seminole County that is considered affordable housing. The project was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as ARPA.

From start to finish, Jameca Laster has seen what it takes to build her new home.

“I remember just last year, we were doing the groundbreaking, and now to see it all come together and to see all of my neighbors and doing a walk-through all the houses, it’s amazing,” she said.

Laster says she was living in an apartment when she learned that her renewal fee would be an extra $300.  

“That wasn’t affordable for me. So I went ahead and applied for the program,” she said. “A coworker of mine had told me that the application process was starting last February, so I applied. My lease is going to be up in June, packed up everything, put everything in storage.”

Laster then went to live with her sister and saved money to purchase her first home through Habitat for Humanity.

Homebuyers are required to reach a certain number of sweat equity hours and Laster is one of six families moving into the newly built subdivision. The completion of the first subdivision built by Habitat for Humanity was celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Showed me how to maintain my home, how the home building process is from the ground up. They trained us on how to use power tools and how to do caulking, so just to set us up for home ownership,” said Laster. 

Habitat for Humanity CEO Penny Seater says the infrastructure part of this project was over a million dollars.

Each house, bringing in about $1.1 million of an economic impact to Seminole County.

“That our homeowners work hard. They are hardworking in the community. These houses are not free and they work hard for them as well. And we often talk about habitat being a hand-up. It’s not a handout,” said Seater.

Laster says this is just one of the moments she’s most proud of. 

“My mom and my niece. They hit the ground running, helping me with my construction hours and then just to see my community,” she said. “I’m like one of the first of my family members to be the first-time homebuyer. So I think it feels like, ‘Hey, if she can do it, I can do it.’”

Homebuyers are screened through Seminole County Community Services’ Homeownership Program to ensure financial eligibility for the program and purchasing of the homes.

Homes are valued around $260,000.