Habitat for Humanity builds house for Vietnam veteran in Riverhead
It took 18 months to get the house built. Habitat for Humanity of Long Island says the Town of Riverhead donated the land, and Habitat secured grants from the state and county to help pay for construction.
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Habitat for Humanity of Long Island handed Vietnam veteran David Stanley the keys to his new castle, after building him a two-bedroom house.
"I've always lived in poverty, in substandard housing. This is going to be a real home for me for the first time in my life," said Stanley.
"He came to us saying 'I'm very content on my studio apartment, but now I'd like to take over the care of my brother who has Down's syndrome,'" said Diane Manders, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Long Island.
It took 18 months to get the house built. Habitat for Humanity of Long Island says the Town of Riverhead donated the land, and Habitat secured grants from the state and county to help pay for construction and lower the cost of the house to make it affordable.
"A house this size which would be worth $500,000 or $550,000, the typical mortgage on that for a Habitat homeowner would be $200,000 to $250,000," Manders said.
With the high price of houses on Long Island and without this help, Stanley says owning a home would be out of reach.
"It's quite an endeavor, it was very important that they work on it, you can't say enough for those people, thank you," Stanley said.
Habitat for Humanity of Long Island says it has three more houses currently being built - two in Bellport and one in Wyandanch. It says it is breaking ground soon in Amityville.
