Habitat for Humanity has announced it will build eight homes and the federal government will help.

“One of the interesting things about the United States Department of Agriculture is that they have a 502 direct loan program that is available for low-income rural housing,” said Ashley Hedemann, Human Resources and Operations Manager at Habitat For Humanity. .

In an unexpected announcement Wednesday, all eight families were notified that they had been selected for the project. Excavations are planned to begin soon.

“I’m very pleased that we finally have a house, and I’m just happy to start shoveling and get to work,” said Stephanie Perez, the family recipient.

Perez, sharing the surprise and excitement of his family after learning that they are one of eight families in which a new home will be built by the summer of 2023.

“Well, my mom didn’t want to cry, that was her whole mission,” Perez added.

Central Valley Community Bank has also partnered with Habitat to help make this possible by providing loans for the project totaling $ 2.9 million.

The company sees this as an investment in the future of the valley.

“Families who will benefit from this. I mean, you’re the next generation to support Riverdale,” said Ken Ramos, vice president of Central Valley Community Bank.

“Our families have mortgages. Habitat is a hand up, we are not a filing,” Hedemann added.

Selected families will also need to contribute 500 hours of “secured capital” by extending a helping hand in building these homes, for which they are grateful.

And they wanted to share a message of perseverance and support for each other.

“Call my daughter Roxana. She couldn’t be with us, she’s performing in the final, but it was she who picked me up and said, ‘Mom, it won’t always be that way.’ We are going to go up there, “said Isel Madrigal.