Home Builders to Raise Two Homes in Five Days

For the third straight day, Chris Marek of the San Diego Habitat for Humanity and a crew of volunteers from Swinerton Homes and have been working nonstop building two homes from scratch and finishing a third one in the Libby Lake Village in Oceanside.

“We are blitzing two homes, 24 hours a day for five days straight,” Marek said, proud of the work finished so far. “We started Monday and are hoping to have all three homes done by Friday.”

Habitat for Humanity’s Builder’s Blitz, which has constructed 16 homes in the San Diego area since it began in 2006, helps families who need better housing. The families are required to log in at least 250 hours in sweat equity and pay back a zero percent mortgage on their homes. 

“Two families have already been picked out and they are actually here working,” Marek said. “At Habitat, we consider it a hand up, not a handout.”

Trading in their helmets for hard hats for the day, Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion 5 worked alongside professional carpenters and volunteers.

“They requested for volunteers and they needed help and along with our group today, we have two more groups coming,” Sgt. Vincent Alonzo said, adding that two more groups of five Marines each will be present on Thursday and Friday.

The group, which has been moving wood and gear, was also assigned to work on piping and were already digging a four-foot trench halfway into their six-hour shift.

“It’s a good thing to get my troops out here and show them what it's like to help out in the community,” Cpl. Jose Ledesma said, who worked carpentry with his father back in his home state of Texas. “A lot of these Marines, the Marine Corps is all they know about and giving them a different kind of labor experience is good for them.”

For volunteers like Sal Contreras, being able to finish a big project in such a short amount of time feels good, but knowing that these homes are going to families who need them makes it that much better.

Those wanting to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity projects can go to this web page to sign up.

Families interested in owning their own home through the organization can contact Elsie Estrada, Family Services Associate, at 619-283-4663 ext. 304 or email ElsieE@sdhfh.org.

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