Shandi is a dedicated mother of Tara, 19, and Trenton, 17. Since her divorce in 2018, she and her children have been living in her mother’s basement. Initially, she rented an apartment, but rising rental costs made it unaffordable, forcing them to move back in with family.  

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For the past seven years, Shandi has worked as a Production Manager at Vista Manufacturing, where she has steadily advanced in her career and built strong relationships with her coworkers. Her daughter, Tara, also works at Vista.  

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Despite her hard work, stable housing remained out of reach. In their current living situation, Shandi sleeps in the basement’s living area while her children have their own rooms. With no running water downstairs, they all share a single bathroom on the main level of the home. One of the things she looks forward to most in her Habitat home is having windows—a chance to wake up to natural sunlight. 

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Shandi first heard about Habitat's Homeownership Program through a friend and coworker. In 2023, when Habitat’s Family Services Director spoke at Vista, she decided to apply. She thought, "Why not? The worst that could happen is I wouldn’t qualify. She was intrigued when she learned that Habitat's affordable, 0%-interest mortgage was based on income. When she found out she qualified, she was overjoyed. She knew it would be hard work but also an incredible achievement.  

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Through the homeownership and financial literacy classes, Shandi has gained valuable knowledge, and both she and Tara have found the construction process empowering. Now, they are looking forward to the stability and security their new home will bring. 

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For the first time in a long time, they are dreaming of the little things that will make their house a home—gardening in their own yard, having personal space, and inviting friends over for family dinners. 

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The Vitali home will be a single-story home with three bedrooms,
1 1/2 bathrooms and a total area of 1,192 square feet.