LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Lexington Habitat for Humanity will celebrate the groundbreaking of its first new townhomes. Habitat leaders explained that home prices and property prices in Fayette County are high. This is their way of continuing to help families with space that is available.
For the first time, Lexington Habitat for Humanity is building townhomes on Perry Street for five families in the community. Lakelli Hamilton is a single mom. She's worked hard to give her three children a stable home. For her, it's been a 10-year-long journey. It began when child protective services took her two boys away.
"It just kinda played on my mental health, and mental health played on my personal health, physical health and started not making the right decisions," Hamilton said. "And I just found myself living on the street and asking friends and family members to help me."
At the time, her boys were six and twelve. Her life changed when she found out she was three months pregnant with her daughter.
"I just didn't want her and CPS to intervene any longer, to be homeless any longer, to have doubt any longer just...I wanted to be stable, to be somebody my children, all my children can look up to,” says Hamilton.
This is a new beginning for Hamilton and four other families totaling 17 people altogether.
Lexington Habitat for Humanity’s Brandalin Foster says, "I think stories like Lakelli's really resonate with people. There are a lot of folks that are spending way too much, to get far too little in return for shelter. We want them to know that there are opportunities through habitat and other non-profit organizations to help them find the stability through homeownership.”
Hamilton says her strong support system including her family, friends, and community – has helped her come this far. The change in her life started from within. She hopes to show her children and others what's possible through faith.
"Self-motivation is sometimes all people have - and if you don't strengthen that first, you'll never get anywhere," Hamilton explained. "Because a lot of people can want help for you, but until you want help for yourself, help won’t come. Not the help that you need."
Lexington Habitat for Humanity leaders say this new home is an opportunity for Lakelli Hamilton and the other four families. They are expected to move in by this fall.
