'It's beautiful place': Habitat house to be home for newcomer family
'Thank you Canada. Thank you Habitat. I love it here'
A Habitat for Humanity house in Summerside, P.E.I., has been sitting empty for months now with no family to claim it — until now.
Canadian newcomers Bujar Krasniqi, Adelina Krasniqi and their three children, from Kosovo, are getting ready to move into the house later this year.
It's been such a struggle to identify just the right family for this location and this home.— Becky Mullen
"I'm so excited. [We're] so happy — kids too — my wife, my family," said Bujar.
Bujar came to Canada on a work visa three-and-a-half years ago. His wife Adelina and their children joined him last year. He said he's thrilled to have his family together in one place.
The family left Kosovo in search of a better life. Bujar said life there was hard, but that being in P.E.I. is like being in a new world.
'We like it here'
"It's quiet, it's like for kids, it's beautiful place. We like it here," he said.
The house in Summerside was built in partnership with Holland College and has been vacant for months. The non-profit organization has been trying to find a suitable family.
Today, the family of five lives in a two-bedroom apartment
The Krasniqis connected with Habitat for Humanity and were recently approved. Eligible families need a credit record check and a minimum income a little over $23,000.
To qualify for a home with Habitat for Humanity a family has to be in need of a house and be willing to put in 500 hours of sweat equity.
For the Krasniqis, that could include work completing the Summerside house, which still needs landscaping and finishing work, work on another Habitat home or in the organization's ReStore shop.
"We're thrilled to be putting a family into this home," said Habitat P.E.I.'s executive director, Becky Mullen.
"But especially because it's been such a struggle to identify just the right family for this location and this home. So we're really excited to have found a family to partner with. And we're really excited it's this family."
The Krasniqi family will be signing a letter of agreement Tuesday.
The house is expected to be ready for when the family is expected to move in this fall.
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With files from Kevin Yarr