Sullivan group completes second home

LIBERTY, NY — About 40 people turned out for a ceremony in which a new four-bedroom house, built through the efforts of Habitat for Humanity of Sullivan County, was turned over to Zaida Chasi and her three children.

Chasi, who is a native of Ecuador, lived for many years in New York City and worked for the administration of former mayor David Dinkins. She moved to Sullivan County 10 years ago and now works for Hudson River HealthCare in Monticello.

Habitat chooses the recipients of their homes based on need, the ability to make the mortgage payments and a family’s willingness to invest “sweat equity” or physical labor in the building of the house.

Thanks to donations from many businesses and people in the community, the cost of this house came in at slightly more than $80,000. Habitat will hold the no-interest mortgage.

At the sometimes emotional ceremony, Chasi said that it was her “dream” to own a home for herself and her family. She had almost given up on the idea of being able to do that in Sullivan County and was prepared to leave the area when she applied to the Habitat program. Now, she is prepared to stay for many years.

This is the second home completed by the Habitat group. The first, in Monticello, was completed in 2005.