This article was written by Maria Noonan, Hands on Housing intern. 

A row of one-story homes line an east Austin neighborhood. The houses have been there since the early 1970s and witnessed Austin’s growth from a small college town to a busy city. At one stone and light-yellow house lives Ms. Carolina Jackson. Ms. Jackson has lived there since 2000 after her mother left her the house. She lives with her daughter, son, and her little dog named Jack.

Through using iACT’s program Hands on Housing (HOH) she was able to make much-needed repairs to her home, all free of cost.

“Before, my front door wouldn’t lock and everyone in the neighborhood knew that I didn’t have locks on my doors,” Ms. Jackson said. “It’s very important that my doors are lockable that way no one can just walk in.”

Big repairs like locks can drastically change someone’s life. In Ms. Jackson’s home, HOH installed new faucets, a new water heater, repaired drywall, installed accessible showers, and installed a bright new dining room light. However, the small repairs are what most Hands on Housing participants appreciate the most.

“I really love my bathrooms with my new accessible shower,” Ms. Jackson said. “The shower bench is great and I love the sinks”

A majority of HOH clients need repairs, like a shower bench conversion, for ease to do daily chores like bathing or cleaning. In Ms. Jackson’s case, she also needed knobs and handles put on her kitchen cabinets so she could open them without hurting her hands.

“It feels great [to have a redone home],” Ms. Jackson said. “Several of my neighbors have already stopped by and complimented my house.”

The final product was a long process from the application to inspectors to construction. The team members of HOH worked with Ms. Jackson through every step making sure she knew what was going on and felt good about her home repairs.

“I love Deborah,” Ms. Jackson said. “Anytime I call HOH, they are there. She did a lot for me.”

Although the HOH clients get the repaired homes, the staff of iACT share the feeling of pride and optimism with each house they serve.

“What I’ve observed over the years of serving homeowners through iACT’s Hands on Housing program is that something as simple as a fresh coat of paint from volunteers, can completely renew and restore a homeowner’s hope, dignity, and pride,” Deborah Schagen HOH Coordinator said. “The transformation in their attitudes from despair to gratitude is nothing short of a miracle, and it’s a true pleasure to be able to witness that shift in each homeowner we serve.”