For Antonio Moreno, an immigrant from Nicaragua who came to the United
States 11 years ago, the “American Dream” consisted of providing
a better life for his family. That dream included owning a home.
This month, with the help of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Moreno’s
dream became a reality.
Through the Office for Community Development’s initiative to rehabilitate
17 formerly abandoned and condemned row homes, on Oct. 12 Moreno and his
family were able to turn the key in the front door of a house they can
call their own.
Their home, which had been seized by city officials in a drug raid and
then handed over to the Archdiocese for rehabilitation, was blessed by
Cardinal Justin Rigali.
“I am so joyful that, by the grace of God, we were able to receive
the highest representative of our Church to our new home,” said
Moreno, 46, a parishioner of St. Hugh of Cluny parish in the Fairhill
section of North Philadelphia.
“It was a great honor and I feel very happy and satisfied,”
he said.
A victim of Hurricane Mitch — which devastated entire regions of
Nicaragua — Moreno arrived in the United States in 1995. He was
a furniture craftsman by trade, but he knew he would have to take what
he could find.
He started out working as a maintenance man for a printing company. Eventually,
he rose to a position where he was working with the printing machines.
As more opportunities were given to him, Moreno found himself increasingly
in church giving thanks to God. That’s how he found out about the
Archdiocese’s affordable housing initiative.
A sense of hope and excitement began to rise in him, Moreno said. He inquired
about what he couild do to obtain a house through the project and soon
discovered that he qualified.
Once he was accepted into the program, Moreno had to attend a series of
homeowner preparation classes that were offered through the Hispanic Association
of Contractors and Enterprise (HACE), which is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to assisting the Latino community in the eastern part of North
Philadelphia.
The City of Philadelphia’s Homeownership Rehabilitation Program
paid for the classes and subsidized some of the project. And the Beneficial
Savings Bank contributed through the Pennsylvania Department of Community
and Economic Development’s Neighborhood Assistance Program, matching
donations and helping homeowners with their mortgage.
From start to finish, Moreno felt supported.
“Everyone involved was dedicated to helping you achieve your objective,”
he said. “It would have been difficult to have gotten my own home
without this project. It enabled us, with resources, education and assistance,
to do so.”
The Archdiocese began rehabbing Moreno’s home in November 2005,
and he officially purchased it July 2006. It was among the first of a
series of homes to be remodeled and sold at an affordable price, in an
effort to revitalize the distressed neighborhoods surrounding St. Hugh
of Cluny.
In fact, the idea for the initiative came from the parish itself, according
to Sister Margaret Taylor, the assistant director of the Archdiocesan
Office for Community Development.
“Once the [archdiocesan] office was established in 2001, we asked
parish leaders and the pastor how we could help,” Sister Margaret
said. “At the time, the pastor of St. Hugh, Father Dennis Mooney,
told us that they were concerned about the abandoned homes in their community,
and wanted people to own their own homes and invest in the neighborhood.”
Her office researched how that could be done, soon discovering that —
with help from the city, state government, and area businesses —
the Archdiocese could take 17 decaying homes in the neighborhood and turn
them into proud homes that would lift the morale of the community.
“These abandoned homes have been a real trial to the neighborhood,
with the vermin and resulting devaluation of all the homes on the block,”
Sister Margaret said.
“We purchased seven of the homes all from the same block, which
are now well on their way of being redeveloped for purchase,” she
added. “The neighbors are so happy that we aren’t just tearing
down the homes.
In fact, the community is so excited that they are having a friendly neighborhood
competition to see who has the best block, Sister Margaret said.
“I think it’s a great sign of hope and encouragement for the
neighborhood to see that not only are the abandoned homes being restored,
but that there are people living in them,” she said.
For his part, Moreno said he cannot express enough gratitude for Sister
Margaret’s support, and that of all the Church.
“Sister Margaret with much courage, strength and love, has worked
tirelessly to help me,” he said. “ I’m so grateful to
her for helping me reach my dream, and I’m very grateful to our
Church. Everything is possible with the love of God.”
To learn more about the Office of Community Development housing initiative,
to contribute to the program or to see if you qualify, please contact
Sister Margaret Taylor at 215 425-4856 x34215