Winston Salem Times

A cancer survivor in Forsyth County is becoming a first-time homeowner, as Habitat for Humanity is putting up a house for her in the Dreamland Park area of Winston-Salem.

“I’ll know that this house is mine,” Hazel Griffin, 67, told wfmynews2.com. 

It’s part of a broader city plan to help revitalize Dreamland Park, a once-thriving community that fell on hard times. Mayor Allen Joines and council member Annette Scippio are hoping that the Habitat house will help start a neighborhood resurgence.

Griffin said she’s grateful for the help and that she's looking forward to the large outdoor porch space and being able to quietly enjoy it without dealing with loud music from her neighbors. 

Home ownership carries some responsibilities, like maintenance, that will be new to Griffin. With that in mind, she was a little hesitant to make the leap, with relatives telling her to just keep renting. 

“Some of the older people in my family said, ‘Oh no, let the landlord take care of things that need fixing,’” she said on the newscast.

The Habitat program is giving her a leg up in that regard. It offers classes that new homeowners are required to take. 

"My only regret is that I didn’t do it sooner," Griffin said. 

While Joines and Scippio hope the new construction brings hope and excitement to that part of the city, Griffin is just looking forward to peace of mind.

“I’ll know that this house is mine,” she said. “I won’t have to fight for a parking space. I can plant flowers. I can sit outside and enjoy the fresh air.”

Her message for others is to never give up hope.

“It’s never too late! No one can tell me I can’t own a home,” she told the news station “Without God and Habitat, I wouldn’t be where I am now. I look forward to many happy years here.”