Women Build Week Completes Affordable Homes in Redmond

Women with hammers and hope are putting the finishing touches on three homes that will change families' lives in Redmond, Oregon.

Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity's Women's Build Week brought volunteers together to complete the final houses in the Timber Cottage development. The event creates a safe space where women can learn construction skills without pressure or judgment, proving that building homes also builds community.

"This is a really good opportunity to be able to be vulnerable and have somewhere to start without the pressure of other people or society yourself," said volunteer Alex Dietel. No experience? No problem. Coaches and build leaders guide everyone through the process, from beginners to experts working side by side.

The project tackles Central Oregon's housing crisis head-on. Families who qualify for these homes will pay $1,500 monthly mortgages plus just $15 in utilities, a fraction of the skyrocketing costs many renters and homeowners face across the region.

For homeowner Nuka Gerhardt, the opportunity means more than affordable housing. "I want to show my kids that life is exciting and you get to make choices and you get to work on things," she said. "Part of working on owning a home was showing them what it was like to see a goal and work towards it."

Volunteer Katie Fox discovered that the supportive environment makes all the difference. "Every time I show up, I know that I'm going to be in good hands of coaching and if I make a mistake, it's okay. We can replace it. We can fix it," she said.

The Ripple Effect

CEO Carly Colgan has watched something beautiful happen when people unite around a shared mission. "When you have a common goal that is so critical and such a critical need for our community, people put aside differences and get along in ways that you wouldn't expect," she explained.

The initiative addresses multiple challenges at once. Women gain valuable construction skills they can use throughout their lives. Families escape the cycle of rising expenses and shift from surviving to saving. Children see their parents working toward meaningful goals, learning lessons about perseverance and community that textbooks can't teach.

The judgment-free atmosphere encourages women to try something new in a traditionally male-dominated field. "This is a really good nonjudgmental space," Dietel noted. "Everybody is here with the same belief that we all can do this stuff, whether you're beginner or you're an expert."

Three families will soon move into homes built by neighbors who believe in their success.