Single mother achieves dream of homeownership with Habitat for Humanity in Coral Springs
Coral Springs, Florida – On a quiet street in Coral Springs, surrounded by the sounds of hammers, saws, and laughter, a dream is taking shape — one wall at a time. For 32-year-old Brenda Gonzalez, this is more than just construction. It’s a turning point in her life, a symbol of resilience, and a promise kept to her two young sons.
After years of struggle, setbacks, and sheer determination, Gonzalez, a single mother from Fort Lauderdale, is preparing to move into her very first home — a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath townhome built with her own hands through Habitat for Humanity of Broward.
“This has been a dream of mine for so long,” Gonzalez said, smiling as she looked at the near-finished homes on Riverside Drive. “I wanted to give my kids a home where they feel safe and stable — where we can build a future together.”
Her journey has been anything but easy.
Back in 2020, just one month after returning from maternity leave, Gonzalez lost her job due to the pandemic. At the time, she was raising her newborn Jordan and sharing a cramped apartment with both him and her older son Jake, now 11. The small space they called home was plagued with mold and termites, and the boys had to share a single bedroom.
“We were dealing with a couple issues in my apartment,” Gonzalez recalled. “We had mold, we had termites, and my kids were sharing a bedroom. Things were pretty uncomfortable.”
Hope didn’t come overnight. In 2023, a friend told Gonzalez about Habitat for Humanity — an organization she had heard of but didn’t fully understand. Her first application to the program was denied. But instead of walking away, she chose to come back stronger.
Over the following months, Gonzalez worked tirelessly. She improved her finances, earned a promotion at work, and spent time learning everything she could about the program.
“I didn’t really understand what the program was at first. I thought it was about getting a free home,” she admitted. “But it’s so much more than that. You’re showing that you’re willing to put in the work to earn it. You’re partnering with Habitat — not just getting handed something.”
That partnership involved more than paperwork. To qualify for homeownership, Gonzalez needed to complete 300 hours of “sweat equity,” which included attending homeowner education courses, helping out at Habitat’s ReStore, and physically working on the construction site in Coral Springs.
“I just kind of sped through it,” she said. “I was like, I’m going to do this. Whatever I can do to get my process done quicker.”
She didn’t just help build someone else’s house — she helped build her own. Gonzalez painted walls, hung drywall, and even installed metal framing, putting in long hours with other future homeowners.
“It’s very exciting, because it was always a dream of mine to be able to work on my home and have a piece of me in there,” she said. “Just to see it come to life from the ground up — it means so much.”
Her home is part of a 13-townhome development located just north of Sample Road. The land was once slated to become neighborhood parking lots, but Coral Springs city leaders saw greater potential. They donated the vacant properties to Habitat for Humanity, believing the space could better serve families like Gonzalez’s.
Groundbreaking began in late 2023. The homes are now near completion, with a dedication ceremony scheduled for the end of May. All 13 homes have been assigned to first-time buyers who met strict criteria, including having lived or worked in Broward County within the past year and completing extensive community service and homeowner education.
“This is a life-changing moment for these 13 incredibly hard-working families,” said Donald Smith, Vice President of Homeowner Services for Habitat for Humanity of Broward. “Each has poured 300 hours of sweat equity — not just to build a house, but to create a true sense of home and community in Coral Springs.”
And that sense of community is exactly what Gonzalez values most. She’s not just getting a house — she’s gaining neighbors who’ve been on the same journey, classmates in the same financial literacy courses, and friends who’ve held nails and painted walls alongside her.
“You’re not just building a home. You’re building community,” she said. “You get to know your neighbors. The kids get to know each other. There’s a bond that’s created from the very beginning.”
The townhome represents more than just shelter. For Gonzalez and her boys, it’s a new chapter. A place of permanence and peace. A space to grow, dream, and heal from the hardships of the past.
“It gives us hope, stability, and a chance to grow,” she said. “Everything I’ve been manifesting for years is finally coming true.”
After years of living in uncertainty, Gonzalez is now preparing to turn the key to a home that she helped build — not just with her hands, but with her heart. It’s not just a house. It’s a symbol of everything she’s overcome. And it’s the foundation on which she will continue to build a better life.
For one determined single mother, this truly is a life-changing moment — and the beginning of something extraordinary.
