Finding Home: How Harmony Village Restored Hope for Kaysi and Greg

Kaysi and Greg have stood side by side for 23 years. Over more than two decades, they built a life together and raised two sons, weathering life’s ordinary ups and downs as a team. But during the height of the pandemic, the couple found themselves facing frightening obstacles.


Only days before Kaysi and Greg’s interview, Kaysi unexpectedly had a stroke and needed hospitalization. Given the time to rest and enjoy a little time for her birthday, we were then able to sit down to talk about their story.

Curled up together on the sofa, Kaysi smiled warmly while Greg, soft-spoken and steady, let her take the lead in telling most of their journey.

Their hardship began a few years ago. While Greg was working a shift at a local MacDonald’s, he was attacked by a stranger, which left him with serious brain injuries. What started as a medical emergency quickly became a financial crisis.


CLICK TO READ THE FULL STORY ON OUR WEBSITE



Merriment Village: Building Momentum Toward a Bright Future

Since the official groundbreaking ceremony in December, Merriment Village has been steadily transforming from vision to reality. Though the project encountered a few weather-related delays, development has remained diligent and focused. Now, as conditions improve, construction is gaining momentum, signaling the start of a much more active phase on-site.


Currently, Phase I is well underway and progressing according to plan. This initial stage, expected to span approximately 18 months, lays the essential groundwork for Merriment Village’s infrastructure, facilities, and key community features. Each completed milestone brings us one step closer to creating a vibrant, thriving community that will serve as a hub of connection, sustainability, and enjoyment for years to come.


Looking ahead, the project team is also preparing for Phase II, which will expand upon the foundation laid in Phase I. Approval and funding for this next stage are currently under review. 


While there’s still much work to be done, the spirit and dedication driving this project remain unwavering. Merriment Village is taking shape — slowly but surely — and the results so far promise an exciting future for everyone involved.

Support the Mission 
of Affordable Housing

The building of Merriment Village is a shining example of our mission to end homelessness by providing sustainable housing for our Yuba-Sutter community.

Your support is what helps make projects like Merriment Village possible. Every donation strengthens our ability to build housing and respond to the growing need for affordability and stability in Yuba, Sutter Glenn and Colusa Counties.



When you give, you are supporting more than construction. You are helping create a stronger community, one home and one neighborhood at a time.

Family Services Update

February was both an exciting and productive month for our Family Services Team. By the time you're reading this, we will have completed all required orientations for the Pine Street Homeownership Opportunity. Applications will be accepted through March 13th, and all qualifying applications will be sent for formal review by our Family Services Selection Committee — made up of community members not affiliated with Habitat — who carefully score each applicant in alignment with Fair Housing standards. We are deeply grateful for the integrity and time this committee brings to the process. We look forward to introducing you to our newest Partner Family in next month's newsletter.


Exterior improvements at 426 Pine Street, including fresh paint, a rebuilt front porch, and fencing, are scheduled to be completed soon, with a key ceremony anticipated mid to late April, depending on construction timelines and our selected family’s work schedule.


Beyond Pine Street, we are accepting home repair applications within Yuba City limits utilizing CDBG City funds, which provide a 30-year, 3% simple interest deferred loan to address health and safety repairs. We are also accepting home repair applications in Butte County’s unincorporated areas through available CDBG funding. Because that program concludes July 1st, we are prioritizing weatherization repairs — such as roofs — so we can move efficiently through the three- to four-month approval process and complete repairs before the deadline.


Behind the scenes, we are also preparing for upcoming homeownership opportunities and strengthening the foundation of our department. Soon, we will be able to offer application submissions through a secure portal on our website, as well as Housing Counseling one-on-one sessions and community courses for Pre-Purchase, First-Time Homebuyer, Post-Purchase, Financial Literacy and Budget Planning, and Foreclosure Prevention.


What many don’t see is that this work is being carried forward by a very small (but mighty!) part-time team serving families with full-time impact. Their dedication, professionalism, and heart for this community are extraordinary.


We are thrilled to be welcoming our new Department Manager, Nicole Stragalas, who will be leading the Housing Counseling curriculum. We will also be posting entry-level positions to join our growing team and are excited for what expanded capacity will mean for the families we serve.

Thank you for your continued support as we grow, strengthen, and work every day to expand access to safe, stable, and affordable housing in our region.


For more information or to apply, please email familyservices@yubasutterhabitat.org or call (530) 742-2727 ext. 2014.



When Laurie Sweeney retired in 2012 after a long career commuting to Sacramento as a Quality Assurance Analyst, she knew one thing for certain: she wanted to give back. For years, the demands of her job left little time for community involvement. Retirement opened doors—but she wasn’t quite sure which door to take.


“I was interested in Habitat [for Humanity],” she recalled, “but I didn’t know what volunteering would involve. Would I be swinging a hammer up on a roof?”


That uncertainty lingered until a chance encounter in 2018 changed everything.


At a local home show, she ran into former neighbor Dave Armstrong, who was overseeing Family Services at the time. During their conversation, he mentioned they were struggling to find qualified applicants for its homeownership program and needed help reaching potential families.


“That just clicked for me,” Laurie said. “It matched my skill set.”

What began as a focused volunteer role quickly expanded. At the time, the team was small—fewer than eight employees—and there was no shortage of ways to contribute.


CLICK TO READ THE FULL STORY ON OUR WEBSITE

The 40th Annual Business Appreciation Gala

Swapping tool belts for evening wear - Habitat for Humanity Yuba-Sutter joined in celebrating the Annual Business Appreciation Gala February 13th. It was an evening to remember, honoring 40 years of business excellence in the Yuba-Sutter community.


At Habitat for Humanity Yuba-Sutter, we know that a strong community starts with a solid foundation. We are proud to stand alongside the local leaders and innovators who make our work possible.

Habitat for Humanity Yuba/Sutter’s car donation program helps support local families! Your car donation is one more way that you can support our work in Yuba, Sutter, Glenn and Colusa Counties. We accept all types of vehicles - running or not.

If you're interested in donating a vehicle to Cars for Homes, click on the link to donate your vehicle on our website today! 


https://yubasutterhabitat.org/cars-for-homes/

A Stellar Night with 
Neil deGrasse Tyson

Habitat colleagues enjoyed an evening of community and science on February 20th, joining forces with Thurmand Consulting and Modern Building to geek-out at Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Cosmic Collisions" show at Hard Rock Live Sacramento.

March ReStore Sale!

Support Us!

Through our Cars for Homes Program, you can donate your old car, boat, motorcycle, RV, or other vehicle to help build homes for local families in need. We accept all vehicles whether they are running or not and towing is completely FREE. Just be sure to mention that your donation is intended for our Yuba/Sutter Habitat location, so we can receive the full benefit of your support!

Shopping at our ReStore is one of the simplest ways to support our mission, because every dollar spent in-store goes towards Habitat's mission of building up our community. We're constantly getting new items in each day, so be sure to come in or check out our Facebook page to stay updated on new arrivals.

Restore your space while also restoring your community by signing up for a Harmony Village Storage Unit today! Located at 4228 Sawtelle Ave (off of Highway 99) in Yuba City, these units provide secure, affordable storage solutions in a variety of sizes. Better yet, all proceeds from these affordable stoage units benefit our community by supporting Habitat's mission. Call 530-674-0201 to reserve your space today!