Habitat for Humanity completes affordable smart housing community in Aurora

This past weekend, Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver celebrated the completion of its latest affordable home community in Aurora.

Gladys Okolongo couldn't be happier. A few years ago, she and her husband were living in an apartment with their three kids and one on the way when they decided they needed to make a change.

"My family was growing and the apartment we were living in was getting very tight," said Okolongo.

They began to look at buying a home, but with the average home price in the Denver metro area over $500,000, they were quickly discouraged.

"It was really shocking because with our expenses in our family, we were like, 'oh, we will never have a house in our own home,'" said Okolongo.

That's when her mother told her about Habitat for Humanity. With some sweat equity, they were able to finally achieve their dream of home ownership, and not just any home either.

"What we're excited about today is that 20 families will have the opportunity to start their own memories, their own journey, and all the happiness that will come from living in these beautiful homes," said Jaime Gomez, CEO of Habitat Metro Denver.  

These homes are the first smart homes Habitat has ever built. Thanks to Arrow Technologies, they have smart doorbells and security systems, smart irrigation, and a sensor to detect leaks in the plumbing. Okolongo thinks that's pretty cool, but not as cool as the stability and sense of belonging her family now has thanks to their home. She says the community helped them make it happen, and she is eternally grateful.

"I just want to say thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much," said Okolongo.

The land that these homes were built on was donated by a neighboring church in Aurora.