Families Touch Their Future Homes in Paradise – Chico Enterprise-Record

Community members gather to sign the walls of Habitat for Humanity's Jessica Smith's new home in Paradise, California, on Saturday, February 3, 2024. (Molly Myers/Enterprise-Record)

PARADISE — Habitat for Humanity of Butte County lifted the roof on two new homes in Paradise — and on Saturday, gave future residents and supporting community members a chance to sign off on their work.

On Saturday, two families helped by Habitat for Humanity signed the walls of their under-construction homes with other people in Paradise.

By contributing to Camp Fire recovery, Habitat's local affiliate aims to build 10 homes per year. Previously, the goal was two goals. The organization owns 38 parcels of land in Paradise, of which 11 were donated and 27 were purchased with grant funds.

These homes will be the 16th and 17th built by Butte County Habitat since the Camp Fire.

“We expect to build in paradise for the next 10 to 15 years,” the organization said in announcing Saturday’s event.

Jessica Miller moves into a house with her 13-year-old son, Tucker Alexander, and 11-year-old daughter, Chloe Alexander. Hugo Dolores moves to the other with his parents and three sisters.

Miller is excited to be a homeowner. She currently lives in Chico with her mother and two children, sharing a room with her daughter. In their new home in heaven, each of her children will have their own room. This is important for them as they get older, Miller said.

“Heaven has been through a lot. I'm glad I can be here,” Miller said.

Dolores said his mother plans to work in the garden, while his father plans to have barbecues, and wants to plant pomegranate trees at their new location. They currently live in Chico, where Dolores works at Little Caesars and his father works at Vanilla Farms sorting nuts.

“Today is about surrounding families with love,” said Nicole Pittman, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Butte County.