Family looking forward to Habitat home of their own

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The Corral family gathers in the living room of their apartment on Sunday, September 4, 2011, before heading off to church. The six-member family shares a three bedroom apartment on Aurora's east side and are next on the list for a Habitat for Humanity "help up" home. Jeff Cagle / For Sun-Times Media

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Updated: November 30, 2011 12:32AM

AURORA — Living in an apartment is difficult for many large families. And with a mother-in-law and three teenagers included, the tight spaces can lead to a daily contest for privacy, the restroom, kitchen or just plain space.

Meet the Corral family. Angel and Maria are raising their three children along with grandma in a three-bedroom apartment in Aurora. They are the next family in line for a Habitat for Humanity “help up” home — and have been first on that list since 2008.

“We are just in limbo. We know we will get the next house, we just don’t know when,” said 50-year-old Angel.

Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity officials said the Corral family has gone through the process that is required for home recipients.

“They were approved, they will be getting the next home and we hope to choose the home to rehab in the next several weeks,” said Jeff Barrett, Habitat for Humanity executive director and minister at Genesis Community Church in Montgomery.

“We had one selected, but then the paperwork didn’t come through,” he said.

The list of Habitat homes in the area is extensive, and those who get the assistance say owning a home can make a life-altering difference.

Angel Corral said he first came to Habitat as a volunteer with an extensive background in construction and engineering.

“I wanted to help. Then I realized I could apply for one of the homes, so we went through the process,” he said.

Habitat officials say the selection process for an applicant can take up to a year and the guidelines are strict. But in the end, the family has a zero percent interest loan for a 20- to 25-year mortgage and a home to call their own.

Guidelines stress the applicant must put sweat equity into the home. Before an application can even be considered, a 10-hour requirement must be met. Once the home is near completion, some 500 hours of volunteer work are required.

“Church groups have organized events to put work into a home for a congregation member as well as family,” Barrett said. They can also work those hours at Habitat’s ReStore facility, which resells donated building materials.

Barrett said because of market conditions, the Habitat new home projects were put on hold while the ReStore facilities were being completed in the region.

“It is a sustainable income source,” he said of the proceeds from the store.

Angel Corral moved to the Chicago area with his parents when he was only 4 years old. Maria Corral was living in the area with relatives a couple decades later when she and Angel met, fell in love and got married.

Now the family has three children. The oldest, Yara, 18, is entering Waubonsee Community College, where she plans to study business. Jayro, 15, is a freshman this year at West Aurora High School. The youngest, 13-year-old Evelyn, is in eighth grade at Washington Middle School. Rounding out the family is Irma — Maria’s mother — who has lived with the family since the children were born.

Jayro and Evelyn talked about the great meals grandma makes for them — and though their tastes differ, the whole family agrees she is a great cook.

Maria works as a container inspector at Dart, while Angel works with Plainfield MEP in engineering rehab work.

“I have just said, ‘Give me a house and I’ll do all the work,’” he said.

Income guidelines for Habitat for Humanity homes require applicants to make $28,000 to $45,000 for a family of six, and the families must be able to put $500 down and pay annual property taxes and homeowners insurance premiums for the home.

For information on Habitat for Humanity, visit www.foxvalleyhabitat.org.