By ALLEN MINCEY
Dec 8, 2025
Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland has built more than 170 homes in the local community, and several have been built by what one might say were not skilled in construction.
Two of those homes were dedicated on Friday, and their quality matches that of the homes that have been built in Habitat’s 35-year history.
This year’s Women’s Build and Leaders Build homes will now be the residences of the Goodine family and the Wells family, whose new homes will be on Blythe Avenue.
April Wells and her two boys — Chance and Chase — are now living with her parents, her sister and her niece, and having a homer her and her children is a dream come true. Tiaerra Goodine is raising three children — Kaiden, Raelynn and Khylil — and she is equally happy to be in a new home.
“Standing here today as neighbors and as family who have shared this journey, we are overwhelmed with appreciation,” Tiaerra said at the dedication. “Throughout this process, each of us have had moments of doubt. We've questioned whether we were truly deserving of something so life changing.
“But every single time those doubts surfaced, God showed us that we were deserving,” she added.
Dewayne Thompson, Habitat for Humanity of Cleveland board chair, noted that these two homes were the 171st and 172nd to be built by the organization, which would mean that up to 600 individuals have been affected through the program.
He said he knows that these two families will be enhanced by being new homeowners.
“[Tierra] says home has always meant something more than just walls and a roof. It’s where love grows, laughter echoes and memories are made,” Thompson said, “and through her words and example, wants to teach her children that anything is possible.”
As for April Wells, Thompson noted that while she is raising her two sons, she is also attending Cleveland State Community College.
“She's about to graduate from Cleveland State with a degree in criminal justice, and she wants to make her home a space where her family can thrive,” he said, “and one of her comments was, I want a place where all three of us can work on our homework together.”
Habitat CEO David Gray said each day when a home is dedicated is a special day, and one that not only the new homeowners can be proud to be a part of, but the entire community can share in that feeling.
“There's something amazing about Cleveland, and this is what it looks like when a community comes together to give folks a hand up, to come alongside deserving families, families that have worked hard to achieve these milestones,” he said.
“This is what habitat is all about. We seek to put God's love into action by bringing people, businesses, nonprofit organizations, churches and government entities together to build homes, communities and hope,” Gray continued.
The Goodine and Wells families will be moving into their new homes soon.
