Habitat for Humanity San Luis Obispo County (Habitat SLO) dedicated nine newly built homes on November 22, 2024. The homes, located at 2901-2917 Vine Street in Paso Robles, are the product of the New Home Construction program which brings community partners, donors, volunteers and Partner Families together to build homes, community and hope in San Luis Obispo County. Attendees enjoyed touring some of the new homes following an official ribbon cutting.
“The nine homes on Vine Street are a testament to what’s possible when a community comes together to create stability and opportunity for families,” said Assemblymember Dawn Addis, as she addressed the crowd of 125 attendees. “Habitat for Humanity SLO is building more than homes—they’re building hope.”
John Peschong, SLO County Board of Supervisors, Clint Weirick, Senior District Representative for State Senator John Laird (SD-17), and Paso Robles Mayor John Hamon also spoke and shared certificates to celebrate Habitat SLO’s contribution to local, affordable homeownership.
“I’m very happy to welcome these nine families to their new homes,” shared John Peschong, SLO County Board of Supervisors. “I appreciate Habitat SLO’s dedication to providing affordable housing solutions for families in need. This accomplishment reflects the hard work, compassion and unwavering dedication of their team, volunteers and supporters.”
Nick Rasmussen, CEO of Habitat SLO, Truitt Vance, Board President and Tricia Hamachai, Board Vice President and Emily Baranek, Construction Manager, expressed their gratitude for the sponsors, donors and volunteers whose contributions made the project possible. They also shared reflections on the project’s impact. Dawn Smith, Habitat SLO’s Director of Development, added a heartfelt touch by presenting her original poem, “Building Hope.”
An inspirational highlight of the ceremony occurred when a new Habitat SLO homeowner, Abbiegail Balthazar, shared her experience. “It has been a journey. It has taken so much hard work and dedication, effort, time and the hands of the volunteers and everyone who is here today has contributed to making this dream a reality. The 250 hours of sweat equity per individual – and when they say sweat equity, they mean you will sweat – from building fences to building cabinets, to digging ditches and building walls and to the tedious caulking and paint jobs, we have done it all.”
“I first noticed the bouquets of flowers, then the Habitat SLO keychains with keys,” said Clint Weirick, Senior District Representative for State Senator John Laird (SD-17). “In that moment, it hit me—this dedication ceremony marked a life-changing milestone for these families. Congratulations to all of them!”
Nick Rasmussen, CEO of Habitat SLO, said, “The new Habitat Vine St. homeowners are responsible for paying their own mortgages, and our community partners help to reduce the costs. The construction of these homes was also made possible through support from the USDA, the City of Paso Robles and the County of San Luis Obispo.”
Semmes & Co. Builders began volunteering with Habitat SLO in 2018 when the company president, Jessica Steely, joined their Board of Directors. “In 2024, for the Vine Street Build, we were able to give even more as our management team came in to oversee the execution of the sitework post-drywall, and our field technicians mobilized to install much of the finish carpentry,” Steely said. “This work has brought our team closer together as we collaborate with the new Homeowners, physically working toward their dreams. I highly recommend to any local business to donate or discount time or materials to Habitat SLO to help move the needle forward on home ownership In SLO County.”
Besides Semmes & Co. Builders, Inc., other contributing partners include 4Creeks, Inc., 4G’s Plumbing, Above Grade Engineering, Air Rite Heating and Air, Air-Vol-Block, Albertson’s Paso Robles, Althouse & Meade, Armet’s Landscaping, Ashley & Vance Engineering, Back Porch Bakery, Bank of America, Baranek Construction, Bay Laurel Gardens, Big Creek Lumber, Bohner Construction, Cal Coast Carpets, Cal Coast Construction, Campos Landscaping, Canadian Solar, Covelop, Central Coast Community Energy, Inc., Central Coast Energy Consulting, City of Paso Robles, County of San Luis Obispo, Eco-Clean Painting, Electricraft, Inc., Empire Electric, Frontier Floors, Gouvis Group, GEO Solutions, Habitat Partner Families, Haywood Lumber, Home Builders Association of the Central Coast, Idler’s Home, In Balance Green Consulting, Jim Burrows Landscape Architecture, Just Baked, Lifestyle Solar, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Matherly Fire Protection, Mayan Hardwood, Inc., North County Restaurant Group, Ponderosa – Helping Homesteads, Precision Construction Services, Red Scooter Deli, SC Dunn Drywall, Spurr Co., Templeton Glass, Ten Over Studios, Thrivent Financial Services, Trader Joe’s, Tru-Team, USDA, Vintage Wine Estates, Visions Quality Coating, Western Janitorial, Wick’s Roofing, Winsupply of Paso Robles and Zurn Industries.
“This project is the true meaning of community and everything that Idler’s Home stands for,” said Jennifer Idler. “To see the list of community contributors is truly amazing, and why we are proud to be on the Central Coast. We are grateful to play one small part in these homes being completed in Paso Robles.”
The team at Templeton Glass supported the Vine Street homes in multiple ways. “Habitat SLO embodies the true spirit of community. It’s an honor to witness the dedication and hard work that goes into building these homes, providing these families a safe place to call their own for generations to come,” said Kelly Flannagan, owner of Templeton Glass. “Being part of this effort on Vine Street was a humbling experience for our team at Templeton Glass and we’re grateful to contribute to such meaningful work that transforms lives and strengthens our community.”
Habitat SLO is a Habitat for Humanity International Affiliate. “If you are committed to helping local senior citizens safely age in place, increasing affordable housing options and building healthy communities, supporting Habitat SLO means your dollars stay local,” said Dawn Smith, Director of Development. “Reach out to me at [email protected] or 805-316-1192, and us them in building hope in SLO County.” Gifts stay local and can be made in honor or memory of friends, colleagues, and loved ones. Learn more at www.habitatslo.org. If interested in upcoming volunteer opportunities, please contact Colleen Stefanek at 805-538-1881 or [email protected].