Nativity House Update: Looking for a Home

A year ago, around this time, we were so close to leasing a house in Darien that would have been a great fit to get Nativity House started with one guest mom, an intern, and the Wozniak Family. We were on the edge of something super exciting. We were finally going to start the work!

As many of you may recall, I was very happy to learn that this house was across the street from a fellow Our Lady of Peace Parishioner. It was one of those strange encounters that you think is going to go well... This parishioner's volatile response to unwed, single mothers "running through her yard, because there are no fences in the neighborhood" was both a shock and not. Anytime you hope to do work with and for the poor it can be expected to come up against the opposite of hospitality. It was just unfortunate that this opposition was from a fellow Catholic.  This encounter led us to research, in depth, the zoning laws of Darien. Come to find out, it was not only this one family that was inhospitable to group homes, or long term transitional housing for unwed mothers. It was all of Darien. There were no permissions in the zoning code whatsoever for anything of the like.  Our lawyer informed us that we could fight and win in a zoning hearing because Darien was actually not in-accordance with the Federal Housing Act. 

We were up for the fight - even thought that it would be a bit fun. But, our new-to-be landlords didn't have the time to wait for us. They needed to know for sure that we were going to be paying the rent and move in. They were moving to North Carolina and needed the deal sealed. So, we walked away.

At that time, this was the end of a year long search and multiple doors closing. We were tired and disappointed. It was clear that the Lord was saying, "This is not the time or the place." 

We took a summer hiatus from all Nativity House.  I took a new job as a Director of Faith Formation at St. Dennis in Lockport, IL. The thought was that with this new job in a year's time we would have plenty saved to buy a house that would be perfect for Nativity House.

An Offer in Lockport

My mom prompted us to look for a house in September. We were not really ready. The year that we were going to wait and save had only just begun. We still had a bad taste in our mouth of the whole process.  She contacted the realtor and set up the appointment. We went with her. Again, we found something that would be perfect (a barn converted into a very unique home, lots of space inside and out - on 5 acres) It could truly be a place of respite, healing and growth.

We put an offer in at the beginning of October. It is a short sale. We heard that they take anywhere from 3-6 months. We figured that was a good thing because it could take us that long to get the zoning all worked out.  

While we waited on Bank of America to see if they would accept the short sale, we started working on the zoning questions. I became good friends with the Will County Zoning Clerk. He was fascinated by our project but still very objective. After many conversations we received a letter in the mail that stated, as long we lived in the home, as the Wozniak family, the number of guests that we have and for how long they stay is up to us.  We had our zoning clearance without even hearing.

I cried that day. It was a huge release of thankfulness, an answer, God saying, "Yes, this is the place for the work that I want you to do."  An open door! Finally, not a closed one. 

And Now It's May

We have learned much through this process. I think that the biggest thing has been a first hand experience of just how dysfunctional the banking system really is and how bad the housing market really is. 

The second thing that has been reinforced over and over again - our time is not God's time. The good Lord knows what we need and when we need it. 

Even if that means a basement full of water, sitting in an empty house. Even if, the seller is unmotivated to fix sum-pumps because he lives in California and they are taking quite a hit on the house as it is.  Even if... God has a plan.

We visit the house weekly to check the status of the water. It is slowly receding.  But there is damage from the dampness - warped floor-boards, a touch of mold - 

I am not going to go into the gory details of strategy over this situation. There is still a chance that we will get this house if Bank of America doesn't wait too long - before the house is totally destroyed. 

Now What

We may get this house. We may not. 

We have been keeping our eye on the market. There really is nothing else out there at this price with this amount of land.

We are starting to think outside the box - wondering... 

Is there land out there that no one is using? That we could lease long-term? Maybe there is an organization that is looking for a community partner but isn't sure of the direction they want to go? Could Nativity House be the perfect fit? Are buildings/land owned by religious or the diocese that Nativity House could use and in turn bring life to the place? 

We are eager to do the work. We just need a home.

UPDATE: as of July 3, 2013

We are in the thick of lending paperwork.... We have submitted tax returns, pay stubs, w2s. But there is always something!

There is an address discrepancy. It seems rather shady as too which address 17145 or 17141 is the correct one. The postal service delivers to one address and taxes have been paid under the other. Have you ever heard about purchasing a house but not actually owning the lot due to some fanangaling of addresses? This is what we are afraid of.

So keep us in your prayers as we move forward with this house. Prayers that the mix up of address become crystal clear and seamless. Prayers that the July 30th closing date actually happens.