Since moving into their Habitat home in central B.C., Yukiko and Kalani have gained something they spent years searching for: stability.

Over 11 years, the family moved eight times, as landlords sold properties or forced them to leave. Despite constantly navigating housing uncertainty, they remained committed to building a future for their three children, balancing caregiving responsibilities, extra jobs and the rising cost of rent. For years, it often felt as though decisions about their family's future were being made by someone else.

“We always wanted that stability for our family. We wanted our kids to have a home, and that dream was getting further and further away — with the rent going up every single year and moving so often,” shares Yukiko.

Today, life looks very different. Their Habitat home offers more than a roof over their heads — it provides the certainty of knowing they can stay. With an affordable mortgage, the family has also been able to pay down debt, save for their children’s futures and focus on long-term goals that once felt out of reach. Now their children can grow up without the disruption of another unexpected move, build lasting friendships, and enjoy the comfort of having a place that’s truly their own.

For Yukiko and Kalani, the greatest gift isn't simply homeownership. It's the freedom to look ahead instead of wondering what comes next.

“When we found out we were approved (for Habitat’s Affordable Homeownership Program), the earth just stopped for a couple of seconds,” recalls Kalani. As Yukiko describes it, “Habitat literally saved us.”