Kenney Williams: Building a stronger valley together
Habitat for Humanity
Courtesy photo
Spirit catches our attention, and ultimately, it inspires us to define our legacy.
John Castillo and his wife, Maya, moved into their Habitat for Humanity home 12 years ago, after years of bouncing from one rental to another. Years of anxiousness and struggle, wasted time spent trying to balance safety and affordability, suppressing dreams and losing hope.
As homeowners, Maya and John own and operate their own catering business, are active in their church, and John serves as a strong Habitat mentor.
John will tell you that a Habitat home is more than four walls and a roof — it’s a safe space, an opportunity, a future, and hope. That is the Habitat spirit.
We are united in one cause — the power and spirit of homeownership.
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More on our legacy, as we celebrate Habitat Vail Valley’s 30 years of great success:
Between 1995 and 2021, 100 Habitat homes were built here in the Vail Valley. Between 2022 and 2028, another 100 homes will be built, and it starts this year with 30 homes under construction.
We are building a stronger Vail Valley faster because we work together.
When we’re told there’s not enough land left to build affordable homes, we build relationships with those who do have land — like the Eagle County School District. Together, we’ve built 28 homes, and there’s more to come.
When we’re told affordable homeownership doesn’t belong in the greatest resort community in the world, Vail, we build public-private partnerships with the town of Vail, Eagle County government and Triumph Development and together, we are building 20 homeownership opportunities in Vail.
Habitat Vail Valley has the patience to develop the right relationships, and we have the resolve to build homes where our workforce can feel rooted in a neighborhood, feel safe and feel joy. We don’t lean into fear, we remove it. We don’t take no for an answer, we build the reasons to say yes.
We’re not only supporting the idea that everyone deserves access to homeownership, we’re affirming that everyone deserves humanity. Being just with our neighbors. Building pride by loving all and not just ourselves.
Last year, of the 1,566 residential home sales in Eagle County, only 25 sold for less than $500,000. In our most recent application cycle, we had 245 applications for our 30 homes in 2025.
I developed a mantra several years back: In times of uncertainty, anxiousness, sickness or conflict, be bold, be brave, and remember to just breathe.
Continuing to successfully deliver affordable homeownership at the clip we’ve committed to and to retain community with the critical members of our workforce will require a bold focus, a brave heart, and deep inhales of breath all along the way.
Often, people, action and things are tagged as lucky. Hard work, a strong community, thriving neighborhoods, compassionate souls — these are not luck. These are results of leading with dignity and respect — or humanity.
Lula has lived in Eagle County since 2010. She works for Eagle County Head Start. At the time of her application for a Habitat home, Lula and her two sons were sleeping on the floor of an RV. Lula thought about moving out of the area but she proved to herself and to her sons that resiliency and perseverance stomps out years of feeling defeated.
Lula and the Castillos are just two spirited families who inspire me; there are 30 more to come this year. Our bold bar is set very high and, lest we forget, it is set at humanity. We believe all human beings deserve to own a home because homeownership does not discriminate.
When the cacophony of life becomes too loud, too distracting, too bleak, focus in on the sounds from your playroom and the kitchen smells of your home. Remind yourself that someone plays piano — and ask them to play; remind yourself that someone loves to make Sunday dinner and invite friends and family over; remind yourselves that in uncertainty, there is always certainty in the power that you have in your hands, right now, to make a transformational impact right here in the community you love and care for.
Define your legacy by investing in the spirit of Habitat homeownership.
Kristin Kenney Williams is Habitat Vail Valley’s Board president. She’s an ardent supporter of affordable homeownership and works to create lasting partnerships. She is the founder and president of Commfluent LLC, a Vail Valley-based communications firm specializing in entitlement strategy, campaign planning and community relations.
