Pictured above: Willie and Wanda Wilson. Photos courtesy of Habitat for Humanity SHR
The phone kept ringing. It was January 2025, and Megan Savali was a new staffer at Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads. She soon learned that the callers—about 12 a day—were requesting help. They were in on a secret of sorts: Habitat for Humanity coordinates a free critical home repair program, a lesser known but equally important initiative easing the cost of living in Coastal Virginia.
“We provide affordable housing in two ways,” Savali says of Habitat for Humanity. “We provide it for folks to obtain it, through our construction with our new home builds. And the other way is for folks to maintain it in their homes with the critical home repair program.”
Habitat for Humanity introduced its critical repair program in April 2021, spurred on by requests from income-constrained homeowners, some of whom might have been financially impacted by the ongoing Covid pandemic. To launch the program, Habitat partnered with the City of Chesapeake, who provided funding. Since then, Habitat has invested nearly $3 million in house repairs with financial support from a variety of entities.
A Growing Need
Entering its sixth year, the initiative focuses on three goals: Warmth, safety and dryness. Local contractors replace roofs, windows, doors, HVAC systems and hot water heaters. They also make modifications to support the Americans with Disabilities Act, completing projects such as ramp installations. On occasion, volunteers assist with ramp builds. Habitat for Humanity must decline nice-to-have but nonessential projects, such as kitchen renovations and bathroom expansions.
“We do projects that will impact the ability of the person to stay within their home,” Savali says. “‘Aging in Place’ is a huge priority of ours.”
“Aging in Place,” the ability to grow older safely and comfortably in your current home, is a goal shared by many. According to the American Association of Retired Persons’ national 2024 home and community preferences survey, 75% of adults aged 50 and older wish to remain in their home. With GHR Connects (a Hampton Roads group publishing data from marketing company Claritas) noting that 35% of Coastal Virginia is 50 or older, the region likely includes a significant number of people looking to remain in their home.
Staying Safe and Dry
Willie Wilson, 73, called Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads in March 2025. He and his wife, Wanda, had moved into their Portsmouth home in 2012. Willie was recently retired from the city’s park and recreation department and Wanda from the school system. Their chosen one-story house—modestly priced with three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms -- was the perfect size for the two of them, in a community with friendly neighbors.
“It was in pretty good shape,” Willie recalls.
But eight years later, the roof started leaking. A drip here and there eventually spread.
“We were getting rained on real bad,” Willie says.
When he read an article about Habitat for Humanity, he decided to call. He answered their questions and filled out paperwork. A few weeks later, a crew repaired his roof in two days. Two ramps were also attached to his house, one to his back door and another to the front. Habitat for Humanity recommended the ramps for Willie, who has used a wheelchair since having his right leg amputated after a complication related to his diabetes.
Willie and Wanda were so pleased with Habitat for Humanity that they became ambassadors of sorts, spreading the word in their neighborhood. Across the street from them, their 90-year-old friend also qualified for repairs, after Willie mentioned Habitat for Humanity to her daughters who were in town visiting.
Roof repair in progress
Getting The Word Out
Promoted to executive director of Habitat for Humanity in July 2025, Savali welcomes all efforts, —including the Wilsons’—to recruit new clients for the critical repair program. Older adults, veterans and individuals with disabilities are the most common homeowners assisted, but anyone maintaining their mortgage and home insurance payments can qualify for repairs if their income falls within certain parameters. Savali’s staff focusing on critical repairs was expanded recently to three, and they’d like to see more households—from the 300 already helped since 2021—improved.
“There are people who know about us through word of mouth,” Savali shares, “but the community as a whole, I don't know that they're that aware of this program. Our reach is all the way out to Western Tidewater, Franklin, Isle of Wright, all the way out to the South Hampton Road area. We have a huge geographical area that we serve, so getting the word out that this program is available is definitely a big push that we're doing now.”
Learn more about Habitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads’ critical repair program at http://www.shrhabitat.org/homerepairs.
