Powell Family

Twenty-two years ago, Delores Powell moved to the United States from Jamaica in search of the American dream. Making just $100 a week as a home health aide, she struggled to make ends meet. Delores worked hard to support herself and her growing family and became a U.S. citizen in May of 1999, but the accomplishment was overshadowed by the abusive nature of her relationship with her ex-husband. In 2002, after reaching her limit, Delores picked up her children and moved to Buffalo, NY, in search of affordable housing. They rented an apartment for a year before finding what they believed was the jackpot, a six bedroom "fixer upper." Unable to afford a lawyer, Delores struck a deal with the seller personally, but unfortunately the seller failed to disclose that the house was on the city's demolition list. Never one to give up, Delores begged the city for leniency and they agreed to waive the order if she could get the house up to code. Delores, 49, and her children Joel, 18, Gabrielle, 16, Deborah, 15, and Anschel, 10, began building scaffolding, hanging drywall, installing windows, and countless other repairs. But even after five and a half years of work, the family's home is unlivable.