The Whidden family, from left, Michael Whidden, Elizabeth Whidden, Samantha Campos and Benjamin Camp break ground for a Peninsula Housing Authority home in Forks. They are one of five families beginning to build homes.

The Whidden family, from left, Michael Whidden, Elizabeth Whidden, Samantha Campos and Benjamin Camp break ground for a Peninsula Housing Authority home in Forks. They are one of five families beginning to build homes.

Five Forks families building homes through Mutual Self Help program

FORKS — Five families have broken ground for new homes in Forks through the Peninsula Housing Authority.

This will be the first Mutual Self-Help build group to construct homes in Forks, the housing authority said in a press release.

On July 23, these families closed their construction loans with assistance from Peninsula Housing Authority’s Mutual Self-Help Program supported by funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development.

“The path from application to closing took years and these folks overcame some major hurdles on their individual journeys,” the press release said. “They waited patiently to finally see their dream of homeownership become reality.”

Constructing these five homes using the mutual self-help method requires each family to dedicate 32 hours a week working on each other’s houses.

The result will be five three-bedroom, two-bathroom single-family residences with garages.

All participants are transitioning from renting in Forks to homeownership.

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