Almost two years have gone by since Habitat for Humanity of Beaver County began taking applications for a home to be built in Leetsdale.

But later this year, the Debelak family will have a house to call home. A groundbreaking was held Sunday to kick off construction of the new home, which will be erected at 269 Beaver St.

Michael Utz, president of the board of directors for Habitat for Humanity of Beaver County, said the process for this particular home was unusually long because they ran into a few issues since the property is in Allegheny County.

Beaver Habitat officials negotiated with the Pittsburgh chapter of Habitat and agreed to do the house following their approval. Typically, the Beaver County chapter, he said, builds in nearby neighborhoods along the Ohio River including New Brighton, Beaver Falls, Midland, Aliquippa and Ambridge -- all within Beaver County.

Habitat for Humanity was formed by Millard and Linda Fuller in Americus, Ga., in 1976.

Utz said habitat homes are not handouts but houses that are purchased by the partner family through no interest loans.

Melissa Debelak, the homeowner, will have to put in 350 "sweat equity" hours by the time of closing on her new home.

Sweat equity hours are tallied through work on other habitat homes, as well as her own and work in the habitat office.

In addition, Debelak also will have to take life skills and budgeting classes.

To qualify for a Habitat home, a family must have an income range of $18,000 and $32,000, depending on the size of the family, and live in substandard conditions.

"These people are very hardworking people, but for whatever reason, life has dealt them a rough hand," Utz said of partner families chosen for Habitat homes.

To keep within Habitat's concept of simple, affordable housing, the home is built by volunteers, who use as much donated material as they can.

The Debelak family's new home, which is expected to be completed by the end of September, will be two stories tall with one and a half bathrooms but will not feature any extra amenities, such as air conditioning or a garage.

The site of the new home was donated to Habitat by the now inactive Civic Club of Leetsdale, according to Habitat officials.

Allegheny County, Leets-dale Borough and the Quaker Valley School District forgave back property taxes in an effort to support the project.

Money from sponsors, including The Presbyterian Church, Sewickley, was put into an account for the house to pay for construction costs.

The Debelak family was chosen out of about 25 families initially interested in the home because of their need.

Having lost her husband to Leukemia only two years ago, Debelak must now care for her two sons, Colton, 7, and Jacob, 6, alone.

The Rev. Tracey Cowan, associate pastor at The Presbyterian Church, Sewick-ley, spoke highly of Habitat for Humanity.

"It's a wonderful experience for church families to work with," she said.

"We've been waiting a long time for this. We were just so thrilled to see the first ground being broken."