By Sara Beth Williams–
Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento will celebrate the completion of the first phase of its Sayonara Drive permanent housing development next month, marking a major milestone in an ongoing effort to revitalize a long-troubled neighborhood in Citrus Heights.
The nonprofit organization announced that a home dedication ceremony for the first eight homes will take place Saturday, June 6, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at 7795 Sayonara Drive.
The event is free and open to the public, although organizers are encouraging attendees to RSVP in advance. The program is expected to draw at least 200 guests, including elected officials, donors, volunteers, community leaders and the families moving into the homes.
According to Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento, the June event will be the first of three dedication ceremonies tied to the larger Sayonara Drive development. The nonprofit says the project represents its “largest development to date.”
The Sayonara Drive project, when completed, will in include 26 affordable permanent homes constructed in three phases in partnership with the City of Citrus Heights. Habitat officials say the completed development is expected to provide stable, affordable home ownership opportunities for nearly 120 residents, including families with children.
The homes are being built on previously vacant and blighted lots in an area that has long been associated with crime, deteriorating apartment complexes and chronic problems. Over the past decade, the city has invested significant resources into acquiring troubled properties, demolishing substandard buildings and pursuing redevelopment efforts aimed at improving conditions along Sayonara Drive.
Families selected for the program through an application process purchase the homes through affordable 30-year, “0% interest equivalent” fixed-rate mortgages. The homes are intended for households earning between 30 and 80 percent of the area median income. Habitat describes the model as providing “a hand up, not a handout,” with an emphasis on long-term financial stability and generational wealth creation.
Each participating homeowner is required to contribute 500 hours of volunteer labor toward the construction process and home ownership preparation. Habitat officials said the eight families being recognized during the June dedication each invested more than 500 hours of “sweat equity” helping build their homes alongside volunteers.
Construction on the first phase of eight homes began in August 2025. A second phase of homes began earlier this year and is expected to be completed by October 2026. The third and final phase is scheduled to begin construction later this year, with completion anticipated in 2027.
The development has received support from the City of Citrus Heights, the California Department of Housing and Community Development, the office of U.S. Rep. Ami Bera, and private donors and community partners.
Additional information about the June 6 dedication ceremony and RSVP details are available through Habitat for Humanity of Greater Sacramento website.
Related: Habitat for Humanity breaks ground in Citrus Heights on ‘largest housing project to date’
