FERRIDAY, La. &045; Treniece Conner could watch the progress on her new home from the window where she worked.

&uot;All day long I was just staring out the window,&uot; Conner said. &uot;When they put the roof on I screamed ‘I’ve got a roof,’ and when they gave me the keys I said ‘I’m ready to move in.’&uot;

Garderia Hooper checked in on the workers building his house every single day during construction.

&uot;I watched them every day to make sure they got everything right,&uot; Hooper said. &uot;If you pay for something you want it right.&uot;

For Conner and Hooper the monthly house payments they now make are good things.

The construction on both houses was funded by USDA loans shuffled through Macon Ridge Community Development Corporation, but the house notes now belong to the families.

Macon Ridge builds about 25 houses a year for low-income families ready to take the next step, Program Developer Margie Walker said.

For June’s National Home Ownership month, Conner and Hooper were part of a home tour for the eight-parish area the corporation covers.

Neither family has owned their own house before.

&uot;I just got tired of renting a house, giving someone $400-$500 to rent,&uot; Conner said. &uot;I just got tired. I’m ready for my own house.&uot;

And so were her children.

&uot;I like going and riding my bike down there and playing with my friends,&uot; 8-year-old Giavonn Qyell said.

In the future, Conner wants to add a swimming pool, swing set and fence to her yard. The family moved into the house in February.

&uot;I look out the back door and say ‘God, I’ve got a back yard,’&uot; she said. &uot;And, God, it’s big. It goes from that stick to that stick.’&uot;

Conner, who works just around the block at Heritage Manor Health and Rehab Center, learned of the Macon Ridge project from a friend and went through the application process. The corporation helped her clear her credit, get the loan, pick the land and plan the house.

Hooper said he was interested in owning his home for the same reasons.

&uot;Instead of paying someone else for something else that money can go into something you own,&uot; Hooper said. &uot;We were just starting off young and we just wanted some kind of way to build our credit up.&uot;

Hooper and wife Jessica Carter moved into the house in January and he said he was about 98 percent happy with the end product.

Now Hooper said he looks forward to making house payments.

&uot;Payments aren’t the problem,&uot; he said. &uot;Waiting on them to get through building the house was the hard part.&uot;

Anyone interested in home ownership can contact Macon Ridge at 318-757-2361 or at 1600 Third St., Ferriday.