LAWRENCE — Construction will start in a few weeks on the Habitat for Humanity homes destroyed in a fire in South Lawrence earlier this year.

The fire destroyed a total of 14 buildings, among them four Habitat for Humanity homes on Market Street. Two families were just a few days away from moving into two of the homes before the fire struck in the early hours of Jan. 21.

Yesterday, Habitat for Humanity moved closer to being able to pay for the rebuilding of those four homes. Shrewsbury-based MLS Property Information Network, a property listing service, donated $20,000 toward the effort.

Michael Jewell, chairman of the MLS Property Information Network board of trustees, said donating the money to help rebuild homes seemed like a good fit for the network of homes and real estate agents.

"This is a natural," Jewell said as they handed over a large check in front of the fire site yesterday.

The $20,000 donation from MLS Property Information Network will speed that process along because Habitat for Humanity can pay professional contractors to do the work, rather than having to rely on volunteers. It typically takes 15 months to build a Habitat for Humanity house because volunteers only work on Thursdays and Saturdays.

"It's going to help us start faster," said Larry Sharp, executive director of Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity.

Sharp said they hope to have foundations poured for the four homes by April 1. Construction will start early to mid-April. They're still trying to figure out how much it will cost to rebuild the homes.

All that stands now where the two completed houses used to be is an evergreen tree and piles of charred wood, siding and wires.

Meanwhile, the house on Gale Street that the Mbiye family will move into temporarily is nearly complete. Tshibamba Mbiye, his wife, and six of their seven children, can move into the home next weekend. They'll live there until their Market Street home that was destroyed in the fire is rebuilt.

The Reyeses opted to stay in their Tenney Street apartment until their Habitat for Humanity home is rebuilt.

Thanks to other large donations from local companies such as New Balance, and an outpouring of support from volunteers, Jodi Weeks, director of resource development for Merrimack Valley Habitat for Humanity, said the organization was able to build the temporary home on Gale Street much quicker than they expected.

"The sense of community has been wonderful," said Weeks.