Habitat for Humanity launches new project
Lead Summary
By
-
Highland County Habitat for Humanity is launching a new endeavor geared toward helping an area family secure a new home, while boosting the values of existing neighborhoods.
Terry Collins, president of the area Habitat for Humanity said that
instead of building an entirely new construction, the organization bought a foreclosed home to renovate.
"The area is just littered with foreclosed homes," Collins said. "By
buying and rehabbing one, it helps the family, it helps the city and it helps the neighborhood."
The organization's vice president, Tricia Collins said Habitat for Humanity has built three homes in Highland County in the two and a half years since they re-formed.
The new property, located in the 600 block of North West Street in Hillsboro, will be occupied by an area family with two young children.
Habitat board member Sue Smith said that they had to go through "many" applicants to find a qualified partner family. Families cannot have a considerable amount of debt, she said, because they have to pay for the home on top of the "sweat equity" they put into building the home, and they must have stable jobs.
Tricia Collins said that with so many people who have recently lost
their jobs, it was difficult to find a family. While she said the qualifications are "stringent," she said they are no more so than trying to qualify for a bank loan.
"The family will invest 500 sweat equity hours by working hand in
hand with volunteers on the home, and various other Habitat-related tasks," Terry Collins said.
"This is not a charity," Smith said. "They pay for it. They work for it."
The planned finish date is Oct. 1.
In addition to needing volunteers to help with the construction, habitat is looking for three licensed electricians to submit bids for the electrical renovation, three HVAC contractors to submit bids on servicing the existing system and adding another heat pump in the upstairs area, and three drywall bids for various wall and ceiling work.
"These are areas that need skills beyond the normal volunteer," Terry Collins said, "and Habitat understands that in this economy it is hard for companies to 100 percent donate these materials and services, although this has been done by local contractors in the past."
Volunteers interested in donating time to the project are encouraged to call (937) 403-1257.
Terry Collins said volunteers are needed to complete projects such as sanding floors and stairs, painting, stripping wall paper, general cleaning, minor plumbing, siding repair and cleaning, door and window installation, landscaping, fence installation, gate installation, porch repair, exterior touch-up painting, gravel and driveway work, basement cleaning and painting and the staining of floors.
"There is nothing quite like giving of yourself to help our city, an appreciative partner family, and just simply serving others," Terry Collins said. "We do ask all workers and volunteers sign a waiver before beginning service."
Terry Collins said that representatives from the Hillsboro City Council and Highland County Board of Commissioners have been to recent Habitat meetings and are lending their support.
"No one has anything bad to say about it," Smith said. "It's such a great program."
"Habitat is normally in the business of 'building' homes," Terry Collins said. "But we feel we should be good stewards in using what is already available. Our foreclosure rate has littered empty and decaying homes all over the nation. We feel that the renovation and occupying of some of those existing homes at this time is a much more responsible task."
Highland County Habitat for Humanity is launching a new endeavor geared toward helping an area family secure a new home, while boosting the values of existing neighborhoods.
Terry Collins, president of the area Habitat for Humanity said that instead of building an entirely new construction, the organization bought a foreclosed home to renovate.
"The area is just littered with foreclosed homes," Collins said. "By buying and rehabbing one, it helps the family, it helps the city and it helps the neighborhood."
The organization's vice president, Tricia Collins said Habitat for Humanity has built three homes in Highland County in the two and a half years since they re-formed.
The new property, located in the 600 block of North West Street in Hillsboro, will be occupied by an area family with two young children.
Habitat board member Sue Smith said that they had to go through "many" applicants to find a qualified partner family. Families cannot have a considerable amount of debt, she said, because they have to pay for the home on top of the "sweat equity" they put into building the home, and they must have stable jobs.
Tricia Collins said that with so many people who have recently lost
their jobs, it was difficult to find a family. While she said the qualifications are "stringent," she said they are no more so than trying to qualify for a bank loan.
"The family will invest 500 sweat equity hours by working hand in hand with volunteers on the home, and various other Habitat-related tasks," Terry Collins said.
"This is not a charity," Smith said. "They pay for it. They work for it."
The planned finish date is Oct. 1.
In addition to needing volunteers to help with the construction, habitat is looking for three licensed electricians to submit bids for the electrical renovation, three HVAC contractors to submit bids on servicing the existing system and adding another heat pump in the upstairs area, and three drywall bids for various wall and ceiling work.
"These are areas that need skills beyond the normal volunteer," Terry Collins said, "and Habitat understands that in this economy it is hard for companies to 100 percent donate these materials and services, although this has been done by local contractors in the past."
Volunteers interested in donating time to the project are encouraged to call (937) 403-1257.
Terry Collins said volunteers are needed to complete projects such as sanding floors and stairs, painting, stripping wall paper, general cleaning, minor plumbing, siding repair and cleaning, door and window installation, landscaping, fence installation, gate installation, porch repair, exterior touch-up painting, gravel and driveway work, basement cleaning and painting and the staining of floors.
"There is nothing quite like giving of yourself to help our city, an appreciative partner family, and just simply serving others," Terry Collins said. "We do ask all workers and volunteers sign a waiver before beginning service."
Terry Collins said that representatives from the Hillsboro City Council and Highland County Board of Commissioners have been to recent Habitat meetings and are lending their support.
"No one has anything bad to say about it," Smith said. "It's such a great program."
"Habitat is normally in the business of 'building' homes," Terry Collins said. "But we feel we should be good stewards in using what is already available. Our foreclosure rate has littered empty and decaying homes all over the nation. We feel that the renovation and occupying of some of those existing homes at this time is a much more responsible task."
[[In-content Ad]]