Idaho Panhandle Habitat for Humanity - HFH is Area's Best Kept Secret

In the News

Habitat for Humanity is area's best-kept secret
Posted: Thursday, Dec 31, 2009 - 10:06:01 am PST
By TOM HARVILL

(Used with the permission of the Bonner County Daily Bee)

In December, the Idaho Panhandle Habitat for Humanity, will finish the 12th home constructed in this area. This house is not a donation or given to the recipient family, but is sold to them. They pay monthly payments for 20 to 25 years against a mortgage held by the local affiliate. Payments go right back into the pool of funds to build the next house.

But what does this really mean. It means another local family is given the opportunity for safe, affordable, and decent housing. It means they can stay and work in this community. Their wages are earned and spent here. The materials to build the house are purchased here. The minimal professional service required on each house is obtained from the local trades.

There are no government grants funding these homes. All of the funds to build our homes come from homeowner payments, cash gifts and donations from generous individuals and businesses within the community, and profits from the ReStore. The labor to build these homes comes from dedicated volunteers from throughout the community.

We purchased and developed Schissler Meadows into a 15 lot subdivision. That required cash to develop. Those lots are slowly being used up as we complete additional homes. We have another seven acres that is pending infrastructure development. When complete, our lot costs have been about 25 to 35 percent of market costs, thus allowing our homes remain affordable. But this requires cash.

Habitat is not only just about pounding nails. It’s about finding potential low to moderate income homeowners that have a job, a desire to give 300 to 500 hours of sweat equity on their home as well as others, and truly have a housing need. It’s about volunteering at the ReStore one day a week. It’s about being with an existing family while they struggle with the current economy, helping them make life decisions. It’s about dedicating a Tuesday or Saturday morning for several months to work on the house, it’s about bringing a group out to Schissler Meadows to chop weeds. It’s about taking your gently used building materials or appliances and donating them to the ReStore. It’s about supporting the local mission of your church through a Habitat tithe. It’s about our community, our town and the neighbors that make it such a great place to live.

I encourage anyone interested in learning more about our affiliate to attend our monthly board meeting, always held the second Tuesday of each month (Jan 12, 2010), 6:30 p.m. at the ReStore located at 1424 N Boyer. Cash donations can always be sent to our local address, P.O. Box 1191 in Sandpoint.

Tom Harvill is president of Idaho Panhandle Habitat for Humanity.

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