Tag Archive for: Affordable Homeownership

Home Revitalization

,

When it makes sense, Asheville Habitat exercises our right to repurchase, revitalizes the home to like-new standards, and then sells it to another qualified homebuyer, like Ashley. This is our newest program, Home Revitalization.

Joint Celebration of Service

, ,

In celebration of our respective 40 year anniversaries, and in a nod to the deep importance of volunteer support at each organization, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity and MANNA FoodBank spent a day in each other’s shoes, so to speak. And dual-agency volunteers that support affordable housing AND food insecurity each week were recognized.

A new model for donors?

,

Most people who support affordable housing make a financial donation, volunteer with a non-profit working in that space, or advocate for policy change. A donor we’ll call Sarah took a different approach, we hope her story inspires others to think creatively to support affordable housing and programs that increase equitable access to housing in our community.

St. Mark’s 100 House Marks Milestone

, ,

In celebration of their Centennial, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church is sponsoring a Habitat home in New Heights.

AIP Model Wins House Design Award

, , , ,

Asheville Habitat’s single-level Aging in Place (AIP) townhome specifically designed for adults age 55+ was recently awarded “Best in Accessibility” in Habitat for Humanity International’s nationwide house design contest.

Building together for 40 years

,

Four decades of life-changing work is punctuated with impressive statistics and heart-warming stories. For Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity on its 40th Anniversary, those statistics and stories speak to the enduring power of partnership.

Habitat receives transformational gift from MacKenzie Scott

,

Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity International and 83 Habitat affiliates receive transformational $436M gift from MacKenzie Scott

Asheville Habitat will use gift to address affordable housing shortage in Buncombe and Madison Counties

ASHEVILLE, NC (March 22, 2022) — Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity, along with Habitat for Humanity International and 83 U.S. Habitat affiliate organizations, recently received $436 million in unrestricted giving from American author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. [Of that, Asheville Habitat received $5M.] This transformational donation will substantially help further Habitat’s vision of a world where everyone has equitable access to a safe, decent and affordable place to call home.

“We are incredibly grateful and honored to receive this gift. It comes at an opportune time as we are finalizing our ambitious five-year strategic plan that will keep us on track to realize our current 10-year vision of serving another 1,000 families by 2028,” shared Andy Barnett, Executive Director of Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity.

Over the next 3-5 years, Asheville Habitat will use the $5 million donation to ramp up its home repair program, accelerate its new home construction program in Buncombe County, expand services to Madison County, and secure land to build future Habitat neighborhoods.

Affordable housing is needed more than ever before. Housing costs far outweigh local salaries and nearly half of all households in Buncombe County (48.5 percent) are “cost-burdened,” meaning that they pay more than 30 percent of income toward housing. Nearly two in five households in Buncombe are “severely” cost-burdened, paying half of more of all income to meet housing costs. “Receiving these generous and unrestricted funds allows us to scale up our work and meet more of the growing needs of our region,” added Barnett.

# # #

About Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity
Founded in 1983, Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity was the first Habitat affiliate in North Carolina. Through Habitat homeownership and home repair programs, 2,000 adults and children in Buncombe County have achieved the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build a better future. A decent place to call home and an affordable mortgage enables Habitat homeowners to save more, invest in education, pursue opportunities and have greater financial stability. Learn more about Asheville Area Habitat, a Charity Navigator 4-star non-profit, and how you can get involved at ashevillehabitat.org.

About Habitat for Humanity International
Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity found its earliest inspirations as a grassroots movement on an interracial community farm in south Georgia. Since its founding in 1976, the Christian housing organization has grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in local communities across all 50 states in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org.

 

 

 

 

First Two Aging in Place Homebuyers Move HOME

,

Thanks to a partnership with Deerfield, 8 single-level Aging in Place (AiP) townhomes specifically designed for low-income aging adults are being built in Asheville Habitat’s New Heights neighborhood– and the first two buyers recently moved in.  

Lumber prices adds to challenge of building affordable housing

,

Skyrocketing building material prices, supply chain issues, and a building boom has created a challenging environment in which to build affordable housing. Unlike other builders, Asheville Habitat can’t pass on to homebuyers increased costs.

Women Build During a Pandemic

Working on the 15th Woman Build house has been a very different experience. When the house was started no volunteers were working due to Covid.  By the time core volunteers were brought in most of the framing and roof work had been done. I remember the first day I returned to work and Emily asked me if I was OK with climbing in the rafters to do some bracing. Let’s see, I thought. I haven’t swung a hammer or climbed up in the rafters in many months. Plus seeing where to hammer or place my feet with a mask on and fogged up glasses was a challenge. But sure, why not? It took some time to get the hang of it but I did get some work done and didn’t plummet to the floor which I considered to be a good day.

Juliewhite 2.17.21

Core volunteer and WOMbat Julie White taking down scaffolding at New Heights Wednesday February 17.

 

Over the past few months I have had the pleasure of doing a variety of jobs on this house. Insulation was put in during warmer days. The work itself isn’t bad. However, when dealing with  insulation you either have to wear a protective suit to keep the insulation off your skin (which is a sweaty mess on a hot day) or take a cold shower upon

Wb15 2.17.21

Women Build House #15 as of February 17, 2021

arrival at home to keep the insulation on your skin out of your pores. I haven’t decided which is the better (or worse) way to go.

 

I had one of my most successful experiences with stucco while working with fellow WOMBAT Terri Harris and our wonderful Americorps workers. We were able to get the front of the house and porch pillars done so that work could begin on the porch.

Other jobs I have done include flooring installation, painting, and work on the porch and porch roof. Of course there was also the obligatory building of scaffolding involved with the porch work. Some of these jobs are ones that I don’t typically enjoy. However, I was glad to be back on the job site working on the Woman Build House and didn’t mind the work I was doing.

There is still plenty of work to be done to finish the house before Ikia’s closing date in April. Good progress is being made towards this end. The work that has been done by the construction staff and core volunteers is amazing, especially considering the Covid precautions we take and the wonderful winter weather we have been experiencing. It is always an honor to work on the Woman Build House. I wish all the best to Ikia and her family as they live in their new home.

 

Julie White

Head WOMBAT and Wednesday Core Volunteer

Tag Archive for: Affordable Homeownership

Nothing Found

Sorry, no posts matched your criteria