Where are Scioto Valley’s houses built and who builds them?
We build in Pickaway and Ross counties. Both city and county construction is done as property becomes available to us. Reasonably priced property and donations of land help us construct homes that are financially manageable by the families selected by the Family Selection committee. Individuals and groups from around the counties donate their time and energy to help build the houses. Partner families invest at least 200 hours per adult of sweat equity into building their own house and others. Our Covenant Churches, local businesses and many individuals have been very generous with their materials, time and talents.
How big is a Habitat house and how much does it cost to build one?
In Scioto Valley it costs an average of $65,000 to build one house. The typical house built by Scioto Valley Habitat For Humanity has 1100 to 1200 square feet of finished living area with a crawl space or basement, depending on location. They have three or four bedrooms, and one or two baths, depending on the size of the family. These houses do not have garages or carports. They are affordable to low-income families because there is no profit included in the sale of the house and no interest charged on the mortgage. The mortgages are financed over 15 to 25 years.
How does Scioto Valley Habitat For Humanity get money to build houses?
Scioto Valley Habitat For Humanity holds fund raisers throughout the community. We receive money from our covenant churches and other religious congregations; businesses and corporations; organizations and individuals. In addition, special events, such as an annual concert by the Renaissance Singers, auctions, and our Annual Chocolate Fantasy, are a major part of our fund raising effort.
Is there a housing problem in Scioto Valley?
According to a 1996 HUD report, approximately 8% of Scioto Valley residents live in substandard housing or are homeless. This is not just a problem in larger cities; it affects even the smallest communities. We average 40+ applications per year from potential Habitat homeowners-many more than the number of houses we can build. We need the help of everyone to eliminate the housing problem in our community.
How does Scioto Valley Habitat For Humanity work with the government?
Scioto Valley Habitat For Humanity does not accept government funds for the construction of new houses. Habitat does accept government funds for the acquisition of land. Government funds are also accepted for streets, utilities and administrative expenses, so long as the funds have no conditions that would violate Habitat’s principles or limit its abilities to proclaim its Christian witness.
