The Knoxville Habitat for Humanity has been helping to raise the roof, literally, on over 250 homes in Knox County since the chapter’s creation in 1985.
Habitat is an independent, nonprofit Christian housing ministry that works with and for people of all faiths to build simple affordable housing for those that need help.
“We’re not a charity, because we don’t give anything away. We provide an opportunity for them to be a homeowner,” said Kelle Shultz, executive director of Knoxville Habitat for Humanity.
Families are chosen by need, willingness to partner and ability to pay. The houses are not given away, rather the families must put in 500 hours of “sweat equity” and attend classes on budgeting, construction and home maintenance. The families also must pay a 20-year no-interest loan, and it takes about a year overall for the families to have a home.
Habitat houses are easier for families to afford because they are sold at no profit and built by volunteer work, including that of the future owner’s family, and sometimes utilize donations of land, money and materials.
Habitat uses volunteers in all facets of the housing development, and there is no experience needed to volunteer. Instead, volunteers learn as they go. Volunteers build, paint, select the families and work at the thrift store and as budget tutors.
“Our students have built alongside the family that’s going to move in the house, so I think its just a wonderful opportunity for the students to give back to a family in the Knoxville community, and it’s very moving to be there on dedication day when we present the keys to the family … and just to see the excitement of that family and how appreciative they are of the work that the UT students have done for them to give them a home,” said Jerry Adams, UT’s assistant director of university housing.
In Knox County, the houses are usually sold to a family at an average price of $45,000, whereas the average value of the houses is between $65,000 to $80,000, Shultz said.
Housing in America, and all over the world, has become a problem. According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 14.4 million families have a critical housing need. The Millennial Housing Commission said it would take annual production of over 250,000 units for 20 years to close the housing affordability gap.
Besides the obvious space advantages of a family having its own home, a HUD survey found that the most common benefits to home-ownership were the pride and increased stability that the homeowners felt. Most new homeowners planned to continue living in their homes and eventually pass them on to their children.
The Knoxville Habitat affiliate is one of 2,100 active affiliates that participate with Habitat for Humanity International in 92 countries.
To find out more about the Knoxville affiliate, visit http://www.knoxvillehabitatforhumanity.com. For volunteer opportunities, call volunteer coordinator Trudy Akers of the Knoxville affiliate at 523-3539 or e-mail her at [email protected].
To learn more about Habitat’s global opportunities, visit http:// www.habitat.org.
