Habitat project enters its final phase
<p>Three-year-old Marly Lindsay helps break ground Tuesday afternoon on the final two homes at the Habitat for Humanity site in Columbia Falls. The Lindsay family, right, and Amy Root, left, will be the owners of the new homes. </p>
Shovels bit into the dirt Tuesday to launch construction of the final two Habitat for Humanity homes in Columbia Falls.
The groundbreaking ceremony on Mitchell Way began the last phase of the 16-unit townhome development. Construction began in May 2011 and will be completed in March 2015.
The Habitat project is funded in part by a $360,000 federal grant received by the city of Columbia Falls through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Program. The grant is managed jointly by the city and Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley.
Habitat for Humanity’s Executive Director Erin Falcon said the partnership has been a huge success.
“It has been extremely rewarding for everyone in the Habitat family of volunteers, donors, sponsors and staff to see the neighborhood come together as the families have begun to move in,” Falcon said. “They have really made this neighborhood their own and we have enjoyed working with City Manager Susan Nicosia on this substantial grant to make homeownership a possibility for these families.”
By using volunteer labor, homeowner “sweat equity” and donations from local and national building material suppliers, Habitat for Humanity is able to keep the cost of construction low. A total of 3,000 hours of volunteer labor are required to complete a Habitat home.
With the conclusion of this project in March, Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley will be moving on to a new project in spring 2015. The organization is currently pursuing land opportunities throughout the valley.
Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley was established in 1989 with the mission of eliminating substandard housing. Due to rapid population growth, an increase in property values and stagnant income levels, the need for affordable housing in the Flathead Valley has increased over the last two decades.
According to U.S. Census data, Habitat estimates that over 1,000 Flathead Valley families currently live in substandard housing.
Habitat has built 40 homes to date.
Habitat selects families and/or individuals based on their need, ability to pay a 30-year, no-interest mortgage and on their willingness to partner with the organization.
The Columbia Falls effort is being boosted this week by 10 people from around the nation working through Global Village of Habitat for Humanity International. Group members are from Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, Illinois and Arizona.
Habitat for Humanity holds build days every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. No building experience is necessary to help out on a build site.
Those interested in volunteering should call the Habitat for Humanity administrative office at (406) 257-8800.