Date: Fri 26-Sep-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Habitat-for-Humanity

Full Text:

Construction Coordinators Volunteer For Habitat Project

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Housatonic Habitat for Humanity has enlisted a crew of six volunteer

construction coordinators who will manage the construction of two affordable

homes Habitat plans to build on Philo Curtis Road, near Riverside Road.

Following a recent plea for people to coordinate the construction project, the

six came forward to lend their services, according to Habitat.

Larry Coleman, a longtime local resident, will be the chief construction

coordinator to build the two affordable homes using volunteer labor and

donated materials. Mr Coleman has been a member of Habitat's construction

committee, which has been meeting since February 1996. He is a project manager

for a private construction company.

A group of five residents will serve as construction coordinators to keep the

home-building project moving along to completion.

The five construction coordinators will be Jim Setz, George Dugdale, Karen

Ryan, and Frances and Doug Brennan.

The people chosen as coordinators have backgrounds in construction and

engineering.

"Due to their unselfishness in donating their time, talents, and energy, the

project can now begin in earnest," according to the housing group.

Initial site preparation work started last weekend and will continue this

weekend to clear trees from the site, haul brush, and chip wood.

Colleen O'Rourke, secretary of Habitat's board of director, said Tuesday the

group is seeking required construction permits for its project.

The first of the two 1,200-square-foot houses to be built will be a Cape style

home nearer Riverside Road, she said. The second home will be farmhouse style.

Claire Slattery, a single mother, and her two children will live in the first

house to be built. HHH will provide financial guidance to Ms Slattery in

connection with her taking ownership of the new house. A family to live in the

second house has yet to be chosen.

Each of the two houses will have full basements, but no garages.

A old farm silo on the site will be demolished to make way for construction,

she said.

After the site is cleared and graded, two driveways will be installed

simultaneously. Following that, two foundations will be constructed.

Carpentry on the Cape will begin first, with construction on the farmhouse

starting about one month later, Ms O'Rourke said.

Ms O'Rourke estimated between 400 and 500 people will be involved in some

aspect of building each house.

HHH has raised more than $100,000 toward building the two homes. Donations

have come from area churches, corporations and individuals.

Covenant churches that have signed an agreement to support the home building

project are First Church of Christ Congregational of Redding, The First

Congregational Church of Ridgefield, New Fairfield Congregational Church, St

Paul's Church of Brookfield, St Stephen's Episcopal Church of Ridgefield, and

Trinity Episcopal Church of Newtown.

HHH is an independent, non-profit affiliate of the international Christian

housing ministry Habitat for Humanity based in Americus, Georgia. Volunteers

and low-income families work together using tax-deductible donations of money

and materials to build new homes. Volunteers, churches, businesses, and civic

groups donate or help raise funds to purchase materials, tools, services, and

labor.

Houses are sold at no profit to families, and no-interest mortgages are issued

over a fixed period. The cost of the homes built is significantly lower than

market value. The small monthly mortgage payments made by participating

families support continuing construction. Homeowners volunteer their labor to

build the home they will live in, according to HHH.

The new homeowner makes a one percent down payment and contributes 400 hours

of "sweat equity" toward the project.

People interested in helping out at the site are asked to contact Habitat at

203/431-1392.