Date: Fri 18-Jul-1997

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

Habitat-Humanity-HHH-Loehr

Full Text:

Volunteer Sought To Lead Habitat For Humanity Project

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

Housatonic Habitat for Humanity (HHH), the non-profit, volunteer group that's

organizing the construction of two affordable houses on Philo Curtis Road, is

seeking a volunteer to oversee the project.

HHH President John Loehr said the group is seeking a Newtown resident with

technical skills in the building trades. HHH is seeking a person who's

well-organized and able to schedule the phases of home construction.

The group has assembled volunteers who are ready and willing to start the

project, but those volunteers require the supervision of a person well-versed

in home construction to guide their efforts, he said.

The development site has been surveyed and staked out for construction, Mr

Loehr said. Demolition and excavation are expected to start soon.

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

Donations have come from area churches, corporations and individuals.

Colleen O'Rourke, the secretary of HHH's board of directors, said although

coordinating the construction project is time-consuming, a qualified retired

person would be able to do it.

The job would involve going to the construction site once a week to check on

construction progress, she said.

Ms O'Rourke said HHH hopes to have a volunteer construction coordinator on the

job site by August.

HHH had hoped to begin the project sooner but work was delayed by a lawsuit

filed by an adjacent property owner, Ms O'Rourke said. That lawsuit has been

settled out of court.

If one person isn't able to carry out all the duties of a construction

coordinator, HHH would consider splitting the duties among two or three

people, she said.

The person sought by HHH should be familiar with the building trades and may

be a retired general contractor or engineer. The person should be able to read

blueprints, do plan scaling and make construction estimates. The person should

have leadership qualities, be able to delegate tasks and be willing to work

with volunteer labor.

People interested in becoming the volunteer construction coordinator may

contact HHH in Ridgefield at 203-431-1392.

HHH members gathered in May for a construction ground breaking on the rolling

field in Sandy Hook where the group will build two affordable houses for

moderate-income families. The site is on the west side of Philo Curtis Road,

just south of its intersection with Riverside Road.

The two-lot subdivision will contain two owner-occupied, single-family houses.

The two houses will be 1,200 square feet in area. One will be a ranch-style

house and the other will probably be farmhouse-style.

Each house will have three bedrooms and either one bathroom or one and a half

bathrooms. Construction of the first house by volunteer labor is expected to

take 24 to 28 weeks.

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

project with prayers and resources 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.

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 will be chosen.

Last April, Planning and Zoning Commission members modified their past

approval of HHH's subdivision plans for the affordable housing, thus settling

a lawsuit and allowing HHH to proceed with its plans.