Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Connecticut (Habitat) serves housing needs in Sharon, Salisbury, North Canaan, Norfolk, Canaan/Falls Village and Cornwall. Acting both as a builder and a lender— Habitat has enabled 10 families to realize their dream of home ownership.
Habitat facilitates ownership of simple but decent affordable homes for local workforce families who earn 60% of the area median income. These families are the year-round residents who make our communities work. Habitat’s proven formula, which keeps costs affordable, involves volunteers who provide most of the labor, individual and corporate donors who provide money and materials, and partner families who are required to work 400 hours sweat equity in building their homes. Once construction is complete, Habitat assumes the role of lender, making a zero-interest mortgage for a reasonable term that best suits the financial strength of the eligible partner applicant.
Habitat is currently renovating a home in North Canaan, another one in Canaan/Falls Village and, in cooperation with the Sharon Housing Trust, beginning construction of a new home in Sharon. Tracy Atwood, Habitat’s president says, “People feel great when they help build a home for a deserving family.”
Habitat needs more volunteers, especially people with building skills, to complete the current projects and start new homes. If you would like to donate towards construction or participate in building a Habitat house please visit http://www.habitatnwct.org.
This article was published in The Lakeville Journal on 5/5/16.