Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, June 14, 1990 TAG: 9006150740
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: KIM SUNDERLAND NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Consider the New River Habitat for Humanity.
Since 1988, the area chapter of the international organization has placed five families in their own new homes - homes they helped build and are now paying mortgages on.
Another home is near completion by the valley's chapter and groundbreaking on the first habitat home in Montgomery County, on Schaeffer Street in Christiansburg, is Monday.
And these homes weren't charity; they were made available through 20-year, no-interest mortgages.
These are dreams come true for families who refused to become more statistics on homelessness.
"This is the best project there is," said Peggy Shaw, 38, who owns a Habitat-built home in Radford.
Despite her age, Peggy feels much older. When her husband George became ill and had to quit working, Peggy, too, was forced to quit so she could stay home and take care of him. It made life hard.
Their two daughters, Christy and Samantha, could not leave public school to help their mother; they needed their educations.
With less and less income, the Shaws were forced to find low-rent housing. Rent was low, but the family lived in terrible situations - one place had no running water, for example.
Linda and Barry Wright of Pulaski had similar problems.
Like most young couples, they wanted to own a home. However, wages from the nearby Renfro sock plant, where they both work, just weren't making the dream a possibility.
With no low-cost housing available, they found a trailer to rent for $235 a month. It ate up most of their combined paychecks and the said the place was a dump.
Despite the poor conditions, the couple refused to be homeless, so they stayed there.
Roy Mac and Betty Johnson also live in Pulaski with Betty's two teen-age sons, Doug and Steven Shockley, and Betty's mother.
Roy Mac, 31, works at Nehi Bottling Co. Betty, 37, works there part-time. Because they didn't make much money, they needed to live in a place that was cheap. They found an apartment for $180 a month plus utilities.
Living conditions were so bad that the apartment was condemned. The family went to a motel until they could find another affordable home.
Like the Wrights, the Johnsons found a trailer to rent, but that, too, was a sickening experience. The roof leaked, cold air would stream through like the walls never existed, and it was too small for them and their teen-age boys.
"It was the only place we could find," Betty said.
But now all of these families have their own homes.
A Habitat for Humanity selection committee decides who can buy a home based on a number criteria.
One criterian is income: "A family has to make at least $600 per month," said director Kathy Rayne. "They have to make a minimal income to pay the mortgage."
Another priority for Habitat is children. Rayne said to help the most people, they will consider families with children first.
The no-frills homes that Habitat builds are worth about $30,000 each, have 1,000 square feet, three bedrooms and include appliances.
Family members are required to make a down payment and put in 300 hours of work on their own house and other Habitat homes - what Habitat calls "sweat equity."
Marvin Lester, a Habitat board member from Radford, said churches, students and out-of-town volunteers comprise his work parties.
The longest job took two years, since funding and helpers were slow in coming, while the fastest completion was 10 months.
The Shaws' daughters, Christy and Samantha, helped in construction of their home in Radford, strapping on roller skates to deliver supplies to the builders.
"Homeless numbers would be higher if it weren't for Habitat," said their Peggy Shaw, who has completed her sweat equity but plans to continuing helping.
Habitat uses money from mortgage payments and donations to fund its program.
"We saved and saved," said Barry Wright, 25, who moved into his new home with his wife and two small sons this spring. "We really love this place and we have something now."
There are 100 names on a waiting list hoping to qualify for the home that is being built in Christiansburg. Rayne said it is difficult not being able to help everyone immediately.
"But even if we can't help through Habitat, at least we have found out about more families in need," she said.
by CNB