ROANOKE TIMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, October 30, 1993                   TAG: 9310300187
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Long


HABITAT DEFENDS ROLE IN ROANOKE

A ROANOKE CITY COUNCILMAN'S objection to transferring a piece of city property to Habitat for Humanity has focused attention on the agency's mission - and whatit gives back to the city: tax revenue on previously empty lots in low-income neighborhoods.

At first, it seemed like a slap in the face - Roanoke City Council holding up the transfer of property to Habitat for Humanity to build homes for low-income families.

But Habitat leaders say reports about council's decision have actually been good for the agency.

Supporters have come to Habitat's defense, and the publicity has focused attention on Habitat's mission and its primary need - empty lots on which to build houses.

It also has made people think about the taxes that flow from the new construction, Habitat leaders said.

A couple of weeks ago, Councilman James Harvey talked council into delaying at least until Nov. 8 the transfer of a piece of city property to Habitat.

Harvey said he supports Habitat's work, but objected to the concentration of low-income housing in Roanoke rather than its being spread throughout the Roanoke Valley.

All of Habitat's 31 houses are in Roanoke.

The city should try to attract middle- and upper-income homeowners, Harvey said, because their higher-priced houses would generate more tax revenue.

"I don't disagree with him on that," David Camper, Habitat vice president, said in a interview this week.

Harvey was "just making a point," not attacking Habitat, Camper said.

The city has "worked with us and been very helpful" in the past, he said, although it cannot contribute directly to the agency.

Habitat for Humanity is a Christian organization that doesn't accept government donations.

The Southwest Roanoke property the agency is seeking will be given back to heirs of the people who donated the property to the city. The heirs already have agreed to the donation to Habitat, Camper said.

While he agrees with Harvey about the need to attract higher-income homeowners, Camper said he doesn't believe Habitat's home-building activities detract from that. And he and others point out the program's benefits to the city.

Where the city once was collecting taxes on empty lots valued at an average of about $2,500, it now taxes homes worth about $35,000, Habitat Administrative Director Amy Moore said.

That means several hundred dollars a year in real-estate taxes from each of the 30 homeowners, Camper said.

And the fact is, more expensive houses are not likely to be built on the lots Habitat has been using, Camper said.

Habitat's homes are concentrated in two neighborhoods - one section of Northwest Roanoke and an area in Southeast.

That has happened for a couple of reasons, Camper said.

One is that empty lots with utilities were available at reasonable prices. Another is that these are neighborhoods where the modest $30,000 to $35,000 homes will blend in.

"We don't want to go where we won't fit in," Camper said, "either economically or aesthetically."

The agency has "not turned down any lots that were `too nice,' " Camper said, but it would not want to build in a neighborhood of $200,000 houses, where the new Habitat homeowner likely would not be welcomed by the neighbors.

The drive to fit in has meant some design changes over the years in the three-bedroom, one-bath houses to include "extras" such as porches and a 1 1/2-story design.

Habitat buys lots - usually spending $2,000 to $3,000 each - and pays to lay the foundations for the homes. Then, sponsoring organizations begin the actual building.

Finding and obtaining suitable lots is the Habitat board's toughest job, Camper said, and one about which Harvey has a point.

The newest house, still under construction on Moorman Avenue Northwest, is being built by volunteers from St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Salem.

Church members wanted to build in their home city, the Rev. Robert Copenhaver said, but they couldn't find a suitable, affordable lot.

The church was offered one lot for $12,000, but "that would have required a major additional donation that we didn't find," Copenhaver said.

Another lot was offered for $5,000, but its geographic location would have meant additional expenses preparing the site. Again, that would have substantially driven up the cost of the project - for which the church already was having to raise $16,000.

"I don't think it's a case of Salem not being willing" to have Habitat homes, Copenhaver said, but that "land is so scarce."

Camper said his group hasn't done much concentrated work on finding lots in Roanoke County or in adjacent counties, but will look more diligently in the future.

One reason is that Habitat officials believe they should build as many as 25 new homes each year. Even at that accelerated rate, it would a long time to completely meet the needs of the estimated 1,000 families in the Roanoke Valley who meet the criteria for ownership.

Many are like Sybil Philpott, soon-to-be owner of the Moorman Avenue house now under construction.

Like all Habitat homeowners, she must invest 300 hours of physical work in the house - what Habitat calls "sweat equity."

Potential Habitat homeowners must have jobs, reasonably good credit records, a $500 down payment and be able to make the approximately $200 monthly mortgage payment.

The payment includes principal, taxes and insurance. There are no interest charges.

Philpott said this week that she's already put in about 35 hours of her sweat equity. She'll be joining those building her house again today after she gets off work as a unit secretary at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.

She'll pick out colors for the exterior siding and likely will put in a few more hours work.

Without a program like Habitat, she said, she would "never have been able to own a home."

Philpott, who is separated from her husband, has an 8-year-old daughter, Shauna, and a 5-year-old son, Jerome.

"I truly think God opened up this opportunity" for her family, Philpott said, just when they needed more room than they have in the apartment they are living in.

She said she believes she'll be comfortable in her new neighborhood, which includes longtime residents as well as younger couples with small children.

"They have a Neighborhood Watch, too. I met the president. She runs a tight ship."



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