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COVER STORY Hammering Out Homelessness
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Gayle Romeo Remember the words to the old fold song... "If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning, I'd hammer in the evening, all over this land." Do these words resonate with you? If so, pick up a hammer and help your neighbor build a new home. Perhaps you don't know any of neighbors building homes... not to worry, Valencia County Habitat for Humanity and its energetic Director of Resource Development, Gayle Romeo, can help. Women Build Mother's Day Building Blitz In an effort to illuminate the darkness that characterizes inadequate housing and offer practical solutions, Valencia County Habitat for Humanity affiliate is sponsoring the Women Build Mother's Day Building Blitz. During the week of May 3-9, 2004, a house will be constructed in Belen, from foundation to finish. Most of the volunteers on the job site will be women. On Mother's Day, May 9th, the home will be dedicated and one thrilled Valencia County mother and her family will move in. With future building, this Belen home will, be one of 123 new Habitat homes in the area. "We are trying to get the word out," says Romeo, "that one in three people in New Mexico lives below the poverty line; 45 percent of these are households headed by women." In Valencia County alone, there are over one thousand overcrowded housing units, 3600 children live in poverty and more than 400 families spend nearly half of their monthly income on housing. A 1996 study by the National Home Builders Association listed Albuquerque as the 14th least affordable housing market in the country. This is a serious problem and Romeo is convinced, "One person, volunteering their time and energy can make a difference." Women Build, a department within Habitat for Humanity International, is a way to make a difference. Women Build provides an avenue for women to learn nontraditional skills, like carpentry and plumbing. Women Build trains women to build and maintain simple, decent, and affordable homes. Lt. Governor Diane Denish, Women Build spokesperson, says, "In order to build a strong New Mexico, with happy and healthy families, we must first build affordable housing so that families can be safe and secure." More than 350 homes have already been built in the United States by female crews. Women make up 50 percent of Habitat's volunteers, but they account for less than 15 percent of workers on construction sites. Lack of training may account for these low numbers, but that's the beauty of Women Build and the Mother's Day Build and the Mother's Day Building Blitz, it represents opportunities for training and a place for practical skills application. How it Works Founded in 1976 by Millard and Linda Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world. This work is done at the community level by affiliates, which are independent, locally run, nonprofit organizations, like Valencia County Habitat. Each affiliate coordinates all aspects of home building in its local area, including fund raising, building site selection, partner family selection and support, house construction, and providing mortgages. Habitat for Humanity offers a helping hand, not a hand out. Habitat partner families are like any other family— hard working taxpayers trying to make a better life for themselves. Habitat houses are affordable for many low-income families because there is no profit in the sale price and no interest charged on the mortgage. Mortgage lengths vary from seven to 30 years like any other traditional mortgage. Families in need of decent housing can apply to local Habitat affiliates. The Valencia County affiliate's volunteer family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program, and their ability to repay the no-interest loan. Perspective Habitat homeowners undergo a screening process similar to that of other perspective homeowners, including credit checks and meeting qualifying income criteria. Homes are available to everyone, regardless of race, religion or national origin. Upon selection, each new homeowner is required to contribute approximately 500 hours of labor or "sweat equity" on their new home or another Habitat home. House payments go into a revolving Fund used to build more homes. Expenses for houses are kept low through volunteer labor and donations from individuals, corporations, churches, and foundations. On May 7th, a sister project of the Valencia County Mother's Day Building Blitz is being coordinated by the Greater Albuquerque Area Habitat affiliate. Executive Director, Catherine Woodward says Women Build usually constructs houses for single mothers, but this project will put a single dad and his four children into a new home. Under the direction of Albuquerque affiliate construction manager Rose Morin, the building site crew will consist of all women, many employees of Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse. Step inside a Habitat Home What goes into a Habitat home? How are they constructed? What kinds of materials are used? Habitat affiliates build simple, modestly sized houses that use less raw materials than large houses, are cheaper to heat and cool, and generate less waste. Conservation and cost cutting measures begin with the initial plans for each home, and affiliates around the country try to implement these building practices consistently. Habitat's Environmental Initiative promotes energy-efficient, environmentally friendly construction, encouraging "good stewardship of natural resources and raising awareness of the environmental impact of house building." The Environmental Initiative embraces the concept of sustain able building: "meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." By purchasing smaller quantities of materials, Habitat decreases the environmental impact often associated with home construction. Some of the energy saving features often used in Habitat homes include:
RE-Store Where can you find reasonably priced materials for home construction? At the Restore The Restore is a building material recycling center run by Valencia County Habitat for Humanity. All materials sold by the Restore are donated, from contractors, businesses, demolition crews, or the public. Restore manager Jeanne Coon is pleased with this commitment from the local community, because by recycling materials, "we're keeping them out of landfills and protecting the environment." The reusable item are in good condition and often come from closeout or inventory sales. They are sold to the public at 50 percent or more below retail. Proceeds from the Restore are used to finance new homes, as well as provide some of the actual building materials used in construction. In the two years since the Valencia Restore has been operating, it has funded three new homes. The Restore comes from humble beginnings. "We started with $150 seed money and donations from our board members' garages. Today we have a 3,300 sq. ft. facility sitting on half an acre, with a two-car garage. We're as right as rain down here," adds Coon. According to Coon, the Restore is also a resource center. "We help everyone, not just Habitat families. People buy from us and take on projects around their own houses. Our prices are very good. We have how-to pamphlets, one-of-a-kind items and sell our reusable materials by the piece, pile, or bundle. No one leaves empty handed." Coon has sent a few unsuspecting shoppers to a Habitat job site for a little hands-on experience. "Sometimes people come in and they don't know how to do something. I send them right over to a job site so they can learn first hand." The Restore may not meet each shopper's needs, but Coon always tries to help. "I give them a phone number or a website address, something to help them find what they need." And speaking of need, the Valencia County Restore could use a good 6000-pound capacity forklift. Jeanne Coon says, "call if you have one to donate." Conclusion Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, is credited with the phrase, "Theology of the hammer." It was his belief that by doing good works in local communities, he could also share his religious beliefs with people. To his credit, Habitat affiliates like Valencia County and Albuquerque, have built more than 150,000 houses around the world, providing more than 750,000 people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable housing. The hammer has also become a great equalizer. Valencia County Habitat and other affiliates welcome anyone with a hammer in their hand — doctors, lawyers, school teachers, students, grandmothers, friends and neighbors — everyone can contribute, everyone is welcome, regardless of skill level. If you have a hammer and want to get involved, call the nearest affiliate. If you don't have a hammer, don't worry, Habitat will supply you with one, just bring your willingness to participate in the community spirit of giving. The lyrics of another old song say, "A house is not a home unless there's someone living there." Johaan Martin is a freelance writer who lives in Albuquerque. |
Habitat for Humanity of Valencia
Since it's beginning in 1996 HFH of Valencia County has:
Help Us Hammer on Saturday, March 20 The staff of New Mexico WOMAN recently participated in a field trip in honor of the sixteenth anniversary of New Mexico WOMAN magazine. Five of us traveled to the Valencia County building site to meet Gayle Romeo, the staff and volunteers of Habitat for Humanity. None of us are experienced in any phase of construction, but T.G. Rael, the construction manager, put us all to work, framing a house. We pounded and sawed and had a great time working on the soon-to-be completed home of A.J. Clayton and Stephanie Clark. What a wonderful organization, and a volunteer effort that goes directly to those who need the help. As Gayle Romeo says, "Habitat for Humanity offers a helping hand, not a hand out." We really enjoyed the afternoon, met some really terrific people, and did something very rewarding. We would like to help move this home further along toward completion. So, we are asking our readers to come out and work with us on March 20. Please contact our office if you can help that day, for an hour or two, or the whole day. HFH will arrange for lunch, but we need to give them a count of volunteers in advance. We think you will benefit by the experience, as we did. Call us at (505) 247-9195.
Habitat Volunteer Opportunities: Campus Chapters and Youth Programs: Thousands of students put their love into action! Global Village Program: Explore new lands and cultures while building houses and hope. Participate in a Global Village work trip! Special Events Directory: National and regional special events welcome out-of-town volunteers Habitat AmeriCorps/VISTA/Seniors: Earn stipends and educational awards through Corporation for National Service partnerships. Women Build: Women learn construction skills in a non-intimidating environment, and put them into action. Habitat's Environmental Initiative: "Green Team" builds environmentally friendly houses. Local Habitat Affiliates
for New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico:
Artesia, New Mexico:
Carlsbad, New Mexico:
Deming, New Mexico:
El Prado, New Mexico:
Espanola, New Mexico:
Farmington, New Mexico:
Gallup, New Mexico:
Hobbs, New Mexico:
Las Cruces, New Mexico:
Las Vegas, New Mexico:
Las Lunes, New Mexico:
Portales, New Mexico:
Roswell, New Mexico:
Santa Fe, New Mexico:
Silver City, New Mexico:
Taos, New Mexico: Valencia County Habitat
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