A GREAT program to institute anywhere. Something I learned from the article, Garrett County has been building 5 habitat homes per year for the last 25 years!!!

Shane Riggs
Cumberland Times-News

Cumberland — CUMBERLAND — The money is in the bank. Appliances are waiting to be installed. Land has been secured. Everything is in place for Allegany County to see its first Habitat for Humanity house. The only thing missing from the plans is who will live in the house once construction is complete.

“That’s our biggest thing right now is finding our first Habitat for Humanity family in Allegany County,” said Kathy Miller, president of the local chapter. “We plan to start looking at applications August 1 and have a family hopefully chosen by August 10 for our first house.”

“We just need our first family,” said treasurer Shauna McQuade. “We need to reach our target market. As much as we have spoken to community groups we still need to find our first family to get into a house.”

Since the recipient of Allegany County’s premiere Habitat for Humanity house has not been selected, applications are still being taken through Aug. 1.

Miller and McQuade said priority will be given to the family who can show a need and also is willing to participate in the Habitat program.

“The process involves 300 hours of sweat equity,” said Miller. “So the family we select will not only be helping to build their own house but also the second house in the area Habitat for Humanity builds.”

Sweat equity hours can include actual construction to volunteer work in fundraising.

The potential Habitat for Humanity homeowner must meet financial criteria under the guidelines of the program. To continue to be a candidate, the applicant must attend “homeownership courses.”

“We basically teach people how to be a homeowner and what to do, for instance, when you need to call that $65-an-hour plumber,” Miller said.

While the program has been in the developmental stages for more than four years, this will be the first time construction of the house under the nationally recognized Habitat program will start in the local area.

“We really had to get our facts together and show on the national level that we knew what we were doing,” said Miller.

Neighboring counties have had success with the program. Washington County has been a participant for nearly a decade while Garrett County has been building five Habitat homes a year for the last 25 years.

While properties are earmarked in the city for future Habitat houses, a lot in Cresaptown has been chosen as the first official site for 2010 construction.

After the application deadlines passes, the family selection committee will narrow the list to three before a final family is selected. Mary Moran is the committee chairwoman.

“We know the need is there and so we want people to get included in being the second and third families picked as well,” she said. “We know the families are out there. We just need to get the word out and reach them.”

Miller said the Habitat for Humanity committee — made up of local volunteers and civic leaders — hopes that more families begin applying for the house between now and the deadline.

“Our biggest priority is finding the right family in need,” she said. “We have a lot of families out there living in unsafe and unsanitary conditions. And no one should have to live like that. Our motto is, a hand up, not a hand out.”

Miller assures the application processs is not complicated and should not be intimidating or overwhelming to those interested in applying.

A one-level, three-bedroom house will include donated and new appliances and will be move-in ready. The selected homeowner will be given the opportunity to choose color schemes for the interior and exterior.

Constructed at a cost of $65,000 to $85,000, the appraisal value of the house will be $125,000 when complete, said Miller.

“It’s not a lavish home but it’s a wonderful, comfortable, economical house that people can stay in for the rest of their lives.”

Applicants may be considered if present housing is not adequate and if conventional means of buying a home have failed. Candidates must have been a resident of Allegany County for the last two years. Maximum annual income levels range from $22,900 for a single person to $43,830 for those with a family of eight. The selected applicant will be purchasing the home from Habitat and monthly mortgage payments will be paid directly to the organization.

McQuade said the goal is to begin construction on the house in autumn and have the family moved in by the time the first snowflake falls.

“Once we get ground broken it will happen pretty quickly,” she said. “We hope to be done by late fall. It’s going to be a nice holiday present for one local family.”

For more information, call 301-468-5784 or 301-707-6356.

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