On Wednesday, Sept. 7, NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson and Susan Woodson will join project sponsors, students from the Habitat Campus Chapter at NC State University, and Habitat Wake partner families to kick off the construction of 11 new Habitat for Humanity of Wake County townhomes. The homes are a part of the historic Build-A-Block project, the largest collaboration between a Habitat campus chapter and a Habitat for Humanity affiliate. The homes are located on Kirk Avenue off Lake Wheeler Road near NC State University.

It’s been well documented over the years that homeownership has been the main driver of building individual wealth in the United States, especially among those in lower income ranges.

The nation’s housing recovery has been underway since 2012 and housing prices have recovered to near pre-recession peaks.  Despite this rebound, home ownership rates have continued to drop and are currently at a 51 year low.

Habitat for Humanity of Wake County recently partnered with Lutheran Services Carolinas, The Serving Cup, and a large team of donors and volunteers to build three homes for adults with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The project is known as Building Independence, and the new houses on Lake Wheeler Road in Raleigh will transform life for the nine adults who will move into the homes in the coming weeks.

This week, former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter are joining with hundreds of Habitat for Humanity volunteers in the 33rd annual Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work project in the uptown neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee building 19 new homes, providing six critical home repairs for elderly homeowners in the neighborhood and 10 neighborhood beautification projects.

Several presidential election cycles ago, Habitat for Humanity began hosting builds at both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions to give volunteers, sponsors and members of Congress the opportunity to meet the need for safe, healthy and affordable housing by supporting a Habitat project in convention host cities.

The housing industry is blessed with a very robust research and analysis organization called the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.  Annually, they release a very extensive data-filled report called State of the Nation’s Housing.

Here is a link to the report: http://www.jchs.harvard.edu/research/state_nations_housing

And here is a quick summary of the findings from Habitat for Humanity’s Government Relations and Advocacy Office:

Terry and Kathie Vermouth began volunteering with Habitat Wake almost a year ago, but their work with Habitat for Humanity goes back 10 years. The Vermouths were introduced to Habitat Wake by their daughter-in-law, who worked for Habitat for Humanity International. Originally from Massachusetts, Terry and Kathie work as House Leaders on construction sites four to five days out of the week. “Things are a lot different here than they were in Massachusetts,” recalls Kathie. “We had to shovel snow before we could build a house.”

My name is Justin Kobler, and I am 16 years old. I decided to come on this trip to Malawi because I recognize that throughout my life I have been greatly blessed, and to me, it seems that helping others living in much worse conditions is the least I can do. I have always wanted to travel to Africa, and so far this trip has been more amazing than I ever could have imagined. Since we arrived in Malawi, the people have been extremely welcoming and friendly.

Our team is just back from a wonderful time serving with our partners from Habitat for Humanity Malawi in southern Africa—one of the most materially poor countries in the world and where 80% of the population lives in substandard housing.   We were welcomed in song in the village and by having two home sites ready for us to start laying bricks.  12,000 of them on each house!   And that we did….all the bricks laid on two homes for two extended families incorporating orphans due to HIV.

Carletha (right) and Amanda are spending this summer giving back by participating in Habitat Wake’s Summer of Service program. Carletha is a rising senior at Middle Creek High School. After graduation she plans to earn her EMT certification and attend nursing school. Amanda recently graduated from Wakefield High School and will attend Oakwood University in the fall to pursue a degree in nursing.