Lately, we’ve been getting a lot of questions about who buys Habitat homes.  Simply put, we evaluate applications for homeownership on three criteria:  1) need for housing 2) ability to pay and 3) willingness to partner.  This has been a good formula that has produced amazing results over Habitat’s 40 years.

Habitat homebuyers are people you see around you every day providing much needed services in the community—school bus drivers, sherrif’s deputies, CNAs, bank tellers, food service workers, taxi drivers.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) isn’t always considered one of the important federal agencies, but its programs and policies have a profound impact on the lives of millions of Americans.

As Christmas approaches, my thoughts turn to how blessed I have been over the years to work in the Habitat for Humanity ministry. Our work has direct and transforming impact on families lives and we see daily what families can do with just a little opportunity.

Recently, at a home dedication in our Crosstowne neighborhood in Raleigh, I was totally surprised when one of the homebuyers asked if he could sing a song while we shared a meal together. Take a look at these short videos and be blessed! Habitat homebuyers are amazing in so many ways!

Merry Christmas!

The finishing touches are complete to the retail showroom and donation facility for the newest ReStore operated by Habitat for Humanity of Wake County. The new Glenwood Avenue location in west Raleigh opened in December, making it the sixth ReStore location in Wake County, joining locations in Raleigh, Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, and Wake Forest.

This past week, the Wake County Board of Commissioners under the leadership of Commissioner Jessica Holmes voted to establish a 32-member affordable housing commission designed to  provide input to the County Commission around the need for more affordable housing development.  I am pleased to be named to serve as part of this effort along with our Habitat Wake board member, Dr. Marvin Connelly of the Wake County Public Schools.

See this article from Indyweek.com:

Habitat for Humanity of Wake County will dedicate the homes of Omega Smith and Ronea Hopkins on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6:00 p.m. at 949 Skinner Drive in Raleigh. The event is open to the public. The Smith home is Habitat Wake’s 2016 Home for the Holidays, and is one of 60 homes Habitat Wake is building this year.

Many of us are familiar with Trulia or its parent company, Zillow Group. Before moving to the Triangle, I spent countless hours combing through apartment listings on their website, reading characteristics of various neighborhoods and calculating possible commute times.

At Saturday’s dedication of Guesh and Marta’s home sponsored by the Methodist Coalition and Schneider Electric in Crosstowne, Rev. David Haley of Knightdale United Methodist Church shared a story of a dedication he attended years ago while he was on staff at Habitat for Humanity International.  A young girl whose family’s house was being dedicated commented, “WE HAVE A HOME.  WE JUST NEED A HOUSE TO PUT IT IN!”

Amen to that.  What more empowering thing can a ministry do than to work alongside a family to help them realize the dreams they have for their family?

Over lunch last week, my colleague, John, told me about the challenges his community faces with transportation. John is also a Habitat Homeowner. His neighborhood is one of several off of New Hope Road in Southeast Raleigh that doesn’t have easy access to a bus line. “My neighbors –women, men, and students– walk more than a mile along roads with no sidewalks to reach the nearest bus stop,” John said. “They walk in all weather. There is an elderly gentleman that I see every day – he’s walking because he needs to catch the bus.”

It’s been a while since we’ve posted a blog entry and, well, that’s because we’ve just plain been busy!

We built an entire house on site at and during the NC State Fair.  Thanks to many North Carolina building products companies and the NC Departments of Commerce, Health & Human Services and Agriculture.

We made presentations at Habitat’s state conference at Lake Junaluska in Haywood County.

We attended the NC Affordable Housing Conference in Raleigh.

We sold six homes to some amazing partner families.  They were excited!