Archive: Around Town

Habitat For Humanity's plan has been to finish the Breed Road house in Lansing before December 1st , to allow soon-to-be homeowner Amber Little to qualify for the first-time home buyer tax credit.  Unexpected delays have made meeting that deadline less certain, but local organizers are adding build sessions in the hope that they still may finish before the deadline.  Last weekend was the first of four planned two-day Women Build events.

"We are looking at different ways of speeding the build as we go along," says local habitat Board of Directors President Angela Loh.  "We're talking about having special build days on top of the ones we have every Saturday and Wednesday evenings.  It does look more daunting at this time, but we're looking at ways to speed it up."


One way is to split the tasks into a 'parallel build.'  While work on the foundation and slab goes forward on the site a neighbor has allowed the group to use part of the yard next door to build the walls.  Once the plumbing for radiant heat is installed and a slab poured and cured over it, the walls will be ready to be installed in what will be similar to an old fashioned barn raising.

The Women Build program is run in partnership with Lowe's, which provides training in basic construction skills for the women.  Since 2003 the company has contributed over $18 million to Habitat For Humanity projects.  Lowe's committed $875,000 to National Women Build Week this year.  Loh says the program allows 15% of the workers at a build session to be men.  On Friday there was a mix, with the center around women nailing 2x4s together to make the walls.

"The training this past Wednesday was really kind of wonderful," Loh says.  "There were about 30 people there, a lot of young women who didn't seem to really know how to do construction.  It was a wonderful way to learn some basics and get a little confidence so they can come out here and actually hammer and do other things."


The site includes tents where participants can check in and  food and information are handed out.  Honorary  Chair for the weekend Women Build Charlotte Bruce was in one, watching progress of the build.

"Charlotte has been a very good supporter of ours," Loh says.  "Her background in terms of supporting women and being involved in teaching women good nutritional practices.  We thought it was appropriate to have her as our honorary chair.  She isn't going to wield a hammer, but we're really happy to have her here to support this cause."

This year the Tompkins and Cortland Habitat group received a Capacity Building Grant from Habitat International that allowed them to hire Christy Voytko as Executive Director.  The purpose of hiring her and the condition of the grant is to step up local Habitat For Humanity building from one house this year, to two next year, and three in the following year.  That puts extra pressure on the local group to not only complete the current project, but to look ahead.

"The fundraising is going well, however we always have opportunities to look ahead," Loh says.  "Right now, though we have funding for this house we are looking at how we can fund the next two houses.  We're working hard to raise money right now.  In order to build those two houses we need to have lots.  We're looking for land right now.  We're hoping to find people who are willing to donate buildable lots so that we can afford to do this more easily."


The local Habitat group was also accepted for a New York State Affordable Housing Corporation Grant that will help fund the difference between what a house costs to actually build and the size of the mortgage that they give to Little.  The money will come through when the Breed Road house is complete, forming a nest egg to start the next house. 

Additionally, Lansing's Rogue's Harbor Inn has declared October 'Habitat for  Humanity Month.'  Each Wednesday in October the Inn will donate 10% of their food sales to Habitat for  Humanity of Tompkins and Cortland Counties.  On The last Wednesday, October 28th, they will host a special event with restaurant tips donated as well.  The historic ballroom will be opened for a wine tasting by Six Mile Creek Vineyard, with live and silent auctions hosted by Q Country personality Chris Allinger.

Loh says that the Women build training sessions are investment for this project and future projects.

"I hope that even beyond the four weekends that we're planning to have Women's Build here that we have more of these with our future homes," she says.  "What I like to see is that we've built up a critical mass of women who are being trained through this process who are willing to come out repeatedly to help us."

Little says her work schedule has not allowed her to participate in the regularly scheduled Wednesday and Saturday  sessions as much as she would like, but she will be at the new Friday sessions that are being added to the schedule.  As she helps to build the house the reality of owning her own home is beginning to take shape before her eyes.

"I'm picturing it a little bit," Little says.  "We drive by every day.  My two year old doesn't say much, but my six year old, Maleki , can't wait."

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