According to a report from The Elkhart Truth, a first-time “floor blitz” involving more than 30 community volunteers is helping to accelerate the development of a 14-home subdivision on the city’s south side.
Volunteer crews from Lippert and Forest River teamed up the future homeowners and others on the Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County project on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Homer Avenue site. The area is southwest of East Hively Avenue and South Main Street.
Similar to a “panel build,” the floor blitz was an accelerated build event where a group of volunteers installed foundation plates, knee walls, floor joists and subfloor sheeting on four homes in just two days. This fast-paced work helped families move closer to homeownership, organizers said.
Work on these four homes is ongoing with the other 10 homes in the subdivision to be built over the next two years.
Future homeowners in the program will be required to complete 250 hours of “sweat equity,” meaning that they will assist in building their future home or neighboring homes as part of their payment, allowing for the homes to be affordable and have a 0 percent interest mortgage.
“Elkhart county needs places for people to live that are affordable,” Greg Conrad, president and executive director of Habitat for Humanity told ABC57 News. “And so, this is enabling us to change the trajectory of lives for a lot of families” Future homeowners will also have 40 to 50 hours of training on financial management, homeownership and being a good neighbor.
Families still have another six to 18 months before their new homes are completed.
Click here to read the full report from The Elkhart Truth. Note there is a paywall.
