Building on a Rural Tradition

Homeowner Michelle Hughes (left) joins a volunteer in providing "sweat equity" during MHDC's "work day" event in Milford, Del. on June 20.

Volunteers raised the walls on Michelle Hughes' home by the end of the MHDC "work day" event.

Soon-to-be homeowner Michelle Hughes' "Open House" looked a lot less open after 42 volunteers completed framing her home during the Milford Housing Development Corporation's (MHDC) "work day" on June 20. The team of volunteers, including HUD's Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Joe DeFelice and Wilmington Field Office Director Maria Bynum, joined MHDC's President and CEO David Moore for the unique National Homeownership Month Celebration in Milford, Del.

MHDC is a nonprofit organization that provides affordable housing opportunities to people of modest means. The self-help housing program featured during the build was established by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development over 40 years ago utilizing a "sweat equity" model. MHDC, the only agency in Delaware offering the program, has helped close to 200 families realize their dream of homeownership.

Just as the title says, this is a program where the borrowers are helping themselves. On average, each family contributes about 1,500 hours of labor to build not only their own home, but the homes of the other families who are enrolled in the program. In Delaware, these hours add up to about $32,000 in sweat equity. That's a sizable sum when you consider that the average income of participants in the program is under $28,000.

The Program builds on the barn-raising tradition of rural America—as evidenced by the wall raising at Hughes' home. Also joining in on the "work day" were members of the USDA's Rural Housing Service, State legislators, and representatives from the offices of Senator Carper and Senator Coons. Once completed, Ms. Hughes will enjoy her very own three-bedroom, two-bath home with a two-car garage on a site she picked out herself in Milford.

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