One Family at a Time

It wasn't a great day to be outside. Below-freezing temperatures. Icy sidewalks. A blustery wind. And the smell of snow - and lots of it - in the air.

But it was a great day to celebrate. To celebrate, for example, the wall that had just been raised by a group of volunteers from Habitat for Humanity of Seattle and South King County on a house being built in the High Point neighborhood in West Seattle. It's one of 20 homes Habitat is building in collaboration with the Seattle Housing Authority that is using HUD Hope VI funds to rebuild and revitalize High Point, an area once known only for its "worn out public housing."

Raising a wall of the new home.

"When you see the old barn-raisings and the roof-raisings of the Quakers, this is just like that" HUD's Regional Director observed, "And I think it will build a community as strong as those."

"The work is hard," added Habitat executive director Kooistra, "the work is one family at a time."

The wall-raising was good enough news, especially for the "one family" who shortly will occupy the house. But even better news came from HUD's Regional Director, who used the event, on behalf of HUD Secretary Steven Preston who had planned to attend but was snowbound at O'Hare in Chicago, to announce that HUD has awarded $26.5 million in HUD Self Help Homeownership Opportunities Program (SHOP) funds to Habitat for Humanity International, the Housing Assistance Council and Community Frameworks of Spokane to build more houses like the one rising in High Point.

SHOP funds are used to help families acquire land and make improvements before they roll up their sleeves and get to work, along with other volunteers, to actually build the house. Since 1996, SHOP and "sweat equity" have built more than 1,100 self-help homes in Washington State alone. With the additional $26.5 million in HUD funds, another 1,540 self-help homes will be built nationwide.

HUD's announcement, Habitat for Humanity International's Arline Corbin Lewis told The Seattle Post Intelligencer "is certainly going to help us ensure that homeownership remains viable and vital."

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