Habitat for Humanity doubles homebuilding, expands into Delta County

Brandon Leuallen, The Business Times

Volunteers, staff and community members gathered Oct. 17 for Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County’s 3rd Annual Hope Through Homes block party, a celebration of the organization’s continued growth in providing affordable housing.

The event featured live music, food trucks and families who have helped build homes in the expanding Hoffman Subdivision in Grand Junction.

This year marked a milestone for Habitat’s local operations as the organization increases the number of homes it builds each year, expands its service area into Delta County and prepares to launch a new 21-unit subdivision in Clifton called Cottage Gardens.

“This is our third annual Hope Through Homes event,” said Tanya Adams, program specialist for Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County. “We host this community block party every year to show people what we’re doing for affordable housing. That’s why we have it in a subdivision, so the community can see the homes and where we’re at in the process. Every donation stays local and helps build homes for families right here.”

Building Momentum

Adams said the organization is currently building six homes this year, up from four the year before.

“We have a total of eight new future homeowners,” she said. “Our goal is to continue building a couple more each year. We went from four to six this year, and we’re hoping to do eight next year.”

Construction Manager Nathan Margosian oversees the hands-on work of building those homes, often alongside volunteers and future homeowners.

“Right now we’re finishing this side of the subdivision, and then we’ll be done in here,” he said. “Next year we’ll start our next project in Clifton.”

That next project, Adams said, is Cottage Gardens, a neighborhood near the Clifton Community Center at E Road and 32 1/2 Road.

“We’re really excited about that,” she said. “If the county finishes the roadwork and we can get the infrastructure done in time, we’ll do eight homes next year and maintain at least that number moving forward.”

Expanding Into Delta County

In another major development, Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County recently gained approval to expand its service area to include Delta County, a move that will allow it to begin identifying land and funding for future builds there.

“We just got Delta County in our service area,” Executive Director Laurel Cole said. “We’re really excited about that. The plan is to start reaching out and seeing what opportunities and funding are available, so we can start building out there, too. We’ll be building both here and there.”

Community Connection

The Hope Through Homes event, featuring musical performances by Peach Street Revival and The Lost Junction Band, took place on the foundation of the next Habitat home to be built, symbolizing the organization’s mission of combining community, music and construction to build something lasting together.

For many staff and volunteers, the event also offered a chance to meet the families whose lives are being transformed through affordable homeownership. Children ran between the framed homes and food trucks while volunteers in Habitat shirts greeted visitors and helped with a silent auction that even included a pair of purebred German shepherd puppies. 

Funding and Affordability

Adams said Habitat continues to rely on a mix of grants, community partnerships and homeowner investment to keep housing costs low for qualifying homeowners who are selected.

“Our homeowners pay for their houses, but they do it through a zero to low-interest loan through Habitat,” she said. “We don’t do traditional mortgages with high interest. It keeps things affordable for working families.”

Habitat also benefits from a growing number of local sponsors and fundraisers.

“We’ve been doing a lot more community events this year,” Adams said. “There are so many great nonprofits in the valley, so we’re working hard to get our face out there and show people what we’re doing.”

Looking Ahead

With the Clifton subdivision breaking ground soon and new opportunities in Delta County on the horizon, Habitat for Humanity of Mesa County is positioning itself for its most productive year yet.

“We’re really hoping to ramp up our building,” Adams said. “Our goal is to maintain a minimum of eight homes a year and eventually go up to 12, and that’s just here. Then we’ll start building in Delta, too.”