SOUTH POINT ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” Habitat for Humanity of the Tri-State (HHTS) broke ground on a home in South Point on Wednesday.
It is the nonprofitÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s second groundbreaking in the past 10 days.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis is the first home that weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re building in Lawrence County since we have expanded to cover the entire county, so itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a really awesome experience for us and we couldnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t be more proud to take this step with Leann and her kids who will soon call this place home,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Nikki Hagerman, homeowner services coordinator for HHTS.
Leann Samples, 39, of Huntington, moved her family to South Point a year ago. Her new four-bedroom, two-bathroom home is expected to be complete by the end of December.
Samples works as a CNA. She looked into buying a home through HHTS and started the process around the time she moved to South Point.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI was just tired of renting,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ she said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œJust to have my own home, not renting something more affordable. I mean, rentÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s not exactly cheap. IÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m paying $1,500 a month just for a three-bedroom.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
The other recent groundbreaking was Monday, July 21, in West Portsmouth, Ohio. ItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a three-bedroom home that will go to a single mother of two. It is also expected to be complete by the end of the year.
There are misconceptions about Habitat Humanity homes, Hagerman said. For one, none of these houses are gifted. The homeowner has a 25-year mortgage with 0% interest. The homeowner has to meet qualifications that show they are in need of better housing, but is also reliable enough to make the payments. HHTS homeowners also put in ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œsweat equity hoursÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ and enroll in a series of homeowner education classes taught by Hagerman.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™m a school administrator, and I can tell you stories of students who locally live in caves,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ said Melissa Bowling, president of the HHTS board of directors. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThey live in campers. They live in abandoned homes without electricity or water. And so it touched my heart seeing you, meeting you today, Leann, for the first time, to see that you have four children, and that through our efforts in Habitat for Humanity and your work at the ReStore and the sweat equity hours that your sweet precious babies are going to have a safe, affordable home.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥
Volunteers are welcome to come work on this house specifically. HHTS Executive Director David Michael says the organization uses about 2,000 hours of volunteer time per house. He says itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a great opportunity for groups and individuals. Anyone interested can contact the office at 304-523-4822.
Michael Wright, lead pastor at Big Branch Church, read scriptures and led prayers for the ceremony. It was his first event with HHTS.
ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThis is going to tremendously help them in the long-term stability of their family and their household, and these kids are gonna be able to flourish because of this,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥ Wright said.
