Family Receives Keys To Habitat for Humanity Home
Josh Evans thanks those in attendance for helping his family with their Habitat for Humanity home.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – Mahaska County Habitat for Humanity celebrated the construction of its 20th home at a dedication ceremony on Sunday, June 28th.
Josh & Stephanie Evans, along with their son and daughter, accepted the keys to their new home at 1004 Mabel Street. “Thank you very much. Thanks for everybody’s help. We appreciate it,” Josh Evans said during the ceremony. Quilts were presented to each member of the family by ‘Helping Hands’ as a welcome gift.
Habitat for Humanity board member Andy Baker thanked everyone for their help during the construction process. “We will actually be in the process of building our next home in the near future, and we would love your help and your partnership with that as well.”
Mahaska County Habitat For Humanity founder Rich Van Weelden was in attendance on Sunday. Van Weelden has built homes with former US President Jimmy Carter. “It was a pleasure and something I will never forget.”
“I’m glad to see this, another one here,” said Van Weelden of the 20th Habitat for Humanity home in Mahaska County. “A pretty good record.”
Bryce Abbas, Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity in Mahaska County, said that this was the 3rd home built by the organization in the neighborhood. “One of the neighbors over here provided us with a shrimp lunch one day because of all we’ve done for this neighborhood.”
The new homes built by Habitat for Humanity help to increase the value of neighboring homes, as well as the neighborhood overall.
The new home like the one just completed is valued at approximately $130,000.00.
Habitat for Humanity and the City of Oskaloosa have a loose partnership when it comes to empty lots. Those lots that the city is unable to sell to developers can be acquired by Habitat for Humanity.
That acquisition versus an empty lot puts a home on the tax rolls for the city. The homes that Habitat for Humanity currently has on its books provide $25,000.00 in property tax revenue, according to Abbas. “We’re at right now, $240,000.00 in total that these Habitat homes have paid in real-estate taxes.”
The cost to Habitat for Humanity to build the home is paid back by the home owner at 0% interest rate over 20 to 30 years.
The home that was dedicated on Sunday cost just under $100,000.00 to build. In order for the new family to gain that sweat equity built into the home, they must live in the home for 20 years, and have volunteered 500 hours of sweat equity. If they move out before the 20 years, they would be required to pay back the full value of the home.
This is done to help prevent a new family from turning around and selling the home to make a quick profit off the non-profit group.
The sweat equity also means the new owners move in with a vested interest in the property. “It just isn’t given to them,” said Abbas.
If you want to learn more about Habitat for Humanity in Oskaloosa, you can visit them on their website HERE.
