Habitat for Humanity Alpena Area

Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing effort dedicated to making decent housing a matter of conscience and action. We want to eliminate poverty housing, one family at a time!

How doe it work?

Houses are built using as much volunteer labor and donated material as possible. Then employing "biblical economics", they are sold to a family in need (unable to secure a bank loan) at no profit and no interest. Each partner family is required to put in 500 hours of "sweat equity" in the construction. The cost of the house is repaid over a fixed period of time and the payments are recycled to build more houses. No government funds are used for the actual construction of the houses, although such funds may be used for sewers and other costs of site development. All construction funds come from individuals, churches, corporate and foundation grants.

All Habitat projects adhere to a non-discriminatory family selection policy where neither race nor religion determines who receives a Habitat house. Families are selected on the basis of being willing to "partner" and being able to make the mortgage payments. Habitat is a hand up, not a hand out.

Local involvement

Habitat for Humanity is an international organization, but it is also a "grass roots" organization where a local affiliate makes its own decisions. Each group is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors drawn from all walks of life. The Alpena affiliate was organized in 1990 and built its first house that year on Alfred Street. It took only six years to build the first ten houses, and that successful pace has continued and even increased. Community cooperation has been excellent. The local group is responsible for site selection, family selection and nurturing, construction work, and fund raising.

Results!

Habitat is efficient and effective. It makes a significant difference in people's lives. Our dollars go far and the self help system promotes positive values. Home ownership is a powerful motivating factor. Foreclosures on Habitat mortgages are rare.

Join Us!

There are many ways you can become involved. Contributions of money, land, material, and time are always needed. The Alpena Habitat office is located in the First Presbyterian Church on US 23 N and Long Rapids Road. The phone number is 356-3509. Volunteers staff the office a few hours each day and will return messages left on the answering machine.