Diana fought back happy tears as she watched the walls of her new home go up. When volunteers—with her participation—complete the construction of the house, Diana will, for the first time, move into a home that she owns. Diana is a certified teacher with two college degrees, but she has been financially unable to own her own home in the past. With help from Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery County, Texas (Habitat MCTX), her dream of home ownership is finally coming true.
“I am so thankful. I am a single mom. I am constantly doing things completely by myself—doctor’s appointments, parent-teacher meetings. It feels so good to have people around me, helping me,” Diana says. “I am very, very thankful.” Meanwhile, Diana’s 13-year-old daughter, Dayanara, signed wood beams that will be part of the interior walls of her new home. “I am really excited,” she says, Sharpie pen in hand. “I can’t wait to finally enter a place I can call home.”
Habitat for Humanity, a global non-profit organization with a presence in all 50 states and in 70 countries, has a vision: “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.” Habitat MCTX, the local affiliate, helps victims of natural disasters with its home repair program, and can also assist people who need to make home modifications consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, the organization is perhaps best known for its home ownership program. By partnering with volunteer construction workers and by providing no-interest mortgage loans, Habitat MCTX is able to help people who have previously been unable to enjoy the benefits of home ownership to own their own homes, often for less than it would cost them to rent less-desirable dwellings.
Each Habitat affiliate has many applicants; future homeowners are selected based on their level of need, their willingness to partner with Habitat and their ability to repay an affordable mortgage. In addition, prospective homeowners in the Habitat MCTX homeowner program are required to earn 350 “sweat equity” hours as a condition of home ownership. Habitat MCTX looks on these hours as a type of down payment, says Taylor Berrier, program specialist for Habitat MCTX.
Sweat equity hours can be accrued in many ways, including volunteering at the Habitat ReStore or other non-profit organizations in the community, such as a family’s church or their children’s school. They also accrue hours by attending about ten required courses designed to shift Habitat families from a renter mindset to that of a homeowner, Taylor says. Classes teach future homeowners everything from home maintenance to financial management. Some hours can also be earned by helping construct other Habitat families’ homes. “I love the way that they are building their neighbors’ houses in a time when we don’t know our neighbors,” says Rhonda Darby, volunteer coordinator for Habitat MCTX.
The whole family can participate: Habitat families’ children can help earn sweat equity hours by getting good grades in school. “We want kids to be a part of it,” Taylor says, “and it’s a fun incentive.” It usually takes about a year and a half for families to earn their sweat equity hours and for the construction of their homes to be completed, he says.
For more than 10 years, Habitat MCTX has been building houses in Cedar Creek, a neighborhood in east Conroe. Volunteers come together on Saturdays during each building season (September through May) to generously provide the labor to construct the homes. Some volunteers are groups from businesses, schools, and churches; others are from the community at large. “I call them ‘seasoned professional volunteers,’” Rhonda says. Some volunteers have helped build many houses. “You are helping somebody—a family—have a house,” says one woman who volunteers often with her church, Woodlands Methodist. “What is more important than your home?” She expressed admiration for Habitat MCTX families, who work hard to earn the privilege of owning a Habitat home. “There are people who wouldn’t even attempt this. I am in awe of the people who are doing this to have a home for themselves,” she says.
Families have already been selected for the final nine homes in Cedar Creek. Those homes will be built during the building season now in progress and the next, bringing the total number of homes in the subdivision to 129. Meanwhile, the organization is planning another Habitat community. “We want to shift and start working on our new community in the Magnolia area,” Taylor says. Although plans are not firm, Habitat may be able to accept applications for home ownership as early as 2025, with construction beginning in 2026.
Meanwhile, Habitat MCTX has been busy helping people who need home repairs. The organization is planning an application fair for people affected by Hurricane Beryl, seniors, and people who need ADA-specific repairs, says Cinthia Sotelo, director of homeowner services for Habitat MCTX. “We are accepting applications for our home repair program,” she says, “and actively assisting seniors, veterans, individuals and families improve the health and safety of their home by improving the quality of their living conditions.”
Although Habitat for Humanity does not push a doctrinal agenda on families, it is an organization built on Christian principles. At a recent “wall raising ceremony,” Billy Thompson, a past board member who currently teaches home and fire safety classes for Habitat families, opened the event with prayer. “Thank you for goodness and thank you for grace,” he prayed. “We are so grateful you have given us the opportunity to come out here and do the work you would have us do.”
For more information, visit habitatmctx.org.
One of the ways Habitat for Humanity raises money to help defray construction costs is by operating ReStores. When families and businesses donate gently used—and sometimes new—furniture, appliances, home accessories and construction materials, it’s a triple win. Because Habitat ReStores are non-profit organizations, contributions are tax-deductible. Meanwhile, donated items are sold at a fraction of the price they would fetch if new, giving local shoppers a bargain. They can also feel good about being a part of Habitat for Humanity’s vision of “a world where everyone has a decent place to live.”
“We are very grateful for our sponsors, whether donors or shoppers,” says Mysti Henley, director of retail operations. “Our proceeds go to our mission. We are trying to make a difference in providing sustainable housing for people in our community.”
The Montgomery County Habitat ReStore even offers a “deconstruction program,” Mysti says. “We offer a service for people who are remodeling themselves. We will go tear it out for them,” she says.
Mysti advises savvy shoppers to check the store often. The ReStore, now located at 9407 State Highway 242, is a cavernous, 16,000 square foot facility. “We price everything 40-60 percent below new prices if it’s used; if it’s new, 30 percent. After two weeks, most items go down 10 percent; the third week, they go down 20 percent. Our goal is to have everything cycled out within 90 days,” Mysti says.
The Habitat ReStore recently formed an eBay Store, where it sells smaller items that can be shipped inexpensively; therefore, the ReStore particularly appreciates donations of smaller items, including home accessories and even jewelry. “Shop our eBay store for unique smaller items,” Mysti suggests. “If you are local, you can pick up at the ReStore and not have to pay shipping charges.”
The ReStore is open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The donation center is open on the same days, but does not accept donations after 4:30 p.m.
For more information, follow Habitat MCTX ReStore at Woodforest Center on Facebook.
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