Special to Dorchester Banner/Habitat Choptank
Nora Skiver was one of 17 buyers who purchased a home through Habitat Choptank’s five year strategic plan. Like all Habitat buyers, Ms. Skiver participated in the construction of her future house and other Habitat projects. Habitat built the home and then financed the purchase providing Ms. Skiver with an affordable 30 year mortgage.[/caption] CAMBRIDGE – Habitat for Humanity Choptank has completed a five year strategic plan to expand its capacity to build homes that are sold to income-qualifying home buyers and repair houses for owner-occupied homes in and around neighborhoods where Habitat builds. Despite a challenging economic environment and the subprime mortgage crisis, Habitat Choptank built and sold 17 homes, has four houses nearing completion, and completed 14 home weatherization projects for its strategic plan entitled, “25 in 5: Building for the Future.” “It has been a remarkable five years,” said Greg Whitten, president of the Habitat Choptank board of directors. “Our volunteers have donated a total of 121,091 unique hours of service and Habitat Choptank has invested more than $4 million to build or improve 31 housing units in Talbot and Dorchester counties, purchase properties, and assist 17 hard-working families in becoming homeowners.” Equally important, noted Mr. Whitten, the organization expanded its capacity, including: • Greater access to capital for low-cost mortgages. • An increase in income to cover organization overhead costs with additional leadership in fundraising and the expansion of Restore, an outlet that accepts donated goods for resale. • Strengthening of Habitat volunteer and staff leadership to be able to build more homes and develop more homeowners annually. • Continuing its focus on building practices so that Habitat homes are “sustainably built”, making them more durable and more energy efficient. Included in the past five years were single family and multi-family builds. A 10-home development on Clay Street in Easton was a joint nonprofit venture with Elm Street Development begun in 2008 was completed. Elm Street provided the land and Habitat Choptank was the developer, contractor, and builder for the development. Six of the homes were sold to Habitat Choptank buyers. Nearby on Port Street, a five-home Habitat development with a triplex and a duplex is nearing completion. The single family builds were a mix of new construction and rehabs. On Sept. 15, the Habitat Choptank Annual Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Dinner will be held at which time the strategic plan for 2016-2019 will be announced. For more information contact the Habitat Choptank office at 410-476-3204 or www.habitatchoptank.org.