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| Habitat For Humanity Affiliates To Build More Homes For Low-income Families in Los Angeles Habitat for Humanity’s two largest Los Angeles area affiliates—Los Angeles and South Bay/Long Beach—have joined forces to become one organization: Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles. The two affiliates have combined their resources, board and staff to serve 112 cities and unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County including 70 communities within the City of Los Angeles. HFH GLA will be able to increase the number of new homes and homeownership opportunities for low-income families in a real estate market that is making affordable housing increasingly challenging. Many of the HFH affiliates operating in the U.S. and Canada began as grass roots organizations and several urban affiliates have grown to a size where they may be competing with neighboring affiliates for land and resources. The Greater Los Angeles merger is being viewed as a model for other urban affiliates to follow. HFH partner families earn 25 to 50 percent of area median income. For Los Angeles County, that translates to as little as $17, 850 / year for a family of four. Partner families must also meet the following requirements: demonstrated need for adequate shelter; ability to pay back a zero-interest loan; and willingness to partner with HFH GLA to invest 500 ‘sweat’ equity hours into building their home or another Habitat home. The median price for a single-family home in Los Angeles County in August 2005 was $520, 000. Through the use of a primarily volunteer work force, it costs approximately $160, 000 to construct a Habitat home. HFH GLA has built a total of 169 homes and plans to complete an additional 26 homes by June 2006. write your comments about the article :: © 2005 Construction News :: home page |