Posts Tagged 'Ann Arbor'

[This story is adapted from Avalon Housing, Inc.'s press release. To read the full story, click here.]

Sen. Rebekah Warren (18-Ann Arbor) and Rep. Jeff Irwin (53-Ann Arbor) and their staffs spent four hours building an outdoor grill for Avalon Housing, Inc. at  Carrot Way Apartments, a 30-unit supportive housing community built in 2005. Carrot Way Apartments was the first new construction of supportive housing for families in Washtenaw County.

“You only need to spend a few minutes at one of Avalon’s properties to see that they are truly building vibrant neighborhoods that residents are proud to call home,” said Senator Rebekah Warren (D – Ann Arbor). “The long-term benefits of supportive housing reach far beyond their walls, however, adding to the fabric of our community and providing an affordable and stable housing option for people throughout the county. I was thrilled to bring my team out to work with them on this LBC volunteer project today and encourage my colleagues to look for opportunities in their districts as well.”

Carole McCabe, executive director of Avalon Housing, was thrilled to have legislators working on the project. “We appreciate the support of our state legislators.  This gave them an opportunity to meet Avalon tenants and be involved in our community. We need the community to understand that supportive housing is the key to ending homelessness.”

Rep. Irwin also supports Avalon’s Mission. “Avalon is an incredible resource for our community.  I am proud to help chip in whenever I can to help provide supportive housing in Ann Arbor.”

Avalon Housing, Inc. is a community based organization created in 1992 to develop, own and manage permanent supportive housing that is affordable to Washtenaw County’s lowest income residents, including people who have experienced homelessness and people with mental and physical disabilities.

[This story is adapted from the Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley website - click here to read the full story.]

On Monday, June 13, 2011, Senator Rebekah Warren (18-Ann Arbor) and her staff strapped on tool belts and picked up hammers to help build a home for a family in Washtenaw County. The house, located at 2970 Sharon Ave in Ann Arbor, is a collaborative project that is only possible with the commitment of many community partners.

Warren showed up with her crew, who were excited to get to work. They helped hang blue board on the exterior of this stick-built home, increasing the energy efficiency of the house.

About the Home:

Like all of the homes that Habitat is renovating, the house at 2970 Sharon was a foreclosed property that was sitting empty. Due to poor condition of the slab foundation, block walls and lead paint, Habitat demolished the structure and is building a home from scratch – the only “stick-built” that the Washtenaw County affiliate is completing in at least three years.

This home will be incredibly energy efficient, built to meet Energy Star 5 Rating (as the vast majority of our homes do), but this home is unique to Habitat because of the use of energy efficient practices radiant floors. This high-efficiency technique to heat the home will be so efficient that the entire house will be heated by a water heater.

Many professional contractors are donating labor and materials to ensure this home is affordable for the family. The home will be completed by July.

Habitat’s Partners on this Build

Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley is a proud participant in the Habitat Prison Build Program. Prison Build is a unique partnership which has assisted Habitat affiliates in the building of more than 2,000 homes in Michigan and offers inmates in various Michigan Correctional Facilities an opportunity for education and hands-on training by constructing wall panels, cabinets and other housing components. This home’s sheds, walls, cabinets and landscaping packages have all been made possible through this collaborative partnership.

Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley is also fortunate to have a partnership with the City of Ann Arbor, who will contribute valuable financial assistance to the project through the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP). This program through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), approved under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, provides targeted emergency assistance to state and local governments to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties that might otherwise becomes sources of abandonment and blight within their communities.

Sponsors of this project

The house on Sharon Ave is sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Lutheran Congregations located in Washtenaw County. Habitat for Humanity’s relationship with Thrivent Financial brings the financial, volunteer and advocacy resources of Thrivent Financial together with the affordable housing construction leadership of hundreds of local Habitat for Humanity affiliates. During the past five years, this integrated effort resulted in the construction of nearly 1,500 homes in the United States, which engaged approximately 450,000 volunteers who contributed nearly 3 million volunteer hours toward the effort. Of these projects, nine homes have been in Washtenaw County. This year they are sponsoring 164 homes in 33 states in conjunction with Lutheran congregations, including this one in partnership with Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley.