A look at how Habitat for Humanity is helping the poverty housing here in Macon By: Hannah Pelt

Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit Christian organization that is dedicated to building affordable housing for families that meet certain criteria. Their mission statement is to seek to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Source: habitat.org

Nearly 2 billion people around the world live in slum housing Over 100 million people world wide are homeless In the Unites States, 95 million people have housing problems of some kind. (overcrowding, cant afford rent or mortgage, sub- standard living conditions or homelessness) Source: habitat.org

The national average for substandard housing is 8% but in Macon, 23% of the housing is considered substandard. A recent University of Georgia study showed that 1/3 of Georgia families could not afford to buy their home. That same study also showed that 1 million Georgia families earn less than $30,000 a year and they can not afford a home when the average selling price is $150,000. Source: habitatmacon.org

It was founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia by Millard and Linda Fuller. The first house built was in San Antonio, Texas in The first Habitat house in Georgia was built in Americus in By 1981, Habitat for Humanity has built 342 houses worldwide. In 1984, former president Jimmy Carter and his wife become partners with Habitat for Humanity. Source: habitat.org

In 1991, Habitat for Humanitys 10,000 th house is built in Atlanta, Georgia. By 2000, 100,000 houses have been built worldwide by Habitat for Humanity. In 2008, Habitat for Humanity was named the 14 th largest homebuilder in the Unites States. As of 2010, Habitat for Humanity has helped over 400,000 families worldwide obtained affordable, clean houses. Source: habitat.org

Applicants must meet Habitat for Humanitys 3 basic guidelines: 1.Must have a need The housing they live in must be at least one of the following: * substandard housing * Section 8 or public housing * in a dangerous neighborhood * overcrowded * temporary * rent is more than 35% of gross income AND Income must fall into the following guidelines: Source: maconhabitat.org

Number of people in household 25%60% 1$9,450$22,680 2$10,800$25,920 3$12,150$29,160 4$13,500$32,400 5$14,600$35,040 6$15,675$37,620 7$16,750$40,200 8$17,825$42,780 Source: maconhabitat.org

2.Must have the ability to pay *applicant must have had stable income for the past 12 months. *applicant can not have declared bankruptcy in the last 12 moths and any existing bankruptcy must be discharged. *applicant must have clean good rent history 3.Must be willing to partner with Habitat for Humanity *must agree to put in 300 sweat hours of equity working on other families homes and then their own. *must be living in Jones or Bibb counties for at least the last 12 months. *pay a deposit of $900 before closing *attend homeowner education classes. *pay a monthly, no interest mortgage for 20 years. Source: maconhabitat.org

Typically a 3 bedroom, 1 bath house 1,100 square feet of living space Cost is usually $65,000 - $75,000 Actual Habitat for Humanity house in Macon Source: maconhabitat.org

Habitat usually builds wherever they can acquire land to do so but they have focus on one area, Lynmore Estates, in south Macon. Abandoned houses make up 1/3 of the 435 lots in the neighborhood. 99 of the 212 families that live in this neighborhood are below the poverty level. Macon Habitat for Humanity has committed to building 46 houses in Lynmore Estates from Source: maconhabitat.org

Since children under 14 are not allowed at the home sites while under construction, ask your parents or family members to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. You can organize a fundraiser like a bake sale or a car wash and donate the money to Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity is always accepting donations and every little bit counts! You can raise awareness to the community on the need for Habitat for Humanity in Macon.