West Tuality Habitat for Humanity Secures “Self Help” Grant
(Forest Grove, Oregon) West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is celebrating the recently-announced qualification of its latest housing development in Forest Grove for the US Government’s 523 Self Help Model of Housing, meaning that the project can move from infrastructure prep to actual construction in the coming weeks.
Section 523 grants help experienced, non-profit developers such as West Tuality Habitat provide training, supervision, and technical assistance to Self-Help Housing families. The Self-Help Housing program is exclusively targeted to low-income families who are otherwise unable to access decent, clean, and safe housing. Self-Help Housing is the only federal program that combines “sweat equity” homeownership opportunities with technical assistance and affordable loans for America’s rural families. There is more information about Section 523 Mutual Self-Help Housing from the National Rural Housing Coalition (NRHC) web page.
The phrase “sweat equity” refers to the practice where partner families help build their own and their neighbors’ homes.
“The path to homeownership is a journey with a thousand steps,” said Virginia Ohler, Executive Director of West Tuality Habitat. “Securing this qualification is an important step — one of the many needed to move the project from planning and design to the point that families are moving into new homes.
Volunteers, affordable housing advocates, neighbors and others, including Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st District) and Andrea Bell, Executive Director of the Oregon Housing and Community Services, joined West Tuality Habitat for Humanity for a groundbreaking ceremony in April at Countryman Estates in Forest Grove, Oregon, the future site of the next eight new homes.
Completion of the entire Countrymen Estates development is expected by 2025. Once finished, the site will have eight homes consisting of a mix of one one-and two-story units, in sizes ranging from two to five bedrooms. Some of the homes will be fully accessible. All homes come complete with all appliances.
Countryman Estates is named in honor of Bruce Countryman, who has been the Habitat affiliate’s volunteer construction manager for six of his 12 years volunteering with the organization.
This entire Countrymen Estates project is funded in part by the Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) funding from the State of Oregon Housing & Community Services Department (OHCS). Other funding was secured through the efforts of Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR 1st District), utilizing Community Project Funding, a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023.
In 2023, West Tuality Habitat completed Kidd Court, an adjacent property to Countrymen Estates, with seven homes, and the last family moved into their home there in August. Kidd Court is named in honor of former Forest Grove mayor and long-time Habitat supporter Richard Kidd. Two years ago, the local Habitat affiliate also completed a five-home development called Coopers Corner, also in Forest Grove and named for one of the affiliate’s founding members, the late Glenn Cooper.
A Habitat homeowners’ mortgage, including mortgage payment, taxes, insurance and homeowners association fees, if applicable, will not exceed 30% of that family's gross monthly income at the time of sale. Habitat for Humanity often works to reach underserved communities specifically regarding affordable housing, and recognizes that a structure of intentional and systemic racial discrimination in the USA has created barriers to homeownership for many families. Individuals and families accepted into the Habitat homeownership program perform sweat equity as a part of this program. Participants also complete financial literacy training and homebuyer counseling, which helps to ensure long-time success as new homeowners.
Habitat homes are built primarily by volunteers. For West Tuality Habitat, there is a core group of volunteers with advanced construction skills who work on average three days a week on Habitat projects in Western Washington County. These core volunteers are regularly joined in the work by families that have qualified for home ownership through Habitat, as well as volunteers from the community, including employees volunteering through their work places, such as Intel, Lowe's, Wells Fargo, Heritage Bank, US Bank, Parr Lumber and more, as well as students from area colleges and universities. Volunteers are not required to have any prior construction experience. Companies such as Lowe's, Whirlpool, Stimson Lumber, Yale Locks, Hunter Douglas Blinds, and Malarkey Roofing provide building materials for free or deeply discounted prices. Specialized construction tasks requiring specially-licensed and bonded contractors, including electrical, plumbing, HVAC and roofing, are contracted out.
Homes built by Habitat meet or exceed all local building code requirements, and are built to Energy-Star or equivalent energy efficiency standards.
West Tuality Habitat for Humanity is a local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International and was formed in 1991. In addition to the affordable housing program, West Tuality Habitat also operates a critical home repair program for low-income, elderly, disabled and veteran homeowners. West Tuality Habitat also operates the Forest Grove ReStore, selling gently-used, furniture, appliances, home furnishings and building materials. These sales help fund the mission and services of West Tuality Habitat for Humanity. All of these programs welcome the participation of volunteers.
For more information about donating financially, volunteering or applying to be a program participant, please visit the West Tuality Habitat for Humanity web site at www.westtualityhabitat.org or call (503) 359-8459. There is also information available at the Forest Grove ReStore at 3731 Pacific Avenue.
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