On Friday August 24, 2018 at 10AM, the public attended the groundbreaking ceremony of the first home built by HFHT on the Arkansas side of Texarkana. The house will become the forever home for Courtney Blair and the A Team as she calls her two children. Ms. Blair is an employee of Texarkana Arkansas School District as the Alumni, Recruitment, and Marketing Secretary.
Courtney Blair and other future homeowners were selected into the Habitat program and have been earning sweat equity hours by volunteering with various approved programs. Before the Foundation is poured Ms. Blair will have completed 100 volunteer “sweat equity” hours. By the time she and her family move into their new home they will have completed over 200 hours total.
Three future Homeowners and current HFHT homeowners are scheduled to help build Ms. Blair’s home to put in their sweat equity hours and to pay it forward.
The future homeowners will be responsible for paying a zero-interest loan to Habitat for the purchase of these homes upon their completion. Habitat homes in the Texarkana area are currently sold to families for $65,000 to $75,000, depending on the number of bedrooms. The mortgage they pay helps fund future Habitat homes.
“Habitat for Humanity Texarkana is creating an atmosphere of self-reliance. It’s important we make the connection between shelter and poverty alleviation,” said Katherine Morgan Board Chair for HFHT. She added, “In addition to the benefit for the family, the community realizes substantial benefits from Habitat homes. The homes can be a catalyst for neighbors to clean up and beautify existing properties, creating more of a community environment in which families take pride. Affordable housing also gives families more available income to contribute to the growth of the local economy. Many Habitat homeowners invest their savings from monthly housing costs for additional education and training, which will increase their earning potential. ”
Building dollars must be raised for each house Habitat builds in the Texarkana area. To support the building efforts, log into the website at habitattexarkana.org, contact the office at (903) 832-1746, or mail checks to Habitat for Humanity Texarkana to PO Box 1345 Texarkana, TX 75504.
Volunteers are needed to help build the walls, raise the roof, paint, caulk and many other jobs. Contact the Habitat office or go online to volunteer. Team building opportunities are available.
HFHT would like to thank Mike Rogers, owner of Rogers Equipment and Construction Co, Artex Dirt Works, Traci Lee, Assistant Director of Public Works and the City of Texarkana Arkansas for their generous support of this Habitat for Humanity Texarkana home.