Habitat for Humanity: Building Homes for Longview Families Since March 2000

By Abby Royce

Imagine the satisfaction of helping build a home for someone else or for yourself and your family. 

According to Len Lelevich, a member of Cowlitz County Habitat for Humanity. In the Longview-Kelso area, Habitat is finishing house number 13 this month. Their plan is to build three more next year, and build a house in one week this summer if they can gather enough support from local contractors and donors.

 In order for a low-income family to qualify for a home, the family must fall under a 60-25% area median income, which is based on income and number of members, be a Cowlitz County resident for at least a year, and be willing to work 500 hours minimum on the house, though “some families put in twice that amount,” said Lelevich.

Though the qualifications for getting the home are based mainly on income, helping to build the homes is not. About 90% of the workers are community members choosing to volunteer.

The money for the houses and organization is either fundraised or donated. ReStore was also opened, and sells building materials, appliances, and furniture. The items sold in the store are donated either to the public or used in the construction of the Habitat homes. The funds are used to supports the efforts of building the affordable homes throughout Cowlitz County.

 The mortgage payments differ from buying a house from a major retail company. Habitat owns their own mortgage, and to keep the house in a cost range that the family is able to pay, there is a 0% interest.

In the most recent home built, at 800 N. Pacific (Kelso), the monthly payments were about $300, though the amount paid depends on the family’s income bracket. This will be the third home built in Kelso.

Normally, the total time to build a home is about nine months from when Habitat starts developing plans for the house. The length of time is partly because they usually just work on Sat, but they’re hoping to speed the process by working one additional day.

If you have questions, you can call the Longview location at (360) 425-6177, or visit www.cowlitzhabitat.org/index.html.