Habitat for Humanity volunteers build 26th house in Cape Girardeau

The Habitat for Humanity-Cape Area Inc. volunteers were busy raising the walls of Habitat partner Dustin Runnels' home during the last weekend in January. It is the 26th home Habitat has built in Cape Girardeau. Located at 748 S. West End Blvd., a crew of about 30 Southeast Missouri State University volunteers from Alpha Phi Omega and Zeta Phi Beta, Runnels' friends, Habitat partner family member Lori Fann (who will soon be a Habitat for Humanity homeowner) and crew chief Steve Barry (also a Habitat partner family member) worked in wintry weather to get the job done.

The United Way of Southeast Missouri, which dramatically increased its funding to commit to solving the local shortage of simple, decent, affordable housing in the area, provided $8,000 toward the construction of this Habitat house. United Way will contribute $8,000 to each of the four additional houses Habitat plans to build this year.

Habitat for Humanity-Cape Area Inc. seeks additional building lots, volunteers and donations of money and construction materials to help reach its 2007 goal of building five homes this year. About 15,000 volunteer hours and $300,000 are needed to reach this goal.

Runnels will purchase the home two months from now. He and Lori Fann, who recently broke ground on her Habitat home at 742 S. West End Blvd., worked to invest their efforts toward accumulating 350 hours of sweat equity downpayments. "Sweat equity" is the homeowners' labor in building their houses and the houses of their neighbors, after they are selected to be Habitat partners, but before they complete and move into their new houses.

Annually, the family selection committee solicits applicants throughout the Cape area for partner families whose income is between 25 percent and 50 percent of the median. Applicants must be legal residents and have lived in the area for at least a year. Families are selected based on their need, ability to pay and willingness to partner with Habitat. Selected families that are successful in completing the requirements will receive a no-interest mortgage on a house built to accommodate their family size and budget.

Habitat for Humanity-Cape Area Inc. (an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International) is a not-for-profit community investment corporation promoting affordable homeownership by locally employed residents who need adequate housing.

cpagano@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133