Habitat for Humanity milestone:195th home in Kalamazoo

Kathy Jennings | Thursday, December 18, 2014

Habitat for humanity

A family of a longtime resident of Kalamazoo's East Side neighborhood donated a house to Habitat for Humanity and now the 1,000 square foot house is the new home of a Habitat home buyer.

At a recent dedication ceremony the public was invited to see the many energy efficient features built into the home at 1819 Elder as it was rehabbed. High school students enrolled in the Kalamazoo Regional Educational Service Agency’s Education for Employment Construction Trades program renovated this house under the direction of Habitat staff.

Through the program EFE students learn many aspects of the construction trade, including site preparation and layout, carpentry, electrical, masonry, plumbing, heating, plastering, painting and other skills.

Habitat for Humanity volunteers also helped with the project.

The new home is so energy efficient that it doesn't have a traditional furnace. By using the latest in energy saving materials and methods, such as spray foam insulation, thicker framed walls, and air-sealing, the home requires less than half of the heat that would be provided by the smallest gas furnace on the market today. Instead, the home is heated and cooled by two "mini-split" heat pump units.

Some other special features include:

handcrafted cabinets made by Jackson State Prison volunteers through the Prison Build Program;
partnership between the Michigan State Department of Corrections and Habitat for Humanity of Michigan;
board insulation donated by Dow Chemical;
paint donated by Valspar;
a range and refrigerator donated by Whirlpool;
breakers and service panel donated by U.S. Schneider Electric, and;
mini-blinds for the bedrooms and baths from Hunter Douglas.

The homeowners are the 195th to participate in the Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity program.

A qualified Habitat home buyer who has contributed more than 300 volunteer hours or “sweat equity” to help build this home and the homes of fellow Kalamazoo Valley Habitat for Humanity home buyers purchased the home.

The home buyer also completed more than 30 hours of MSHDA-approved financial literacy and personal financial management classes at Kalamazoo Neighborhood Housing Services and more than 27 hours of homeowner maintenance training provided by Habitat in partnership with Community Homeworks.

Source: Habitat for Humanity