U.S. Housing Facts   10.9 million individuals live in housing with severe physical deficiencies such as having no hot water, no electricity, no toilet or neither a bathtub nor shower. Habitat Quick Facts * More than 200,000 houses built! * One million people now live in safe, decent Habitat houses. * Houses are sold at no profit with an interest-free mortgage. * Homeowners and volunteers build the houses under trained supervision.

• Homeowner Profile: The Landrum Family  
• Director's Notes: A Message from Sarah Brachle 
• Feature: Youth Volleyball Tournament
• Feature: Landrum Home Groundbreaking
• Spotlight: Art Roberts, Chair of Construction Committee
• A Look Ahead: What's happening in the upcoming months 

HOMEOWNER PROFILE: THE LANDRUMS

  

In her own words, Alicia Landrum's family has been "hanging in there waiting for the right opportunity" while living in their Naperville apartment. This mother and her three children have spent a long time wanting a home of their own, and later this year, their wait will finally be at an end. DuPage Habitat for Humanity's newest partner family turned to the organization because, as Alicia put it, "I knew they were helpful for people who don't know how to get started." Now that they are getting started, the family is looking to the future, anticipating long evenings in their new backyard and, perhaps most, their first Christmas in their own home.
 
In the meantime, Alicia and her family will take their first steps with the organization, including working to help finish construction on another partner family's home. Recently, Alicia spent a weekend hanging drywall at a Habitat home. "That was an experience!" she said, and went on to note her favorite aspect of putting in her "sweat equity," sharing her excitement with another partner family. "Soon," she said, "We'll be where they are!" Alicia and her family are grateful to DuPage Habitat and hope that more people will continue to reach out to support its efforts.

 

-- Dave Bristol

Friends, 

When I am out talking with residents of the DuPage community, I am often asked, "Is there a need for Habitat for Humanity in DuPage County?" The short answer is YES.

 

FACT: Working families are being priced out of homeownership in DuPage County.

DuPage is the 19th wealthiest county in the United States. Because of high land costs and changes in demographics, it is now very difficult for low and moderate income DuPage County workers - even families with two wage-earners - to become homeowners. In the past year, the median income in DuPage County has dropped from $72,400 to $69,800 while the median home cost has risen to $360,000, up 4.8 percent from last year. This increasing disparity between income and housing costs has resulted in many local families having to make the difficult choice between cramming into overcrowded housing or paying too much of their income for housing. 

 

FACT: The home situation has an important impact on kids. 

Children who move often and do not have a stable living environment score lower academically in math and reading, and suffer from higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems (Children's Defense Fund, Housing Policy Memo, January 2005). Children of homeowners are 25 percent more likely to graduate from high school and 116 percent more likely to graduate from college (Boehm & Schlottmann, University of Tennessee).

 

FACT: Affordable housing is important for healthy communities.

Studies show that homeowners are 28 percent more likely than renters to maintain their homes and 10 percent more likely to participate in community problem solving (George Galster, "Land Economics," Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies). Additionally, according to the U.S. Census, homeowners stay in one place for an average of 12 years, as opposed to three years for renters. Together these statistics illustrate the positive impact which homeownership has on the community as a whole. 

 

FACT: DuPage Habitat is part of our community's affordable housing solution. 

In addition to our homebuilding efforts, DuPage Habitat works to educate the community with facts about affordable housing. This year, DuPage Habitat will make homes available to five limited-income families. On March 31, DuPage Habitat purchased the land that will serve as the home of the future 11-home Pioneer Prairie neighborhood in West Chicago. All these homes will be built or renovated with the help of hundreds of community members who will leave DuPage Habitat better educated about the need for affordable homeownership in our community, and confident that they have been, and can continue to be, part of the solution.

 

Is DuPage Habitat's work needed by DuPage County? YES. Is your support needed by DuPage Habitat? YES. 

 

Thanks to all our supporters. You help make DuPage Habitat part of the affordable housing solution.

 

In partnership,

 

Sarah Brachle

Executive Director

 

FEATURE: YOUTH VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

 

 

DuPage Habitat for Humanity's 11th Annual Youth Volleyball Tournament was held April 20, and DuPage Habitat would like to thank the 17 teams who participated this year. The tournament is special because so many aspects of the event are youth-driven. Students are involved in planning and implementation on every level, from snacks and prizes to alerting the press to the tournament. "We are so proud of our students' fundraising efforts for DuPage Habitat. Their participation in events like the volleyball tournament really serves to display the generosity and social consciousness of the students of Hinsdale South," said Matt Gawlik, Habitat student advisor at Hinsdale South High School. Proceeds for the event go toward funding a youth-sponsored Habitat home. And with DuPage Habitat's Pioneer Prairie subdivision on the horizon, there promise to be plenty of more opportunity for students to contribute.

 

-- Dave Bristol