Middle Township Donates Properties To Habitat for Humanity

WHITESBORO — At its Mon., Oct. 4 meeting Middle Township Committee was scheduled to donate (actually sell for a dollar) two parcels of land to Habitat for Humanity of Cape May County.
The two properties are located at 703 Reeves St. and 300 Wildwood Ave. in Whitesboro.
The governing body continued its long-standing relationship with the non-profit organization that works with volunteers and “partner families” who provide “sweat equity” to construct their homes.
“We are proud of our partnership with Habitat for Humanity,” Middle Township Mayor Susan Atkinson DeLanzo told the Herald.
“It’s a wonderful organization with a great mission. We’re happy to help them provide affordable housing in our community.”
In recent years, Middle Township has donated properties on Langston Street in Whitesboro, which is now under construction, and Indian Trail Road in Burleigh, which was saw a family take “habitation” in February 2009.
“We are thrilled to receive these properties because it allows us to build more homes for families in the community,” said Shawn Lockyear, executive director of the county Habitat office.
Lockyear told the Herald that Middle Township has been the group’s “absolute strongest partner in the county.”
“Middle Township’s donation of two new lots to Habitat is an important step towards achieving this ambitious goal,” Lockyear said, noting the group wants to start building two homes per year. “For all of our affiliate’s 20 years, Middle Township has been a valued partner in building decent, affordable housing in Cape May County. Middle has donated the lots for four of our 11 Habitat houses, including both the house currently being built, and the our very first Habitat House in 1990.”
Lockyear said the group has also purchased four properties in Middle Township.
“We would like to reach out to other municipalities in the county to look at our partnership with Middle Township as a model,” she said. The home on Langston Street, the group’s 11th in the county, is being built in partnership with the Miriam Lopez family.
“By the end of October, we hope to complete their new three-bedroom home, and the transformation of a blighted, overgrown property with an abandoned building to a property-tax generating asset for the community,” Lockyear stated.
Over 25 local volunteers have helped on the Lopez house, with projects that include building a front porch and deck, adding exterior siding and trim, and interior painting.
The organization is seeking more local volunteers for a variety of roles from swinging a hammer to painting, to fund raising, family support and public relations. Visit www.habitatcapemaycounty.org for more information.
Families must meet certain economic and housing criteria to be considered for the Habitat program. They must also donate 300 hours of sweat equity to their home project.
Families in need of decent shelter apply to local Habitat affiliates. The affiliate’s family selection committee chooses homeowners based on their level of need, their willingness to become partners in the program and their ability to repay the loan.
“Habitat is not a giveaway program,” Lockyear said. “Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable no-interest loans. The homeowners’ monthly mortgage payments are used to build still more Habitat houses.”
Lockyear said that no one has defaulted on a loan in the group’s two-decade history.
The proposed ordinance, which was scheduled for second reading and adoption on Oct. 4, stated that state law allows municipalities to sell land to organizations for a nominal fee for the purpose of constructing housing for low or moderate-income families.
The ordinance also states that the township “has an obligation to provide low and moderate affordable housing.” Additionally, the property shall be deed restricted for single-family housing and the housing shall be COAH compliant so that the township is credited for affordable housing units.
Habitat for Humanity, a Georgia-based ecumenical Christian organization founded in 1976, was made famous by its biggest advocate, former President Jimmy Carter. The organization was also notably at the forefront of the rebuilding efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and other worthy projects around the world.