Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County is renewing its efforts to build an affordable home in the town of Upsala after failing to find an eligible applicant during the initial application period in January. The organization is now taking steps to open up the application process earlier than usual, with the goal of finding a qualified applicant from the Upsala community or someone who wants to live there.
Kathy Lange, the Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County, explained that the organization had received a donated lot in Upsala, but no one applied to partner with them to build a home on the property.
“When we have a donated lot, we’re like, ‘OK, let’s find someone who wants to live in Upsala or maybe a resident already in Upsala that has some housing insecurity or is just renting and wants to be a homeowner,’” Lange said. “So we’re really pushing that.”
Habitat for Humanity’s model involves partnering with low-income families who contribute 300 hours of “sweat equity” by helping to build or work on their future home, as well as attending homeownership education classes. In exchange, Habitat for Humanity provides an affordable mortgage with no interest. Lange acknowledged that the 300-hour commitment can be a barrier for some potential applicants, especially those who are juggling work and family responsibilities. She said the organization is open to working with applicants who may need more time to complete the sweat equity requirement.
“We certainly work with applicants,” Lange said. “If they need more time to complete the sweat equity, we could certainly work around that.”
The organization is also exploring ways to make the application process more accessible, including holding a table at the upcoming Upsala Heritage Festival on Aug. 10 to connect with potential applicants.
In addition to the Upsala home build, Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County has been busy with other projects, including helping homeowners in the region with aging-in-place modifications and critical home repairs. Lange said the organization has received funding to assist low-income homeowners with safety upgrades, such as installing handrails and non-slip surfaces, to help them remain in their homes.
“It’s nice to have a little bit of funding so those folks can get the help they need to stay in their homes because there’s just a shortage of income to do the expensive fixes that they need done,” Lange said. “And our housing inventory, we can’t deplete that. We need to maintain the inventory we have in this county. So I’m glad Habitat cannot only build new homes, but then help those (people). I’ve got another couple of grants that I wrote for aging in place so we can keep sustaining that program.”
The organization’s efforts to build affordable housing in Upsala come at a time when the region is facing a shortage of affordable housing options. Lange said that many families in the area are struggling with high rents, with some paying as much as $1,800 per month for a three-bedroom apartment.
“I’ve received calls from people that are renting for $1,800 a month. A gal called me and she was going to apply this year and she’s like, ‘I have four kids, and I’m paying $800 a month for a three-bedroom apartment.’” Lange said. “And I’m like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s insane.’ And she said, ‘It is, but what do you do?’ I don’t know where she’s living. I didn’t ask. But if you’ve got a few children, you need space.”
Habitat for Humanity’s homes, on the other hand, typically have monthly mortgage payments of around $750, which can be a significant savings for low-income families. Lange said the organization’s goal is to make homeownership a reality for those who might not otherwise be able to afford it.
“They’re committed to it and they own it, because they’re gonna have a mortgage. It’s just my job to make it affordable for them,” Lange said. “Every partner has an affordability factor. We look at (factors like) this partner has four children. What can she afford, because we’re going to build a four bedroom house? How can we make this work?”
Lange is hopeful that the renewed push for the Upsala home build will yield results, and she encourages anyone interested in partnering with Habitat for Humanity to reach out and apply.
Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County will begin accepting applications for the house in Upsala on Sept. 1, with the last day to send one in being Sept. 30. The house would be built in summer 2025. Qualified applicants must have lived in Morrison County for one year and have a need for housing, a willingness to partner and the ability to pay an affordable mortgage
For more information on Habitat for Humanity of Morrison County and its affordable housing initiatives, visit their website at hfhmorrisoncounty.org or call (320) 616-2084.
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