Habitat looking for 2 families for Amado homes

Habitat for Humanity has two homes in Amado but hasn’t been able to find the right families to occupy them.

One home is currently under construction by Sahuarita High School students and will be finished in January; the other is ready for move-in now.

The non-profit organization, which uses volunteers to help build housing for economically qualified families, has built 10 houses in the Amado and Sahuarita areas since 1983, said Lori Bable, director of homeowner services for Habitat for Humanity Tucson. Over the past 30 years, the branch has built more than 300 homes in the Tucson area.

They’ve been looking for a family for the completed house for more than a year, but so far have had difficulty finding families that meet their criteria.

“It’s been a challenge throughout the Green Valley area to find families,” Bable said. “Some have applied, but their income hasn’t been high enough to afford the payments,” she said.

“It’s tough to find families right now in general because of the economy,” she added. “But in Amado, it’s more of an issue because it’s a rural community, and because employers are fewer and farther between.”

Habitat homes are sold to homeowners with a 15- to 25-year term, no-interest loan. Mortgage payments are between $550-$750 per month and based on the family’s income, she said. They would also have to make a down payment of $2,500 and commit to 200 hours of community service per adult.

Some people assume that the houses are free and are put off when they discover otherwise, said Barbara Brown, community development director for Habitat’s Tucson branch. Along with this misconception, the instability of the economy is making it difficult to find buyers for Habitat houses.

“Lately, people are saying to us that they’re interested, but they’re not sure if they’re going to continue to have a job,” Brown said.

“People are being responsible and cautious. I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m assuming that when the economy picks up people are going to be more confident and things are going to improve.”

To qualify for the program, applicants must be first-time homebuyers; legal U.S. residents and residents of Pima County; and must undergo a criminal background check. Yearly salary requirements depend on the size of the household. A one-person household, for example, must have a yearly salary of $16,100 to $32,200, while a family of four must make between $23,000 and $46,000.

Visit Habitat for Humanity’s Web site at www.habitattucson.org or call their homeowner services department at 520-326-1217, Ext. 202 to learn more about how to qualify and receive an application.

The completed home is in the Lakewood Estates area off Arivaca Road. The house built by Sahuarita students will be moved by flatbed truck to a lot in the 4000 block of West Tumacaccori Road. Both are 1,277 square feet with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

About 10 students participate in Sahuarita High School’s Habitat for Humanity High School Build program. It’s run by teacher Roger Condra, who has been active in the program for several years.

Students take their work seriously, donning hard hats and braving rickety scaffolding while learning the ins and outs of constructing a house. They need to have completed at least one year of woodshop in order to qualify for the program, Condra said.

After the house is completed early next year, students can look forward to work on their next house, which they’ll start building in September and will work on for two years, Brown said.

In an unusual turn, the materials for this house will be funded by tax credits donated to the school, though Habitat will pay for the move and for final construction work, she said.

This arrangement was made partly because donations to the High School Build program have dropped in recent years, and because the school had set aside funds to keep the popular program going, she said.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726